Legit

Last Thursday evening FX debuted their newest series, a half hour comedy series created and starring comedian Jim Jefferies called Legit. The title of the series comes from the main character Jim's desire to go legit. To be a good person. Jim's idea of being Legit is being a caring person who cares about other people.

The problem is that despite his desire to do so Jim is not a kind, caring person. Jim is Australian and is a comedian and his humor matches his personality, how many comedians have you heard about that are nice, genuine people.

I watched this show with my oldest son, a decision I questioned about ten minutes in. The show is unbelievably crude, occasionally disgusting, and at the same time succeeds in it's goal of being sweet and funny. It is a rare combination. Jefferies walks a fine line with his comedy. At the first commercial break, ten minutes in, my son says to me " this is stupid" and we almost pressed delete on the Tivo but we stuck with it to see if it improved.

In the series Jim's best friend is Steve. Steve has a quadriplegic younger brother named Billy. Billy, played by DJ Qualls, is a sarcastic, sometimes angry man. Steve convinces Jim to come visit his brother though Jim calling it depressing would rather not. Upon seeing Jim Billy asks to speak to him alone and tells him that he, as would be expected is a virgin, and wants to not be.

What is funny is that while Jim tells Billy he will take him to Vegas to get laid he tells Billy's parents, his friend Steve, anyone who will listen really. I do not want to give all the humor away but one line made me laugh out loud. As the fellows are driving to Vegas Steve consents to let Jim give Billy some alcohol and pot. As I said there is little good in this show in regards to influence on our young people. So picture this, the quadriplegic is in the back seat, having been smoking pot, and he says" I can't feel my legs" which if one considers he can never feel his legs is pretty darn funny. Like much of the humor however you have to get by the politically correct to realize that it is not picking on the disabled to admit that is a funny line.

I will not give away the rest of the trip but it would be safe to say that the road-trip gives Jeffries a chance to show us all of the shows attributes. Funny even if it is make your squirm funny, crude constantly, but yet at times very sweet and caring even if that is expressed in ways that are beyond the comfort level of most of us. I do not know if the show can ever carve a big audience, in fact I doubt it, but with so many of our shows being so typecast and similar this is one show that you will not find on the other channels every night of the week.

For that in itself I will watch a few more episodes to see Jim try to be a good person by befriending and caring about Billy. Billy may be in for the time of his life.