Photo by: Ryan Pershbacher
The U.S. Comedy Arts Festival sponsored by HBO, was once again held in Aspen, Colorado, February 27-March 3. This year’s theme was free speech, and together with the First Amendment Center it brought George Carlin, Bill Maher, Dick Gregory, Tom and Dick Smothers, Gary Trudeau, Oliver Stone, South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone and many others together to address the issue. Through a panel discussion, tribute ceremonies and industry seminars, the festival focused on recognizing artists’ exploration of social issues and the challenges they faced while creating some of the most important and controversial works in entertainment. Executive Director of the First Amendment Center Ken Paulson said of their intent, “From the satirical writings of Ben Franklin to the cutting-edge comics today, humor has played a vital role in America’s tradition of free expression. It’s important to remember that the First Amendment protects far more than the press and politicians. Sometimes free speech has a punch line.”
It was not just about making jokes and handing out awards, however. During the “Freedom in the Arts 2002 Panel,” there was often contention, as Oliver Stone butted heads with other panelists including moderator David Steinberg and Trey Parker and Matt Stone on the issues of censorship, satire, the MPAA, and the validity of talk show icons such as David Letterman. Stone argued that though humor is the best way to change things, it easily blends into cynicism. He said of Letterman, “He feeds off the cynicism of the country. . . You put Letterman and Leno, and these people, on the covers of Time magazine, and you call this serious? They’re just talkers. They’re just talking heads.” Matt Stone responded by asking, “What are you, bud? Serious talking too.” Norman Lear, producer of such ground-braking television shows as All in the Family and The Jeffersons, brought the group back together saying, “God bless the passion in the land of the walking dead.” It is that passion, he maintained, that connects South Park and Stone’s films, and keeps the world from being engulfed by cynicism, media distortion, and the white noise of such “news” programs and publications as Entertainment Tonight and People magazine.
The USCAF is known for showcasing young talent, and this year was no exception. Young stand-ups such as Late Night With Conan O’Brien writer Andy Blitz, actor/comedian Alonzo Bodden, social comic Dwayne Kennedy and many more came to Aspen to gain a wider audience and industry attention. Veteran comics Jeneane Garofalo, David Allen Grier, Rich Hall, Arj Barker, and Louis CK also put on great shows that had even the tightest – uh – lipped Aspenites chuckling as if they had just crushed an out-of-towner’s bicycle with their giant, mink-interior Jaguar SUV’s. There were some of course, who still dropped their monocles into their brandy glasses each time the subjects of race, the religious institutions, abortion, homosexuality and other hot topics were raised. The local audience was made up largely by those who could afford the $600 “black diamond” pass to see all shows, and at times they did not agree with certain comics’ ideas and values, even if they were just jokes
Generally though, comedians come to Aspen to be noticed by the industry crowd. The festival is run by HBO, the Film Discovery Program is headed up by Cinemax, and there’s a plethora of other media-related sponsors that all have representatives at the events throughout the week. Most of the movies shown in the Film Discovery Program were independent films looking for distributors and scrapping for press coverage. Most of the movies-
Among the biggest and most exclusive events of the festival was the star-studded premier of Warner Bros.’ Death to Smoochy. Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House was packed with bodies and excitement Thursday night, as the film’s stars Robin Williams, Ed Norton, and Danny DeVito, who also directed, were all on-hand to unveil their new comedy and field questions in a subsequent Q&A session. Set against the world of Barney-esque children’s entertainment, the film tells the tail of a dejected former star of a children’s television show (Williams) who tries to exact revenge on his replacement, the lovable Smoochy, played by Ed Norton. The film was a big success and the Q&A was full of laughs and enough quips and zany antics from Williams to warrant four more Aladdin movies (all straight to video of course).
Other highlights included the Catherine O’Hara hosted tribute to Lily Tomlin, the “Bill Hicks Retrospective,” and the American Film Institute’s presentation of the AFI Star Award to Whoopi Goldberg. The honor was bestowed in recognition of Goldberg’s 20 years of success as a performer, producer and comedienne. Past recipients have included Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, and Robin Williams.
The festival concluded Saturday night with a bang. Free speech had been declared alive and kicking, taboos had been dissected, guts had been busted, and everyone was ready to celebrate. The closing-night festivities saw performers, festival organizers, and industry execs alike cutting loose and partying. Meanwhile, tired Clarion contributors headed for home and tried desperately to forget the many naked, old Australian skiers that populated the Glenwood Springs hostel that they had called home. – Hey, it’s better than paying $250/night for a modest Aspen hotel room, and at the very least it was exciting. There was a secret door lock combination, 84 different colors of paint on the walls (all earth tones), and a Friday night shootout next door at the 7-11- But that’s another story altogether.
