The way to use comedy to fight politics

Many of you would have heard and laughed about Trump and Sean Spicer getting angry at Melissa Mccarthey impersonating Spicer on SNL. And this isn’t the first time. Shows like the colbert report, the daily show and last week tonight have all done sizzling pieces on political news and made fun of world leaders and political ideas.  But I think many forget that a certain group of people have been doing that too, but goes rather unnoticed. Take C.K. Louis. Many associate him with crude humour but if you really look at his pieces he really dissects some societal ideas in just a 4 or 5 minute joke. His bit called “Offensive Words” perfectly dissects political correctness, the changes in language use that affects slurs and the bigger problem which is the (blank)ism behind it. His bit on “Being Single Again” changes your way of thinking about divorce as a tragedy. His bit on “I Love Being White” explains and shows white privilege better than any essay i have read (so far). So. On each of these, he explains and dissects and takes a stance and makes you laugh and makes you understand and makes you PAY ATTENTION. So I put these into 3 categories for 3 different uses.

1. Personal jabs. This is the Mccarthy Spicer. This is the small hands joke. This is the laughing at the tan or the hair. This has almost no effect on the politician's supporters. If anything, it helps them paint the other side as logicless. But it is still very very important. It number one hurts their egos so they know there is still a resistance. Number two, it's gives those insulted and infuriated a sense of solidarity and support. And number three, it shows who these people really are. When we laugh at small hands, we don’t actually laugh at them, we laugh at the idea that the most powerful man in the world is insecure about his hand size because he is an egomaniac. Comedy is the best place to use little things to show someone's true personality, and don’t we all want to know our leaders real personality?
2. Dissecting individual news stories. Using comedy can show the irony or ridiculousness of the situation. Comedy is also much more attention grabbing. If we want to fight sensationalistic false headlines we need something just as eyeball grabbing. Small British comedian anyone?
3. Evaluating of bigger ideas. In these pieces, which are usually in standup,  the whole idea is really taken apart and teased comedically. Take Jim Jefferies piece on Gun Control. He laughs at all the ideas from protecting your family from robbers but keeping guns in a safe to boasting about the love of protection as if they love padlocks as much as guns. All the theories and debates are nice but connecting it to real life and showing how IRL the arguments make no sense really puts people in their place. Comedians have the special ability to make people feel connected to them and be relatable. If they can make people go huh yeah that does make sense IRL I can relate to that. THAT is how we change minds.

So yea. Not really related to movies but i love comedy to and politics and jokes about politics. So the next time you watch the daily show or SNL think about how it makes you really feel and then think about how you can use this feeling on others whose mind you want to change.

PEACE!

The Rock's likeability ability

Blood. Sweat. Respect. The first two you give. The last one you earn. That and you know whatever the highest paid actor in hollywood earns.

The rock embodies his own mottos. And that is only one of the reasons why everyone loves him.

I’m sure you've read about how 2016 was the year of the rock. I top that. I say this is the beginning of his dynasty. With his role as a big star of the Fast and Furious franchise, the ballers tv series, as well as a slew of upcoming projects including big shows like Baywatch and Jumanji the man is on a roll (eheh). As an absolute let me tell you why this college football reject who once had 7 bucks to his name grew to become one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time and rose meteorically to become Hollywood’s number uno actor.

Number one, his work ethic. His work ethic is absolutely solid and painfully infectious. Look at his posts on instagram. He is drenched in sweat in the Iron Paradise, groaning and shouting focus. Then 5 hours later he updates that he is back for his second work out session. He reports wrapping a show and flying straight tk another shoot. He shows his business mind with his youtube channel, seven bucks production company, and under armour line of clothes. All while carving out the time to have a stack of pancakes for a nice cheat meal. (On that note if anyone wants to buy me a rock brand under armour shirt i really wouldn't mind). But he isn't bragging. He repeatedly says “some of you know what i mean”. He gives advice to his fan. He encourages people to work the grind. (TBH I have been hyped up by him more than one) He is not putting people down, he pushes people up. And who doesn't like a hard worker who helps others cmon.

Two, he is nice. Nice? A wrestler who has had feuds with Triple H, Stone Cold and John Cena. Nice? Yes. Look at his close relationship with all his co-stars from Kevin Hart to the whole group of celebrities that helped him out for Rock the Troops (Mcconaughey, Jack Black). He always praises and teases his friends and his smile is infectiously nice. I swear I’m not gay for him. He’s so nice when he has a feud with Vin Diesel people assume he is promoting his movie instead of stealing the headline for tabloids. Hollywood’s nicest guy is a well-deserved title.

Three. He has insane charisma on screen. Now, his acting skills are...ok. He isn’t one to show extreme nuance in acting. But if you need a big, brown, tatooed man to punch some people in the face and do inhuman stunts (his words not mine), he is THE man. He fills the screen literally and physically and he is an eyeball grabber.

Four. He personally interacts with his fans. Sure he is polished sometimes. But you know why his Youtube channel is weaker than his Insta (no offence)? On youtube it looks scripted and planned. On insta he is all him. His hashtags usage is crazy and stupidly fun. He literally just grabs his phone and shakes like crazy while filming a video in the gym. His captions are 100% him. No they don’t always sound good. But they sound genuine. And people like not fake people.

Honestly, we are living in the rock dynasty and a respectable, inspirational, and humble king like him to rule it, I am super hyped, be it for his next movie, next tv season or even his next Insta post.

#Rock2020

Dear World: Please stop treating the American market as the golden standard

Dear world,

Please stop treating the American market as the gold standard. If a singer or actor makes it in western markets after starting out in asian ones that is a show of their international popularity which is great. It is great that people like Jackie Chan and Kpop singers are starting to get recognition internationally their craft. But the goal seems to be warped.

Take Lee Joong Ki acting in Resident Evil. I mean cmon. He has the acting chops and looks, and he has done very well in the korean market. But once he acts in a second rate, laughably bad B movie in AMMMMMERRRRICCCCA it seems like he has suddenly became oh so great. Or BTS. They have international recognition and always tops korean music charts. But oh they ranked in Billboard. Makes them one level higher.

This feeds the asian inferiority syndrome. We should be happy that artists can conquer many markets, not that they can conquer the western one. Why does it mean more to be loved in US than in China? Or France over say Phillipines or Thailand? They are not more important than us.

Oh but this provides representation in western media. Yes. That is great. But what was representation for? If we wanted to show Asians we were equals with westerners than sticking them in a b rated movie as a generic sidekick is not gonna help that at all. We are better off with our own representation in movies from the chinese market or Bollywood or even movies like The Raid from Indonesia. If the point was to show westerners that we are talented too, again associating asians with sidekicks who know kung fu in a dumb action movie is not going to help.

The way we solve this is to be popular. Be good. Be creative. Take Wong Fu Productions. Or Ang Lee. Or Fresh Off The Boat. They don’t settle for less. And when they succeed they don’t celebrate cause they made it in america, they celebrate cause they made it period.

So stop inviting nobody western singers that nine of your fanbase knows, giving your national boy and girl groups only 1 or 2 songs  but have a slew of western singers NONE of your fanbase was there to see. (I’m looking at you MAMA)

Cheers,

Darren Does Hollywood