Comedy, But Not As We Know It

I am now some 12 hours removed from watching Comedy Central's Roast of William Shatner and I still can't get the taste out of my mouth.

What a complete waste of time.

I suppose I'm showing my age, but I can recall a time when celebrities could gather together and poke each other with very sharp sticks - all while avoiding any need for their network to step and censor them.

I'm not a prude. Far from it, in fact. I LOVED The Aristocrats. Dirty jokes have their place. But when it comes to TV - even basic cable - I'd much rather the stick poking be in the form of wit instead of something that rhymes with it.

But I suppose you can't expect much from a C-list group of comedians. I mean, when Andy Dick is the most recognizable name among the jokesters, you're in trouble. Then again, I don't watch a lot of Comedy Central. It may be that our beloved enemy to Western Civilization - VERTICAL INTEGRATION - may be responsible for who was on the panel.

It took me a minute to undertand why Betty White was ionvolved - obviously I don't watch BOSTON LEGAL. I still haven't figured out what Farrah Fawcett was doing on the stage.

We were treated to a barrage of bleeped F-bombs and waaaay too much information on the personal life on George Takei. It actually made me feel pity for George. Sad that his sex life is all he has to trade on these days.

Amazingly, no one mentioned anything about Mr. Sulu dropping aft shields.

The joke of the night came from one of the stand up comedians - the short one, I have no idea what his name is. "George, when you came out of the closet, did it make that SWISSSH sound?"

No, seriously. That was as funny as it got.

I miss Dean, Sammy, Frank, Bob, Lucy and Milty. They could get down and dirty with the best. (OK, they WERE the best) But when it was time to be on TV, they somehow managed to clean it up - and keep the funny.

I wish someone could teach today's alleged comics that skill.