How Many Gods Does it Take to Screw in a Light Bulb? Just One.

When I first heard about Christian-based, politically conservative, "clean" comedians, I became fascinated. It all seemed so fantastic. I imagined that they were perhaps the bravest stand-ups in the world. Save for a handful of examples, today's comedy mediums have been starved into a thin, garish, sexual-and-irony over-loaded raketentestgelände. Over-reliance on shock tactics and repetitious sexual innuendo have diluted and transformed a one-rich genre into a rigid, rule-based rocket-testing field, with performers firing off one shock blast after another to trigger gasps from audiences, who's reactions become more and more robotic and disposable. How could a pro-Christian values, "clean comedy" type of performer even dare to compete in today's meta-jaded media arena? What a dare!

A certain brand of comedy had always existed in church settings; from clown and puppet ministry troupes which flourished in the 1950's and 60's, to motivational youth speakers who used humor to communicate hard-learned life lessons to young minds in the 70's, to bumper stickers that read "How many Gods does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one..." of the 80's. But...

Some church performers soon began to mimic stand-up comedy styles that had become so exceedingly popular in the 80's. Clown costumes and sock puppets became less of something they used in their act and more something they mocked in their act. The heroic "role model" of the shouting youth motivational speaker began to get replaced by the self-deprecating humor of a lone person on stage with a microphone making observational humor about maintaining one's faith in the modern world. Communicating scripture-based messages gave way to "don't you just hate it when" or punchline-style monologues, with the moral high-ground stance left to afterthought. In turn, some of these Christian performers started to get really good. Inevitably, 90's innovators like Mike Warnke and Chonda Pierce branched out. Truly odd birds; they sometimes performed their acts wedged between the usual randy performers at rough-and-tumble comedy clubs, using the unique contrast within their surroundings as the root of their act. Later, performers like Donna East, Rick Younger and Kerri Pomarolli took the genre even farther into the stand-up world. More and more followed suit - but through the late 90's, the idea never lasted beyond that of a trendy gimmick. "Clean" comedy nights at popular comedy clubs only lasted as long as the curiosity did.

But the movement made it's own mark, and survived - if only by creating a massive subculture unto itself (much like Christian rock) rather than trying to constantly assimilate and possibly change the "real" world. Today there are whole nightclubs and festivals that cater to the scene, and the amount of acts that fall into the category of Christian-themed and clean comedy have reached uncountable numbers - spawning a whole industry of video, DVD and merchandise sales which sell through Amazon.com, and chains like Tower Records and Virgin. The proliferation of specialty cable channels which showcase "family oriented" material now feature weekly showcases of clean comedians, which have been embraced by popular ratings. The attachment that some sub-genres of "clean" comedy may have to Christianity might be only symbolic in some cases, but for the fans it remains crystal clear. The clown and puppet ministries? The humorous youth camp motivational speakers? They're all still out there... if anything the emergence of a newer kind of Christian comedy genre has only helped them to survive. They exist as second and third stage acts at Christian comedy/music festivals, and their popularity as a more comfortable outlet for humor at older, more traditional, church-only events will probably never fade.

Here is an unbelievably long list of Christian/clean-comedy acts, which covers the entire spectrum from old school puppet and clown ministries, to edgy secular stand-up, and even surprisingly impressive youth-based avant-video Christian prank/comedy collective outreach collectives. There's even a Weird Al-ish Christian comedy rock band who does God-themed parodies of popular songs; Apologetix. (check here to here mp3s of their covers of Ozzy Osbourne's 'Crazy Train,' called 'Lazy Brain,' and Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' called 'Bethlehemian Rhapsody'). And here's another; take a listen to Nick Alexander's music (including a Catholic version of The Ramones' 'I Wanna Be Sedated' called 'I Wanna Be Debated'). Here's a lengthy, investigative piece on Christian Comedy, in the Washington Post, from 2004. Here's a historic piece (or sorts) on the genre. Here's a 2002 article from the Dallas Observer that's pretty blunt, and way funnier than it's subject (the bit about the woman doing the bad/weird squirrel act is great). Here's the popular Bananas comedy show site.

However, throughout the genre's growth - obviously not everyone has approved. The acts who seemed to work best initially were those who worked into their act the very frustrations of how living a life of faith awkwardly translated into their chosen profession, and the modern world at large. Some even poked fun at examples of the more extreme characteristics within the Christian world. In his 2004 act, Brad Stine poked fun of church groups burning Harry Potter books, noting "Here’s a good rule of thumb: If Hitler tried it - maybe go the other way." Stine currently bills himself as "America's conservative comedian," and has written books with titles like Live From Middle America: Rants From a Red-State Comedian and Being a Christian Without Being an Idiot and A Conservative Unleashed. Indeed, our current political climate has hatched a sub-spawn of the genre; comedians who lean even farther from Christian or "clean" styles, and reach out into politically conservative-based material.

