In Continuum.

You know, the thing about public figures, it is difficult for you to truly admire or respect a lot of them, even if you may claim to like their work. There is a line between liking a celebrity, for example, and respecting a celebrity for what he does and what he stands for. It is easy to say that an actor is a great actor, or that it is easy to relate to a role that actor has played in, or anything of that sort. Perhaps it is easy to respect somebody in his profession, but to whole-heartedly say that you respect an actor, for example, as a human being - that's a lot harder. After all, we don't see public figures as who they want us to see most of the time, right? I mean, you could respect your father, for example, because you know the man, and it is infinitely easier to relate to him, more than anybody else. But public figures, most of the time, have an image to uphold. They'd only want you to see what they want you to see, and that makes it difficult for us to say "I respect him as a human being", because everything is clouded behind the persona he wants to be known by. For example, I think Tom Hanks is a great actor, but do I respect him as a human being? On a basic level, sure, but not in the admirable sense, you know? 

There are only a handful of public figures, or entertainers, that I truly respect. Amongst them, they come from a variety of different professions, but one profession seems to have a high predominance over the others somehow. Amongst the rest, Ewan McGregor would probably be an actor that I respect, despite not being a particular fan of his work in the movies. I mean, he did ride a motorbike around the world, and recently completed a trip that ran from England to South Africa. I also respect Bear Grylls, and I really don't care if his show is staged or not. Find me another man who jumps out of an airplane, swims in the Arctic, eats from an animal carcass, drinks his own urine and an elephant dung, and I'd show you another man that I respect. So we have an actor and an adventurer (though he is more like a television presenter now), but there are really only so many out there. Here are three men that I respect a lot in life, and I look to their ideas as my own personal guidance at times: George Carlin, Eddie Izzard, Bill Maher and Al Franken. Sure, they may have other professions aside from the actual stuff that they do, but it still comes down to one talent at the very end, and that is to make people laugh. Yes, they are comedians, and I respect these comedians a lot (Al is more of a politician more now, but he started out as a comedian anyway). 

We live in messy times, people always tell you that. I think humans can never be truly satisfied, which is why they are always telling you about the "good old days", when everything was supposedly better. Your grandparents would tell you that the food was better, the drinks were better, the snacks were better, and the music was better. But I think in a few decades, we are going to say the exact same things to our children and grandchildren, that our times back then were much better. We almost always seem to be living in a chaotic time, and humans never seem to be satisfied with when and where they are, all the time. Some other country is always better, some other time almost always seems simpler. So, in our chaotic time, humans try to make sense of it all, you know, we try to find reasons to explain why we do the things we do, why we avoid the things we hate. It is a natural thing to do, but yet we try to explain things. But there are aspects of a human life that cannot be explained if you attempt to look at it objectively. But absolute objectivity is almost always impossible, so the closet thing to it is probably to look upon this "freak show" with a smile on your face. To see everything as a joke, or a gag, like a bystander that just watches and never interferes. That's a comedian's job, to shed light upon what we have all taken for granted. 

The picture I posted above is that of The Comedian, or Edward Blake, from the graphic novel Watchmen. The quote below is something he said in the book, in regards to why he chose to be a comedian amidst the madness of things. And I think it is true for the most part, because there are times when you just can't help but laugh at whatever is happening our world, you know? I mean, just look at all the bombing in Gaza these days, all the people dying because of an age old conflict between the two conflict over religion. When you come to think about it, it really is the dumbest reason in the world to go to war for, and neither sides are really trying to seek peace because they are just like little kids on the playground. You hit me, and I hit you back. He gets hit and he's not going to be happy about it, so he hits back - ad infinitum. It is a vicious cycle that goes on and on unto infinity, and that's all there is to it. It's all a big childish playground fight - with bombs. When you read about such news in the newspaper or the internet, you ask yourself what can you do to make things better. You feel sad about it, almost guilty because you are living such a good life. But there really isn't much you can do, and you realize just how incapable you are to change the world. So you laugh about it, because that is the best way to deal with something as stupid as this. You laugh, because there isn't anything else logical to do anymore. 

