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| Aziz Ansari |
Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
One of the most fascinating young comedians of the past few years has been Aziz Ansari. After being catapulted to fame in Funny People, he has been a nonstop presence in pop culture. From Parks and Recreation to his stand-up, Ansari is an expert at tearing by the egocentric energy of pop culture and reveling in the asinine in clever ways. His enthusiasm almost makes it look effortless and the content always punches hard with biting criticism mixed with sarcasm. More than most, Ansari feels like a significant comedian simply because of his ability to bring cultural issues to the forefront in a timely way while also finding room for R. Kelly references. He is practically unstoppable.
With the launch of his latest stand-up special, "Buried Alive," he manages to translate his youthful observation with his inevitable aging. Now in his 30's, he opens with over 20 minutes detailing the plight of pregnancy, how My Super Sweet 16 and 16 and Pregnant should do crossovers, and when is the right time for proposal. Even if he exudes confidence, it is somehow believable that a man who has made a career out of embracing technology could be so turned off by the youth of America's culture. In an extended rant on the documentary Bully, he manages to explain everything wrong with bullying by comparing the innocent name-calling of his youth to the sick, Hannibal Lecter-style threats of today's kids.
That has always been his strength. He doesn't so much point out how crazy and deluded culture is, but explains why through personal anecdotes and sarcastic exaggerations. In the opening 20 minutes alone, there are several jokes regarding neglecting babies and child molestation. It is kind of dark, and while the comedic tone Ansari applies to his characters lightens some tension, it all comes across as a man not ready for responsibility and being 30. He still wants to do menial nonsense and not get involved with marriage and kids. "Buried Alive" is not essentially a look at aging, but a look at the changing world around him as he grows out of the youth demographic.
This is why it comes across as his most significant stand-up specials despite having an entire segment dedicated to the detriment of sending pictures of penises on your phone. When he talks about technology, he speaks as an aged, wise old man baffled by how easy human interaction is and how the upcoming generation is the Comic Sans of text fonts. He knows enough to not embarrass himself, but is clueless enough to convincingly pull out enthusiasm. What procures from the special isn't so much a series of jokes about ignorant teens and misusing technology, but an analysis of the modern world that manages to lovingly insult it in ways that resonate.
With the launch of his latest stand-up special, "Buried Alive," he manages to translate his youthful observation with his inevitable aging. Now in his 30's, he opens with over 20 minutes detailing the plight of pregnancy, how My Super Sweet 16 and 16 and Pregnant should do crossovers, and when is the right time for proposal. Even if he exudes confidence, it is somehow believable that a man who has made a career out of embracing technology could be so turned off by the youth of America's culture. In an extended rant on the documentary Bully, he manages to explain everything wrong with bullying by comparing the innocent name-calling of his youth to the sick, Hannibal Lecter-style threats of today's kids.
That has always been his strength. He doesn't so much point out how crazy and deluded culture is, but explains why through personal anecdotes and sarcastic exaggerations. In the opening 20 minutes alone, there are several jokes regarding neglecting babies and child molestation. It is kind of dark, and while the comedic tone Ansari applies to his characters lightens some tension, it all comes across as a man not ready for responsibility and being 30. He still wants to do menial nonsense and not get involved with marriage and kids. "Buried Alive" is not essentially a look at aging, but a look at the changing world around him as he grows out of the youth demographic.
This is why it comes across as his most significant stand-up specials despite having an entire segment dedicated to the detriment of sending pictures of penises on your phone. When he talks about technology, he speaks as an aged, wise old man baffled by how easy human interaction is and how the upcoming generation is the Comic Sans of text fonts. He knows enough to not embarrass himself, but is clueless enough to convincingly pull out enthusiasm. What procures from the special isn't so much a series of jokes about ignorant teens and misusing technology, but an analysis of the modern world that manages to lovingly insult it in ways that resonate.
The special is definitely topical and even if his main points don't sound the part, the subtext is impressively complex in explaining human connection. In quite possibly his greatest routine to date, he compares black people's fascination with magicians to homophobia in ways that may appear racist, but turns into a profound statement. He wishes for a world that could be more accepting and enthusiastic over the inexplicable. Along with his rant about the documentary Bully, he manages to present social commentary in a clever roundabout fashion that is never sacrificed for a joke nor does it come off as too preachy. What Ansari has crafted is a new way to look at the world, and it is to embrace change while also noticing its flaws.
