What is there to say about Ferris Bueller? He’s a hero, an icon … a sociopath?
I was a bit skeptical when I heard this, so I had to see “The Great Debate: Ferris Bueller – Noble Hero or Dangerous Sociopath?” at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Hollywood July 11 to find out for myself. The fact that it was only five dollars to get in, not to mention that I could bring in my own food and beverage, only sweetened the deal.
The two disputants, Mimoun and Price, met prior to the debate with a set format. Mimoun started off with stating the definition of a sociopath: an egocentric individual who lacks a sense of personal responsibility and morality. According to Mimoun, the titular character of the 1986 teen comedy “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” carries this trait.
Price went in the other direction, stating that if it were not for Ferris’ heroic qualities of nobility and free spirit, some major characters would still be the depressed losers they were in the beginning of the film.
The format covered a number of topics and scenes related to the film, including Ferris’ sister, Cameron’s famous prank call, Ferris’ lip-synching escapades at the parade and, lastly, Cameron’s dad’s “choice” Ferrari.
I was definitely wooed by the points Price discussed, such as Ferris opening a whole new world to his sister and Cameron, allowing them to finally live their lives happily without any malaise. However, Mimoun made a great point by saying that the parade essentially showed Ferris enjoying his life while forgetting all about his best friend in need, Cameron.
After the lame Q&A sessions, the randomness where Mimoun and Price sang the national anthem and their consistently humorous insults at one another, I made my decision. Sure, Ferris may fit the definition of a sociopath, but from hearing Price, I realize he has done more good than bad. He is a noble hero.
But before I could ponder my final decision over and chuck out my heartburning kung-pao chicken, “The MySpace Show” started at 9:30 p.m. at the UCBT. Starring the hilarious comedian improv team “The Gunslingers,” consisting of Owen Burke, Chad Carter, Rob Riggle and, more notably, Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel from MTV’s “Human Giant,” I decided to put down another five bucks and go for the ride.
I had no idea of what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The team chose and interviewed three audience members who wanted their MySpace profiles viewed. It was all in good taste, and there were no cheap shots from these comedians — they’re too good for that. In between the three sessions, the Gunslingers performed about 15 minutes of improv based loosely on their conversation with the chosen audience member.
The first two audience members were good as Paul Scheer did the interviewing. He made the second person, a high school senior, sing her MySpace rap, and Scheer read her embarrassing MySpace poem.
But it was the young guy who moved from upstate New York to Burbank in hopes of becoming a screenwriter that really did it for the audience. Considering that the guy was unemployed and listed “The Green Lantern” (yes, the comic book character) as his occupation, The Gunslingers took the show to a new level with Green Lantern references flying everywhere.
So look no further than the UCBT if you are low on money and want a good laugh from the new comedy talent of today. You can find a bunch of theatres in the Hollywood area, but none has the diverse comedy that the UCBT provides nightly.