You see the way human beings are disillusioned all the time in all walks of life. You know, when you think to yourself "Just what in the world are they thinking?" When that question comes to mind, you know that the people or person you are looking at is completely out of his or her minds. You can't make sense of these people, and so you laugh about it with others. A comedian's job seems to have changed a lot over the years, from the days of the jester in the court to the stand-up comedians of today. They have evolved from ball juggling clowns to people that comment on social issues, political issues, education issues, and everything that concerns us in life, and more. They are like commentators with a twist of humor, and most of them are not just stand-up comedians alone. They engage themselves in other forms of work, like being a writer or an actor. Sometimes they publish books, or they become politicians, and sometimes they go on talk shows to share their political view points. But they are never too far away from what they do best, and that is to add a little bit of humor to the madness that is today. You can't help but realize the irony that in times of chaos, the person that could laugh about it is also the one who sees it the most clearly. 

I wonder when the power shifted, you know, from the authorities in the government to the comedians on stage. It used to be the smart people running the country, or at least we just hope that they are smart enough to handle such a task. They are supposed to, because they are qualified in every which way, and voted into office at that. But throughout the years, you see mistakes being made by politicians and religious leaders, for example, and you can't help but wonder - is this the best that we can do? The supposed "elites" of these country, screwing everything up because they are, in fact, too stupid for the job? When you have a president that is an utter idiot and comedians speaking the truth in stage, you know you are living in an interesting point in human history. It is kind of like the jester in the court making more sense with his jokes than the orders of the king. Humor just seems to be the clearest way to see the world now, like some ultimate magnifying glass that allows you to see everything in the finest details. That is when you see the flaws, the problems, the ridiculous and absurd things that make us go "Just when in the world were you thinking?" I don't know what either, but I laugh about it. 

I think these comedians that I respect, they have a distinct way of looking at life as compared to a lot of others. You know those vile comedians, talking about genitals and sex all the time as if their lives depend on it. I have little respect for someone like Carlos Mencia, if any, because his most political jokes are mostly racist. These comedians, however, are like observers on the moon, just enjoying the chaos caused by humans down below and having a laugh about it. I can imagine the three of them sitting together and laughing about how stupid we are - because we are. They take what we know to be "ordinary" or "normal", then tear it apart and question it on a level that stimulates one's mind. They help us to think, to question, to analyze, and then think some more. They don't just answer the questions, or question the answers. These people are also questioning the questions, and that to me is what make them so powerful and admirable. With the power of words, just words, they are able to convey some of the most complicated thoughts, and to see the world in high definition quality - yeah, the tech-geek in me is speaking right now. You really have to applaud them for that, and seeing everything as a joke is the only way out, it seems, right now. 

I heard a quote before, that the man with all the answers is the man who can't do anything about it. You may argue that with all the "solutions" proposed by these comedians, they are also the ones who are merely procrastinate, right? Not many comedians can be like Al Franken, I believe, jumping into the politics and actually trying to make a difference, one step at a time. If you want to get yourself involved, then you are somehow going to be a part of the madness, and you are at the butt of the joke as well, at the end of the day. There is a point whereby you realize that there aren't solutions to problems, that it is just better off to laugh about it. You know, there are times when two person can't seem to solve their conflicts, and they just kind of start laughing about it because it's just ridiculous, sometimes, don't you think so? At first you'd ask why, and then you'd ask why with a series of laughter behind it. You can't help it, I can't help it. Because when you see the whole world being consumed by their illusions, laughter is indeed the best medicine after all. You give up that sense of humor within you amidst this time of madness, what else are you left with, really? 

So, comedians in our chaotic times, I truly respect them for that. Even if they are not getting down and dirty and doing something about it, they are inspiring a whole lot more people out there to think and do something about it. There is a saying in Chinese that goes something like, if you can't give money to the poor, then do something physically for the poor. If you can't be a politician, you inspire others to be politicians in order for them to change what is all messed up right now. I admire their courage to speak up, I admire their bravery to think differently. And my life has been shaped by these men, one way or another, and it feels great to know that. I respect these men, not just for their unique thoughts and brands of humor, but also their courage to stand up against all that is ridiculous and wrong about this world and this disappointing species. Yeah, we all laugh about it, but it's true you know - sometimes, that's all we can do in this mad, mad world. 

Hint: He isn't the crazy idiot that interrupts others all the time.