(Burbank, CA) There’s a major change on its way to Tinseltown and it’s coming in with a “Bang!”
In a move that's sure to rock Hollywood’s creative community, the producers of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory have successfully petitioned Webster's Dictionary to change the definition of the word "comedy." The move comes as networks are encouraging studios to be more accurate in the descriptions of their programming.
"For the longest time we've billed our show as a comedy," said Big Bang Executive Producer Chuck Lorre. "The problem is, under the old definition, comedies are supposed to be humorous, and that just wasn't the case. So we had two choices; either start writing scripts are neither unamusing nor predictable, or reinvent the meaning of the word. It was really a simple decision."
Previously, "comedy" was defined as "entertainment which invokes laughter." But under the new classification -- which is effective immediately -- "comedy" is listed as "bland and stereotypical entertainment which lacks creativity and is devoid of humor." The change allows Big Bang producers to retain the show's current comedic status without having to undergo a massive overhaul.
"For the longest time, I thought people who criticized the show didn't understand its humor," said Big Bang fan Fletcher Randolph. "But then one day I looked up the word 'humor' in the dictionary and I was like 'whoa! Humor means funny?' Then I felt kind of cheated because I don't remember ever actually laughing."
The program -- which revolves around a group of socially awkward scientists and their attractive female friend – has generated laughter in the past, despite its overall lack of funniness. Despite claims from producers that they don’t use a laugh track to “sweeten” the responses from the studio audience, the crowd seems to laugh at every line – even those that aren’t designed as jokes.
“I remember this one time,” recalled Big Bang fan Eugene Feldspar, “where Sheldon walked into the room and said his mom sent him his old Nintendo system and the crowd just went crazy, like it was the funniest thing they’d ever heard. Then he said something about drinking Red Bull and ‘rocking Mario old school’ and the audience was just beside itself. Personally, I didn’t see what was so funny about that, but the crowd was in hysterics so I went ahead and laughed too. Oh man, talk about bustin’ a gut!”
The change in comedy’s definition is being hailed by others in the entertainment industry as well. Producers of such shows as Two and a Half Men, How I met Your Mother and Whitney, praised the decision, which allows their shows to still be considered comedic without having to make any major script or character changes. However, those in charge of shows that are truly funny, such as Community, 30 Rock and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are now scrambling to figure out just what genre they now fit into.
“We can’t call ourselves a comedy anymore because we actually make people laugh” said Tina Fey, the creator and star of NBC’s 30 Rock. “I suppose we could dumb down our scripts, make them appeal to mass audiences and maybe even pick up a dozen or so ratings points in the process. Or maybe we could just shout at each other all at once, flip over a table or two and call ourselves a reality show. We could also make people feel that their life has meaning by allowing them text in and vote.”
“What’s Paula Abdul doing these days?” Fey added. “Maybe we could have her get drunk and judge us or something.”
Regardless, Big Bang fans are happy that they no longer have to fake their mirth.
“I told all my friends they had to watch that show because it’s hilarious.” Said Big Bang fan Johnny Fortz. “But did you know that ‘hilarious’ means ‘outrageously funny?’ Wow! Talk about egg on my face. I mean, that’s the opposite of what I thought it meant. This new ruling makes it easier to watch the show without having to worry about why it’s not making me laugh.”
.. (Editorial)