It helps that over the course of several specials, he has crafted a distinct casual persona that luckily transcends race and culture and allows him to sell out huge theaters. He has become a successful name in comedy, and he thankfully has only gotten better over the years. Even if "Buried Alive" lacks a lot of the familiar bits that made "Dangerously Delicious" and "Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening" big hits, they are not missed here. It is arguably stronger and more fluid in the 79 minute run time. We may miss him talking about R. Kelly and his brother, but what we get instead is a comedian capable of noticing cultural problems and sarcastically saying something profound about them in highly accessible ways.
It is also impressive and quite a strong reminder of his achievements that in his encore, he talks about getting insulted by Barrack Obama. That alone is a lifetime achievement, but his story in which Obama talks with him and the Roots is a hilarious reminder of why he is a great storyteller. He cuts the details slickly and makes the absurd disbelief come to life by comparing his success to how his father is disappointed that his son doesn't have more Twitter followers than the president. Ansari may hit a lot of broad topics without ever getting too personal, but his analogies sway between absurd moments so much that it doesn't matter.
It is more impressive that he still hits a lot of the old beats. There is an extended bit about how clubs play mind-controlling music that leads him into ridiculous song numbers that somehow get to the point where "The club is in the bottle" sounds like a legitimate line. It is all in the delivery and much like his performance, rarely can the jokes be ruined by simply writing them down. It is equal parts about the delivery as it is the content.
It is arguable if this is Ansari's best, but it definitely shows his growth and significance in the pop culture lexicon. Talking about everything from meeting the president to sending penis pictures and giving Xzibit your kids, he manages to turn a series of scenarios ranging in absurdity into profound statements about the modern culture. It may secretly be a tale of an aging man losing touch with youth, but it is also just a significant portrait of how technology, pop culture and society all mix together in ways that are more profound than his lackadaisical, high-octane delivery would suggest. "Buried Alive" is up to the viewer to determine if it is Ansari's best, but at very least it proves his ability to transcend a gimmicky delivery and provide something more enduring.
It helps that over the course of several specials, he has crafted a distinct casual persona that luckily transcends race and culture and allows him to sell out huge theaters. He has become a successful name in comedy, and he thankfully has only gotten better over the years. Even if "Buried Alive" lacks a lot of the familiar bits that made "Dangerously Delicious" and "Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening" big hits, they are not missed here. It is arguably stronger and more fluid in the 79 minute run time. We may miss him talking about R. Kelly and his brother, but what we get instead is a comedian capable of noticing cultural problems and sarcastically saying something profound about them in highly accessible ways.
It is also impressive and quite a strong reminder of his achievements that in his encore, he talks about getting insulted by Barrack Obama. That alone is a lifetime achievement, but his story in which Obama talks with him and the Roots is a hilarious reminder of why he is a great storyteller. He cuts the details slickly and makes the absurd disbelief come to life by comparing his success to how his father is disappointed that his son doesn't have more Twitter followers than the president. Ansari may hit a lot of broad topics without ever getting too personal, but his analogies sway between absurd moments so much that it doesn't matter.
It is more impressive that he still hits a lot of the old beats. There is an extended bit about how clubs play mind-controlling music that leads him into ridiculous song numbers that somehow get to the point where "The club is in the bottle" sounds like a legitimate line. It is all in the delivery and much like his performance, rarely can the jokes be ruined by simply writing them down. It is equal parts about the delivery as it is the content.
It is arguable if this is Ansari's best, but it definitely shows his growth and significance in the pop culture lexicon. Talking about everything from meeting the president to sending penis pictures and giving Xzibit your kids, he manages to turn a series of scenarios ranging in absurdity into profound statements about the modern culture. It may secretly be a tale of an aging man losing touch with youth, but it is also just a significant portrait of how technology, pop culture and society all mix together in ways that are more profound than his lackadaisical, high-octane delivery would suggest. "Buried Alive" is up to the viewer to determine if it is Ansari's best, but at very least it proves his ability to transcend a gimmicky delivery and provide something more enduring.
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