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Baskets Series Premiere Recap: Bakersfield Blues
vulture.com ^

Posted on 01/22/2016 4:53:00 AM PST by Bender2

Baskets Series Premiere Recap: Bakersfield Blues
By Andrew Lapin

Feel that dry heat in the air? Alt comedians are having a moment with Bakersfield, California. Situated midway between L.A. and the Bay Area, the inland desert region is the setting for Rick Alverson's Entertainment, a horrifying feature that follows an obnoxious comic as he performs his gimmicky stand-up act to indifferent crowds. (I liked it, but it isn't an easy sit.) Now the new FX series Baskets charts a similar character — a pretentious aspiring clown who takes a job entertaining indifferent crowds at the local rodeo. Not since Five Easy Pieces has Bakersfield enjoyed this much national attention for being the place where joy and hope go to die.

Baskets was co-created by Louis C.K. and Zach Galifianakis, who stars as the titular clown, and it has the clear inflections of both names. The show's entire premise even seems like it came from C.K.'s mouth during an early episode of Louie, in which he pitches an idea for a show about a guy whose life goes from bad to worse with no relief. Fun, right?

-SNIP-

It's also got several belly laughs

(Excerpt) Read more at vulture.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: baskets; comedy; series; tv
Re: It's also got several belly laughs

Gadzooks, what has this reviewer been smoking?

"belly laughs?"

There is not enough booze in the world... to get me to snicker, much less belly laugh at anything in this-- This-- Gadzooks, I cannot call it any thing near a comedy.

I DVRer this last night and it was 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

1 posted on 01/22/2016 4:53:00 AM PST by Bender2
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To: big'ol_freeper; Impy; SevenofNine; Cletus.D.Yokel; Rummyfan; Liberty Valance; Perdogg; ...
Was anyone other than me stupid enough to watch this... and actually find it funny?
2 posted on 01/22/2016 4:53:24 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Bender2

Thanks for the warning. I am not a fan of wry, elliptical, downbeat humor that requires a big commitment of mental effort to discern just what it is that is supposed to be funny.


3 posted on 01/22/2016 5:05:47 AM PST by Rockingham
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To: Bender2

They should never have canceled Bakersfield PD.


4 posted on 01/22/2016 5:39:15 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Rockingham
Re: I am not a fan of wry, elliptical, downbeat humor that requires a big commitment of mental effort to discern just what it is that is supposed to be funny.

You got it right, Rock-- Unless it is my very own... wry, elliptical, downbeat humor that requires a big commitment of mental effort to discern just what it is that is supposed to be funny!

5 posted on 01/22/2016 5:40:45 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Rockingham
Re: I am not a fan of wry, elliptical, downbeat humor that requires a big commitment of mental effort to discern just what it is that is supposed to be funny.

You got it right, Rock-- Unless it is my very own... wry, elliptical, downbeat humor that requires a big commitment of mental effort to discern just what it is that is supposed to be funny!

6 posted on 01/22/2016 5:40:45 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Rock; All
And, of course, that included... double post to make my point--
7 posted on 01/22/2016 5:41:50 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Bender2

You were braver than I. I can’t even stand the ads for the show.


8 posted on 01/22/2016 5:43:45 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (The Huckster for Prez!)
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To: Larry Lucido
Re: They should never have canceled Bakersfield PD.

Shucks, Larry-- You just miss me... in my sexy shorts!

Just dial 911... and I'll be right at your door!

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/reno911/Reno9114_L.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1f/98/8c/1f988c82cf453eee2d6d901d9ee51ea2.jpg

9 posted on 01/22/2016 5:48:41 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: mad_as_he$$
Re; You were braver than I. I can’t even stand the ads for the show.

I know this will be hard... for you to believe, mad--

But I had had a little to drink... when I DVRer it--

10 posted on 01/22/2016 5:51:11 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Bender2

lol..I have had similar events under similar circumstances.


11 posted on 01/22/2016 5:59:40 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (The Huckster for Prez!)
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To: Bender2
But I had had a little to drink... when I DVRer it--

Look at the bright side, having a bad show taped is much better than finding out you have children you never knew you had....

12 posted on 01/22/2016 6:05:50 AM PST by commish (The takers rule. Time to implement the triple G plan - GOD, GUNS, & GOLD)
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To: commish
Re: having a bad show taped is much better than finding out you have children you never knew you had....

Mr. Commish-- Have you seen... my illegitimate father?

Hey keep your mouth shut, commish! I had to admit Johnny Football was from my evil seed... isn't that punishment enough?

13 posted on 01/22/2016 6:19:33 AM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Bender2

As the old axiom goes, some of the best jokes are those that not everyone gets. But why should a joke have a combination lock that we must crack before we get to the funny bit?


14 posted on 01/22/2016 7:25:45 AM PST by Rockingham
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To: Bender2; GOPsterinMA

I meant to check that show out, spaced out on the premiere.

So it sucks? Glad I missed it then.


15 posted on 01/22/2016 1:36:21 PM PST by Impy (They pull a knife, you pull a gun. That's the CHICAGO WAY, and that's how you beat the rats!)
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To: Rockingham; big'ol_freeper; Impy; SevenofNine; Cletus.D.Yokel; Rummyfan; Liberty Valance; ...
Re: As the old axiom goes, some of the best jokes are those that not everyone gets. But why should a joke have a combination lock that we must crack before we get to the funny bit?

Gadzooks, Rock-- You know you can lead a horse to water... but you cannot make him leave the seat down on the toilet--

None of my ex-wives ever got that... They just got pissed that I kept on telling it.

16 posted on 01/22/2016 2:48:48 PM PST by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Bender2

I surmise that pissing off the wife was the real point of the joke.


17 posted on 01/22/2016 3:32:09 PM PST by Rockingham
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To: Impy; fieldmarshaldj

Me too actually.

BTW, “Sunny” has been friggin’ fantastic so far this season. “Man Seeking Woman” has been too. I highly recommend them both.


18 posted on 01/22/2016 6:12:17 PM PST by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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To: Impy; big'ol_freeper

Good summary:

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/joe_fitzgerald/2016/01/fitzgerald_goodell_may_get_a_double_dose_of_patriots_revenge


19 posted on 01/23/2016 4:02:36 AM PST by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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