[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

I have seen all those woody allen films. I have read 3 of his books. I have listened to several hours of his "stand-up" from back in da day. fucking needless. I would have been better served doing nothing and enjoying it. Maybe it is because I am Puerto Rican but I find every single one of his movies to be the problems of well-off white folks, which seem deep but are exceedingly inconsequential compared to the problems of "regular" people.

At least Seinfeld (the show) understood that the four main characters were hateful, horrible, USELESS people, the type that seem to thrive in NYC, a place where caring for one's neighbor is a health hazard, and which helps create people like Donald Trump.

so it's salaam bombay or nothing?

i don't disagree it's hard to sympathize with "the rich white" on many occasions but allen didn't grow up rich or white-- jews weren't "white" back then. hence the frequent joke about "wasp women" fetishes (e.g. deconstructing harry, annie hall)

so i see him more at laughing at the problems of rich white people but sure, some of those problems can be universal, and one can empathize even with them.

i mean i read the illiad and it's a bunch of rich white greeks with slaves killing one another-- still makes great literature though and you feel sorry for hector's old dad begging for his son's corpse.

now woody allen isn't homer (or homer simpson) but i've watched a lot of his stuff in latin america to packed houses and great hilarity was enjoyed by all. not radio days though. i don't think anyone got that one. or maybe it was just me and i'm projecting.

as for the problems of the poor, check out the purple rose of cairo-- beautiful movie with a lot of heart. also, mentioned above, sweet and lowdown. also, differently, take the money and run. also in a way that rejects the lives of rich white folk and borrows from latin american literature a bit, alice. also, about not being white (or rich), zelig. also, about not fitting in with the rich, small time crooks. speaking of radio days, i think that was set in a tenement-- but i couldn't get what that movie was about and probably fell asleep so don't quote me on that.

i'm not saying you have to like his work, but the harsher a criticism the more accurate it has to be, right? otherwise it's just yells.

anyway not all new york jews are created equal and seinfeld/larry david make completely different characters and get laughs from very different places.