Do you ever feel in need of a really really good long laugh? Not a grin, not a giggle or guffaw but a flat out stomach crunching, tear spilling bout of rolling in the aisles laughter? Me too. Where's Lucy and my nine year old self to enjoy her? Lucy and Ethel working in the candy factory on youtube only rate a snicker now. Where's Monty Python and my 25 year old self to enjoy them? The Dead Parrot sketch is still there to be seen but instead of convulsing in merriment like the first time I watched it, now I chuckle.
George Carlin could inspire howls of mirth but he's been dead a while now and what he had to say about living in this society is more true with each passing day. It's not so funny anymore when those who should have been ridiculed off the world stage are still here and more in control than ever. I'm still angry every time I read a word about the ecologic disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. I continue to be enraged that our government is owned by the banking industry. I'm depressed about the health care act and even more so about unemployment and the fact that in a police state the only jobs many young people can get are with the police and the military.
In general people are trapped by circumstance but it's good to know about those who still have the initiative to step over the line. A friend's post about Banksy, the mysterious graffiti artist who travels the world (with a posse one assumes) tagging public spaces with guerilla art that makes random viewers stop and think, got me wandering the nets. I remembered a few years ago that he smuggled his own artwork into four major galleries and museums in New York and wanted to find the article.
Instead, and remarkably enough, it turns out there's a new movie by and about Banksy and other street artists called 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' that tells the incredible true story of how an eccentric French shop keeper turned documentary maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner with spectacular results. As Banksy describes it, it's basically the story of how one man set out to film the un-filmable.. and failed.The trailer made me laugh enough that I'm looking forward to seeing the whole thing. Check it out:
The sad thing is that these guys get arrested if they're caught.
It's a strange world.
I'm not in the least bit surprised that they might get arrested should they come out. They are subversive and, as we well know, that will never do :P
ReplyDeleteOf course they'd get arrested. Not as if they're admins for BP. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteI do have a soft spot for Banksy's work.
ReplyDeleteAs for George Carlin, it is a shame he wasn't well known in the UK. I loved his brand of angry and acerbic comedy.
THere is one other US comedian who would have had a field day had he not died young - Bill Hicks. Given what he gave to Bush senior, Imagine what fun he would ahve had with Bush minor!
if graffiti was legal, would it be fun? i doubt it.
ReplyDeleteand of course, there's a BIG dif between street art and vandalism. one has to gouge designs in a lot of different school desks before one gets good at it.
and its dangerous:
oops, i just painted over your gang graffiti? sorrrry.
but ohh, the true artists are a joy, aren't they?
p.s. also i think the lotus flower has 8 petals.
liberality - Nope, can't have any subversion :-)
ReplyDeleterandal - I know just who they should use to plug that hole.
jams - The Bansksy movie does look like fun. We need more comedians and fewer politicians.
sera - The really good ones are few and I've heard Banksy himself is bemused by the fact his work sells for millions. Do they scrape it off the walls and then who sells it? The owners of the walls, I suppose. They can always be counted on to make money.
ReplyDeleteIt does. It's said the Buddha's body was divided into 8 parts..
I don't see what was posted, just a blank white space. Was it a YouTube? A Movie Trailer? Whatever. I'll search Banksy and see what it's all about. I am not familiuar with the subject, yet.
ReplyDeleteI need to laugh as you describe. It doesn't happen very often anymore. I used to smake a lot of pot. The marijuana induced a lot of laughter, (and hunger, no wonder I'm a diabetic).
The oil situation gives me a very bad feeling deep in the pit of my stomach. I am afraid that this will be a devastating catastrophe, (and it already is, but I feel it will get worse). I wish I didn't feel this way and I hope and pray I am not right. But we have done the ultimate., We've punched a hole in the Sacred Earth Mother and it is losing fluid. Toxic poison. We are at fault. I'll take the blame for not walking and bicycling and heating a house when room, or even a small space, would do. I'm at fault for generating trash and buying material things.
So sorry my friend, it's hard to laugh in the face of those feelings.
Peace.
I love Banksy. Featured his work on my blog early on. Can't wait to see the movie.
ReplyDeletehow funny and fun to watch...i was mesmerized and that never happens...trouble is i can't sit that long and will need to wait a bit til it comes to dvdxox
ReplyDeletespadoman - I hope you found the film clip on youtube. These guys are a bunch of rascals but some of them, like Banksy, actually manage the trick of combining art and purpose. Maybe we don't laugh as much as we once did because we know more now; it couldn't be because things really are getting worse, could it?
ReplyDeleteNever, never, never feel bad about how you've lived your life. We're all stuck in a situation we had no hand in making.
pagan sphinx - He's always worth mentioning and the movie does look pretty cool.
linda - We'll likely be watching it on the box too since we average one movie a year and we already saw Avatar in 3D :-)
I just saw the Dead parrot Sketch for the first time last week. It is still hilarious. And I had a small brush w. greatness with Carlin, he attended my Grad school graduation. He was there for his daughter who was graduating.
ReplyDeleteThe whole idea of art not being art unless it is mandated and sold and a commodity is one that drives me cookaloo. These people should be getting paid by the community.
xxoo
belette - E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I admit it still makes me laugh :-) and I think some of us should be paid by the community just for getting up every day.