Your Friday Fix: Seriously, That’s Funny

I don’t know why it is, but music snobs geeks like myself  are often considered a maudlin bunch.  Perhaps it’s because the guitarist always gets the girl while the music critic’s just left with his pencil in his hand. Or maybe we spent way too many hours in the basements of our college radio stations, making long-winded music mixes for boys who didn’t treat us right, lamenting on air about how much love sucks. 

Can’t imagine why we’re not seen as the life of the party.

In actuality, most of the people who live and breathe music as much as I do are some of the funniest people I know. Albeit in a snarky, dark-side-of-the-moon sorta way. So in honor of those who love a good laugh as much as a soulful tune, this Friday fix is for you – and for all you smart-asses out there, no this is not a blog version of the Doctor Dimento show.

Top Five of the Funniest Freaks in the Music Industry Today

5. The Therapy Sisters

Haven’t heard of them? Neither had I until recently. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Maureen McLean and Lisa Rogers call themselves “psycho-musicologists” and have been making quirky tunes together since the late 1990s.  With titles such as “Codependent Christmas, ” “Nuclear Family Waste,” and “Things Could Always Get Worse” you knew I’d be a fan. Those of us in the mental health field crave laughter like heroin in order to get us through the days, and these gals always make me chuckle out loud. Not an easy thing to do.

4. Weird Al Yankovic

Frankly, I’ve never been too hip on the Weird One, mostly because I’m not into song parodies about food, but I thought his last release – Straight Outta Lynwood – was really funny (especially his “White and Nerdy” track). And I suppose his “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi” was a trip in its day as well, but I’m a Heeb, so I like that kinda stuff.

3.  Tenacious D

Chubby, pasty white guys with acoustic guitars may not spell out rock-n-roll sex gods in your world, but on the planet harboring the metal/comedy band, Tenacious D, it equates to the comedic sexy-ugly genius that is Jack Black and Kyle Gass. C’mon ladies, admit it – you’d fuck JB just because he’s so brilliantly caustic. I loved their movie – despite myself – and their songs make me tinkle in my pants just a lil’ bit.

—-STATION BREAK—-

The management of Mix Tape Therapy would like to take a station break to explicitly spell out who you WON’T see on this list. They are:

Dane Cook

Guess what asshole…not only are you not as hot as you think you are (although enough people out there seem to think you are which obviously provides your career a MUCH longer shelf life than anyone should get to ride on a suppposedly “pretty face”), but you’re not funny in the slightest. No matter how drunk or high I get. And I take the good prescription shit – but perhaps if I smoked really bad weed grown in my dorm room closet and drank piss-warm Budweiser, I’d find you more amusing. That, and if I was into the whole self-denegrating date-rape scene. But that’s just me. I’m funny that way…

Greg Behrendt

I don’t know what deal-with-the-devil YOU signed to have the life you have, but ladies – do you realize that this failed-comedian-turned-RELATIONSHIP advisor has made a mint o’ money telling y’all about how men aren’t into you (remember the book?) and how women should just sleep their way through New York (he was a writer/consultant on “Sex and the City”).  I think this guy is lucky that any woman (or man for that matter) would be willing to sleep with him. It just burns me that this wanna-be-rock-star-dweeb-douchebag makes a living the way he does. He should be selling me my shoes at Payless – and be grateful for the job.

Ok, back to the list….

2. Flight of the Conchords

Not only does the Seattle-based, indie label Sub Pop discover some of the most innovative groups in music today (think The Shins, Iron & Wine, and Sebadoh to start), but they also find musical comedy acts that rock just as hard.  These guys crack me up – and I have my lil’ sister Elina to thank for introducing me to them. Catch them on HBO – or their latest release. My favorite? Honestly, too hard to choose.

1. Eddie Izzard

Maybe it’s just the part of the country I live in, but  A LOT of people I know have no clue who Eddie Izzard is. HOW CAN THAT BE?? Anyway, he’s a riot, and looks good either straight or in drag. Some call him a British-accented Jerry Seinfeld, but I actually think he’s a hell of a lot more than that. Anyway, his albums are on iTunes, so check them out.

 

Happy Friday people.