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The Aristocrats is a documentary about a dirty joke that has been a secret part of the world of professional comedians since the days of vaudeville. I’d heard about this movie when it first hit theaters, but since it wasn’t playing anywhere close to me, I’ve been waiting impatiently for the DVD to come out. I finally got a chance to watch it last week, and I was not disappointed.
The basic premise of the joke is that a man walks into a talent agent’s office and says, “I’ve got a great act for you—it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before!” The agent says, “Okay, tell me about your act,” and the man begins to describe a show in which the most horrible, vulgar, and immoral acts take place on stage. (This is the part of the joke that varies the most, and depending on which comedian tells it, it can range from mildly inappropriate to completely offensive.)
The punch line is always the same. After the man finishes describing the act, the stunned agent says, “Wow. Um, what do you call the act?” The answer, of course, is “The Aristocrats.”
The beauty of this joke is that with the exception of the initial setup and the punch line, no two renditions of the joke are exactly the same, which is why it’s such a staple among comedians. The punch line actually isn’t really funny—the brilliance is in the build-up (the description of the act).
The documentary features 100 well-known comedians—including Robin Williams, George Carlin, Gilbert Gottfried, Jon Stewart, Billy Connolly, Eric Idle, Sarah Silverman, Phyllis Diller, Hank Azaria, Lewis Black, Bob Saget, and Whoopi Goldberg—discussing the history of the joke and what makes it so funny. Many of them also tell their own versions.
Most of the versions of this joke are offensive, and some of them can get pretty graphic, so this film is not for the faint of heart (or stomach!). However, if you don’t mind that kind of humor, you’ll probably love this movie. Once I got past my initial shock, I laughed so hard that I actually had tears running down my cheeks. (A tip: the George Carlin version is pretty early in the film, and it’s a good barometer of whether you’ll like the rest of the film.) My only complaint is that the movie started to drag towards the end—I would have preferred it if they’d wrapped it up about 10-15 minutes earlier than they did.
I wouldn’t run out and buy The Aristocrats, because it probably won’t be as funny after the first time you watch it. But if you want a peek into a little-known aspect of the comedy world (and you’re not easily offended), I’d recommend picking up a copy at the video store.