In the regular world of entertainment/news/whatever, there's the "mainstream," which is the easily definable and perfect; like the things you see on cable TV, news shows, at the regular movies, radio and big-name websites and stuff like that, things backed by corporations-for-profit mostly. Then, there's an "underground" - the undefinable and open-ended; things on really obscure websites, way-indie film, most of the gallery art world, experimental music scenes, nutty cable access TV, avant local theater troupes, weird art prank stuff, sick fanzines, drug culture, parties, nightclubs, etc., things usually done with little backing and created just for the sake of ideas, and often done with a subtle defiance against the mainstream (you know the stuff I'm talking about!) Mainstream stuff usually works because it has funded, commercial backing and promotion that can create a synergy with goods of a certain quality. The underground stuff that becomes popular in it's own realm is usually not because it has high sales marks or is bringing in "good numbers," but because it's just really good; it's so screamingly funny that it makes you almost cry from laughing so hard, or it's so ingenious that it hits an as-yet undefined truth and twists your mind and changes your perspective on things. The mainstream stuff, when it works right, can pride itself on creating "perfect," lasting works of art that can change the entire planet's consciousness in a blink. The underground world, besides being a rich world unto itself, can pride itself on almost always being the actual genesis of the concepts and ideas that get watered down and bubble up into the mainstream world. There's a line (a squiggly line, but indeed a 'line') between the underground and mainstream that is crossed (both ways) only with obvious compromise. Smart mainstream performers who do appreciate the more extreme characteristics of the underground worlds know how to filter ideas out of it in a way so as not to alienate the massive audiences. But, not all mainstream performers appreciate the more extreme underground, they may find it to be "wrong," politically incorrect, or even harmful. The mainstream has solid stability, but the underground has a thrilling aura of danger. The underground may have guts, but the mainstream has a quota to fill.

Do you know what the "underground" for the Christian and politically conservative comedy scene is? What their crazy/dangerous/not-ready-for-prime-time underbelly is? Extreme right-wing white supremacy groups, deadly anti-abortion militia collectives, Fred Phelps and his gang, crazy gory anti-abortion websites, rapturous end-of-the-world conspiracy websites, satan-is-everywhere conspiracy websites, neo-Nazi skinheads, scripture-screaming polygamy cults, anti-minority fascist groups with bombs, The American Family Association, The Army of God, Paul Hill, Timothy McVeigh.

And this is why Ann Coulter is the Lenny Bruce of the Christian, "clean," politically-conservative stand-up comedy world.

 

Comments

[Brent]

You know, this was a really good post until the trite and derivative second-to-last paragraph. How disappointing.

[JV]

Yeah, no shit. It was interesting and seemingly journalistic until the end. Is this a joke post or something?

[jtm]

I disagree, great post all the way around! Second to last paragraph is on the money, honey. Thank you Mark.

[Hatch]

Brilliant post, Mark.

Brent and JV, even visible mainstream conservatives like George Allen, Lou Dobbs and Washington Times managing editor Francis Coombs have documented ties to extremist hate groups, why do you find anything about that paragraph hard to swallow?

[K.]

Agreed, good and thought provoking post. Why beef about the second to last para, it's the last one that's weak. I don't think Lenny pandered to his audience. Anne however makes a living of it. Apples and oranges. Otherwise, an excellent read.

[Elliot Harmon]

I don't think any of the things you listed are really the Christian underground. They're the B-Team, like Animal Liberation Front is the B-Team for PETA. Officially unrelated, but hopelessly connected.

The true underground is writers like Jim Wallis or Rick Moody, or shunned Christian rock bands like Five Iron Frenzy and Danielson. People using their faith to rattle the political and economic structures that rely on their faith.

[sylvester]

I think you forgot to demonize Rush Limbaugh and George Bush in that second to last paragraph.

[Lee Hartsfeld]

"It's" and "its" are two different words. "Who's" and "whose," ditto.

In addition, the majority of Christians are not on the far right, and I'm tired of the endless idiocy from this blog in that regard.

Lee

[Scott]

Lee, the majority of Christians -with political power- are absolutely on the far right, this isn't news. These are the people who say things like "I don't care what you do in the bedroom, just don't advertise it". Well now -- I don't care who you pray to, blah blah blah... The ones without power are of course a varied bunch, and probably our very own good friends - they are not dangerous and therefore not subject to "endless idiocy from this blog".

