But still, comedy is not art.
That doesn't mean to say that comedy cannot be art.
Like painting.
If I did a painting I wouldn't consider it art because I don't paint.
Yet, I *DO* write and tell jokes on a daily basis, and as some semblance of evidence that I'm not doing the equivilent of you splashing paint on a canvas haphazardly (and, btw, *I* wouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that THAT shouldn't be classified as "art," but for purposes of this discussion, I'll be happy to use your more rigid standards).
Unlike the fact that you "don't paint," I *DO* actually write, edit, refine, tell, re-edit my jokes on a daily basis.
And if me simply "doing it" isn't enough to satisfy you, it just so happens that I get renumerated in exchange for my jokes the majority of the time, so apparently,
there are people other than me who have, by deciding to pay for it, shown that there is, to them at least, some aesthetic value to my jokes.
So your painting analogy holds no water.
Next.
Paint on a canvas isn't the definition of art.
Personally I think it's a bit of a stretch to refer to short jokes as art, unless they
are really saying something or making some sort of clever commentary."
One man's "I don't care for that joke" is another man's "clever commentary."
Many moons ago, I wrote this joke:
"I quit smoking weed,
Because I wanted to focus.
On being less creative."
Is that "social commentary?"
To many on this board, I'd wager that it is.
To the midnight audiences with whom I share it, it gets an applause break nearly every single time.
Yet, my grandmother probably wouldn't even understand it.
And this is getting off the point - where do you come off deciding that "clever commentary" (which is subjective - but that's getting even further off-topic) is what should govern whether or not something is art?!
How about this gem, courtesy of the late great Mitch Hedberg:
"I don't have a girlfriend.
But I do know a girl who would be really mad if she heard me say that."
Not particularly socially relevant, but in not just my opinion, one of the best Point Of View jokes ever written.
Some of the greatest comics in the world have said that they consider this to be one of the best short jokes ever written, but according to your "definition," it fails.
And also to tell me that I don't deserve to appreciate art.
I shall clarify my earlier statement:
If you don't recognize that comedy is a form of art, then you, in my opinion, don't deserve to enjoy COMEDY.
Maybe you bomb out better in real life/real time than on this forum, cause I
wouldn't call it all that graceful myself...
Again, you're entitled to your opinion, but in my opinion, the fact that I am taking the time to explain my position to you, without resorting to ad-homs speaks volumes with respect to whether or not I am willing to consistently accept constructive criticism with respect to my ART.
But then again, what do I know?
With respect to comedy, apparently, very little.