Tag Archives: comedians

Burlesque

j-r-practix-with-border-2

Burlesque: (n) a variety show, typically including striptease.

There are certain words that evoke an immediate reaction–usually either shock or giggles.

It’s amazing to me that we actually become mature adults, but still insist on acting surprised or chuckling nervously about subjects that we think are “inappropriate.”

They are not unpleasant issues.

For instance, orgasm.

I would guess that if orgasms were put up for a vote in this country–pardon the expression, up or down–that people would cross party lines and even the Bible Belt would unbuckle.

Another word is masturbation.

I grew up in an era when it was considered to be evil, spent my adult years when it was perceived acceptable but taboo, and now you occasionally run across someone who actually speaks the word out loud in a conversation at Applebee’s.

It’s also true with the word burlesque.

Even though the shows involved comedians, jugglers, dancers and sometimes even animal acts, burlesque will always be remembered as a platform for strip-tease.

It’s amazing that even though each and every one of us do at least one or two strip-teases each day, we feel that it is gauche in front of footlights.

Well, I’m not connoting that I, myself, would attend a burlesque show to see such a strip-down performance, I just think it is humorous that we are so picky about what we deem unconscionable.

We let our children watch kids being poisoned by gas in Syria, but would be absolutely horrified if they ever saw a titty.

I don’t know what the right thing is. I certainly have grave misgivings about pornography.

But since the removal of clothing leads to one of three experiences–showering, sleeping or sexual intercourse–and I don’t find any one of those to be unpleasant, I will reserve my judgment on criticizing those who have the fortunate DNA of being attractive enough to stand and disrobe in front of the public.

 

Donate ButtonThank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix 

 

 

Aside

Aside: (adj) a remark by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play.dictionary with letter A

In my mind’s eye, comedy is much more efficient, powerful and funny when it’s delivered by people who know how to be serious.

A generation of wise-cracking clowns, who think that the only goal in achieving acceptance is to get people to giggle no matter how many breaches they may make in personal sensitivity, is not my idea of a night of theater.

Our generation is full of too many people who make asides.

If they were making “aside comments” just in an attempt to be clever, I could attribute it to the pursuit of mirth. But I feel that many aside comments are spoken because the speaker is afraid to talk to power.

It is amazing to me how politicians are bold when they’re hanging around their constituency or the “good ole boys club” and then, when their feet are held to the fire for the words they uttered, they immediately back-pedal and deny everything, including their birth mother.

I think you have to take three things into consideration when you speak words from your mouth:

  1. Do you believe it enough to stand by it?
  2. Can you say it in a way that at least has some potential for being constructive instead of just critical?
  3. Are you willing to be wrong and change your mind?

I know that comedians hide behind the mask of “just kidding,” but humor is much more effective when it is both funny and truthful.

I do not judge those who tell jokes by how foul their language is. I know there are people who feel the minute any “blue talk” enters the performance, that everything said is tainted and evil. I don’t agree. I don’t mind a little “street lingo” if somebody is funny, telling the truth and trying to progress us as human beings in the right direction.

I don’t like asides.

I understand why they’re used in plays–so as to make the audience aware of an inside joke or twist in plot.

But in real life, they’re often cheap and show an unwillingness to be forthcoming.

 

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

Acronym

Words from Dic(tionary)

by J. R. Practix

dictionary with letter AAcronym: (n.) a word formed from the first letters of other words. e.g.: radar, laser

I think you have to go back to the old rotary phone. It used to be really fun to come up with acronyms  by using your telephone number, looking at the letters that were available under each numeral and coming up with a spelling for your company or organization.

Acronyms used to be so popular. It was a way of remembering answers for tests. You would select an acronym, and each letter would represent an answer for your test, and the word would stimulate your memory for the answer. (As you can see, it’s actually easier to apply than to explain…)

For a while, preachers used acronyms a lot to illustrate their sermons in an attempt to get people to remember the points past the parking lot, to where they picked up the box of chicken, to go home and watch football.

Then somewhere along the line they became hokey. They became laughable.

I think it’s based around what I refer to as my “layer theory:”

  • Things remain cool as long as cool people are doing them. it doesn’t really matter WHAT they do–just that people we have decided are really superb and special do them.
  • Then the friends of those cool people start doing the trend, creating a second layer. It still remains cool at that point, but a whole lot more common.
  • At that point, the relatives of the friends of the cool people start putting into practice this popular gizmo. Then it becomes so average and everyday that we all kind of smile when somebody does it, but we’re really hoping that soon it will stop.
  • Finally, the enemies of the relatives of the friends of the cool people start picking up on the practice. At this point, all the comedians in the country, all the sane individuals, and everybody who is sick to death of the new idea that has now become like used Kleenex, begin to mock and make fun of what was once considered to be the hippest thing in the world.

It is an American evolution–and acronyms are very near the point of being bombarded.

So if you have an acronym you still want to put forth, do it very quickly–and be prepared to remove it with just as much haste. Because I think we’re really on the verge of acronyms becoming the butt of every joke:

B.U.T.T.– Better Understand Tomorrow’s Trend.