So much for the Seven Dirty Words ...

Taking off with the movie “M*A*S*H” in 1970 — a huge hit that grossed $450 million in today’s dollars — and its spinoff sitcom, ’70s comedy ruled from an anti-throne of contempt for authority in all shapes. College deans, student body presidents, Army sergeants and officers, country-club swells, snooty professors and the EPA: Anyone who made it his life’s work to lord it over others got taken down with wit.

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Now, in the Judd Apatow era, comedy is increasingly marked by two worrying trends: One is a knee-jerk belief, held even by many of the most brilliant comedy writers, that coming up with the biggest, most outlandish gross-out gags is their highest calling.
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The other worrying trend today is self-centeredness: Get more and more personal. Put a microscope on that belly button! We really want to know about the quantity, color and consistency of the lint you discover there