The True Comedy

My favorite comedic bit in The Importance of Being Earnest is Algernon's constant subversion of the manners of high society in order to anger his friend Jack. This is perhaps best illustrated at the end of the second act when Jack and Algernon's deceptions have been revealed. They are wallowing in the fact that their loves have rejected them and so Algernon begins compulsively eat Jack's muffins (he is always eating). Jack persistently asks that Algernon stops eating his food and leaves as he came uninvited and tried to deceive his ward Cecily. In spite of him, Algernon continues eating, producing witty replies to every desperate plea of Jack's. This comedic relationship is the one that keeps me laughing the hardest.

Most of my humor has grown bored of conventional comedic styles. I can still enjoy a solid pun or genuine wit, but I am overwhelmingly finding myself attracted to absurdity. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are able to satisfy this attraction constantly. The following clip is a clear parody of Sagan-esque explorations of cosmological concepts but the real humor here draws from Tim and Eric's persistent ability to coin absurd phrases and situations (e.g. "Tittleman's Crest).

A recent find. Witty? Yes, but the absurdity is the real draw here. (Warning some language and whatever.)