Sarah Silverman---One sick, adorable Puppy (revisited)

Saturday, August 4, 2007
Sarah Silverman--One Sick, Adorable Puppy


One imagines while watching Sarah Silverman's TV show that the decision was made by some judge somewhere that she either be committed to a mental health facility or be given her own sitcom.
Silverman, is , to be sure, as writer Kinky Friedman is found of saying, "Out there where the buses don't run!"
However, her often equal parts funny, juvenile and scatological aesthetic, combined with her winsome, beguiling persona, make for one of the most compellingly odd of TV entertainments.
Taking place in some sort of parallel universe--reminiscent oddly of Pee-Wee's Playhouse-- Silverman's character in the show emerges full-blown as a nutty amalgam--a woman/child given to extravagant flights of fancy and low down- but oddly ingenuous smuttiness.
She seems to be in the custody of her more level-headed and long-suffering sister. Laura. Rounding out the cast is solid , good-looking cop who nonetheless makes it clear that he's somewhat lacking in the IQ department. Then there are Sarah's gay couple slacker friends, who spend most of their time high or eating sugary breakfast cereal.
Many episodes begin with Sarah awakening in the morning with her diminutive pooch and sounding board, Doug.
Each day for her is a new opportunity to pursue some bizarre project--ostensibly for the betterment of mankind.
In one episode she climbs out of bed with the "blahs". An HIV-Prevention pamphlet on her table triggers an idea on how to beat those blues.
She'll get tested for AIDS, and when she's found clean, she'll have reason to feel good and rejoice.
However, once at the clinic, her answers to questions about her sexual activities reveal a quite prolific, flamboyant and undiscriminating number of couplings.
Sarah is now convinced she has AIDS, even though the results are pending.
With the certain conviction of her inevitable demise, Sarah cleans out her sister's bank account and begins a one-woman anti-Aids crusade.
Her blunt, X-rated address to an elementary school class on Safe Sex, causes the kids to look at her mouths agape, as their teacher swoons in the corner.
All the while , it is clear that it is not AIDS she's concerned with, but the fact that SHE has AIDS and therefore feels she deserves the world's attention and pity.
In one hilarious scene , she appears before a benefit dressed as Evita Peron, and just before she's about to belt out "Don't Cry for Me...", she brings things to a dead standstill, checks her watch, and rushes off the stage telling the crowd that it's time to get her test results.
The crowd, realizing they've been hoodwinked by their heroine, begin pelting her with tomatoes and other edibles.
Escaping with her life she makes it to the doctor's office in time for him to inform her her tests were negative. Given a new lease on life she joyously proceeds to inform her sister, in the process ruining the latter's cop boyfriend's first and only birthdy party (his mother told him his birthday was EVERY DAY, until he realized that she was just addicted to cake and beer).
Silverman's character is designed as a dichotomy of altruistic Polyanna and scheming,potty-mouthed Prima Donna.
This tension brings forth fruits that are succulently comic and/or rotten and repellent. This is not for all sensibilities.
Approach with caution.