The comedy world suffered two truly great losses in a short time with the passing of both Robert Schimmel and Greg Giraldo, and although we rarely get too maudlin around here -- dull, yes, angry, sure -- these deaths seemed to have affected a lot of people, and I'm one of them.
I'm not a stand-up comedian, I never met either man, but I can't say I don't have a connection to both: They both made me laugh... really hard, quite often. And that counts for a hell of a lot. I think that is specifically why their deaths have affected so many people as strongly as they have: Because a little laughter is worth so much these days.
If I had to rate the two, I'd say Schimmel was more of a personal favorite, but I don't say that to be ugly -- I say that because there was less of an outpouring of emotion for him, and I think that's only because he was less well-known. Robert Schimmel's act was raunchier than Giraldo's, generally speaking, so he got fewer televised engagements.
But while neither comedian's act was exactly ready for primetime (network, anyway), Last Comic Standing featured both, and Schimmel actually appeared on Friends back in its first season -- something I'd forgotten until his death. Another thing I didn't know was that both were frequent guests on The Howard Stern Show. Like most of the rest of the world, I haven't listened to much of Howard Stern since he went to pay-radio; I don't dislike the guy or anything, I just don't find him interesting enough that I'd pay to hear him. Giraldo and Schimmel, on quite the other hand... I definitely would have shelled-out 99¢ an episode to hear either of them, and probably will.
But it wasn't just Robert Schimmel's lack of exposure that failed to rouse the general public's mourning, it was his onstage character -- the downtrodden "loser" whose bawdy act centered as much on his family as his sex life. Greg Giraldo was the good-looking, angry, everyman (who actually studied law at Harvard!) -- a throwback to the rebellious, rock n roll comedians of the late-70s and early-80s... too many of whom also went too early. He seemed to have it all, and the fact that the details surrounding his death have yet to emerge make "dealing with it" all the more complex.
So, let's deal with it:
A lot of people have been repeating, "With prescription drugs, it's rarely an accidental overdose," and that's horseshit; those people should stop saying it. First of all, it doesn't soften the blow; only finely-cut Vitamin C or baby laxative does that. Secondly, that's not true. Drugs like Xanax, Oxycontin, even the somewhat "safe" Hydrocodone, can all result in overdose, especially when mixed with alcohol. Giraldo was a recovering alcoholic, so his kidneys and/or liver may already have been worn to the point where... Just stop saying stupid, thoughtless things like that.
Also, as Marc Maron protested, Greg Giraldo was not just an "insult comedian." In fact, he was ever only an insult comedian on the Comedy Central Roasts; like Schimmel, his stand-up act was far more personal and personally-based. Robin Quivers even said she heard newscasters calling him Greg H-iraldo (as in talk-show host, Geraldo), but that could h-ust be more of the PC horseshit that clogs all of "entertainment" these days, and that's all "The News" is, anyway. You don't have to write it to read it, folks; few can.
Regardless, while it's all made for a few headlines and watercooler talk, try to keep in mind that these were real people, both of whom have children. Not in that phony, "Greg H-iraldo" way, but in the same way you think of that toothless crackwhore you picked-up the other night who cost you $300 and $20 cuz she robbed you at knifepoint. And was a man. They, and their real friends and families, are the only ones who are truly "dealing" with anything. In fact, Robert Schimmel's teenage daughter was in the vehicle with him the night of his car wreck, and she survived. If you remember being 19, just imagine how hard that must be for her.
You're just getting older.
It's hard when anyone you idolize or respect, even if you never knew them directly, dies. But then, it's hard when anyone you idolize or respect simply "loses" that special touch, or quality, they once had -- dulled by age, years of alcohol or drugs, or just the bitter reality of everyday life -- and though the world is certainly a slightly less humorous place for their passing, these men were but that: men.
All men die. Eventually.
© C Harris Lynn, 2010
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
3 comments:
Roger Ebert on telling a joke.
Greg Giraldo on failure.
Apparently, some comedians took umbrage to my use of the word "clown." I assure you, this was not meant to be ugly -- far from it, in fact. I wanted to go to clown college when I was a kid, and my mom's favorite comedian was Red Skelton.
I may be very wrong and, if I am, then it was an error and I apologize for not researching the matter, but I understood that clowns came from court jesters. Although jesters were often called "fools," they were among the most influential member of the court. They also got away with a lot of stuff that would have gotten other men killed -- criticizing the king, court, clergy and church, etc. -- and I'm certain more than one jester's performance affected the decisions such people made. Traveling actor troupes eventually became vaudeville, which eventually lead to observational stand-up in the 1960s and '70s.
That some professional comedians were unaware of this is appalling, and the post itself should make it obvious that I meant no disdain. If you are not a comedian or involved in comedy, then "clown" is sometimes used as a pejorative; for those who are in comedy, it's part of the roots of their profession. Reading comprehension, sadly, is not.
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