Zach Buddie's Blog, I Guess

In 1998, the Ethan and Joel Coen unknowingly created an entire subculture. By releasing the film The Big Lebowski, a flame was lit. This relatively simple film about a man who simply wants a new rug became a cultural sensation massive enough to warrant its inclusion in the Library of Congress. So what makes this film so special to me, and to the thousands of others who share my standpoint? The Big Lebowski is sort of a Western, sort of a comedy, sort of a drama, and sort of surrealist nonsense, all wrapped up in a nice two-hour package. It tells the story of Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (played beautifully by Jeff Bridges), who, when confused for a millionaire with the same surname, has his rug urinated upon by some lowly thugs. The Dude proceeds to ask the “big” Lebowski for compensation for the rug, and in the process gets mixed up in a hostage situation involving a gang of German nihilists, a pornography tycoon, a particularly stubborn child named Larry Sellers, and bowling. Yeah...

Admittedly, I have never seen (or even heard of) the series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend before reading Jones’ work. However, having watched the suggested clips and read her entry, the series seems exactly like something that would have a widespread appeal. A relatable main character, Rebecca, turned wacky and interesting from an impulsive decision, and pursuing a brand new life as a fish out of water. Classic scenario that has such a wide range of possibilities. The series follows Rebecca, a woman bored of her life until following her ex-boyfriend from decades ago across the country to set up a new life. Just relatable enough to be enjoyable. This subject, similarly to most others that have been written about in this course, relies heavily on both the superiority and incongruity theories. Superiority is expressed in having a main character that uproots her entire life in the fruitless quest to regain an ex-boyfriend out of desperation for an interesting, or at least not boring and depr...

This week I was tasked with responding to insight about a film that I have yet to view in its entirety. Though I am familiar enough with the film to gain some sort of grasp, having seen trailers, segments, and reviews on its matters, I still believe any opinions I have about the film itself should be taken with, as the kids say, a grain of salt. Despite this, I believe Mr. Sandridge has formulated a solid take on the film and its connection to the theories of humor that have been so frequently presented and represented in our class thus far. Initially, I went into this post with the mindset of: oh, this kid is gonna talk about a movie and how it ties into the three theories, big whoop. Upon actually reading the entry, however, I received a nice little backstory; insight into the context of which Sandridge initially viewed the film, and the effect that it has had on shaping his and his friends’ humor. I like this addition, and felt that it was easier to connect to a film that I h...

Ah, yes. The Office . A delightful slice of life comedy that nearly everyone is familiar with, to some extent or another. Centering around the presumed-mundane lives of the workers in a failing paper company, The Office presents such unique yet realistic scenarios and characters that is is nearly impossible not to fall in love with it. Each episode remains so timeless, and given the amount of times that I have viewed the series in its entirety, I do not believe I could get tired of reading about it, as Logsdon claims I may. So let us address his reasoning as to why exactly The Office , as awkward and niche as it would seem to be, manages to appeal to such a widespread audience. Citing the scene in “Stress Relief” in which Dwight sets fire to the workplace was definitely a great choice, in terms of both getting the point of the blog post across as well as simply being a personal favorite of mine. Highlighting the dynamic of the main and supporting characters in the office is defin...

For the sake of argument, let us assume there are three aspects of humor, and everything falls under one category or another: incongruity, superiority, and relief. Incongruity is defined as “the state of being incongruous, or out of keeping.” Superiority is defined as “the state of being higher in rank, status, or quality.” Relief is defined as “a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress.” None of these definitions scream “funny” at us, so why divide the forms of comedy into these categories? All humor stems from some, if not all, of these tactics, placing the outside-viewer above those involved in the comedic situation, whether through their own knowledge, relief, or equally unexpected occurrences across universes. I believe, when achieved properly, that incongruity is the funniest of the three forms. This is reflected fairly understandably when my sense of humor is revealed. My favorite comedic film is Ethan and Joel Coen’s 1998 masterpi...

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is a television series based around a series of surreal, nonsensical, and hilarious skits revolving around the two titular comics Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. One of the recurring characters in this show was named Dr. Steve Brule, a somewhat-helpful albeit very slow doctor played by the ever-talented and ever-charming John C. Reilly. This character was loved so much by Reilly himself, that he had insisted the character have his own show. Tim and Eric were more than happy to comply, and thus, Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule was born. What is Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule , you ask? Well, let’s check it out! The series itself is a delightful parody of local newscasts, and it is honestly pretty alarming with its overflowing accuracy. Despite beginning in 2010, the series looks like it was made in 1982 with a budget of $20. The show is entirely improvisational, meaning that nearly every stutter from Reilly or every shocked expression fr...