I’ve been
experimenting like a book scientist. I want to revise historical texts to have a comedic
effect. Rather than outright mocking, I think it’s more difficult, but also
funnier, to imitate someone’s original style/voice/plot trajectory. I’m
familiar with the Bible (it's called literature, sweetie, look it up), so I rewrote two famous stories; I turned The Prodigal
Son into The Phi Psi Son and The Last Supper into The Last Supper Before
Burning Man.
I sent both
pieces to a friend who always appreciates a good sacrilegious belly laugh. He
got me a copy of The Bible According to
Spike Milligan*. An eye for an eye, a biblical parody for a biblical
parody.
Spike cleverly teases out jokes from
the Old Testament that are there for the taking. He starts with the creation
story and adds some flavor. When Adam and Eve first sin and become aware of
their bodies, he says, “And the eyes of them were both opened and they knew
they were both naked, and Adam said to her, ‘Stand back, I don’t know how big
this is going to get’” (Milligan, 5). When God promises Abraham a long lineage,
he goes to brag about it to his wife, Sarah. Spike writes, “Abraham went into
Sarah and said, ‘The Lord wants me to start a nation.’ And Sarah laughed and
said, ‘You couldn’t start a bus’” (Milligan, 11). Stuff like that!
Spike
Milligan is British-Irish, and I don’t always understand British humour, like
the uncultured wanker I am. So, I imagine I missed out on some juicy
references. If you’ve never read the Bible, you’ll also miss out on some
inside-baseball jokes, but you’ll get the gist, you’re not a total idiot.
You’ve heard about Noah and the flood. You know about the Commandments. Spike
has a way of making you laugh even if you don’t fully understand the punch
line. But some jokes hit apply-all, like when he takes a jab at God for having
wacko names for the males and normal names for the females. John Mulaney makes
a similar joke in his new special, Kid
Gorgeous, which is incredible. Stop reading this and go watch that right
now.
If you’re
still here, shame on you (but thanks, you loyal). I think The Bible According to Spike Milligan is smart, funny, and worthy of
your time. I do, however, think it is too long. The style becomes redundant as
a consequence of the material it’s imitating. The Old Testament has many strong
stories, but between them is a lot of mumbo jumbo about king succession and who
begat who. I wish Spike had used the best stories of both the Old and New
Testaments rather than going in order. As a result, The Bible According to Spike Milligan receives 3 out of 5
camel humps.
*Milligan, Spike. The Bible According to Spike Milligan. New York: Penguin Books, 1994. Print.
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