Source: YouTube
There were a lot of funny people on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. I was already familiar with some while the show introduced me to others who were so funny I couldn’t wait to tell jokes the next day at work until my boss would have to interrupt and ask about the earnings reports, but that’s another story. One of those wonderful discoveries was Ron Lynch, whose birthday is today. And my boss was glad that repeating a Ron Lynch joke is nearly impossible, unless, of course, you’re Ron Lynch. Years later I was lucky enough to start reading Ann Koplow’s blog, and while she’s even luckier to have worked with Lynch I feel lucky to have learned more about him through her.
I’m going to use a term I’m not all that fond of, but bear with me. Normally when someone is described as a “comedians’ comedian”—or a “musicians’ musician” or, well, you can fill in the profession, especially if the profession is mason—it’s a backhanded compliment that means someone so brilliant at what they do their work is only truly appreciated by other professionals. Sometimes it’s really an insult, both to the performer who’s being subtly criticized for not being “accessible” and to regular audiences who are faulted for not getting it.
Some people might call Ron Lynch a “comedians’ comedian” because of the way he plays around, interrupts himself, and breaks down a joke—and, for that matter, because he frequently doesn’t rely on the traditional setup : punchline, but Ron Lynch is like a magician who shows you how a trick is done and still manages to dazzle you with it. Or, to put it another way, fool me once, that’s hilarious, Ron Lynch, fool me twice, you did it again, Ron Lynch, fool me three times, it could only be Ron Lynch.
You my friend are a blogger’s blogger – and I mean that it the most complimentary way possible.
From another blogger who’s highly regarded among bloggers that’s a great compliment.
Aw, I loved Dr. Katz. I had an affinity for Ben – especially the time he drove his father’s car all over town with the emergency brake on, claiming, “We all have our own definition of emergency.”
I was introduced to a lot of comedians on that show. Laura Kightlinger, “He was right. I am the otter of my own fat.”
It really was a great show and because it’s on YouTube I binge watch it again every once in a while. The episode with Ben and the emergency brake was great, and it was hilarious when he got a job at a bakery too. And now you’ve got me wondering what became of Laura Kightlinger.
Ron trusts my taste in comedy, which is incredibly flattering. Once he put a comedian in his Edinburgh show without knowing anything about his act just because I (and my son) raved about him.
So trust me, Chris, when I say you are a comic writers’ comic writer. No fooling — that’s definitely a compliment.
I appreciate the compliment and I’m not surprised Ron trusts your taste in comedy. That’s quite a compliment to you.