On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 5:41 PM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 4:23 PM, Trevor Trevor <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Awarded each year by the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, > > past recipients have included Steve Martin, Bill Cosby, the late > > George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Bob Newhart and SNL creator Lorne > > Michaels. > > Setting aside my personal dislike for Fey for a moment, does anyone > else see the gaping chasm between the level of experience/longevity of > the previous winners and Tina Fey? Like her if you absolutely must, > but at least admit that she is outclassed amongst this group of names. > I will grant you that as contemporary female sketch comedians (and > maybe even writers) go, she is currently the top of the ranks, but I > also believe that really isnt saying much. Furthermore, she falls sort > of having proven that she'll be remembered 20, 30, 40, or 50 years > later the way Martin, Cosby, Carlin, Pryor, Newhart and even Michaels > will. That is not to say she won't one day achieve that level of > recognition, but I just don't believe she is there yet. > You can't be the only one who thinks this, since it was mentioned in the article linked in the original post. Two other women have won - Lily Tomlin in 2003 (at age ~63 and Whoopie Goldberg in 2001 (at age ~46). I hate Whoopie and love Lily, but I don't think Tina Fey, at age 40, is particularly out of place in that company. Assuming they wanted to give it to a woman this year, who else is more qualified? not Joan Rivers or Phylis Diller certainly. I guess someone like Carol Burnett or Mary Tyler Moore could come to mind - but I don't think either is quite the kind of comedian the Twain Prize is meant to honor. They are going after people who have made a mark as satirists or social commentators, and who challenge and offend as much as they entertain. The criteria is not so much will they be remembered in 30 years, but are they making - and leaving - a mark right now. I think the reason why old war horses dominate the list of past winners is that it is a fairly recent award, and they were recognizing a back log of people who were or had been biting social commentators for a long time (apparently you do have to be a live to win it, but not to receive it as we found out a few years ago). I am surprised to learn that you dislike Fey; of course I knew about your unexplainable hatred of Baldwin, but I thought Fey was just caught up in his backwash, and not an active target of your condemnation. I find that stunning. I love her more today than yesterday (and I was wild about her yesterday). This reminds me of the misunderstanding about the Nobel Peace Prize that got so many riled up last year. Neither it nor the Twain are meant to be lifetime achievement awards. >From their website: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/marktwain/#about "The Mark Twain Prize recognizes people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain. As a social commentator, satirist and creator of characters, Samuel Clemens was a fearless observer of society, who startled many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly. He revealed the great truth of humor when he said "against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en
