Booze - Why Are We Interested? Part III

I was watching the movie Funny People recently and found it interesting that there was another industry, the comedy world specifically, in which insiders felt strongly about staying true to the honest form of their profession.  A group of young stand up comedians are always giving their buddy (played by Jason Schwartzman) grief for starring in a cheesy sitcom called "Yo, Teach," a show that caters to the lowest common denominator of humor.  In their opinion, stand-up comedy is the truest form their art can take, and they attempt to stay loyal to these roots.  Another film (and book) that tackles this same dilemna is High Fidelity, which depicts the tale of a small Chicago record store and its staff, who are full of dismay for their consumers and their "terrible taste" in music.  They are outspoken about their passion and constantly take offense when a customer asks for an album by an artist they do not admire.  Having been a film major in college, I can tell you that these circles work in much the same manner.  As students, we were interested in directors who were pushing the boundries of what film could be, rather than those catering to the taste of the general public.  Speaking of film, we all know the power of Sideways where a serious vinophile said he wasn't going to drink any merlot.

In all of these cases, there will always be those who feel as if they truly appreciate their passion and the essence of what it's all about.  The irritation expressed by these characters stems from what they feel is the public's interest in inferior expressions that do little to help the progression of their beloved genre.  Idiocracy is another film that we could discuss in this instance, if anyone remembers the state of television and film in Mike Judge's devolved society.

I'm going to think about this for a bit.

-David Driscoll