CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #287 (CENSORED)
There's a part of me that yearns to explore the darkness and
tragedy of our lives without resorting to jokes that lighten or
distract from the fundamental horror of the human condition.
Fear, brutality, greed, rage, stupidity, lust, pride, grief,
insanity, betrayal. These are but a few of the words we use to
describe the ugliness that hides in all of our hearts. But how
have I, as a comedy writer, used them? Certainly not to peel away
the thin veil of civility that masks the rotting soul sickness
that eats at us from within. No. Whenever I attempt to
illuminate the pain of our existence, something like this comes
out: "Filled with grief and rage over her husband's betrayal,
Lenore set his balls on fire then pled insanity." You see my
dilemma? Even when I use the appropriate words, my instinct is
always to undercut the dramatic. In the above case, with the
ludicrous image of fiery testicles. How then shall I write about
the harsh reality that is our daily life? The madness and cruelty
which assaults us from cradle to grave? I've come to believe that
my only hope is to embrace the comedic undercut and then go a step
further. In other words, no matter how frightening, I must dive
into the nightmare. I must not flinch from the horror. "Filled
with grief and rage over her husband's betrayal, Lenore set his
balls on fire and then proudly watched as the flames, fueled by a
peach-flavored lubricant, leapt to his condom-clad member. She
would later plead insanity, but at the moment she was amused to
see that "ribbed-for-her-pleasure" latex burns like a son of a
bitch." Nope, still not right.
1st Aired: Did Not Air