Final Post

I couldn't really think of anything to post about so I decided to summarize my experience in Comic Spirit class this year. First off, I would like to say that I am overjoyed that this was the final exam requirement because I remember the very first day of class when I was told that the final would be a standup skit in the auditorium. My first thought was, "well I know what day I'll be absent." If you know me, you know that I say 5 or 6 words a day in school so standing up in front of a bunch of people and trying to be funny seemed like a nightmare. Anyways, I took this class because I really enjoy comedy and I thought this class would be funny and it was. Funnier than I thought it would be. I had never had Mr. Kefor as a teacher before and now I can say that he is one of my all time favorites. The way he taught the class really made the class interesting. I can honestly say that I never caught up on my sleep in Comic Spirit. The continuous jokes and sarcasm kept me awake every time. I hope i have a class with him as the teacher next year. I thought the assignments in this class were pretty cool as well. I liked the idea of free writing. I like being creative and doing my own thing most of the time and this class gave me the opportunity to do so. I hate when you are told what to do constantly. This class always left room for imagination. I didn't really know anyone in the class this year but it didn't take away from the experience. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who is looking for a fun elective. I learned a lot about the elements of comedy and the english Language. Comic Spirt was worth the selection.

The Cosby Show/All in the Family

Both The Cosby Show and All in the Family fuse significant socio cultural issues with humor. In The Cosby Show, conflicts within the family are portrayed using humor to bring out the best in situations. The Cosby’s are just like any other modern African American family so people find the show easy to relate to. They address problems in a very upbeat manner.  All in the Family uses humor for the very same reason; it’s just a tad bit edgier than The Cosby Show. All in the family came out before The Cosby Show so some issues in the show are dealt with in different ways, one could say that All in the Family is somewhat racist and sarcastic. At the time of All in the Family racism was more common then at the time of The Cosby Show. Both shows do an excellent job of fusing socio cultural issues with humor.

Comic Spirit: Meet the Parents

1.      “Meeting the parents” is a very awkward situation. It’s indescribable unless you have been there at some point in you life. You do anything you can to make a good impression and in some cases, you try too hard and things get out of hand. In Greg’s case, things got really out of hand. “Meeting the parents” was exaggerated in the film “Meet the Parents” to express comic effect. The situations that Greg had to undergo were somewhat similar to real life situations but some were more exaggerated to make the film funny.

2.      The two foils in the film that I was able to pick out were Greg and Jack and Greg and Kevin. Jack is a former CIA member and Greg is a nurse. Jack makes fun of Greg for that. Kevin is Pam’s ex-boyfriend and is a very crafty individual and Greg isn’t so talented. Greg feels threatened by Kevin because he feels as though he doesn’t have as much to offer to Pam.

3.      Robert DeNiro’s Jack is both an amalgam of and departure from roles and personas such as boxers, gangsters, and psychopathic taxi drivers because before Jack was a stereotypical father, he was a CIA member. Jack still possesses the traits he acquired in the CIA and he carries them over to his family life.

4.      The film incorporates and explores a socio-cultural juxtaposition because the characters in the film have different cultural values and they all integrate in a social manner.

5.      Kevin adds humor to the frameworks of plot and character dynamics. Kevin proposes a threat to Greg because of his previous relationship with Pam, Greg’s current girlfriend.

6.      My favorite scene from the movie is when Greg pops open the bottle of Champaign and the cork hits the vase of ashes and it falls over and breaks and then the cat pees on the ashes. It was very funny because the odds of that happening were almost slim to none.

Free Write

Skateboarding makes me so happy. The feeling I get when I am cruising on my board is like no other. I feel free. Skateboarding is my way of coping with my problems nowadays. I cant go to anyone with anything anymore because it seems as though everyone is two faced. The people I trusted the most found a way to screw me over so i gave up. I figure, why waste my time when i always end up messed up in the end. Ill just stick to what i know and what is promising. Skateboarding will always be there no matter what. Anyday of the week at any hour I can hop on my board and go skate. No drama, no judgement, just fun.

