Can We Talk?

Max and Joan
photo credit: AP/MW

I like to laugh.  No.  I LOVE to laugh.

A lot of people make me laugh.  Sometimes it's the Red Skelton kind of humor that grabs me...clean, honest, funny.  Other times, my inner 12 year old boy craves the stupid humor of South Park. I like Bill Engvall and Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy as well as I like any of the comedians out there.  And there's no funnier man on the planet than Craig Ferguson.  Which I may have mentioned before. *grin*

But you know who always makes me laugh?  To the core?  Joan Rivers. There are a lot of comedians out there who can get too nasty, even for me.  They don't do "nasty" right.  They need to take a lesson from Joan Rivers.  She can do nasty and it's still FUNNY. It's not nasty for the sake of being nasty.  It's just gut-busting funny.  Because it's real.  SHE is real.  She's naturally funny, on stage and off. She's fearless!

But that's not even what I like about her most.  Until she appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice (Season 8, 2009-2010, which, by the way she WON) I had underestimated her.  She was just another one of the many comedians out there, barely on my radar, despite being around for so long.  No, what I like about her most is her work ethic and her intelligence.

Did I just say that?  Yes, yes I did.  The woman is smart. If you don't believe me, just pull up Season 8 of Celebrity Apprentice on Hulu and watch her.  It didn't matter what the task was, she threw herself into it 100%, whether it was slinging hash or scrubbing toilets.  She wasn't "above" any of it.  She decided what needed to be done and rolled up her sleeves and just DID IT.  And she had no patience for slackers, fools or prima donnas.  At 76 years old, she worked circles around everyone else.  Say what you will about The Donald, but he's no dummy.  She won the whole thing!

Nevermind her 50+ years in the business.  Nevermind her many accomplishments in live stand-up, TV, movies, radio, books and yes, even cartoons - just on street smarts alone, she's brilliant.  And the cherry on top?  She has a BA in English lit. Betcha didn't know THAT.

She acts tough, well, she IS tough.  Barbara Stanwyck would have probably called her a "tough old broad." But she's also nice.  Joan Rivers?  Nice?  Yes.  I'm not privileged enough to be in her circle of friends, but I have zero doubt that if you are lucky enough to be her friend, there's nothing she wouldn't do for you.  And she loves dogs.  Gotta love a person who loves dogs.

Moral of the story?  Well my stories don't usually have a moral.  But if I had to pick one for Joan?  Never never never underestimate a tough old broad from Brooklyn.

Craig Ferguson

Is there anyone funnier on the planet?  Craig Ferguson, in case you've been living under a rock for the last 6 years or so, is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.


Seriously, no one can make me laugh harder than @craigyferg.  His naughty sense of humor is just delicious.  I don't know if I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy or if he's really just THAT funny.


But his humor isn't what I like most about Craig.  Could it be that wonderful Scottish accent?  Well, that certainly doesn't hurt!  But no.


Could it be that he's just the cutest guy on TV?  Well, again, that doesn't hurt!  But no.


The man is smart. And he's not smart in that "I'm so smart I have to throw it in your face constantly" kind of way.  He's really intelligent.  And deep.  And thoughtful. And he is smart in a way that doesn't hit you upside the head.  It almost seems like he tries to hide it.  Almost.  But every now and then, it comes shining through just on its own.  


I've read his books, Between the Bridge and the River and American on Purpose. And I think he's either written or is writing another one.  They are not the typical celebrity fodder - there's substance in them thar pages.  Even in his monologue, you will see hints of things that actually interest him.  Philosophy seems to be one of those things.  And lest you think he can't be serious, just watch this.

Or watch his interview with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, for which he won the well-deserved and prestigious Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting.

His show has been nominated for an Emmy, and incidentally, Craig himself was even nominated for a grammy!  Yep, a grammy - the best spoken word category for American On Purpose.  And that's still not all!  He's a FANTASTIC stand-up comedian!  He wrote, directed and starred in three movies: The Big Tease, Saving Grace and I'll Be There, as well as doing some voice work in the animated movie How To Train Your Dragon.  He was in a short-lived sitcom called Maybe This Time with Betty White and Marie Osmond. And there was that stint on the Drew Carey Show, but we won't mention that.  And of course there are a ton of other things.  If you want more of that, you can Wiki him.  It may or not be the truth, though.  


One title he lays claim to that is definitely NOT his to claim is "owner of the world's fartiest dog."  Sorry, Craig, but I believe that's me.  You just haven't had the "pleasure" of meeting my Murphy.


All I'm sayin' is that it seems the man is under-rated and underestimated.  I'm just sorry he's not under ME!    *wink*