When it comes to comedy, I’m
no snob. I appreciate essentially all forms of humor: from high to low, from
family-safe to politically-incorrect, from political satire to scatological
jokes. As such, I have so far enjoyed thoroughly reading The Importance of Being Ernest. It is an excellent combination of
farce, societal satire, wordplay and more. To demonstrate this, I will select
two examples of high and low humor, both concerning cucumber sandwiches.
First: Jack, commenting on the
aforementioned vegetable confections:
“Hallo! Why all these cups?
Why cucumber sandwiches? Why such reckless extravagance in one so young?”
This is what I would consider
high comedy. Wilde is making a big deal out of a few cucumber sandwiches, which
is at once ridiculous and a cutting criticism of the upper classes of Victorian
England.
Second: Algernon on the
sandwiches:
“Please don’t touch the
cucumber sandwiches. They are ordered specially for Aunt Augusta.” (Takes one and eats it.)
This is pure farce. The
juxtaposition of Algernon’s comment and action are hilarious.
My favorite genre of
television show is comedy. I love Saturday
Night Live and most of the NBC comedies, from Seinfeld to 30 Rock to Parks and Recreation. I especially enjoy
witty dialogue and political satire, such as on the above and also on The Colbert Report. Here are a few
examples:
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