Seinfeld was really funny to me at the time, but when I go back and watch it, all I can think about is how awful all of them are, and yet they’re also really successful (even George eventually). And again, a bunch of white people living in New York City without serious money issues. I also can’t help but notice the near total lack of people of color in Seinfeld and Friends. Those shows totally whitewash New York City, which, ironically, had a black mayor for part of the time those shows were on the air.
Larry David was explicit that throughout the show they never learn or grow as people. They are and always will be horrible, neurotic, assholes. The whitewashing is a bit noticeable. Holds up reasonably well, though I could do without the laugh track.
I can’t watch shows with laugh tracks any more. Finding out that the European version of M*A*S*H had no laugh track and watching that version was amazing.
Used to do standup regionally and hosted a comedy night at a local club. We talk about being poor because you get paid shit unless you’re big time. And even a lot of the people who get spots on the late night shows aren’t driving shiny new cars. They’re driving ten-year-old Honda Civics.
The club I was doing it in only did comedy two nights a week. It did other nightclub stuff like host bands on other nights. There was a regular jazz band that played there on Monday nights with some pretty well-known musicians. They also showed art-house films, which is how I started before I did comedy- I was the projectionist there. Then one day, the regular host, who thought I was really funny, had me do an opener. It took off from there. Eventually, he hosted one night and I hosted another so we could tour regionally other parts of the week. This was way back in the 1990s- the club is gone now. The building has been demolished.
However, that town now does have a locally-owned comedy club that is apparently successful enough to draw really big-name acts, so I guess the answer is yes.
You won’t find anyone on this platform who liked the show, so I’ll answer. The appeal was that it gave people a group of friends to watch and grow with. There are a lot of lonely people in the world, and Friends filled a void for them, covering every topic that young adults face over the lifetime of the show. If you go watch any of the documentaries about friends, you will see that there are millions of people across the world who felt that Friends was a big part of their lives, and that the characters were their friends. Plus, it was fun and funny, in its own era. Many of the jokes fall flat now, and some are considered completely taboo or horribly insensitive now, but times have changed. Making fun of straight guys by calling them “gay” was completely normal back then. Ribbing people and joking about their weaknesses was too.
Anyways, it was the first comedy show ever to present young adults in a semi-authentic manner, and give viewers a chance to watch them grow, and grow alongside them. Writing was pretty solid for the show too, and the guest appearances were fun. Everyone here hates Friends, but most people back then loved it. I didn’t watch TV at all back then, I was too busy outside, living my life, but I watched all of it several years later and enjoyed it, despite the many issues.
There’s a recent YouTube video where the creator watched a bunch of Friends and calculated how much time was spent on “not jokes”.
IIRC he found that 25% of the show was taken up by laugh tracks or cheering by the fake audience. That’s separate from the time wasted by commercials.
That show was incredibly successful considering how little content they actually put in it.
I didn’t get it back then and I don’t get it now. What was the appeal?
All I know is that it prevented me from watching Seinfeld because I was outnumbered by my sisters and my mother who loved that shit.
Seinfeld was really funny to me at the time, but when I go back and watch it, all I can think about is how awful all of them are, and yet they’re also really successful (even George eventually). And again, a bunch of white people living in New York City without serious money issues. I also can’t help but notice the near total lack of people of color in Seinfeld and Friends. Those shows totally whitewash New York City, which, ironically, had a black mayor for part of the time those shows were on the air.
Larry David was explicit that throughout the show they never learn or grow as people. They are and always will be horrible, neurotic, assholes. The whitewashing is a bit noticeable. Holds up reasonably well, though I could do without the laugh track.
I can’t watch shows with laugh tracks any more. Finding out that the European version of M*A*S*H had no laugh track and watching that version was amazing.
Local comedy gives me my fill of comedy about money issues. Ever had any comedy clubs ‘round the neighborhood yourself?
Used to do standup regionally and hosted a comedy night at a local club. We talk about being poor because you get paid shit unless you’re big time. And even a lot of the people who get spots on the late night shows aren’t driving shiny new cars. They’re driving ten-year-old Honda Civics.
is it possible to run a local comedy club that pays well and stays in business?
The club I was doing it in only did comedy two nights a week. It did other nightclub stuff like host bands on other nights. There was a regular jazz band that played there on Monday nights with some pretty well-known musicians. They also showed art-house films, which is how I started before I did comedy- I was the projectionist there. Then one day, the regular host, who thought I was really funny, had me do an opener. It took off from there. Eventually, he hosted one night and I hosted another so we could tour regionally other parts of the week. This was way back in the 1990s- the club is gone now. The building has been demolished.
However, that town now does have a locally-owned comedy club that is apparently successful enough to draw really big-name acts, so I guess the answer is yes.
I’m sure the pay is still shit though.
i love the insight, great answer to a different question.
You won’t find anyone on this platform who liked the show, so I’ll answer. The appeal was that it gave people a group of friends to watch and grow with. There are a lot of lonely people in the world, and Friends filled a void for them, covering every topic that young adults face over the lifetime of the show. If you go watch any of the documentaries about friends, you will see that there are millions of people across the world who felt that Friends was a big part of their lives, and that the characters were their friends. Plus, it was fun and funny, in its own era. Many of the jokes fall flat now, and some are considered completely taboo or horribly insensitive now, but times have changed. Making fun of straight guys by calling them “gay” was completely normal back then. Ribbing people and joking about their weaknesses was too.
Anyways, it was the first comedy show ever to present young adults in a semi-authentic manner, and give viewers a chance to watch them grow, and grow alongside them. Writing was pretty solid for the show too, and the guest appearances were fun. Everyone here hates Friends, but most people back then loved it. I didn’t watch TV at all back then, I was too busy outside, living my life, but I watched all of it several years later and enjoyed it, despite the many issues.
I like that show. Nostalgia.