In the last 7 to 8 years, I began to
develop a different comic voice and a
and a different perspective. Um, you
know, comedy stand-up comedy is a low
art. It's it's a vulgar art. It's an art
of the people. It's not fine. But it is
an art. It's it it has to do with
interpreting the world as you see it and
then writing something and then
delivering it verbally.
Uh and I found a very liberating
position for myself as an artist. And
that was I sort of gave up on the human
race and gave up on the American dream
and culture and nation and decided that
I didn't care about the outcome. And
that gave me a lot of freedom from a
kind of distant platform to be sort of
amused a kind of to watch the whole
thing with a combination of wonder and
pity. I try to put that into words.
Not caring about the outcome, what do
you mean by that? Not having an
emotional stake in whether this
experiment with human beings works. I
really don't care.
Uh I love people as I meet them one by
one. People of the are just wonderful as
individuals. You see the whole universe
in their eyes if you look carefully. But
as soon as they begin to group, as soon
as they begin to clot, when there are
five of them or 10 or even groups as
small as two, they begin to change. They
sacrifice the beauty of the individual
for the sake of the group. I decided it
was all under the control of groups now,
whether it's business, religion,
political people or what, and I would
distance myself from wishing for a good
outcome. Let it do what it's going to do
and I'll enjoy it as an entertainer.
on what it is on its own.
And I'll enjoy it for the entertainment.
There's a little bit of a sick part in
this, too. I root for the big comet. I
root for the big asteroid to come and
make things right. That's the way I put
it. Stir things up. Yes, to get us back
where we were before the first one came
and knocked out these dinosaurs and let
the ferrets go.
about comets on this show tonight.
I know it.
Uh and I'm I'm rooting for that big one
to come right through that hole in the
ozone layer because I want to see it on
CNN. See, I'm here for the
entertainment, Charlie. I am. People
These philosophers say, "Why are we
here?" I know I am here. For the
entertainment.
The show.
Bring it on. I want to see the circus.
So
But how does this affect your
performance and what you bring to
stand-up?
I've seen a lot of comedian We've all
seen a lot of comedians who seem to have
a political bent in their work.
And always implicit in the work is is
some positive outcome. That this is all
going to work. If only we do this. If
only we pass that bill. If only elect
him. If only we do that. It's not true.
It's it's circling the drain time for
the for humans. I believe this. I
honestly believe this. Not just as a
comedian he thinks that. He likes to say
that. I believe it. And when you say to
yourself, "I don't care what happens."
It just gives you a broader perspective
for the art for the words to to emerge.
To not care. That's what happened in
that '92 show. That's why I could say
the planet is fine. The people are
Cuz the planet will outlast us. It will
be here and it will be fine.
Has the subject matter changed? Well, I
I you know, you're still stuck with
what's going on. But I I don't like
topical. I don't like political humor. I
I don't mention politicians. In fact, I
defend them in this particular show.
Everyone is on their case. Everyone is
always making things
Politicians are bad. I I defend them and
blame it on the people. This is where it
belongs.
You get what you deserve? Yes, you get
what you deserve and you deserve what
you get. And I have a slogan, "The
public sucks." And it works nicely and
people accept it. Not not not very
enthusiastically, but they understand
that it says, "We the people" in that
preamble. Doesn't say them that this is
and those that that's us. It says, "Hey,
We got on this boat.
And people who hate government are
involved in a in a form of suicide
because government is self-government.
And if you hate the government, you hate
yourself.
It's the same with the war against
nature that that mankind goes through.
So, I just said to myself, "It's not
going to get better, not in my lifetime.
Let me enjoy this and get a little
perverse about my my commentary on it."
I I I open
perverse mean, though? Well, to to look
for where the people think the line is.
The people have values that these things
these these amorphous things they call
values that they bring to to the to the
seat in the theater when they sit down.
And I like to find out where their line
may be and deliberately cross it.
Disturb them a little, make them
uncomfortable and then
make them and then bring them with me
across the line and make them glad they
came. That's what I do. I'm an
entertainer. I'm not a doomsayer. I'm
not here to preach. I don't do political
tracts. But I do entertain. I do a lot
of jokes, but I want you to feel a
little in danger along the way.