The Documentary Site

(formerly Reality Film)

The Aristocrats

With some jokes, the best part is the punchline. With the aristocrats joke, the best part is who is telling it and how they're getting us there.

Directed by Paul Provenza, The Aristocrats features 100 comedians spinning their version of the classic vaudeville joke. Some tell the joke in their own way -- particularly memorable is Steven Wright in his deadpan monotone. Others make the joke as offensive as possible, referring to incest, bestiality, and other sexual acts unacceptable in polite conversation.

Other interpretations of the joke include jugglers, a Christopher Walken impersonation, sleight of hand with a deck of cards, and even a mime routine. (Why the mime wears a microphone, however, is beyond me.)

Then there's Bob Saget. If all you know is his squeaky clean image from Full House and America's Funniest Home Videos, you will find his over-the-top vulgarity a surprise.

Is the joke really that funny? As Pat Cooper says, "The joke sucks. You suck for having the idea for putting this on a documentary."

Actually, that doesn't matter. The joke is like an insider's handshake, the ultimate test of a comedian's skills. This documentary showcases comedians of several generations, trying their hand at it (if you will). Some of the more famous names include George Carlin, Billy Connolly, Lewis Black, and Whoopi Goldberg. Even Tom Smothers takes the opportunity to tell the joke to his brother Dick, who fails to find the humor in it.

In some ways the film is less about the joke and its infamous punchline and more about comedy, comics, and changing times. In addition to the features of the joke, comedians mention the censorship of vulgarity, the expectations of women and African American men comics, and even the role of humor in the face of national tragedy. During one of the few archival bits in the film, Gilbert Gottfried attempts a joke about Sept. 11 just a few weeks after it happened. Those in the audience at the Hugh Hefner roast reacted negatively, and in response Gottfried launched into a version of the joke.

Aside from the mime, Provenza uses talking heads almost exclusively. Many segments are edited heavily to simulate what sounds like seamless commentary, but the constant jump cuts take time to get used to. The editing also interrupts the flow of the jokes, particularly with intercutting and the jump cuts. Some tellings are brief and interesting enough that the excess cuts seem unnecessary.

While there are some strength and clout in the comedians represented, various ethnic groups were overlooked. Does the joke get told by Asian-American comedians, for example? Chris Rock notes that male African American comedians are expected to swear, so among them the joke becomes a moot point. Does his statement, and his making of that statement, explain enough?

Overall, The Aristocrats is a hilarious who's who of the comedy world that provides a history and superficial commentary of a very ribald joke. With 100 variations and with many trying to top the previous, this documentary is not for the thin-skinned or easily offended.

-- Heather McIntosh

My list for watching at least one documentary a week for an entire year