Who’s in your
sketch comedy
pantheon?
The first time I saw Monty Python’s Flying Circus I was only 8 years old and it TERRIFIED me. I knew it was supposed to be funny, but there was a violent madness inherent in its essence that scared the crap out of me in a way I couldn’t look away from.
Eventually I matured enough to see where the funny was and started to appreciate the show’s greatness, which corresponded with the debut of The Kids in the Hall, which felt much closer to home (literally, Bruce McCulloch actually came from my hometown and many of his characters were instantly recognizable as real people to me), but had that same sense of intriguing insanity.
And I wasn’t the only one. For most of my adolescence, the ability to instantly pull an appropriate Kids quote for any situation was a instant way to find a potential ally in any situation.
Comedy is a lot like music–it’s a great way for young people to form an identity they can present to the world as they struggle to find out who they really are.
Because of when I saw them, no two shows/group will ever be as formative to me as those two influences (which I admit hardly makes me special–it would probably be harder to find a comedy fan my age who doesn’t feel the same way), but I like to think I can still appreciate greatness when I see it.
And to my eyes, the current contender for that level of greatness is Key & Peele, which features Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele riding that same dangerous line of bad taste, insight, absurdity and madness. Like all the greats, it’s love it or hate it stuff and I’m 110% invested in the love it pile.
Were you similarly influenced by sketch comedy during your formative years? Is your pantheon different from mine? If so, DEFEND YOURSELF!
When I think of you, I think of a mix of Woody Allen, Bruce McCulloch and Dave Foley as “Bad Doctor.” Also, Red Green’s rebellious 15-year-old son.
These are all compliments.