Being a fan of stand-up comedy, I always enjoy watching “Comedy Central Presents” in hopes of catching my favorites (Lewis Black, Dave Attell, Jim Gaffigan, Mitch Hedburg, and others) or discovering new up and coming comedians. I’ve become a fan of Patton Oswalt, Demitri Martin, and Brian Regan this way, and a few years ago I watched the episode featuring a comedian named Dane Cook.
Dane took control of the stage immediately, energetically leaping onto the stage and whipping up the crowd’s enthusiasm before he even started his bit. He was young, handsome, and physically fit, a contrast to some comedians who are either older or not in great shape (or both). His set was hilarious; he told bits about wanting to be a snake, receiving communion, and the dreaded DMV, exuding a likeable, fun personality. He was hilarious, he was cool. I became an instant fan, and I knew he was going to become the next big thing.
Soon enough the secret was out. The popular prank calling show Crank Yankers featured Dane’s voice for three seperate puppets, and his first comedy CD/DVD Harmful if Swallowed became a bestselling phenomenon. My best friend was a huge fan as well, and we were excited when Dane’s HBO special Vicious Circle last year, and that’s when I began to see cracks in Dane’s armor. The beginning was funny, but it was mostly comprised of Dane’s own language and his smugness. His invention of words and terms (“the teardrop”, “chat-chitting”, etc.) were his act. Where were the jokes?
It’s not unusual for comedians to focus on language as part of their act. George Carlin is famous for his love of words and wordplay, and Demitri Martin often uses ironic puns in his standup routine. What sets them different from Dane Cook is that they use it as a tool to show their sarcasm or point of view. It’s a base of the joke, not the entire joke.
I also got irritated with how long Dane took to tell a joke. Complicated jokes can take time to build up, and if the joke is going to take a sudden turn, a slow buildup can be essential. With Dane, he just seemed to enjoy talking, and to enjoy hearing himself talk.
I put my disappointment aside and saw Employee of the Month when it came out. My friend and I were sorely disappointed, not just with Jessica Simpson’s presence, but with the mindless plotline and the flat jokes. Even the brilliant Chris Rock has had plenty of box office duds, so I didn’t put too much thought into my letdown.
It was after this that I heard about the controversy surrounding Dane’s material. I found out that Dane had been accused of stealing material from Louis C.K., Joe Rogan, and Demitri Martin, among others. Stealing or borrowing material isn’t a new phenomenon for comedians; Carlos Mencia and Robin Williams have been accused of the same thing, though Robin Williams’s legendary status earns him respectful allowance on this subject among comedians. Also, an article in Radar magazine (a different issue from the one bearing the overrated list) focusing on this occurrence. The article cites something called “parallel thinking”, which occurs when different comedians come up with similar jokes about one thing. It’s apparently common and unavoidable. Still, the jokes from Dane Cook’s act and Louis C.K.’s act seem related, if not nearly identical; they rely on offbeat reactions to strange things, such as what to yell to a guy about to be hit by a truck, odd noises to name one’s child, and so on. Joe Rogan, who has also confronted Carlos Mencia to his face about his habit of borrowing acts, stated in the interview that in other forms of media “people take plaigarism so seriously”, but when it comes to comedy, tough luck.
It’s true that parallel thinking can exist, and brilliant, original minds can even subconsciously mimic older material (Stephen King’s story “Dolan’s Cadillac” vs. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”, George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” vs. The Chiffon’s “He’s So Fine” [though in King’s case, his story may very well be an intentional ode to Poe as a modern retelling of the tale]). Still, as a writer, I hate the idea of plaigarism, so I looked at the comparison between one of Louis C.K.’s jokes and Dane’s, a comparison featured in the Radar article. Here are the two jokes, one from Louis C.K.’s 2001 album Live in Houston and one from Dane Cook’s 2005 album Retaliation:
“I’d like to have a kid, .’cause you can name your kid anything you want. I’d like to give my kid an interesting name. A name with no vowels, maybe, just ‘Pfffnm, krd, mlkdprn, fffffffffff, just like there’s 40 f’s, that’s his name. ‘Fffffffffffffffff, go clean your room.'” – Louis C.K.
“I’d love to have some kids . . . naming them, that’s gonna be fun. . . . First kid — boy, girl, I don’t care — I’m naming it ‘Rrrrrrrrrrrr.’ I think it’s beautiful. It’s feminine, but it’s strong at the same time. ‘Time for bed, ‘Rrrrrrrrrrr.’ ‘No cookies, Rrrrrrrrrr.'” – Dane Cook
It’s obviously too much of a coincidence. After seeing this, I lost my love for Dane Cook.
It went downhill from there when I visited Dane’s website and saw his explanation for his own hand gesture, the SUperFinger. I never really got what this thing was, so I thought I’d find out. It didn’t take long until the history of the hand gesture turned into self-promoting philosophy:
“As with many things in my life, what started out as a routine on stage became something that just took on a life of its own. The original joke performed at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood was about having to be so pissed off at someone that giving them the finger just wouldn’t be enough, so you’d have to give them just a little bit extra–the SUperFinger (or the SU-FI if you’re a bad ass M F).
While that may be the origin, what the SU-FI hand gesture and logo have become is extreme bluntness and honesty. It says I realize you are feeling my truth and my dedication. You’re saying thanks for just bringing it honest, and I return that vibe with the SU-FI…It’s not just a hand gesture or a sign, but it’s what it stands for.”
I understand that Dane is happy with his success, and does actually seem grateful to his fans, but the whole self-importance of his version of the finger derives from any sort of irony or even modesty. He sees his gesture as a way of life, not just his version of “Git-R-Done”, which is itself a stupid saying but at least Larry the Cable Guy owns up to it. Larry has his own image and brand of comedy, and what contributes to his success is that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. The two legends George Carlin and Richard Pryor always set themselves apart from the norm, whether it was the establishment, snooty Hollywood rich types, or the thunderously stupid, and they had this mentality all throughout their careers. Patton Oswalt pokes fun at his physique and his nerdiness, Lisa Lampanelli jokes about her inability to commit, and Jon Stewart, who is enjoying almost unparalleled success right now, still sees himself as a jokester on the outside looking in. It’s this ability to laugh at one’s self and the world that has made the celebrity roasts so popular again, and it’s the same attitude that propels the comedy genre itself. As for Dane, he’s perched high, and clearly enjoying the view and himself. His confidence and wildness has settled into a smug outlook, complete with his own philosophy. He’s Dane Cook the Product, seemingly devoid of passion and focused on his finger rather than the punchline.
