One of my earliest memories associated with comedy is Eddie Murphy’s run on Saturday Night Live, including but not limited to the legendary “Mr. Rogers” and “Buckwheat” skits. In later years I would revisit this work and I [...]]]> You’ll want to watch “Eddie Murphy: One Night Only” when it premieres tonight at 10/9c on Spike.

One of my earliest memories associated with comedy is Eddie Murphy’s run on Saturday Night Live, including but not limited to the legendary “Mr. Rogers” and “Buckwheat” skits. In later years I would revisit this work and I was astounded at how well it all held up, particularly against the rest of the stuff being offered at the time. By and large, sketch comedy doesn’t age well. The pressures of producing weekly episodic television creates a sort of hyper-relevance that makes a show aired six months ago seem dated, particularly when a writing staff might be overworked and/or not quite up to snuff. The modern SNL has been the worst of it, where they have skits that literally just re-enact things they saw in the news.

Yet Eddie’s work was and remains timeless, his character work impeccable, and some of his stuff so esoteric – for example his portrayal of Gumby as an old Borscht Belt comedian bitter over being forced to play a sickeningly sweet character whenever the cameras were on – that it defies context.

I wrote more about Eddie’s versatility here:

The Many Faces of Eddie Murphy

Why do I keep calling him Eddie? I don’t know the man. I don’t even feel like I know the man. But for people in my and my siblings’ age groups, I think we all know him as Eddie.

Which is why I’ve been so happy with this assignment. Even though it’s just writing pieces for Spike.com’s Eddie Murphy: One Night Only subsite and creating animated gifs for the Spike Tumblr, it’s been a true freaking honor to assist – even in some small way – in promoting this special.

I got to watch the special over the past couple days and I can attest to the fact that it’s damn good, and that all involved should be proud of what came out. Eddie in particular should be especially proud, particularly given what guys like Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, and others had to say about what he meant to them and so many others in comedy.

Anyway, make sure you go to Laughs on Lark tonight in Albany, NY at Elda’s on Lark – the show starts at 8pm and is only $5. I’m one of the performers and also am a regular co-host and co-producer. You’ll get more funny for less money, and definitely be home in time to catch the premiere of Eddie Murphy: One Night Only at 10pm (with a replay at midnight) on Spike.

What? I’m shameless, okay?

$10, 9pm. All proceeds collected at the door will go directly to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/397891530284787/

If we get enough people to show up, Alzheimer’s will be eradicated!*

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The whole thing reminds me of an old Mr. Show skit where Bob and David sing songs to “The Rainbow Gang,” a collection of silent minorities. They sing songs like “A White Man Set Them Free,” and say things like “you’re welcome.”

Then, it was parody and satire. Now, at least [...]]]> Read more here.

The whole thing reminds me of an old Mr. Show skit where Bob and David sing songs to “The Rainbow Gang,” a collection of silent minorities. They sing songs like “A White Man Set Them Free,” and say things like “you’re welcome.”

Then, it was parody and satire. Now, at least in this instance, that behavior has sadly become the norm.

Aren’t you gays just so happy for us straight people that are here to raise you up?

Unmasking Reddit’s Violentacrez: The Biggest Troll on the Web

I read the article and the subsequent reaction and involvement from Reddit [...]]]> If you haven’t already, check out the story on Gawker from Adrian Chen, who grappled with and ultimately outed one of the most notorious figures on Reddit, if not all of the internet:

Unmasking Reddit’s Violentacrez: The Biggest Troll on the Web

I read the article and the subsequent reaction and involvement from Reddit with a combination of horror and rage. I won’t even get into the details of the material Violentacrez and others are responsible for posting, except to say that it’s the first time I can remember deleting an account on any site in reaction to something the company did. Seriously.

See my initial (over?)reaction on Tumblr

I don’t know whether to praise Chen on a good piece and admire the fact that he grappled with whether or not to go forth with outing the identity of one of the most reviled people in internet culture or call shenanigans on it.

Why shenanigans? Because to me, any and all moral quandaries about outing a person like Violentacrez is a construct. That puts me at odds with a lot of people online, and in particular some who are reading this. Yet I maintain that while we do have freedom of speech, that speech like anything else in life ultimately comes with consequences. If you are to argue that Michael Brutsch somehow has the right to do what he did anonymously, how does it follow that Chen then doesn’t have that right to out him for who he is in another forum?

