The F%#$ing Aristocrats

Saw The Aristocrats tonight. There's been a ton of press about how this movie features the filthiest joke ever told, and it's probably true. Basically, the deal is there's this joke that's been around since the days of Vaudeville, and comedians tell it to each other. The joke always has the same beginning and end, but the middle section allows for the comedic version of jazz improv, where the teller tries to come up with the most offensive, disgusting things he can think of, riffing on all the versions he's heard before but also trying to top them. It's always been a sort of insider thing, but Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) have put together a pretty impressive group of comedians and writers to provide their own spin on the joke. There are some surprises, and I won't spoil any of them, but I think my favorite scene had to be Kevin Pollak's rendition. As for the movie itself, it made me laugh a lot, but often in a kind of "Oh my god I can't believe they said that" way. The biggest irony is that the joke itself isn't really all that funny.

Oh, and by the way, if cursing or graphic descriptions of sex acts, bodily functions, incest, or bestiality ain't your thing, don't bother seeing this movie. But if it makes you offended that there's even a movie where people say these things, never fear: AMC Theaters will take care of all that thinking stuff for you. They have some nice, safe, dumbed-down movies with very little in the way of cursing (or plot) that are probably more your speed.