Bah Humbug Tickets

When we think of "Bah Humbug," the first thing that usually comes to mind is Ebenezer Scrooge, the infamous character portrayed in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." But in the world of comedy, Bah Humbug takes on a different meaning - one of irreverence and cynicism.

Comedians have been using the phrase Bah Humbug for decades as a way to poke fun at the traditional and often saccharine nature of the holiday season. From stand-up specials to episodes of TV shows, the term has been utilized by many comedians to express their own dissatisfaction or annoyance with the way the holiday is celebrated.

For example, in his 2016 Netflix special "Michael Bolton's Big Sexy Valentine's Day Special," comedian Eric Andre pokes fun at the commercialization of holidays by declaring, "I'm not doing Christmas this year. I'm doing Kwanzaa...or Hanukkah...or Festivus. Anything but Christmas." Through his sarcastic tone and use of Bah Humbug, Andre is able to highlight the absurdity of holiday traditions that have lost their true meaning.

Similarly, British comedian Ricky Gervais has used the term to express his own frustrations with the expectations of the season. In a 2005 episode of his show "Extras," the character he plays, Andy Millman, laments about the commercialization of Christmas and how people have lost sight of what the holiday is truly about. He exclaims, "Bah Humbug! I say bring back the baby Jesus."

Even classic comedic improvisation game "Whose Line Is It Anyway" has used the term Bah Humbug as a way to poke fun at the overly sentimental nature of Christmas. In one such instance, the host Drew Carey asks the performers to improvise a scene where everyone is celebrating Christmas except for one person who is saying "bah humbug" throughout. The resulting scene is hilarious as the performers try to engage with their grinchy castmate.

In all of these examples, Bah Humbug is used to subvert and undermine traditional holiday expectations and promote a more satirical look at how we celebrate. By highlighting the over-the-top nature of holiday celebrations, comedians invite their audience to take a step back and consider what's really important during this time of year.

So next time you hear someone say Bah Humbug, don't be so quick to judge them as Scrooge-like. They may just be trying to inject some much-needed humor and perspective into a holiday that can sometimes take itself too seriously.