G, PG-13, and R (Pt. 2)

While stage presence exhibited a distinction between the comedians, they also stacked up in the same manner regarding topics of conversation. Since it is in another category than presentation style, I thought it would be appropriate to designate a blog to the theme. The styles of the performers also reflect their respected topics. The ratings are based mainly on the explicitness of the material, followed closely by the degree and language used throughout each performance. Essentially, I will promote myself to the head of the movie rating system for the purpose of this blog.
Mitch Hedberg adopted the mildest of attitudes. Compared to the other two entertainers, his stand-up was child play. More power to him because it did not take away anything from the comedy. He had a totally different approach than the other two’s observational humor. His absurd one-line jokes were sure to please, and he did so in a “G” manner. With not one curse word in mind, the two skits I especially recall are the “out-of-order” escalators and the Dufrane search party skits. It could be that I remember them because they were his longest jokes, usually have two to four kickers following the initial punch line. Set apart from the rest of comedians I have heard, his straightforward manner of speech could be comprehended by the simplest minds, thus a “G” rating is given to Mitch’s work.
In the middle of the film rating spectrum is once again, Wanda. On the surface, she used swear words sparingly, only for a more powerful affect. Dig a little deeper into her act and one might find her material to be extremely offensive. She was very blunt in her criticism of the male gender. Most of the clip we saw from Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied dealt with male criticism. She also addressed political and race issues in the skit we saw in class. The last skit we got to see from her special had a racist tendency. We have learned throughout the semester that it is okay for people to poke fun at their own gender, race, religion, etc. So in conjuncture with that thought she was brutal in her “racist dolphin” act. Her PG-13 rating is based on this piece alone. This joke was also a little more insightful than that of Hedberg’s one-liners while addressing racism in a creative and funny manner.
Last, but not least, Dave Chappelle takes the cake as the most gruesome and gritty of the day’s acts. He used a more observational style than Mitch or Wanda and added his overly confident cursing vocabulary to suit. Most of his jokes revolved around episodes in his life or situations that can be illustrated by his audience. He consistently used curse words to further the muscle of his jokes with a few unnecessary jabs included. I noticed a few times he abused the usage of swear words, beating the dead horse in his stereotypes. For instance, he took the audience on a nostalgia trip with the bit on kid’s cartoons. Focusing on a childhood cartoon character, Oscar the Grouch, but added an adult spice to the scenario. In conclusion, once you see Dave Chappelle, you know you are not a kid anymore. Therefore, his “R” rating is appropriate for his intended audience.