Julia Davis

Julia Davis has such an exquisite sense of pathos that I think to fully-enjoy her, a strong sado-masochistic streak is essential. 

The sadist in you will derive cathartic pleasure from the creative and unrelenting misery and indignity she subjects her (often unsympathetic) victims to. The masochist will then spend the next few hours wondering if you are a bad person to have laughed so loudly. Basically, you will wince and cringe and curl your toes...and enjoy every second of it.

Part of the reason I chose Davis to be the first comedian in my Wunderkammer is this great article in the Guardian. I particularly enjoyed it because it gives a very frank insight into what drives her to plumb the very darkest depths of the human psyche. It seems her fascination for what she describes as "wrong relationships" is her natural sensitivity to life's cruelties. 

In the best comic tradition, Davis' villains - and the scenarios they find themselves in - are absurd amplifications of reality. Trying to find the good in them is futile - these are unambiguously despicable people. Even so, they are still complex enough to avoid being clumsy pastiches. I think one reason for this is that her victims can generally be seen as complicit in their abuse. Take Nighty Night's Cathy: an insipid, hopelessly naive doormat who is too painfully polite to stand up to neighbour - and narcissistic sociopath - Jill. These willing victims were gloriously abundant in her earlier series, Human Remains, which she co-wrote with the equally pathos-attuned Rob Brydon. The excruciatingly submissive Pete in "An English Squeak", for example, and the tragic Michelle in "All Over My Glasses". However cruel the villain is, there is a certain sadistic satisfaction at watching them play with their quarry.

I'd be interested to hear your take on Julia Davis. Does she make you long for more, or just leave you cold? If you never seen her, this scene from Nighty Night will give you a good idea of what you're missing.
  

Marriage equality

"All animals are equal,

but some animals are more equal than others"

Napoleon's interpretation of the Seven Commandments of Animal-ism could easily be adapted as the rallying cry of those who are opposed to the same-sex marriage bills currently being debated in many countries around the world including here in NZ. 

It seems that wherever you are in the world, one of the most common arguments is that 'the gays' have already got equality and we shouldn't push it any further. By pursuing the right to marry in exactly the same way as our heterosexual compatriots do, we're asking for some sort of 'special treatment'. Really?!? So what in the sweet name of Christ is a Civil Union, if not special treatment? 

In my mind, Civil Unions are the espousal equivalent of the placatory pat on the back. The runner's up prize. It's a gesture that says 'chin up old chap, you'll get there one day the world just isn't quite ready for you yet'; the conciliatory crumb tossed at homos hungry for 'more equality' (!) so they don't revolt. Well, it's just not good enough, NZ. Not by a long chalk. Enough of the Napoleon complex, it's time to get to grips with the real issue here. Under New Zealand law, homosexuals are still being denied equality. And that needs to be changed, and changed soon.

This afternoon, as many of my friends have done already, I signed  an online petition for marriage equality. I'd like to share with you what I wrote, in the hope that it will inspire a few more of you to do the same...


I would ask that all MPs currently undecided about this bill, as well as those who have already made up their minds to ask themselves this: 

By perpetuating a two-tier system, you are enshrining inequality and a sense of inferiority. Regardless of your own personal views, is this really a responsible message to be giving our rangatahi and tamariki? Surely you should be doing everything possible to ensure they grow up in a more tolerant world than the one we grew up in ourselves?

You should also ask yourself what kind of message a 'NO' vote sends out to the other developed nations who look to NZ as a leader in democracy, equality and human rights? I would suggest it would make us look old-fashioned, reactionary and lacking confidence or courage of convictions. 

Personally, I do not believe this should be a debate in the first place. But we live in a democracy, and that is how things must be done. You represent your electorate, but you also shape the future of NZ. So please let it be one that embraces diversity, but gives everyone equal rights and standing. Thank you.

Ya get me?

Anyway, I have absolutely no desire to repeat, re-litigate or re-visit the arguments for the full and immediate adoption of equal marriage rights here. If you still don't know what you think, these links should help you:

• www.marriageequality.co.nz/why-marriage.html
• www.wipeouthomophobia.com/marriageequality.htm

Polari

So bona to vada...oh you! 

Your lovely eek and your lovely riah. 

Morrissey. 'Piccadilly Palare', 1990

Thanks to homosexual law reform in 1967*, I've never needed to communicate in Polari. Like many cryptolects, dialects and minority languages, Polari has been the victim of cultural integration. 

Of course, I shouldn't really see this as a shame. A language that gained widespread currency in response to fear and intolerance should, by rights, have no place in contemporary society. Nevertheless, I find the death of a language, however irrelevant it has become, very sad. In my mind, it's as great a loss to the diversity of our world as the extinction of a plant or animal.

Polari evolved in London's fishmarkets, theatres, fairgrounds and circuses - places where the city's homosexuals mingled with other outcasts and underclasses. Like much British street slang, many words are of Romani origin. There is also clearly a strong Italian influence, which I imagine came through the theatrical route.

Omi (man) comes from the Italian uomo

Polari was on its dish (arse) by the late 60s, and really only kept alive by omi-polone comedians like Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams. But (no doubt due to the fabulousness of us homos), a surprising number of words have snuck into everyday (British) English. Here a just a few you'll probably know...  

Barney. Camp. Carsey. Clobber. Drag. Mince. Naff. Ogle. Zhoosh.

Thankfully, homos are an inventive bunch, and there's still life in Polari yet. I'll leave you with this short but fantabulosa subtitled scene from the film Velvet Goldmine... 

Read more:

• WipeOutHomophobia.com - Polari, the secret gay language
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polari
• World Wide Words: How to bona vada your eek

*Only England & Wales. The poor old poofs north of the border had to wait until 1980 to become 'legal'. They're making up for it now though, with Scotland set to become the first country in the UK to legalise gay marriage.