Let’s Laugh –
Yesterday’s post, based as it was on my instruction earlier in the day to write about my brokenness, necessarily was a bummer.
Today I’m going to be briefer and lighter. Comedy in movies & TV that brings me joy: a sampling.
“Modern Times” by Charlie Chaplin. Yes, if he’d come for my daughters, I’d have had to kill him. Yes, if he were still alive, I’d consider him canceled, as much of a loss as that would be. But he’s been dead nearly 50 years, and his work holds more beauty than I’m willing to dismiss. I can forget about the man. The work still brings me joy. “Modern Times” has been one of my top movies since 1976. Here’s a clip of perhaps a capitalist’s dream: a machine that feeds workers at their spot in the assembly line, so there’s no break in production for lunch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17PkUsTVa7g
My favorite TV show for a decade was “The Office” for its brilliant hilarity. Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson in particular but also Mindy Kaling and everyone to some extent. (Except Packer. Freaking despise that guy.)
I like super-smart comedy. Someone in an Office Superfans group turned me onto “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” which I resisted at first because of the name. It sounded stupid and offensive. But I had nothing to do one night and gave it a try. My friends here went through two years of my rhapsodizing about it, 2018-2020. Give or take. Brilliant in its hilarity, its multiple levels of experience and meaning, its important and positive messages for young women, in particular. Sex-positive, inclusive, weirdly feminist, satirical, brilliant song parodies, body-positive, supportive of people dealing with mental health issues, and so many more good traits…it can be found on Netflix. Here’s their very funny career advice: “Don’t Be a Lawyer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs-UEqJ85KE&t=63s
The movie from which this photo comes kills me every time: “Throw Mama from the Train.”