Mark's post is even-handed and fair (and great), I think you're being a little defensive. What's with the grammatical gripe of your opening salvo? Um, you got us bud. Not Worth Discussion.

[DanO]

yeah, those christians are just horrible. the way they push forward all their right wing views without any foundation in reason. their inability to seperate their personal faith from their public persona is revolting.
we've all had enough of

James Brown.

Howard Finster

Johnny Cash

Rick Griffin

Alice Cooper

god the proselytizing never ends right?

i don't think you stopped to think about people's faith before you wrote that post and i don't think you did any objective consideration to who christians really are in our nation.
your post is a well worded foul ball.

[Lukas]

Mike Warnke, yeah! Self-proclaimed former Satanic High Priest and author of the classic album "A Christian perspective on Halloween". It is a mix of lame comedy and hilarious "serious" bits. Christians are much funnier when they are serious. Yes, indeed. And I'll post the whole damn album on this blog to prove my point!

[Lukas]

Even better, some other blog posted it a while ago: Mike Warnke: A Christian Perspective on Halloween. And of course he was a notorious liar who made up all of the stories about his Satanic past. If you have lots of time, read the interesting article Selling Satan: The Tragic History of Mike Warnke in Cornerstone Magazine.

His comedy is really lame, and I have a hard time believing that there is any good Christian comedy, i.e. comedy with a Christian message. (Of course there are many good Christian comedians, even though all the best ones were/are Jews...)

[North by Northwest West Orange]

I saw some of these Xian dudes/dudettes on the tube awhile ago and they were MOST amusing.

BTW: Just a thought for the NEW MESSAGE BOARD.....how about a Yahoo Groups board.

You can make it an "Official" board for much less than the old one was priced at,
you can make EACH member's posting options different, i.e. A. Free to post, B. Moderated posts, C. Can not post,
and the groups have room for photos, sound files and more.

Heck, Ken, you could try it for FREE to see how it works.

Click the url link I entered to see a cool group that works very well, indeed.

[bartelby]

I think the real joke is that there is a Xtian rock band with a song titled "Lazy Brain."
From the people that gave us one book with all life's answers and then followed it up with the American variant of anti-intellectualism this is perhaps proof that god has a sense of humor.

[Lazy Dog parody called "Lazy God"]

Since you brought-up the "L" word, click the link.

[Lee Hartsfeld]

Thanks, DanO. Exactly. And we can add Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King, Jimmy Carter, Albert Schweitzer, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer to that list.

Bonhoeffer, you'll recall, wrote that "the church is the church only when it exists for others." Such shocking intolerance. How he could have helped inspire the civil rights movement is a mystery.

Two of these Christians are still with us--maybe BOTB can talk some sense into them.

Lee

[The Contrarian]

Mark, I enjoyed your piece immensely. While I may not agree with its politics, the Christian right's entertainment offerings and other behaviors may represent the last remaining genuine counterculture in America.

But how can you mention Christian comedy and music without giving props to a WFMU favorite of 2005, The Knights of the New Crusade?

[FTM]

You know, I'm not sure how to put this, but that second to last paragraph, that hurts.

It hurts for me, a Christian, to be defined by you as being somehow aligned with people who are clearly hatemongers. I wish you would try to be a little more open minded in this regard. All I can do is ask you to understand that we, Christians, are NOT that. Nor do we consider those people Christians.

[Don K.]

Gee I may be naive here, but I thought this was an essay on edgy Christian comedians and their their darker comedic musings. I didn't think religion came in to it at all. I may be reading it wrong.

[Kapitano]

An extremist christian is one who's read a few scattered lines of the bible, taken them literally, and put them into practice. A moderate christian is one who's skimmed the more interesting books, and applied the more sensible parts where they fit. An atheist is one who's found they don't need the bible's sensible bits to behave decently. That's why moderate christian comedy and secular comedy tend to have similar messages.

The clean/dirty distinction is a red herring.

[Vivian]

Interesting comments, some noteworthy, but best summed up by the one who said it is a well worded foul ball & it's true, the best comedians are the Jews BUT.......I notice the contempt for the anti- abortionists, in reality, pro-lifers always comes from someone who grew up & was never aborted. Why don't you people think before you speak? Today anyone under 30 is a survivor as a huge fraction of their generation has never had the chance to see the light of day due to abortion. Some of you who have can thank the fanatical 'anti- abortionists' for your existance.