I haven’t seen the movie. Quite frankly, I’ve given up on Ben Stiller. When I realized half-way through Zoolander that I didn’t care how the movie ended, I officially gave up on Ben Stiller. I remember loving Reality Bites and loving it even more when I found out that Ben had originally wrote it so Winona didn’t choose either of the guys. Since then, I’ve only been vaguely entertained. I must admit that the gasoline fight in Zoolander was funny, but that was only a few minutes of a long and arduous movie. I’m tempted, though. I like the idea of watching a wild and irrepressible Jennifer Aniston spice up an uptight Ben Stiller’s life.

Karen she’s my boss at the shoe store.
We sell to the rich on Madison Avenue.  – Jill Sobule, Karen By Night

Fiction is filled with stories of irrepressible people who help uptight people live a fuller life. It must be a basic human fantasy. I have seen all gender variations. Irrepressible women help uptight men. Strong and virile men help buttoned-up women. I believe it is a classic story that appeals to all of us. The problem with that idea is that there is no woman who is so totally irrepressible all the time. There is no man who is so strong that he can fully change the life of a woman who is set in her ways. It is a desire of the irrepressible to give a little spice to the life of the uptight. It is a desire of the buttoned-up to let their hair down for one virile night. It is a fantasy, but it doesn’t really work in real life.

Karen by night
We imagine she must lead a very dull life
With just a cat and a book by her side
We know her by day but we don’t know
Karen by night  – Jill Sobule, Karen By Night

Those who are uptight, are uptight because they like their lives. If they didn’t, they would change them. Those who are irrepressible can’t be bothered wasting their time with boring stiffies. It just doesn’t work in real life, yet it appeals to us. No matter how exciting our lives might be, we imagine that they might be spiced up somehow by a wild uninhibited person. If only I had a wild person in my life, then I would be able to enjoy myself. No matter how boring our lives may seem, we imagine that we can help someone else have some fun with us. If only that person would loosen up, we could have some fun.

Karen by night
The leather comes out under the moonlight
Takes off her Chanel and hops on her bike
Looking like young Marlon Brando
Karen by night  – Jill Sobule, Karen By Night

The whole idea is a desire for fun and enjoyment. I’ve seen it so many times. I try to buy fun. “If only I had a hot tub, then I could have fun.” I try to run away to it. “If only I could go to Hawaii, then I could have fun.” I do everything, but actually allow myself to have fun. I have to drive at least an hour and a half away before I will allow myself to enjoy life. The irrepressible person fantasy is the same as the hot tub fantasy. If only I had an irrepressible person in my life, then I could have fun. The uptight victim fantasy is the same as the Hawaii fantasy. If only that guy would loosen up, then we could have fun.

Wish I could be more like
Karen by night  – Jill Sobule, Karen By Night

It doesn’t have to be that way. The only thing that we need to do to have fun is do the things that we love to do. That’s it. No fancy hot tubs. No fancy trips to Hawaii. No other people. We can have fun at home with some crayons and a blank sheet of paper. We can have fun at work with a little bit of idle chatter. We can have fun anywhere by just turning inward and thinking happy thoughts. It is so simple and so hard. I really wish that I could be more like Karen by night. Work hard and well during the day and party hard and well at night. Next morning, show up, fresh as a daisy.