This is a documentary about a legendary joke in the comedy world that's told strictly comedian-to-comedian. It's kind of an urban legend in that no one knows exactly where or when it started, and it's modified by each comedian's take on it. The joke involves a man going into a talent agency to sell his act to a talent agent. The man describes his act to the agent, which involves him walking out onto a stage with his wife, his kids, and in some versions, even his dog, and performing all sorts of profane, scatological, incestuous and bestial acts that are just outright disgusting. When he’s done, the agent asks what the act is called, and the guy says, “The Aristocrats!” Supposedly, the humor comes not from the story being told, but of the juxtaposition of the disgusting acts described, and the sophisticated title given at the very end.

A coworker and I were assigned to an exit polling project on this film near Union Square on August 3rd. That's where we give the questionnaires to people going into the theater before it starts, and collecting them after it's over. We were assigned to do the last 5 shows of the night, but we ended up doing only 3 because we ran out of questionnaires. After the work that we could do was done, I decided to sit down and watch it.

I walked out after about 20 or 30 minutes. I did not find the joke funny. I did not find the juxtapostiion of the story with the title of it given at the end funny. I did not find the documentary of it funny.

Mind you, I like a good profane, politically incorrect, or even disgusting joke now and then, provided that it's funny. (Hell, I even read those Truly Tasteless Jokes books when I was in grammar school and high school.) I'm a huge fan of many of the comedians in the movie, and as far as Penn Jillette is concerned, I have all three seasons of Penn & Teller: Bulls***! on DVD or VHS. But I found the documentary to be a collosal waste of time.

Oh well.

You can view a Quicktime video of Cartman from South Park telling his friends a version of the joke here. Bewarned: It's completely uncensored.

(Note: I haven't seen the film). The joke is sort of an odd one: I found it really unfunny the first time I heard it, but after a while, the basic setup sort of grew on me--probably with a good delivery, it could be reasonably funny. It's still not that great.

I CAN see why it is so popular among show business people, though.

Someone said that you will never look at Bob Segat the same after hearing his take on the joke.