What Up With Them?
Cliques. They exist in every aspect of life. At your job. In high school. Between mutual friends. They even exist in entertainment. Usually, you are semi-aware that they are in front of you, but for the most part, you simply go with it. So why not take a few moments to examine some of the more influential crews in the field. Whether it be TV, movies, media, etc, more times than not, there are certain people who are just “it”.
Obviously, we would be re-missed if we didn’t mention the first pack of guys who pioneered this movement. I am, of course, speaking of The Rat Pack. There may not have been anybody more famous than these guys, during their era. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., among others, were looked upon as heroes. Anything they did would be the new trend in pop culture. They even starred in the original Ocean’s Eleven and paved the way for later generations. (Clooney, pay your dues!)
If we go back to the mid 1970’s when SNL was just starting, who could have guessed that the ragtag bunch who carried the show in its infancy would become such mega stars? Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Bill Murray. These men are titans in the comedy realm. They grew up together on a new show, unlike anything on television before them. But even once they departed and went down their own paths, they seemed to gravitate towards each others for various projects.
The success they had, while being fabulous, may even pale in comparison to what the early-mid 1990’s cast was able to achieve. I can recall watching them at the time, and thinking that something extra was in the air, but I couldn’t fathom what would come to be. I am speaking of funny people such as: Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Dana Carvey, David Spade, and many more. Reread that last sentence. It is a murder’s row of comedians. Could such a thing happen in today’s world? I would be hard pressed to think so. This crew may be the epitome of what sticking together is all about. You can bet your ass that you will spot 2-3 of them in each other’s works, always. Sandler is best known for casting his friends for roles in his films. (Coincidentally, Grown Ups seems like a reunion or sorts.)
Moving on into the 21st century, we got things kicked off right with Old School. We were introduced to the next crew of gents whom we would come to adore, best known as The Frat Pack. This exclusive club includes the likes of: Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Steve Carrell, and some say Jack Black. (Eh, I could take him or leave him, personally.) That first flick was only a taste of what was to come. We have been lucky enough to be given outstanding comedies by them ever since, including: Zoolander, Starsky & Hutch, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy, Wedding Crashers, Blades of Glory and Tropic Thunder. All superb efforts that definitely paid dividends.
While TFP was running amok in Hollywood, another crew was slowing coming into their own. They all bowed down to their ringleader - Judd Apatow. While he had done some critically acclaimed work on TV (Freaks & Geeks, Undeclared), it was now that he started to get recognized as a master of comedy. Along with his cohorts: Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segal, Paul Rudd, Craig Robinson, James Franco, Bill Hader, Ken Jeong, Michael Cera, John C. Reilly, and his wife Leslie Mann, he has completely owned the landscape for quite a while now. His movies have yet to disappoint. Most of them provide us with some of the most quotable lines in recent history. (See: 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Step Brothers, Pineapple Express, and Funny People.)
Finally, let’s delve into the world of Podcasts. Within the past 2-3 years, one of the largest growing sectors of entertainment has been in the virtual audio field of podcasting. Podcasts offer you the option of listening to whatever you like, on your own schedule. Comedy, News, Sports, Entertainment. Every interest you may have will likely have a podcast that discusses it. There is a clique here as well, that bridges many topics, due to the fact that the people hosting these shows happen to be friends in real life as well. I am speaking of: Bill Simmons, Adam Carolla, Dave Dameshek to name a couple. They also have as guest friends of theirs too, like Cousin Sal Iacono, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeff Ross, and Sarah Silverman. You can always sense a better effort when these guys are amongst friends, because it feels genuine and real.
The question now is, who will be the next crew that we fall in love with? Maybe it’s the hilarious people at FunnyorDie.com. They have been churning out great video after great video, each using a different Hollywood personality. It makes us laugh but also gives us an intimate look at each actor’s sense of humor and style. Even people who have been targets in clips before, suck it up and laugh at themselves. Just awesome to see. So keep your eyes and ears on high alert. You never know when a clique could be forming.
