I think that there are plenty of examples of zen and comedy cooperating, but
the question is how cognizant the comedian is of the relationship. Just as one
does not have to be an automobile mechanic in order to be a good automobile
driver, principles of zen can be found in comedy from the most seemingly
unlikely sources. I think it's also a question of smoking while meditating or
vice versa. Does the comedian, who knows nothing about formal "zen buddhism"
but has lived and experienced, begin with a zennish principle, and then replace
the variables of that principle with the context of the joke? Or vice versa:
does the comedian smoke during meditation? People will still laugh at the joke
that is formatted like a zen principle even if they do not realize the
application of the format because I think that is really what the appeal in
these jokes is, except maybe in comedy that is vulgar for the sole sake of
vulgarity. Even those who don't practice zen show an appeal for it's
teachings as being something that "makes you think" or is "far out"; maybe
some comedy is zen made digestible. Based on that, comedians need not know
zen, but only know what appeals to them to write jokes, and audiences need not
know zen, but only know what appeals to them to laugh at jokes for there to be
a comedy show, even though all kinds of zen is being transmitted. When one does
understand and appreciate the zen format of a joke, the laughter might not be
as involuntary as when unappreciated, but when they are asked, "get it?", they
know they have 'gotten it' completely. It's really about where the joke subtly
points, where the joke refers you back to, rather than the gross
details/context of the joke.
This is definitely based solely on what I have been exposed to, but I would
point to 70's George Carlin material before the stooges. One-liner comedy
style such as that of Steven Wright and the late Mitch Hedberg lends itself to
zen quite well also.
"Not the comedian and not the audience, but the joke itself!"
PS -- Al, I hope you were serious with this prompt and I didn't just respond to
an RPG (random post generator)
spider <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
For many years, especially when I used to see the Three Stooges every day
after school; it occurred to me that there was a certain Stooge Zen. The
Three Stooges were more than just comedians. They had a knack for living.
They also had some great lines that IMHO rival the best koans when it comes
to seeking enlightenment.
Does anyone else believe that The Three Stooges were enlightened beings
spreading the Dharma with their own brand of Zen Comedy? Can you think of
any specific examples of Stooge Zen?
"While the ball is going up, while the ball is going down, and when the ball is
bouncing"
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