Althouse: Perhaps the world is fully of brilliant naturally comic characters who will reach us one day

January 25, 2009

Perhaps the world is fully of brilliant naturally comic characters who will reach us one day — perhaps by calling up Ellen DeGeneres.

It's Gladys.

(Via Bloggingheads.)

36 comments:

Steve M. Galbraith said...: "I love Jesus but I drink a little."

That is hilarious.; 1/25/09, 10:45 AM
chuck b. said...: Love the antique phone Ellen uses to call her back with.; 1/25/09, 11:04 AM
author, etc. said...: Credit Ellen for realizing she had a gem in this woman and also for not slipping into mockery of her.; 1/25/09, 11:05 AM
john said...: You know that's not "Gladys". And you know who she really is.; 1/25/09, 11:12 AM
Ann Althouse said...: @john I thought of the Jonathan Winters character too. Looked for a good video clip for a while but didn't find it.; 1/25/09, 11:13 AM
john said...: Ann, the marvels of Youtube.

(BTW you have some annoying spam today.); 1/25/09, 11:14 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Ellen's one of those entertainers that I want to like (I have a thing for comedians) but she encourages so much cultism (talking to psychics and such) probably without understanding how it really affects others, I have to keep my guard up. Still, this shows she can be brilliant about knowing what's truly funny.

That was a nice start to the day.; 1/25/09, 11:23 AM
kjbe said...: Yes, author, etc., props to Ellen.; 1/25/09, 11:57 AM
Steve M. Galbraith said...: Credit Ellen for realizing she had a gem in this woman and also for not slipping into mockery of her.

I wonder if that's not a male/female perspective or "sense"?

Certainly, a Lettermann would have mocked her. Mercilessly. Probably Leno, too. In fact, offhand I can't think of a male comedian who wouldn't have. Even Carson, but perhaps less so.; 1/25/09, 12:01 PM
ricpic said...: What the blank is funny about DeGeneres?; 1/25/09, 12:16 PM
Peter Hoh said...: I saw this clip last night and laughed out loud. My wife wanted to see what was so funny. She did not find it funny.

I found that funny.; 1/25/09, 12:27 PM
Peter Hoh said...: Leno does this with the Pie Lady, or is that Letterman?; 1/25/09, 12:29 PM
Palladian said...: "Leno does this with the Pie Lady, or is that Letterman?"

I don't know, but I do know that Letterman isn't nearly as good with this kind of thing because he can't do it without mocking the person. He comes across as mean-spirited.; 1/25/09, 12:35 PM
Synova said...: I usually dread watching you-tube clips but that was really funny. I've got tears coming out of my eyes.

The impression I get of Ellen is that she's not mean.

These days that's not faint praise.; 1/25/09, 12:44 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Ellen is lovable. She's warm, sweet, and comfortable to have around. I can see why a non-lesbian could decide, knowingly and rationally, to be her girlfriend.; 1/25/09, 12:58 PM
chuck b. said...: I love Austin, TX.; 1/25/09, 1:05 PM
jeff said...: I like Ellen. I used to watch her prime time show even after it veered into all gay all the time the last season. I have never seen her daytime show since I am work then, but she has always seemed like a nice funny lady without a mean bone in her body. It is sad to hear she encourages the physic nonsense.; 1/25/09, 1:06 PM
chuck b. said...: I'm so disappointed to hear about psychic nonsense. I didn't know that. I actually have the TV on at work to keep me company, but I think she's on at 4, and I like to watch Rob Black and Your Money.

I think Ellen's stand-up is okay-funny. The talk show format in general, I just don't get.; 1/25/09, 1:17 PM
Methadras said...: I actually like Ellen. She has a little charm to her that I find pleasing. But then she opens her mouth and it all gets ruined. RUINED, I SAY!!!; 1/25/09, 1:21 PM
Patm said...: I don't think Carson would have mocked Gladys. He was a gentleman and when he had older folks on he was always deferential, respectful and charmed by them.; 1/25/09, 2:01 PM
Steve M. Galbraith said...: I don't think Carson would have mocked Gladys

Remember when he had the "potatoe chip" lady on? The woman who had a series of potatoe chips shaped like the faces of famous people?

