Documentary by Paul Provenza and Penn
Jillette about the so-called “dirtiest joke in the world.” Parts of it are brilliant, thanks to the
encyclopedic cross-section of comedians who talk about, or attempt, the joke
itself. George Carlin, Robin Williams,
and someone named “Billy the Mime” probably come off best; others, like Jackie
Martling and Steven Wright, fail miserably.
It’s supposedly an old show-biz joke that no one really tells as part of
their act, but which is used by comedians, amongst themselves, to test their
improvisational abilities. The set-up is
always the same, and the body of it can incorporate however much foul material
anyone can think of. Then the punchline
isn’t really a laugh-getter as much as an “amen,” announcing that the teller is
exhausted and ready for the verdict. It
can literally go on forever. The hero of
the film proves to be Gilbert Gottfried, who beliggerantly launched into the
joke after a sensitive post-9/11 audience began to turn on him, and not only
won them over but brought down the house.
It’s all fascinating stuff, but the film suffers immeasurably from
Provenza and Jillette’s annoying camerawork and editing, which switches back
and forth between shots with all the desperation of filmmakers not confident
enough in their material to back off and let it work. Could have been a masterpiece in the right
hands, (but maybe that’s true of almost every film…)
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