The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart - Bob Newhart
I've always had a hard time with stand-up. My excuse for not liking has always been that I don't want someone to make me laugh on purpose; if something's funny, just let it happen. But slowly i've learned to let my prejudice go and appreciate the art. On this past Thanksgiving I sat through an entire Jim Gaffigan DVD, that's over one hour! I let myself relax and have a good laugh, and that's the point of all of this. Everyone likes to laugh, and if I prefer sketch-comedy with an ensemble more than a one-man-show, so be it.
I was in a discussion yesterday with a friend about the importance of comedy. It's perhaps the most powerful form of commentary we have on politics and pop culture. With that being said, it's best to take it in context. Bob Newhart's performance here takes on history of politics, technology, sports, military, and everyday life. His bits are from the modern world, (the sixties), but are in communication with the past. He bridges the gap of past and the present by simply being in dialogue with them.
His stammering delivery is adorable and charming. No matter the character or situation he is performing, it's done in his natural voice, giving each piece familiarity. A part of what makes his work so entertaining is his dialogue with a character off-stage. His characters are always speaking to an absent person, leaving the audience to fill in the gaps. Whether it's Abraham Lincoln, Orville Wright, or a driving student, we get a chance to throw in our own lines and be in conversation with the piece itself.
other 1961 nominees
- Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall performed by Harry Belafonte
- Brahms: Concert No. 2 in B-Flat performed by Sviatoslav Richter
- Nice 'n' Easy performed by Frank Sinatra
- Puccini: Turandot performed by Erich Leinsdorf
- Wild Is Love performed by Nat King Cole
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