Here it is:Link.

Granted, this wasn't cruel but he was clearly mocking her.

(Why my brain has decided to keep this bit of useless information I'll never know. Important stuff? Gone. This trivia? Still there); 1/25/09, 2:19 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Johnny eating the potato chip -- that was great.; 1/25/09, 2:31 PM
Anonymous said...: That was superb. Really wonderful. Author's right - Ellen didn't mock her in the slightest, she's a class act.; 1/25/09, 2:53 PM
Revenant said...: Certainly, a Lettermann would have mocked her. Mercilessly. Probably Leno, too. In fact, offhand I can't think of a male comedian who wouldn't have.

Bill Cosby?

Actually, it is hard to think of another comedian, male OR female, who would have responded this way. Ellen has always been relentlessly nice in her comedy; it is one of the reasons I like her so much.; 1/25/09, 2:55 PM
David said...: Ok--I give up. I'm for gay marriage, for gay everything. Ellen you are a total doll.; 1/25/09, 3:04 PM
Godot said...: That's absolutely the sweetest thing I have seen in months. Maybe longer.

Of course Ellen does attempt a joke or two at the lady's expense -- pantomiming a 'swig from the bottle' -- just to mention one little jest. But they are kindly jests. And Ellen has the humanity and grace to realize she is speaking with a treasure and to take a step upstage, so to speak.

This and the reminder of 'My Dinner With Andre' have made my weekend and my week.

Althouse, you are consistently the most interesting blogger on the internet. I love you. I hate you. I read you without fail.; 1/25/09, 4:08 PM
TitusonceknewagirlfromNantucket said...: I cant get over the fact that Ellen is a lesbian and as a result can not find anything she says or does funny.

I can't even look at her without thinking that she eats pussy. Gross.; 1/25/09, 4:17 PM
Unknown said...: Here's a purported family-run web site for Gladys Hardy. I say "purported" because it is not entirely clear she is the real deal.

I thought this particular phone call was side-splittingly funny, but subsequent phone calls seemed a bit too forced, like Gladys knew she had a schtick that was working and overacted a little. In fact she didn't even sound quite the same. But whether Ellen's getting punked by a pro or Gladys is the real deal, this video is a classic.; 1/25/09, 4:32 PM
Unknown said...: Even if you take the above web site as fact, then this page shows that she kinda knows the drill: Gladys is also a regular caller to our local radio station KLBJ on the Dudley & Bob show. Her commentaries are hilarious and earned her the title "Favorite Caller Of The Year".; 1/25/09, 4:34 PM
jeff said...: Real or not, that was one funny clip.; 1/25/09, 4:47 PM
Synova said...: I thought I left a comment saying so, but I don't see it.

I think that "characters" are generally characters on purpose. I tend to put a Henry Johnson in my stories anytime I need a "character" because he had that role in my little home town (and it's a generic name). He did it on purpose because he loved it.; 1/25/09, 5:28 PM
blake said...: Althouse linked to that marvelous Ellen interview with one of the Bush daughters where she has her call W.

David Letterman had Larry "Bud" Melman and other assorted characters, but the Heisenberg principle is at work there, too: At some point, it becomes shtick.; 1/25/09, 7:20 PM
jcr said...: Jesus drank a little too, didn't he? What was that about water into wine?

-jcr; 1/25/09, 8:17 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Gladys was great. I hope she becomes an Ellen regular. And Ellen did a heck of a job as the straight man.

Well, you know what I mean.; 1/25/09, 9:58 PM
Franco said...: Ellen is a strait man - comedicaly speaking, of course.

Ellen reminds me very much of Bob Newhart. She is almost EXACTLY like him in style.

What Ellen and Johnny Carson, Cosby and even Art Linkletter of "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" do is simply get out of the way and let the innocent child or the elderly lady put things into perspective.

"I don't travel anymore because these people will stop you just for having a little bit of Listerine"; 1/26/09, 6:16 AM
Franco said...: Oh, I see Fred4Pres had the same joke, 12 hours ago - oops! Anyway just proves that there isn't much that is new and original.

Here's another variant just for fun

Ellen is a straight man - that's why she likes chicks!; 1/26/09, 6:25 AM