tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2346702226246902999.post177524805262017848..comments2023-06-14T07:45:58.377-04:00Comments on Stuff Smart People Like: The Evolution of Comedy Marches On - A RebuttalEdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14119987576654193079noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2346702226246902999.post-87815046784912019172011-12-05T20:22:43.210-05:002011-12-05T20:22:43.210-05:00I'm really glad you brought up "Whitney&q...I'm really glad you brought up "Whitney". One thing (among several) I opted not to include was the idea that her character and Deschanel's "New Girl" were both doing an "aren't-I-cute" act. While I disagree that Deschanel is doing that, I can see how one can interpret it in such a fashion. But for Whitney Cummings to be described that way is just off and maybe (and I hesitate to throw this word around) sexist. Cummings plays her character straight and dry, even when the situations get farcical. There aren't a lot of woman-lead sitcoms and to place two vastly different performances into a single category like that really rides that line. It's like comparing JD from "Scrubs" to BJ Hunnicut from "M*A*S*H". One's goofy and the other is a more cerebral and sardonic. No one would place them in the same category. So perhaps sexist, but definitely wrong. None of this is to say that "Whitney" is good. It's not.Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01320279766931843093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2346702226246902999.post-41367010477644996002011-12-04T11:01:42.979-05:002011-12-04T11:01:42.979-05:00Yeah, I think you're right about this. We lik...Yeah, I think you're right about this. We like to think that the past had good wholesome, quality television, but I think part of the reason we forget how fluffy past television can be is because empty or poor shows don't last long. I seem to remember people saying the "end" was reality TV shows at one point. TGIF was pretty godawful television, for as much as I watched it when I was a kid. <br /><br />Feast or famine on quality sitcomes, year-to-year, is the norm; my biggest disappointment is that a couple of shows I thought were pretty good (Rules of Engagement, Community), got knocked around. Which leads to an important point: shows aren't just created and promoted; to a certain degree, they can be reflective of popular sentiments. As Ed says, the point is to be risk averse, and in entertainment you do that by trying to follow what's working.<br /><br />That being said, by any standards "2 Broke Girls" and "Whitney" are godawful, unfunny shows.Benhttp://www.arcticicehockey.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2346702226246902999.post-80279245494432920352011-12-03T21:44:02.599-05:002011-12-03T21:44:02.599-05:00Great piece Dean. I couldn't agree more. I'...Great piece Dean. I couldn't agree more. I'd say this has been a weak year for entertainment in general -- especially movies, but also for Television. <br /><br />If the writing seems rote, blame the economy. People are spending less money on entertainment and I think this has caused the entertainment industry to rest on their laurels more so than in the past. Again, with respect to movies, there have been a record number of remakes and sequels this year -- a direct product of the risk averse nature of the industry. Television shows probably have the same issues, even if they manifest themselves in different ways.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14119987576654193079noreply@blogger.com