Patrice O'Neal Helped Me During Chemo

Reflecting on the Great One and the Nature of Funny

Patrice O'Neill helped me through chemotherapy. He was not there adjusting the drips, but his takes, laughter, and passion for movies were comforting. When I went to the oncology clinic, I bookmarked a 12-hour compilation of Patrice O'Neal's appearance on the Opie and Anthony Show discussing films. 

It was clear that Patrice loved movies, but he demanded honesty and accessibility (i.e., avoid pretentious presentation). He was also prepared to change opinions due to an onslaught of brutal logic, time, and a new perspective.  

Diverse media critics across the spectrum of aesthetic and (unfortunately) political orientations populate the YouTube sphere. None of them come close to Patrice.

 As a comic, Patrice lived for "The Funny," the telos of Stand-up. From what I have discerned from comics like Kurt Metzger, Godfrey, Big Jay Oakerson, and Kevin Brennan, the "Funny" is the goal. It is the pursuit of that perfect punch-line from the start of an instinctual or experiential premise. Kurt Metzger explains that joke creation requires a certain trance where the creator surrenders:

"…[The] thing can tell you what it is; you may have an idea, but the thing will tell you what it is if you're true to the vision; if you come in with an agenda, you're blocking possible inputs."

Patrice understood and articulated aesthetic creation and any artist and put his demanding standards to any film or TV show he viewed.

When he eviscerates a subject, it is not for a desire to merely dominate something or aim at those higher in the pecking order. It's because he demanded better. He accounted for objective and logical flaws and had zero patience for nonsense. If you bring art to them, they echo Major Payne: "You'll get no sympathy from me. You want sympathy; look in the dictionary between shit and syphilis." He adored great art, desired to be wowed, and (crucially) loved to laugh. And let's be honest; art is what matters.  

This love to laugh is not banal. Everyone laughs, but to truly laugh requires abandoning any sense of self. They turn off their ego, and there is a lack of concern for being chic. The sound of Patrice's laughter following a cutting remark from someone else showed he was invested in the immediate company and looking for the best joke, not just biding his time so he could be recognized as the funniest. This characteristic shows the courage to lose temporary control and laugh at the absurd and hilarious, regardless of the target. 

The opposite of Patrice is the Alt Comedy Scene and Edgelord YouTubers. They both share that sneering, detached, and clichéd irony (post-modernism has run its course). Their biggest concern is not inquiry for entertainment but the fear that something uncool might break out at any moment.  

The passing of Patrice O'Neal over 13 years ago was a tragic loss for comedy. Legendary comic (and my favorite of all time, also sadly deceased) Norm Macdonald noted at his passing and years afterward that Patrice was the funniest comedian when he passed. This is not idle praise. Patrice was a force across multiple platforms and diverse subjects. There will never be a carbon copy of him again. 

I don't know who is Patrice's comedy heir is. I don't know anyone as keen on talking race as he did. But we do have old YouTube to remember what a gift he was.