Cars, coffee and comedians

Review: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

(M) Jerry Seinfeld and assorted guests

Every once and awhile a television show comes along that is innovative and breaks all of the normal conventions of the medium. First airing on Crackle in July 2012, Jerry Seinfeld launched Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Similar to his legendary sitcom, Seinfeld, it took some time to gain an audience, but now it’s pedal to the metal for this unique ride into television history.

The successful stand-up comedian and television star have created a series that combines three of his passions—vintage cars, talking with comedians and drinking lots of coffee. A simple enough premise, he picks up noted comedians, actors and writers in different types of vintage cars that supposedly represent the personality of the comedian. Then the two of them commence having a conversation about comedy, careers and the humorous and ludicrous aspects of humanity.

What needs to be celebrated is the beautiful simplicity of this concept and how Jerry Seinfeld has managed to make it work in this new digital era. Audiences will appreciate the brevity of each episode and the broad spectrum of various creative talents in the industry. The original episodes were challenged by some critics, because of the male-dominated segments, but they have done their best to counter this aspect in subsequent chapters.

People may pick and choose from their favourite stars at first, but it would be unfortunate to miss many of the lesser-known comedians. Even though Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart provide some of the highlights of the series, to miss Zach Galifianakis and others would be mean losing some of the best bits of the show.

One aspect of this show that was surprising was how many of these comedians must draw from very dark places to find their comedic inspiration. Yet through their careers have been defined by making people laugh, as Jerry Seinfeld says, ‘Just by you walking onto the set, things are funny,’ many do not live a life filled with laughter. Examples: Jim Carrey and Ellen DeGeneres

The originality of the series and realising that each episode presents a different opportunity for hilarious fun makes this strong binge-watching material. The material does delve into adult content at times, but most of the shows prove to be appropriate for teens and older.

Some of the best episodes: 

• Will Ferrell
• Kevin Hart
• Tina Fey
• Zach Galfianakis
• Alec Baldwin
• Jim Gaffigan
• David Chappel

Best cars in the show:

• 1963 Chevy Corvette Stingray
• 1977 Volkswagen camper bus
• 1949 Porsche 356/2
• 1977 Toyota Land Cruiser

Laughter is a gift from God

What we can understand from the beginning of God’s story is that we are created in God’s image. This statement does not mean we take on the same physical characteristics as God, but it does show that we share many of his attributes. As we delve further into this topic, some of the things that are given to us by God are our emotions and our outward expression of them. If people think about this idea at all, most tend to automatically think of love, joy and sorrow, as some of the shared traits we have with the creator of the universe. All of these are lovely aspects, but does this statement mean that God has a sense of humour and does he really laugh?

To see his sense of humour, look no further than the platypus or the creative nature of the guy’s nose who sits in the desk next to you at work. This is the beauty of what many comedic films and shows offer to audiences, take the ordinary and mundane and showing the humour that can be found in every aspect of life. Comedy may not be listed in amongst the spiritual gifts, but it is a gift that is evident in how some people can tell a joke or not.

More evidence to this fact is found in the Bible where it says throughout the Psalms and Proverbs, God laughs. It usually occurs due to the foolishness of mankind, but he does laugh. The Bible shows humanity that we are allowed to express ourselves in the same manner.

As a form of emotional release, an expression of joy, or even to laugh at a well-told joke, laughter is a gift from God that is under-utilised in so many people’s lives, and that is unfortunate. Laughter is a gift that should regularly be opened to be genuinely appreciated. That is no joke!

Where do you go in the Bible?  Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 62:5; Psalm 2:4, 16:11; Proverbs 1:26

All five seasons of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is streaming now on Netflix. 

Russell Matthews works for City Bible Forum Sydney and is a film blogger