I was talking to someone today about movies, actors, comedians etc and one thing in particular got me thinking. I had this conversation and during the conversation, we disagreed on different actors we thought were funny and the reasons why or why they aren't funny. Now, I know everyone has their taste in what they like and I know that not everyone likes the things I like, but some of the reasons are asinine. Before you jump to a conclusion and think this article is going to be garbage because I am going to be defending a certain person or explaining why they are in fact funny; that is not my motivation. I actually want to destroy a particular complaint / reason I hear all the time.

So, I was talking to a friend about the movie "Step Brothers" with Will Ferrell (excellent movie). This particular friend had not seen the movie and had no plans of seeing it either because he doesn't think Will is funny. Now, my first instinct was to rip this guy and tell him what an utter fool he is, but as I mentioned above, I am not going to do that. I asked him why he didn't like Will Ferrell and he said he didn't like him for the same reasons he doesn't like Jack Black (strike two) or Owen Wilson (strike three, you're out). The reason given was that they play the same role in every movie and have only one character. He said Will Ferrell has played an identical role in all his movies from "Night at the Roxbury", to "Old School" to "Elf" To "Talladega Nights." He said Jack played the same person in "Hi Fidelity", "Shallow Hal", "School of Rock" and most recently "Tropic Thunder."

Now, first let me shock everyone who knows me personally and agree that they do play similar roles and characters. I 100% agree with that statement. However, I need to let you know why that is not a good excuse to not like their work and deem them "not funny."

Most people have a friend that they hang out with or have hung out with in the past that they think are very funny. Who knows, you may be that person in your group of friend. Whenever you hang out with that friend, you know you will have a good time and he will be funny. Does that friend ever change roles or characters? No, he is who he is and that is what you get from now to eternity. Why should Will Ferrell, Jack Black and Owen Wilson have to change their comedic style? You don't ask your friend to change theirs. It just doesn't make sense to me at all.

What if I was hanging out with some friends and one of them came to me and said, "You know Adam, you are a funny guy, but tonight do you think you could go for a more physical style of humor for us?" That would be ridiculous wouldn't it? What if you went out with friends and someone pulled you to the side and said; "Hey Bob, can you incorporate some dick and fart jokes tonight while we hang out?" What the hell would you do? It just doesn't make sense to ask people to change their style up. No one asks Metallica to play polka music or Stephen King to write children's books.

As a soon-to-be-famous screenplay writer (that's right famous), if I wrote a particular comedy and wanted either Jack Black, Will Ferrell or Owen Wilson in it, I would write something I think they would be good at acting in. Who really has a wide range of comedic range anyway? I know a lot of comedians have done some drama such as Mike Meyers, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams etc, but so has Will, Jack and Owen.

I guess the bottom line is, Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Seth Rogan & Paul Rudd may play similar characters in their movies, but they are good at what they do and they are fucking hilarious so stop complaining and shut your stupid mouth! (I had to put that in there.)