Hey,

There's not been much posting recently, for the obvious reasons that revision and exams has taken over my life. I had two yesterday, which went OK. I annoyed with myself for some parts, which I know I could have answered better, but in general I don't think they were horrific. At the back of my mind is the niggling worry that They Need To Be Better Than OK, if I want a place for next year.

But what I really wanted to share is the following. There is a joke, called The Aristocrats. It's been around since maybe the 1920s, or possibly earlier. The beginning and end are the same. ("A family walk into a talent agent...." "The talent agent sits their for the longest time...") The middle bit is up to the joke teller, where he fills in the details. In fact, it becomes a complete anti-joke, because the punchline isn't funny, and doesn't make any sense. "Getting" the joke involves realising this, and realising it's really just an excuse to come up with the most overblown, filty, grotesque act imaginable. It was apparently also used by older comedians to bully a newer comedian into thinking he wasn't funny because he didn't get it, just before he went on stage.

Anyway, a film has been made, which was shown at 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where 100 comedians do their version. Eddie Izzard, Robin Williams, George Carlin, Steven Wright, there all in there. And there's a South Park contribution, which just happens to be here. Download it and watch it, but only if you're not easily offended. Then show it to your mother.

Speak soon,

Craig