I watch a lot of movies and a lot of TV (sick vices that I’ve come to terms with). But, I really enjoy being entertained and I enjoy comedy as my primary genre. But, what’s really been irritating me lately (and I don’t know why, I’ve been sick and probably cranky) is FORCED COMEDY.
I realize that nearly everything I watch is scripted. I get that. But when you’re painfully aware that an actor is reading a line that is supposed to be funny, it has quite the opposite effect. More specifically, I can not stand when a character is forced to spout a line that is very unlike who they are. Examples:
- Children saying very adult or insightful-beyond-their-years things: “I like to start every day with a strong cup of Joe and a Readers’ Digest. I find that the aroma of Columbian roast and a few chortles brings me to a place that only Elizabeth Barret Browning could accurately capture.”
- Old people saying overtly sexual or “dirty” things: “When I give a man a %#^&( ^&#%, I always !#@$% the !^%$@.”
- Old people using street slang: “Hoes be trippin. You need to kick that chickenhead to da curb, homie!”
- White suburban girls using street slang: “Girlfriend, why you frontin on my baby daddy?”
- Children saying overly cute things. They’re KIDS! They’re already cute and they already say cute things. Let a kid be a kid and say normal kid things!
Wassup, my ninjas?
I just think the “shock” of it all is so forced. It feels lazy.
So, this is me declaring that let’s just stop this approach. I’m very sorry Betty White – you’re awesome. I’m very sorry Adam Sandler – I friggin love you but you seem to have all these kids with forced cuteness in your movies lately. And I’m sorry all Disney Channel Tween Sitcoms – not every character on the show can be the whacky overactor.
All that being said – what do I know? I’ve never made a dime on any attempt for comedy. The market pays for what the market wants. I’m just not laughing at the forced comedy. Let’s step it up.
Mike My Words - from the brain of Mike McDowell 