Netflix

Photo by David Balev-Unsplash

Everything in life is funny.

Remember that the next time you feel creeping alarm about climate change, impeachment proceedings, or Brexit. As George Carlin once said, "There's a humorous side to every situation. The challenge is to find it." But in the age of Twitter and op-eds about bad dates with comedians, it's hard to keep track of what's funny and what's cringey. In the last decade, we've been treated to all variations. From critics lamenting that Hannah Gadsby's emotional comedy isn't "real" stand-up to Dave Chappelle returning to say exactly what's on his mind regardless of the political climate, our cultural understanding of what constitutes comedy is currently in flux.

Is Mike Birbiglia's vulnerability funny? Is Bo Burnham's peppy musical satire funny? We're saying yes. Why? On the enduring power of comedy, American humorist Mark Twain once said, "Humor must not professedly teach, and it must not professedly preach, but it must do both if it would live forever"–which is lovely, but Richard Pryor frankly put it better when he said, "Two things people throughout history have had in common are hatred and humor. I am proud that I have been able to use humor to lesson people's hatred."

That is to say: Some comedic talents have shone undeniable light upon our existential dread, and for that we're thankful.

Hannah Gadsby, "Nanette"

Film Lists

The Only 5 New Year's Eve Movies Worth Watching

Fight the patriarchy with these actually great movies.

Photo by: charlesdeluvio / Unsplash

No, you are not going to find the love of your life on New Year's Eve, and you are especially not going to find them in Times Square.

New Year's Eve, especially in New York City, is one of the most overly hyped and dramatized holidays in existence. The stakes are far too high for anyone to have an exceptional night, so while we're at least saved from blowing exorbitant amounts of money right before we have to pay rent, let's stay in and find solace within these disturbing movies that actually do NYE justice.

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