Funny or Die

Went to the Oddball Comedy Fest last night. It was very cool.

First time seeing Louis C.K. live for both RJ and myself. Worth the anticipation. Everything else was icing on the cake.

Even though the experience was once-in-a-lifetime and thoroughly enjoyable, I hafta say: I'm getting too old for this shit. Even though I'd had nothing to drink (or smoke, unless you count the ubiquitous secondhand marijuana puff) and I was in bed by 11:30 p.m., I rose this morning feeling mysteriously hungover and dead tired.

I will also say I was ambivalent about the lineup. There was WAY too much pandering to the twentysomethings and the techies in the audience. And then there were the "old people" jokes (old people can't be hip; old people can't possibly understand technology!) I saw enough silver foxes around to identify with and feel jaded alongside. Ageism is becoming a harsh reality that I have grown increasingly and painfully aware of.

To be expected, front row seats got all the intimate attention and spotlight (not like I desire spotlight). The peeps on the lawn (who paid $45 and up a head for admission, or $15, if they snatched a Groupon) got some love too. After all, they were the underdogs who braved the (lovely) weather to be there, rental foldable chairs in tote and all, likened to the free spirits who might be spotted at, say, a open-to-all concert at the Golden Gate Park.

The folks in the middle, like us, got no honorable mention. Another classic example of how, in America, you'd better be filthy rich or flat broke. The middle class always gets screwed.

Which brings me to the point of why Louis C.K. is the best comedian of them all (given the group, not universally). A great comedian does not alienate. Instead, s/he remains relatable regardless of the story being told. In commiseration, the audience bond with the artist, cross-culture, cross-gender, cross-age-gaps.

It is an art not mastered by many. It would be easy to chalk it up to the fact that, yes, Louis C.K. happens to be close to my age; so he must be less likely to rub me the wrong way. Indubitably, life experience helps render a person more interesting, multifaceted, etc. But ultimately, it is what the person does with his/her history and how s/he shares his/her past with the world.

I have read that it took Louis C.K. years to realize the "secret" to comedic success, to arrive at what is known as his signature style today: simply, honesty. Sure, vulnerability is the first step. But it takes a superb mind to strike the right balance, so that in the most common traits and nuances others may take for granted, unpleasant elements notwithstanding, we are able to laugh at the absurdity of life and recognize how we are very alike. People are not as different as we sometimes make ourselves to be. Deep down, fear, disappointment, pain, what makes life life... as Joan Rivers said, life is tough. At least we can laugh at the same things.