Mike Judge

Last night, for the first time since the ’90’s, I watched Beavis & Butthead. Now, I can’t say that I’m proud of myself, or that it was good, but I did pick something up from it. I finally understand why my parents thought I was retarded for liking it. It really is retarded. It’s also hilarious because it’s so retarded, but it’s crazy to think that Mike Judge made that. Here’s a guy who has done some of the best comedy movies of the past decade, and not just frat boy humor, either. Idiocracy was one of the most thought-provoking comedies I have ever seen (you know, if you know how to read in to things and understand what “implications” are)…and he made a show that is, for the most part, an idiots version of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Maybe my parents were right, though, because I totally still think it’s funny. Anyways, watching that got me thinking about who else might have followed a similar path to Mike Judge. It would be easy to list a bunch of actors, but I don’t think that counts. Actors more often than not will take any role they can get at the beginning of their career, so if they were in some shitty movies early on, it might not have been totally in their control, they just needed work. But directors and writers, they are creating, they are in control. But you know what? There seemingly are none. I’m not even joking. I’ve spent the past 2 hours scanning over directors and writers on IMDB.com and there just doesn’t seem to be any other directors who have taken that path. You, Mike Judge, stand alone in this category and for that, I salute you.