Is "The Juice" Finally Getting Squeezed?

"O.J. is back on the loose. He was released on a $125,000 bail today in Las Vegas. O.J. has been charged with 10 felonies, including robbery with a deadly weapon and kidnapping. He could get life in prison for all this. Isn't that something? You kill two people, you get nothing -- but steal your own football jersey, you go away for life.” –Jimmy Kimmel, earlier this year

When you’re famous, being on the butt end of a joke is somewhat normal. Whether from the mouth of Jimmy Kimmel, Leno or Letterman, being mentioned during the opening monologue is something of an endorsement that you are a Somebody. You are newsworthy enough to be a household name.

When all the laughing dies down, however, a lot of it is not really that funny. Take O.J. Simpson for example. This past Friday he was convicted in Las Vegas of kidnapping, armed robbery and ten other charges. Evidently his luck has run out.

He always was a great runner. He also had an affable, winning style that made him popular after his football career ended. Thus it was an easy jump for another touchdown in Hollywood. Fame and fortune seemed to fall into his lap… though we also know, for the record, that you don't make the big time as an athlete without a lot of hard work. We did not know, however, about his dark side.

When his beautiful wife Nicole was murdered, all the pretty pictures came tumbling down as the scene switched from light hearted fun to dead serious realities. His double murder trial revealed much more about O.J. than many wanted to see.

Many believed he had been set up. Many even cheered when it appeared he was going to try to escape… make a run for it. He was suicidal in that intense moment because he did not want to face the humiliation he’d be going through. I am sure he felt shame at having let so many people down.

But, O.J. got off. He walked, purportedly innocent according to the law. Later, better lawyers in a civil trial were more successful in pinning responsibility on The Juice, his nickname from the football era. In the second trial, the court determined he must pay 33 million dollars to the families of the two victims. Seems like that says a thing or two, but in more than a decade he paid nothing… living high on the hog, signing autographs, enjoying the stature of being an American celebrity.

It’s all very sad.

Then he had the gall to write a book titled “If I Did It,” explaining his rationale for committing such a crime, were he the kind of guy who would do such an appalling thing.

But sadder still, with the interactive nature of today’s news, where readers can write comments on journalists’ work, one becomes increasingly aware of how divided the nation is still. When O.J. was arrested for his Las Vegas misdeeds, one of the comments on that breaking story was, “Why are they still picking on O.J.?”

Well, duh. Maybe because he committed a crime? It’s not because he is black. I haven’t seen any stories like this about Bill Cosby, Lynn Swann or Tiger Woods.

Here’s the Associated Press story by Linda Deutsch two hours after O.J.’s most recent debacle, ie. conviction.

In the end, O.J. Simpson rolls snake eyes in Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — In a city where luck means everything, O.J. Simpson came out the big loser — and his unlucky number in a case full of bizarre twists was 13.

He was convicted of an armed robbery that happened on Sept. 13 and was found guilty on the 13th anniversary of his Los Angeles murder acquittal. The Las Vegas jury deliberated for 13 hours after a 13-day trial.

When the news initially broke, Conan O’Brien put it this way: "Earlier today, O.J. Simpson was charged with 11 criminal counts, including kidnapping, robbery and assault. Afterwards, O.J. said, 'Wow. Now I really have done it all.'"

Much more could be said, but let’s just turn the page. Please.

Funny Business

What makes humor work? First off, one thing that probably kills it is a serious discourse like this one. Oh well... deal with it.

Whether written or performed, the comic's chief aim is a smile, laugh, or outright guffaw from an audience of one or more by which the humorist understands that he has succeeded in connecting. To a certain extent, making humor is similar to that saintlike behavior of Mother Theresa whose life was given to lightening other peoples' burdens. Humor requires communication, which at a very fundamental level requires two or more persons, unless we're talking to ourselves in the shower.

There sure are a lot of funny people in the world. Steve Martin, Jay Leno, Dave Barry, Woody Allen, Johnny Carson, Jonathan Winters, George Carlin, Bill Cosby... to name a few of the comics who've impressed me. What's amazing is the range you find in styles of humor, from philosophical to zany, from slapstick to stylistic, from mannered to irreverent, from green to blue.

To some extent it's a mystery what makes humor work, though many people have studied it relentlessly, including Freud. Students of comedy will analyze others' routines, and break down the key variables. The element of surprise is one such factor that makes humor work. Steve Martin, that zany and wild guy, was (is) a master of the unexpected. Jonathan Winters' routines were like a wild roller coaster in the dark which threw you in unexpected directions with every turn of the track.

Most humorous material begins with a setup. In one way or another, the listener is led in a direction, but like a magician who uses misdirection, a magical effect is created through false expectations and tension. Timing is also an important variable. Even the best jokes can be badly told. I have been doing it all my life.

Most stand up comics tell stories. And all of them consider it plagiarism to not use their own original material. The beauty of it is right there. With so many comics in action, to see so much creativity being birthed week in and week out is somewhat of a wonder.

To watch comics in action is one thing; to be a comic in action is another. There is always risk. There is always uncertainty. And there's often a little tiny voice inside saying, "Am I nuts or what?" The answer to that last question waits to be seen.

In the meantime, let me tell you about my eggplant routine.

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