THE WIT & WISDOM OF LEWIS BLACK

I love Lewis Black.

Hell, I love any comedian with the cojones to attack the "Establishment" and still be funny.

Lenny Bruce blazed the way (although Lenny was so wounded he got to the point where he simply stopped being funny). Bill Hicks picked up the torch and was marginalized too. Richard Pryor spoke out for African-Americans and managed to win a wider audience. Others have done it. Not nearly enough of them though. Because they know that going after powerful people can be a career risk. Gutless. (And so we're stuck with David Letterman.)

Lewis is a clever man. He's found a way to be savage and lovable at the same time. To push the envelope but still swim in the mainstream. Of course he also benefits from somewhat more liberal times -- thanks, in large part, to people like Lenny and Bill and Richard.

Being a regular on John Stewart's "Daily Show" on Comedy Central certainly gave Lewis some ballast. And he's gone from strength to strength. Dogging everyone from Dick Cheney to Obama to Dr. Phil to the nipple-flashing Janet Jackson. His shtick is that he's everyone's angry man. Constantly lashing out before announcing that he really needs a nap. Recommending that we all run head-first into our TV screens but, on a more serious note, telling us to not believe a damn thing that anyone in Washington tells us.

Washington. Ah yes, how Lewis loves the American political system.

Here are a few gems from the man himself:

-- "Why would anyone identify with either party in this country? Our two-party system is basically a bowl of s**t looking at itself in the mirror."

-- "I do have certain feelings. My feeling is that whoever is in charge, I want him out."

-- "The most important part of travel, is when you come home. Because, that's when you see your country with new eyes. I was amazed to realize that we're...we're the only country that...that tells the rest of the world, on a nearly constant basis, that we're the greatest country on Earth. And that is a little f***in' obnoxious! And they know it's obnoxious. Because, if you were in an office, and there was someone there, who came in every day and said: 'I'm the greatest f***er here! And you sniveling s***ts would die without me! AHAHAHAHA!' I can guarantee that by the end of the week, you'd have killed him! And eaten him, just to try to possess his power!"

Long may you rant, Lewis.

Take care,
Adrian Zupp
IF YOU FOUND THIS BLOG POST INTERESTING you might like to take a look at A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE FABULOUS BILL HICKS.