Character Analysis

            In the ABC show “Modern Family” there is a character named Phil Dunphy who is played by Ty Burrell. In the show, Phil is married to Claire Dunphy and they have three kids together. Phil comes off as a cool dad who is a lot like a child in a sense. Phil’s actions depict that of a teenager at times and I believe that is why he is my favorite character. Phil works as a real estate agent and he is very good at it. Ty’s character “Phil Dunphy” uses blatant insecurity, Inquisitive curiosity, and harsh sarcasm to depict a comical effect.

            Phil Dunphy is very insecure and it’s as clear as day. In many of the episodes of “Modern Family” Phil demonstrates this trait. For example, in the episode “Virgin Territory” Phil is very insecure about whether or not his oldest daughter, Haley Dunphy, is a virgin or not. At one point in the episode Phil says "I’m sorry, Doc, I’m having trouble adjusting to all this." pertaining to the whole virgin situation between his daughter and himself. Phil really wants to know the truth but he is so insecure about it he doesn’t know if he can handle it.

            Besides being insecure, Phil is also very curious. Phil always questions everything to the utmost extent. I think it has something to do with his insecurities. For example, in the episode “Lifetime Supply” His doctor examines him and tells him that he will call if anything is wrong and he does call but Phil misses the call so he begins to question every single thing that could be wrong. Phil calls back but the doctor does not answer and he is left worrying for days. Come to find out, Phil’s doctor was only calling to discuss real estate since Phil is a real estate agent. Phil’s curiosity got the best of him and he was worried for days.

            Phil Dunphy is also very sarcastic from time to time. His sarcasm is very humorous though so it completes the show in a way. For example, in the episode “Marriage” Phil says; “Trust me, I had plenty of fun in my time. Then, I met your mom.” Obviously Phil is not serious about this statement but it is very sarcastic and funny. Phil’s sarcasm makes his character come alive.

            Ty Burrell does a great job acting as Phil Dunphy in the show “Modern Family” He plays a really convincing role as a father trying to fit in as best he can with his kids. His acting brings the viewers in and makes the show much more believable. The Dunphys could be your next door neighbor! Ty’s character “Phil Dunphy” uses blatant insecurity, Inquisitive curiosity, and harsh sarcasm to depict a comical effect.

            In the excerpt from the British novel, the narrator utilizes situational imagery to present how humor magnifies real life situations. For instance, towards the beginning of the novel, Isabel and the narrator are spotted by Isabel’s father at a play. To bring out the humor is this part of the novel; the narrator describes the situation using imagery. “Christopher stood up in the middle of the elegantly suited and scented audience, and began making the vigorous hand gestures of a man waving off a departing cruise ship.” Later on in the novel, the narrator describes Isabel’s actions when she notices her father by using imagery to project humor. “Isabel smiled feebly, turned a beetroot shade and repeated in the panicked diction, ‘I can’t believe this, please let them shut up.” Near the end of the novel, Isabel introduces the narrator to her parents and the narrator uses imagery to portray the humor in the situation. “What are you staring at up there? I’m looking at the light fixtures they have. They’re new tungsten bulbs, Japanese things, quite wonderful, they use a only a small amount of electricity but give off a very nice light.” Isabel’s dad is more interested in staring at the light bulbs then meeting the narrator.

That Awkward Moment

            That awkward moment when you’re in an arena full of Boston Bruins fans and you stand up and cheer for a Washington Capitals goal, Yeah, awkward. A few years ago I attended a Bruins game and witnessed this event. Now the person who stood up and cheered wasn’t in a Capitals jersey like you probably thought, they were in a Boston Bruins jersey and that’s what makes this situation awkward. The Bruins had just got the puck stolen from them by the Capitals and they were headed for the Bruins end of the ice. The Bruins raced after them in attempt to prevent a Capitals goal. A few seconds later the sound of the buzzer filled the arena. Everybody in the section of seating that I was in was clearly upset, including me. Then, once the noise of the buzzer had died down, I hear it. Dreadful cheering for the opposing team filled my eardrums. I turn around in expectations to see a Capitals fan in an Alex Ovechkin jersey but to my dismay, that was not even close to what I saw. I saw a teenage girl with a Boston Bruins jersey on. I looked at the facial expressions of the people around me and they appeared to be just about as confused as I was. It was awkward.