Excess in Moderation
5.5 X 8 Inches
3-color Screen Print
Created in 2021
$10
I lifted this motto from Doug Stanhope’s “No Refunds” comedy special. It offers a very good description of how I live my life. I love Doug Stanhope. He’s often thought of as just an “obscene” comedian out to offend people. There might be some truth to that but I think of him more as a political commentator and cultural critic. Many comedians reject the idea that comedy should be infused with focused political ideologies. I can appreciate that position but it is also refreshing to hear someone’s true philosophical coordinates laid out proudly and with consistency. It lets us respond to those ideologies with the same clarity and directness. I don’t always agree with his conclusions and I’ve had difficulty convincing others that he’s essentially a moralist, but I think he is. Although his jokes are vulgar and perhaps upsetting at times, his observations and positions always appear to me to be emanating from a deep love for life and for people and from a commitment to equality. I know some of you might disagree which I respect.
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