Please Mind the Mencia (commentary)
Bob Mackey
Issue date: 9/1/05 Section: ae
Now, I've probably spent too much time talking about how unfunny Carlos is and not enough time talking about how this lack of humor is applied to his show, "Mind of Mencia." Apparently all of Carlos's material comes from 2001 or thereabouts, because his obsession with making fun of people from the Middle East, or "Achmeds" as he collectively calls them, is still prevalent. But it isn't this dated and trite material that makes him terrible, it's his delivery.
Periodically, after Carlos tells a joke, he takes the liberty of telling his audience how funny and outrageous he is, with such comments as, "WHAT?!" "DID I JUST SAY THAT?!" and "I DON'T CARE!" It's a good thing Carlos keeps reminding me of how in-my-face he is, because at times, I've had my doubts. I've even taken up his self-aggrandizing tactics by writing little comments on my tests and term papers such as, "DID I JUST MAKE THAT OBSERVATION?" and "I'M ASTUTE!"
Comedy Central is not pushing Mencia as their newest "edgy" persona, as Adam Carolla and D.L. Hughley (who gave America the phrase "Good googa mooga!" which they quickly returned) also have their own shows, making the network a veritable ethnic rainbow of bad taste. What the network doesn't realize is that shows based on one person's personality inevitably lose steam and material, even if they were funny to begin with. This is why Dave Chappelle is on an Ohio farm instead of working on his show's third season.
Comedy Central does have some fantastic series, such as "The Daily Show," "Reno 911" and the possibly soon-to-be-cancelled "Stella" (Tuesdays at 10:30PM), but they all feature strong ensemble casts, and not just one "dude with an attitude." Since talent is spread among several people, the comedy is not entirely dependant upon a made-up personality.
And now even David Spade is hopping on the bandwagon, turning his decade-old "Hollywood Minute" SNL segment into a full-fledged show. It seems like he really shouldn't have the right to criticize Hollywood after such mega-hits such as "Joe Dirt" and "Dickie Roberts."
Sadly, Mencia's show has been picking up steam over the summer, and it doesn't look like it'll be cancelled anytime soon. America took one look at Carlos, settled into their leather couches for a few weeks and then came to the conclusion that they didn't mind his style of "humor." What this means is that more negative stereotypes will be reinforced, and the bar for comedy will have to be lowered again. At this point, it seems that the only thing that would stop Mencia is a fatwa.
DID I JUST SAY THAT?!
Periodically, after Carlos tells a joke, he takes the liberty of telling his audience how funny and outrageous he is, with such comments as, "WHAT?!" "DID I JUST SAY THAT?!" and "I DON'T CARE!" It's a good thing Carlos keeps reminding me of how in-my-face he is, because at times, I've had my doubts. I've even taken up his self-aggrandizing tactics by writing little comments on my tests and term papers such as, "DID I JUST MAKE THAT OBSERVATION?" and "I'M ASTUTE!"
Comedy Central is not pushing Mencia as their newest "edgy" persona, as Adam Carolla and D.L. Hughley (who gave America the phrase "Good googa mooga!" which they quickly returned) also have their own shows, making the network a veritable ethnic rainbow of bad taste. What the network doesn't realize is that shows based on one person's personality inevitably lose steam and material, even if they were funny to begin with. This is why Dave Chappelle is on an Ohio farm instead of working on his show's third season.
Comedy Central does have some fantastic series, such as "The Daily Show," "Reno 911" and the possibly soon-to-be-cancelled "Stella" (Tuesdays at 10:30PM), but they all feature strong ensemble casts, and not just one "dude with an attitude." Since talent is spread among several people, the comedy is not entirely dependant upon a made-up personality.
And now even David Spade is hopping on the bandwagon, turning his decade-old "Hollywood Minute" SNL segment into a full-fledged show. It seems like he really shouldn't have the right to criticize Hollywood after such mega-hits such as "Joe Dirt" and "Dickie Roberts."
Sadly, Mencia's show has been picking up steam over the summer, and it doesn't look like it'll be cancelled anytime soon. America took one look at Carlos, settled into their leather couches for a few weeks and then came to the conclusion that they didn't mind his style of "humor." What this means is that more negative stereotypes will be reinforced, and the bar for comedy will have to be lowered again. At this point, it seems that the only thing that would stop Mencia is a fatwa.
DID I JUST SAY THAT?!