Books-on-tape versions of NPR programs are always really popular in my library system, so I've been waiting months to receive a copy of NPR Funniest Driveway Moments on CD. When it finally came in, I was pumped. I love listening to comedy routines on tape.
Imagine my disappointment, then, when I found out that these sixteen (or so) tracks were mainly of NPR commentators interviewing comedians about comedy.* I'm not saying it was a dull listen, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought it would. Comedians spoken with include Dame Edna, Steve Martin, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, and Larry David, so they did break out the heavy hitters for this collection.
There were, however, two very bright moments. One was David Sedaris's track, which was indeed Sedaris reading one of his essays (which is rather what I thought the whole collection was going to be). He talks about his experiences with health care in France, where he had a ton of dental work done for a mere $40, and once went to the emergency room, where all of his care cost a total of $100. He further points out that if he had been a French citizen, he would have been reimbursed for those costs, and that no one ever asked him if he was insured or how he would be paying before they cared for him. (Ahem--how do they make THAT work? That's the system we need.) He concluded his essay by asking his male nurse for an ashtray--which was brought and which he used--and how that was the moment when he realized there was no real reason to ever return to the United States.
The other bright spot, if you can call it that, is a quote from a 1983 interview with Richard Pryor, in which he replied to a question about the obscenities in his routines by saying, "You know what's obscene to me? The president of the United States stands on television and tells people that we are helping to fight communism in South America by killing the people. I would never do that."
What I have learned from this is that I have got to go find some Richard Pryor routines on CD, somewhere.
*Also? Sometimes the commentators sound like they're forcing their laughter, and I found that very annoying. I don't think they were forcing it, but it didn't sound quite right.
I'll be dating myself, (as in age - not relationship. I still have a husband), but during the 1970s, Richard Pryor had a variety show. Can you even imagine??? This was before cable. It was on one of the big three networks. I don't know why my favorite scene is this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdN27HzoyO4
I also remember buying Steve Martin albums. I loved "Cat Handcuffs." It's sad Martin doesn't do stand up anymore. He was a genius.
Boy, I hope I don't spend the whole day looking at comedians on youtube, but there could be worse things to do.
Posted by: Venta | 27 July 2009 at 10:01 AM
Screw America. I've got to move to France. (They have better books, too.)
Posted by: Brandon | 27 July 2009 at 10:39 AM
Venta,
What are you DOING to me? Now I'm caught in the time sink that is YouTube, following up Richard Pryor and Steve Martin routines. AAARrrrgh! YouTube is my addiction, I admit it.
Thumbs up on the Richard Pryor clip. I'm definitely going to try and find some of his routines on tape.
Brandon,
Amen, brother.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 27 July 2009 at 10:54 AM
Actually, you know how they make that work? Taxes, taxes, taxes, I'm sure. I bet it's a lot like this horrific healthcare reform bill Obama has been trying to shove through Congress. Sounds good on paper, and in France, until you wonder how the hell it's being paid for. Nothing's as easy as it sounds.
I could be wrong, though. The French may very very well have a pretty easy, pain-free heathcare system. I highly doubt it, though.
Posted by: Brandon | 28 July 2009 at 05:02 PM
Brandon,
Well, I would like to know how they're paying for it, and I certainly wouldn't be shocked if taxes were involved. But you know what? I'm paying plenty of taxes here and all I'm getting for it is wars picking on innocent civilians and bailouts to hedge fund managers. Frankly, I'd be just as happy if it could go to health care.
And, nothing's as easy as it sounds? What, are you trying to out-pessimist me? All I can say is, bring it, son. The depth of my bitter soul even scares my mother sometimes, and she's the one who was my sensei in the ways of negativity.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 28 July 2009 at 05:56 PM
Yeah, the Pryor line is a devastating bit of comedy, but no one ever noticed it because Saint Ronnie was untouchable while he was Prez, spending our tax money hiring butchers to torture Central Americans.
Ronnie was the worst til what's his name came along. For a while there, I was pining away for Ronnie, and that's the funniest thing I've ever written in the Pryorian sense of funny above.
Maybe France has more money to pay for healthcare because they don't have a Pentagon, surley the most expensive and venal boondoggle ever created.
Posted by: robert brown | 28 July 2009 at 08:37 PM
Robert Brown,
I feel very close to you right now. I am going to write your "expensive and venal boondoggle" description of the Pentagon down and tuck it in my address book so I never, ever forget it.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 28 July 2009 at 09:04 PM
You know why the Pentagon is empty in the middle, don't you?
It's a money pit.
(What did you think I was going to say?)
Posted by: Robert Brown | 29 July 2009 at 01:10 PM