Classic comedy

What's ALWAYS funny? What's funny at the time and not funny now?

Why is "who's on first" timelessly funny? It's tied to American culture but it's about confusion of words.

(Who's on first, 6:09)
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But some other things don't hold up.

What do you think is timelessly funny?

Will it hold up in 30 years?

What was funny back in the day and not funny now?

I Love Lucy is timeless.

Benny Hill.
Three Stooges.
MASH.

I think the question here is why are these things funny?

Why do some "cultural references" hold up under time, and some just fall by the wayside? Really - How funny was Belushi at the end of the day?

What about Carlin? He's definitely culturally oriented, but a lot of his routines stand up under the test of time.

I don't think this is really answerable, because already, I disagree with 3 out of 5 of the things suggested:

Who's On First? - still funny
I Love Lucy - meh
Benny Hill - meh
Three Stooges - downright annoying
MASH - frickin' hilarious

I think Eddie Izzard will still be hysterical in 30 years.

I love Eddie Izzard!

How about this Young Frankenstein classic - When was this movie made? Doesn't matter - this will be funny when I'm old and gray.

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Fronkensteen!

pay thun. mon tee pay thon

[youtube]2H6DSoqZz_s[/youtube]

Clodfobble wrote:

I don't think this is really answerable, because already, I disagree with 3 out of 5 of the things suggested:

Who's On First? - still funny
I Love Lucy - meh
Benny Hill - meh
Three Stooges - downright annoying
MASH - frickin' hilarious

I think Eddie Izzard will still be hysterical in 30 years.

There was an old Cheers episode, I believe, where the men were asking Rebecca why women hate the Stooges (I know, not ALL women.) Her reponse:
Because they're not funny! It's a guy thing.

I agree with your choices. Benny Hill never did anything for me either, and Lucy just annoyed me.

Then again, I love Leave it to Beaver. Especially when the Beav was young, they gave him some great lines!

[SIZE="5"][COLOR="DarkOrchid"]It's[/COLOR][/SIZE]

lumberjim wrote:

pay thun. mon tee pay thon

Floy ing seeeeer kuss

My brother and I used to simple refer to MPFC as "It's"

Doesn't hold up:

Andrew Dice Clay (except "but lose the bra and "use her like a plastic FUCK DOLL")
Cheech and Chong (loved them at the time)

ADC sucked, always did!

Andrew Dice Clay was never funny.

But you're right about Cheech & Chong. Not so funny now.

glatt wrote:

But you're right about Cheech & Chong. Not so funny now.

The bulk of their work, no. But I still have a soft spot in my heart for the little Christmas bit they always play on the radio every year, about Santa Claus and His Old Lady who lived in the projects.

Buster Keaton - classic deadpan and physical comedy.

The Odd Couple (movie)

Arsenic and Old Lace

Airplane and most of the other Zucker stuff

Looney Tunes

There *are* common threads in "test of time" comedy. Interpersonal strife/personality clashes. Farce. Wordplay and slapstick. Goofy appearance. All this stuff does and will translate regardless of age, barring a complete sociological turnover in this country. However, there *are* cultural differences that affect the "what's funny?" equation. For example, people in France still think Jerry Lewis is funny, and he hasn't *been* funny for 40 years.

Elspode wrote:

Arsenic and Old Lace

Well, isn't that a co-inky-dink (wordplay). :) I just mentioned A and O L in the quotable movies thread. Must be time to watch it again.

And Looney Tunes? ALWAYS funny, always will be!

WHACHOO TALKIN BOUT, MISTER DEE??????--classic

Have to be TV? If not, then The Far Side will ALWAYS be funny. Calvin & Hobbes?

i used to love night court. it was my favorite thursday night show way back when. boy, it sucks ass now.

I can't beleve no body has mentioned the Marx Brothers !!!
"Sanity clause "
"HA HA , Every body knows theres no Santa-ty Claus !!"