The aristocrates

[koopie57]

on HBO tonight there are comedians talking about a joke with the punchline aristrocrates. Is there anything that I'm missing here? They ad lib and then finish with the aristocrates. Anyone know anything about it?

[Vincardog]

1. "IT is an inside thing. You tell the most disgusting things you can think

of and go on as long as you can. The tag line is
"What do you call the act?"
"The Aristocrats".

is a chance to get in the face of everyone and show just how depraved you can be.

The joke is the difference between the depravity and the name

Get it?

[koopie57]

2. thank you Vicardog

it is a wierd thing no?

[elehhhhna]

3. it's creepy, imo

[elehhhhna]

4. it's creepy, imo

[Vincardog]

5. wierd thing YES Think of is as a Knock Knock joke

you know where you know the form of the thing and just the details differ

[Sapphocrat]

6. I just saw it last night.

It's a documentary, with practically every living comedian you've ever heard of either re-telling the joke, or explaining its history.

The joke is this: A nuclear family unit (complete with dog) goes to a talent agent, and the father says they've got the greatest stage act ever. He then describes it to the agent -- and this is where the teller goes off into an endless description of the most vile, disgusting acts human beings (and dogs) can perform on one another (anything and everything from incest to bestiality to scat, and even worse)...

"So," says the agent, "what do you call yourselves?"

Dad: "The Aristocrats!"

I told foreigncorrespondent (who's Aussie) about the joke, and she appreciated it a lot more than I did -- because, I think, "aristocrat" doesn't mean much to me (or to most Yanks). Now, if the punch line had been "The Santorums!" then I would have cracked up.

The doco is kind of interesting (although the only re-telling of the joke I actually laughed at was that by a mime!), but I advise you not to eat while watching. The dialogue throughout is really rank (and even I was a bit taken aback to hear Robin Williams utter the c-word).

[derby378]

7. I've got my own version of THE ARISTOCRATS - it's a political version

Features nothing but Republicans. Can't reprint it here or I'll be tombstoned.

[jobycom]

8. Long history, but I'll abbreviate

It's an old Vaudeville joke from the era when America was more class conscious. The joke is that a family goes to a talent agent with a comedy routine and do a very vile and disgusting act, and when they are asked what they call the act, the say "The Aristocrats." Irony.

Over time it became so standard a joke, like the chicken crossing the road, that it wasn't funny anymore. The art became to see how extreme you could make the act. The jokes became so bad that it couldn't be told to the general public, so it took on a role as a comedian's joke. Comedians would tell it to each to other, to see if they could shock each other, or make it funny. The art of the joke became how raunchy you could make it, but also your timing and craft, and in some ways whether you could sneak it in on someone who wasn't expecting it. Kind of like the Brazillian joke around here. Comedians tested their skills on other comedians with the joke, and also used it as a rite of passage to newcomers.

Last year Penn Gillete (Penn and Teller fame) made a documentary of the joke, where he had dozens of comedians tell it on camera, either at events or just for the camera, as a way to show the audience what the joke was about. The film was so nasty that many people couldn't handle it--there were a lot of walkouts. But it had people ranging from Bob Sacket to Gilbert Godfrey telling the joke, and those who weren't offended claimed they never laughed so hard in their lives.

[koopie57]

9. wow thanks all

I get it now and can see where the funny is. I don't think I would listen to it though, but I get it now at least.

[EFerrari]

10. This is the deal: An agent is screening acts

and he watched this one.

Instead of saying, "This is the most DISGUSTING THING I'VE EVER SEEN, I'M CALLING THE COPS", he says,

"So, what do you call this?"

Because, who knows, maybe he can make a buck.

lol

Don't ask.

:rofl: