Buddhist Realism and Dark Comedy

A lively talk about the healing relationship between humor and truth with CHRISTOPHER KELLEY and comedian MATT RUBY.

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The Buddha is believed to have taught that the fundamental nature of the human condition is suffused with feelings of existential angst and abiding dissatisfaction. Such realism is not exclusive to Buddhism, however. Any dark comedian knows this – making jokes about the reality of life usually gets big laughs, or as they say in the business—“kills.” Like the Buddha, the comic can be a powerful medium for communicating the more disquieting and shunned truths in life.

Join Christopher Kelley in a provocative conversation on the merits of dark comedy as a vehicle for embracing the truth of the human condition. We’ll watch video clips of comedians like Louis C.K., Tig Notaro, and Andy Kaufman. And we’ll discuss why both Buddhism and dark comedy offer a kind of therapy for eliminating the existential anxiety that comes from being the kind of animal that lives with the knowledge of their own inexorable death.

Following the talk, enjoy a set by comedian Matt Ruby.
https://tackk.com/mattrubycomedy

NO RSVP

PLEASE PURCHASE TICKETS HERE:
https://buddhismandhumor.splashthat.com
$20 in advance
$25 on the door

WHEN:
March 2nd at 7:00pm

WHERE:
The Alchemist's Kitchen 21 East 1st Street , New York, NY 10003

CHRISTOPHER KELLEY holds a doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Columbia University, where he studied under the guidance of Professor Robert Thurman. He currently teaches at Brooklyn College (CUNY) and the New School University in the City of New York.

MATT RUBY is a standup comedian and the creator of Vooza, a video comic strip about the tech world (called the "The Spinal Tap of startups" by Mashable). He's been featured on MTV's Girl Code, CNN.com, The Huffington Post, NY Magazine, Time Out NY ("Joke of the Year" nominee), ComedySmack (Winner of Best Web Short of the Year), Splitsider, Gawker, and lots of other places. He's also appeared across the country at comedy venues and festivals including SXSW, Bridgetown, NY Comedy Contest, SF Comedy Contest, Boston Comedy Festival, and the New Orleans Comedy and Arts Festival.