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Oops! |
 8 x 5Our contributors pick five things they're digging this month. |
Oops!
David Cross as Dwight Hartman in Scary Movie 2
By Aaron Licht
David Cross is one of the sharpest, most fucking dead-on comedians working today. Anyone who understands the genius that was Mr. Show, the HBO sketch comedy from 1995-1998, becomes a David Cross fan. When it was on the air, the show was only moderately successful. Just like sketch comedies Monty Python’s Flying Circus and The Kids in the Hall, it became much more popular in its afterlife, now a DVD cult favourite . "If you hear about it, it's so weird," says Cross’s co-conspirator Bob Odenkirk. "But if you see it you don't think that for a minute." It’s important to remember that Mr. Show didn’t make Cross a fortune or earn him much recognition. Thus Scary Movie 2 (2001).
Still to this day, his movie career has consisted entirely of small cameos. Many will remember Cross as Newton in Men in Black 1 & 2 (1997, 2002). He better demonstrates his artistic sensibility in small budget favourites Waiting for Guffman (1996), Ghost World (2000) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). In Eternal Sunshine he gives a subtle performance as Jim Carrey’s hilarious friend Rob (“Carrie, I am making a birdhouse.”). So why the dregs of Scary Movie 2?
For evidence of Cross’ comic brilliance, listen to his recent comedy albums Shut up you fucking baby! (2002) and It’s not funny! (2004). They both stand out within the struggling live comedy genre. Non sequitur track titles have no relation to the content: “Phone call from a cranky terrorist” “If baseballs had AIDS on them” and “Weathermen Have Become, For the Most Part, Obsolete!” He rips into every controversial topic, sometimes boarding on full on maliciousness rather than satire. Dead on accusations towards Bush and his war, flag waving patriotism and any harmful conformist way of thinking. So what’s with Scary Movie 2?
Just like another movie-cameo favourite, the legendary George Carlin, political humorists are able to truthfully tell it like it is. I’m not a very political person. But honestly, if I had to trust the world view of any single person, it would be David Cross. If he ran for office, not only would I vote for him, but I’d help him lobby too. The overwhelming impression from Cross’s comedy albums is that this guy knows exactly what’s going on. What did he expect to come from Scary Movie 2?
Sigh. OK, this is an Oops! column and its time I stop waxing Cross’ car. So why the serious breach in judgement with Scary Movie 2? I’ve seen Scary Movie 1 and 3, and despite the expected utter trash, there is some fun to be had. Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to pay $3 and give 80 minutes of my time to see Scary Movie 2, not even to write this column. So how is Cross’ performance? Seriously, can anyone tell me? What I gather is that his character Dwight Hartman is handicapped, in a wheelchair and with small deformed hands. It’s simple and tasteless offensive humour. I would like to offer a concrete scene - I did hear something about a dinner scene, stirring mashed potatoes with his gimped hand?
What was he thinking? The first Scary Movie may have a winning combination, fashionable Scream post-modern references mixed with Wayans brothers idiotic comedy. Nobody expected the first to be such a big hit (even the tagline stressed a one shot “No mercy. No shame. No sequel.”) So how could a sequel be successful when its derivative of its own parody? It would be easy to blame Cross’s agent and be done with it. But I’m sorry, Mr. Cross, that was your fault.
Also in 2001, Cross had a small cameo in Pootie Tang. So why not consider that role a career Oops? Because nobody saw it. Scary Movie 2 grossed over $70 million and is this really the right kind of exposure for Cross? To be remembered by millions as that gimpy guy in a Wayans comedy? Sure it’s said that no publicity is bad publicity, but come on! For a comedian with such acute observations, I refuse to ignore such a poor choice in taste. Even if some enjoy the nonsense of Scary Movie 2, I’ll bet even more regret paying to see it. Even in the Mr. Show DVD commentary (season 1, episode 3) Cross jokes about fucking up with Scary Movie 2.
At the start of 2005, Cross is back on track, gaining some positive exposure on the moderately funny FOX comedy, Arrested Development. He plays the naive, enthusiastic, stupid dreamer, qualities he uses well with satire.
Perhaps another Oops! column could be written about Cross’ unreleased feature film Run, Ronnie, Run. But is it really a true Oops! if it doesn’t even make it on the radar?
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