It took me several years to really appreciate Rodney Dangerfield. When I was young and knew everything, his act seemed so easy to me: just a bunch of one-liners and a few nervous tugs of his tie. Now that I'm older and a bit wiser, I realize it's not that his act was easy, it's that he made it look easy (and that ain't easy). Perhaps he's not as relevant to today's younger crows looking for comedy with a bit more cruelty and bite, but it's not as if Dangerfield's act was kind, but the unkindness was always turned toward himself, something lacking in today's comedians like David Cross (who I also like, but I've always been more fond of comedy based on self-deprecation).
That's not to say comedy turned outward can't also work, because Don Rickles has made a career out of doing just that, and he deserves to be lionized just as much as Dangerfield, in my opinion.
Now Dead-Frog reports that two feature-length documentaries are in the works about both of these comedy greats. The Dangerfield documentary, titled Respect, is culled from over 250 hours of footage being edited together by Dangerfield's long-time friend, producer David Permut. The Rickles Project, from director John Landis, should be out sometime this summer.
Previously: http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/01/12/don-rickles-to-be-honored-at-comedy-arts-festival/
Giveaway Monday: That '70s Show The Complete Series Stash box set
Giveaway Monday: Back to You season one DVD
Six shows that I am watching pretty regularly this season
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-03-2007 @ 4:52PM
bgdc said...
Huh, I'd say Dangerfield is the one with a touch of cruelty and bite. Most of today's popular comics are antiseptic and banal - Dane Cook, Carlos Mencia, etc. They're not saying anything remotely funny or unexpected.
David Cross is spectacular but then again, he's totally unlike 95% of the dullards doing stand up right now.
Eddie Murphy told a story on Inside the Actor's studio about his first and second meetings with Dangerfield. He was a teen working a comedy club and he killed one night; afterward Dangerfield, who had been in the audience, told Murphy, "You're funny but cut the blue stuff." A year or two later Murphy's blown up, he's huge and in Vegas. He stops to use the urinal and who should use the one next to him but Dangerfield. He said Dangerfield glanced at him, shrugged and commented, "Hey, who knew?"
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4-03-2007 @ 4:53PM
erroneous_nick said...
Two of my all-time favorite comedians. The Dead-Frog article mentions the Dangerfield documentary will be shown at Sundance. Any idea where (and when) both of these will be shown for the masses?
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4-03-2007 @ 5:18PM
Clint said...
I love Don Rickles. He was edgy and racists before it became en vogue. But atleast he attacked everyone. Plus I felt really bad for him when Joe Pesci beat the snot out of him with a pay phone in Casino!
http://www.tvdeuce.com
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4-04-2007 @ 3:28AM
GhaleonQ said...
Rickles is a demi-god.
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