Humor, Emmet Allen

I liked Earnest, but not for any particular reason. There isn't really a type of comedy that I prefer, "high" or "low". The more physical humor will always get a reaction from me, as long as it isn't too crudely or meaninglessly delivered. The "cognitive" humor is also something that I enjoy, especially in reading. But to be entirely honest, if I'm viewing something (play, movie, etc.) and there's a lot of intellectual banter, I can't keep up. I may just be uncultured, but the really important and divine things that are sometimes demonstrated through comedy are lost on me, and I don't feel to bad about it. If you really want to say something profound about society, go and say it. If you want to entertain me, entertain me. I don't get too much joy out of cultural critique, overall it probably does more to depress me than anything else. The best example I can give to make this point is It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Anyone who says that the creators don't have anything to say hasn't seen the show, but it would also be a stretch to claim that they actually care enough to make a truly impactful observation. Take the episode on gun control for example. There was some legitimate discussion about what the government's role is (Mac was right at first, of course), even though it was pretty basic. Compare this to the episode when the McPoyles, a family of incest and warm milk consumption, take over the bar with toy guns. There was not a purpose. I still enjoyed it. If it's funny, I'll enjoy it as long as I have time to think it over.