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Let's get one thing straight right out of the gate: The Aristocrats is raunchy. Hoo boy is it ever. It's vulgar and profane and unapologetically dirty. There's stuff here that would cause Redd Foxx and Buddy Hackett to turn red with embarrassment. But there's a good reason for all the stunningly potty-mouthed material: The Aristocrats is about the art of making people laugh, of taking a painfully old joke and infusing it with your own specific style. Some comedians would go in a PG-13 direction; others dive right on into the triple-X pool. And who are we to judge how an artist creates his work?

"The Aristocrats" is the punch line to a joke told only in private, by comedians to comedians. It's the comic's equivalent of an athlete's workout regiment. It stretches the muscles and tests the limits. It can be short and sweet or it can be endlessly nasty. This is a movie that doesn't just revel in one dirty joke; it's an artful and irreverent love letter to the fine art of laughmaking. And if you've ever dropped to the floor in peals of helpless laughter from a particular piece of stand-up material, if you've ever gone to see Steve Martin's latest movie ONLY out of appreciation for all the chuckles he's doled out over the years, if you feel a real warmth and affection for your very favorite comedians - then I suspect that you'll find a whole lot to appreciate in The Aristocrats.

It wouldn't be very difficult for me to type out the whole massive list of comedians who participate in this blissfully fun film, but why even bother? The Aristocrats is absolutely overstuffed with funny folks, some of whom you love and adore, others you might never have heard of. Yet, somehow, every single participant manages to bring a new dose of insight...while telling the same joke! Think about that. If I proposed a 90-minute documentary in which 100 singers cover the same song, we'd most likely fall asleep within 21 minutes. Yet The Aristocrats breezes along flawlessly, and when it was all over I found myself craving a feature-length "deleted scenes" segment!

What I found particularly satisfying about The Aristocrats is the way in which in allows the "character actor comedians" to shine as brightly as immortals like Robin Williams and George Carlin. I've always known that Harry Shearer, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, Larry Miller, Kevin Pollak, Hank Azaria, Fred Willard and Taylor Negron were drop-dead funny guys, and it's great to see them earning some of this movie's biggest laughs. (Note: Sarah Silverman is officially this planet's funniest female.) You'll get to see sides of Jon Stewart and Bob Saget that you've never seen before...plus this movie wrings some real laughs from a MIME and from Carrot Top! That alone should earn The Aristocrats an Oscar Nomination.

The fine art of comedy has always been a true passion of mine. My three-week college stint at open-mike night was more than enough to tell me that I simply didn't have the talent for the game, but I do consider myself a passionate and educated aficionado of the comedic arts. So believe me when I tell you that "The Aristocrats" is not just a collection of dirty jokes. It's probably the most astute and insightful look at comedy that I've ever seen. And dear sweet lord is it FUNNY.

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originally posted: 01/29/05 15:53:09
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