A personal Substack by a writer who previously pursued comedy and reflects on comedy, art, and the experience of pursuing creative dreams. Recent issues mix essays on the cultural weight of stand-up, a film review of Marty Supreme, and a close reading of David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest.
Website: https://www.afailedcomedian.com
Each issue traces the history and cultural meaning of a recurring American joke figure or trope, such as Lawrence Welk, the fat kid playing the tuba, or the philandering milkman. It opens with a quoted joke and then explains where the premise came from and why it persists.
W. Kamau Bell shares pop-culture commentary and updates on his podcast Who's With Me?, including interviews with figures like Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe and Rafael Casal. Readers get a personal, politically left take on comedy, sports, race and life in the Bay Area.
Humorous, jokey recaps of Test cricket days (graded with comedic report-card marks) alongside a running comic-by-comic parody read-through of classic Uncanny X-Men issues. Readers get absurdist, joke-dense commentary layered over real match events and comic plots.
Opinionated essays on UK and international politics, culture and free speech from a comedian and commentator who rejects left and right tribalism. Issues combine news hooks with argued analysis, polling data and humour.
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