The problem, I believe, is that many of those defending Brutsch and chastising Chen are children, either literally or mentally/emotionally. If they are not pre-teens or teenagers, they are adults who have never made the effort to get out of their own head and step out of their own circles; grown men and women for whom their world view is the only world view. To them, freedom of speech just means say whatever, whenever, with no consequences or affect on others. Which isn’t quite right. The bigger thing is that they don’t seem to have a grasp of the impact of words. To them, Anonymous is fighting for the right for them to pirate games, and that is somehow equitable to the right to petition your government with grievances or speak out against a sitting administration. It’s all slippery slopes and other fallacies.

It doesn’t help their cause any that a lot of the outcry over Chen outing Brutsch reads like the sort of tunnel vision you usually only seem from religious fanatics. It’s not an unfair comparison, because really, the logic and defense is equitable in terms of absurdity, execution, and misdirection; the only difference being the topic at hand. They say that Reddit did the right thing, Violetacrez was wrong, but that Gawker was more wrong and is more wrong in other stuff it does. It’s sort of like when you read a passionate defense of a church, where the system that not only allowed a horrible act to occur but perpetuated abuse with their actions and/or inaction is praised and defended while the author vehemently states ad nauseum that they do NOT approve of the abhorrent figure in question; then they try to deflect any criticism of the church because Penn Gillette is kind of a dick as an Atheist.

To me, this whole story and the reaction to it illuminates two  things: the hypocrisy inherent in those who cry “freedom of speech!” when called out on abhorrent and abusive speech and behavior and the folly inherent in a libertarian approach to…well, anything. Because when it comes to content the Reddit philosophy, or at least the philosophy of those defending it, tends to be very libertarian.

The problem I have with anyone who cries foul about Brutsch being outed and libertarian philosophy as a whole is that it only works in a fictional universe that resides in a firm, impermeable bubble. In real life, nothing – not money, morality, sexuality, decency, not a goddamn thing – is ever as simple as black and white. Almost everything exists on a spectrum. Libertarian philosophy isn’t just at odds with just other social or political philosophies, but with how the world has always and will continue to operate. When dealing with morals, we as human beings we should not put ourselves in the business of trying to make things simpler than they are. Nor should we combat the existence of the spectrum itself. Rather, we should determine where best a given issue fits on that line and adjust our behavior and responses accordingly. We cannot set the conditions, but we can set the degrees. Not with any specificity, but with at least some semblance of accuracy through compromise.

Some take this world view as a cop out, but I think the real cop-out is when someone rests on a predetermined view to best determine their stance and reactions to unforeseen circumstances.

In short, fuck that guy. What a scumbag.

It’s been a while. I got overwhelmed by people sharing Instagram pictures of them drinking a bottle of wine with their feet propped up and shit they’re eating for dinner and shitty tribal tattoos and quoting rants from mentally unbalanced teenagers like they’re sage wisdom.

Then I unfollowed them [...]]]> Tumblr, we back on the map!

It’s been a while. I got overwhelmed by people sharing Instagram pictures of them drinking a bottle of wine with their feet propped up and shit they’re eating for dinner and shitty tribal tattoos and quoting rants from mentally unbalanced teenagers like they’re sage wisdom.

Then I unfollowed them and now I’m back and life is so much better and I’ll be sharing stuff from my regular blog on here and you’ll get updates on my comedy shows and and and—-

Anyway, check out my schedule for upcoming performances. Next one is Wednesday, August 8th for Laughs on Lark!

My Shanghainese parents just finished high school in 1966 when the Cultural Revolution happened. They sometimes share their experience with me, even though my mom doesn’t like to talk about it. Here are some things that stuck out for me:When my dad was walking to school he…

What I find almost as interesting [...]]]> asianhistory:

My Shanghainese parents just finished high school in 1966 when the Cultural Revolution happened. They sometimes share their experience with me, even though my mom doesn’t like to talk about it. Here are some things that stuck out for me:When my dad was walking to school he…

What I find almost as interesting as the accounts shared here is the pass given to Mao. The awful nature of the Cultural Revolution is acknowledged, but the blame for its inherently oppressive nature is attributed to mass hysteria.That seems somewhat unique among totalitarian/authoritarian regimes. Often it is the tyrant/dictator that is singled out for evils and their accomplices, whether they be aides or far-flung supporters, are not necessarily given a pass but are not indicted with as much vehemence in the eyes of history.The sustained reverence for Mao is, I think, both a product of and explanation for the continued existence of China’s government in its current form and why they’re so blasé about human rights abuses.

Fascinasians: Cultural Revolution

Tina! 

FRIEND FICTION is a thing we all need to do.

“Just returned from a wonderful long weekend in the Cape. One last week of off-peak prices before the heathens descend. Glorious”

Ilya Repin, Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on November 16, 1581, 1885