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Tragedy vs. Comedy - Printable Version

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Tragedy vs. Comedy - geodave - 29-Mar-2012

Okay, this is an odd topic, but I have to see if anyone else relates.

I was a teenager when Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys died. When I heard the news, I laughed because he drowned. I guess it seemed ironic at the time.

Years later, when I listened to Lindsey Buckingham's D.W. Suite, which was dedicated to his friend Dennis Wilson, I felt his pain and realized that this was actually tragic and not so funny. (BTW, this is an excellent piece. I recommend getting ahold of the Go Insane CD if you can. There's a place where he breaks into the line "pray for guidance from above / shine out all your hopes with love / never never learn to doubt". One of the greatest lyrics ever from an impact perspective.)

So, have you ever had a "is this funny or tragic?" moment?


Tragedy vs. Comedy - James - 29-Mar-2012

Quote:So, have you ever had a "is this funny or tragic?" moment?


Why the false dichotomy? Moments can easily be both, and in fact emotions are almost always blended and present in various degrees. I have had many moments of simultaneous narcissism/altruism, satisfaction/sorrow, love/hate, etc.


Tragedy vs. Comedy - Lessinath - 30-Mar-2012

Generally, GLaDOS is right - Comedy = tragedy + time. However, as we all know, life is not always simple and straightforward like that.. so there are lots of exceptions. Sometimes, as you mentioned, it's even completely inverted.


Tragedy vs. Comedy - BitBuster - 30-Mar-2012

The first half of Full Metal Jacket is the sort of thing you shouldn't laugh at, but most people do anyway.

I remember some kids laughing when we heard about 9/11. Just a coping mechanism (or 7th grade immaturity), I suppose.

Elvis dying while taking a crap is both sickeningly funny and amazingly depressing, depending on how you look at it. Absurdity...but which direction do you take it in?


Tragedy vs. Comedy - geodave - 30-Mar-2012

"I love to hate you" -- Erasure


Tragedy vs. Comedy - BitBuster - 30-Mar-2012

"How could you leave me when I needed to possess you? I hated you...I loved you too."

- Kate Bush


Tragedy vs. Comedy - jblewis - 30-Mar-2012

On a related note, I'm always impressed when an actor playing an emotionally conflicted or purely insane character manages to sound like he's crying and laughing at the same time. Slight smile


Tragedy vs. Comedy - BitBuster - 30-Mar-2012

...examples?


Tragedy vs. Comedy - geodave - 30-Mar-2012

I don't like the way we left Erasure behind.....

"Oooooo, why is life so precious and so cruel?"


Tragedy vs. Comedy - AdrenalinDragon - 30-Mar-2012

Quote:On a related note, I'm always impressed when an actor playing an emotionally conflicted or purely insane character manages to sound like he's crying and laughing at the same time. Slight smile


Forcing to cry is hard enough, but laughing too? I guess you have to really be born a psycho to really be able to pull that off convincingly.

For me, nothing beats some good ol' dark humour! Smiley