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Read other letters about this article
...that it is dangerous to take comedy too seriously. This essay, and the letters in response, prove his point.
Funny is funny, period. And yes, taste does come into it; if it didn't, then seventy years on The Ritz Brothers would be considered as re-watchable as The Marx Brothers. "The Ritz Brothers who?" you ask. Exactly my point.
Those of you positing an economic argument are forgetting that several people who are still very funny are also very rich. Exhibit A: Bill Murray. Exhibit B: Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the last time I checked, "South Park" was still hilarious, and TEAM AMERICA was a noble failure not an abject one).
As for age...well, that depends. Bob Hope was funny for a VERY long time. So was Rodney Dangerfield. So is Gilbert Gottfreid and Dana Carvey and, if Parkinson's hadn't felled him, so would be Michael J. Fox (these guys aren't exactly spring chickens). And then there's Larry David. Talk about funny!
So some of you are right but most of you are wrong. Heed George Carlin's advice, laugh at what's funny and ignore what's not (like Will Farrel - how the fuck did that guy EVER get a career??).
