My theory was something like, the humor through extreme anger thing can't be done on a schedule. When there isn't a special inspiring outrage it just comes off as anger. I don't know that his anger level has increased (though I don't keep up with it anymore, so...).
Tiger Beat! Zombies! The last one I think supports my "What fresh hell is this?" theory. As does Katrina. We need more and fresher outrages every week so David Rees can be funny on schedule!
God, everything is funnier back in the day. When will you all realize that "back in the day" marks you as an uber dork?
For what it's worth, I smiled at the Katrina Get Your War On strips, but don't think he really hit his stride until post-9/11 meant surrendering civil liberties while invading countries that had no demonstrable link to Sept.11.
He was a clarinetist, actually. Said the drummers all were in real bands and got play. If you can't see that tubas are cooler than trumpets I just feel sorry for you. With the oboes we might have to break it down--one reed beats two reeds, leaving oboe as the lamest instrument evar.
Tubas are cooler than trumpets in a geeky sort of way, but trumpets are cooler than tubas in every other way. I say this as a big fan of tubas. Who do you think is cooler, the dude sputting out the bassline on a tune on the Spanish radio station, or the dude who played the solo on "Blue Pepper (Far East of the Blues)"?
People need to see what Matt did in 18. The narrative structure of the universe is governed by Unfogged catchphrases! Last one to publish in Social Text is a torpid hermeneut.
I disagree with the first part. Like, the first and last one here?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 10:58 AM
Also, he shows respect (7/11). Though it does seem that it was better when it was sporadic, which I think means before someone started paying him.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 11:01 AM
I don't know if it's that he's being payed or that his anger seems to have gotten the better of his humor.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 11:04 AM
My theory was something like, the humor through extreme anger thing can't be done on a schedule. When there isn't a special inspiring outrage it just comes off as anger. I don't know that his anger level has increased (though I don't keep up with it anymore, so...).
Tiger Beat! Zombies! The last one I think supports my "What fresh hell is this?" theory. As does Katrina. We need more and fresher outrages every week so David Rees can be funny on schedule!
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 11:31 AM
payed
ogged?
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 1:56 PM
I was trying to be nice.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 2:00 PM
I'm thinking of applying to Harvard. What's the problem?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 2:09 PM
You'll need to do better than that.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 2:15 PM
When I was applying, I asked my high school English teacher for a recommendation and he told me "no." Thank God for affirmative action!
Posted by Matthew Yglesias | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 2:43 PM
Now Matthew is just trying to prove Wolfson right. Which is unpardonable, and so I'm afraid Yglesias is banned.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 4:35 PM
God, everything is funnier back in the day. When will you all realize that "back in the day" marks you as an uber dork?
For what it's worth, I smiled at the Katrina Get Your War On strips, but don't think he really hit his stride until post-9/11 meant surrendering civil liberties while invading countries that had no demonstrable link to Sept.11.
Posted by peter snees | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 4:37 PM
Snees, I think you've become the not-so-cool uncle who gives advice on how to be cool. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 4:41 PM
Thanks. When I need advice from the woodwind group at band camp, I'll give you a buzz.
Posted by peter snees | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 4:45 PM
That's some kind of dirty euphemism, isn't it?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 5:17 PM
Snees, that's just ridiculous. Even my smiles are smiling? C'mon.
(A former bandie tells me that the order of coolness goes woodwinds, high to low, brass, high to low, drums. That's increasing.)
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 5:48 PM
What do you call someone who hangs around musicians all the time?
Matt W.'s bandie friend, who was a drummer in band camp.
I also doubt that tubas outrank trumpets.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 09-22-05 6:41 PM
"I also doubt that tubas outrank trumpets"
And oboes outrank piccolos and clarinets, so no.
Posted by dave heasman | Link to this comment | 09-23-05 2:52 AM
He was a clarinetist, actually. Said the drummers all were in real bands and got play. If you can't see that tubas are cooler than trumpets I just feel sorry for you. With the oboes we might have to break it down--one reed beats two reeds, leaving oboe as the lamest instrument evar.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09-23-05 12:37 PM
Your comment runs the gamut from fuck to oboe.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 09-23-05 12:47 PM
Tubas are cooler than trumpets in a geeky sort of way, but trumpets are cooler than tubas in every other way. I say this as a big fan of tubas. Who do you think is cooler, the dude sputting out the bassline on a tune on the Spanish radio station, or the dude who played the solo on "Blue Pepper (Far East of the Blues)"?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 09-23-05 12:49 PM
In the brass camp trumpets rule, and I say this as a French Horn player.
For woodwinds I'd say, I dunno, saxophone.
And drummers? Get real. Some are cool, but the bass drum player doesn't have much going on.
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 09-23-05 1:16 PM
Maybe Weiner meant drumkitters.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 09-23-05 1:18 PM
People need to see what Matt did in 18. The narrative structure of the universe is governed by Unfogged catchphrases! Last one to publish in Social Text is a torpid hermeneut.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 09-24-05 8:54 AM