‘Ace’ Reveals Males’ Primitive Sides

Ever tried to get all members of your family to agree on a movie to see together?

Sadly, it was pretty easy in our group. I was the only dissenting voice as my four males unanimously voted on “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.”

My choices of “How to Make an American Quilt” and “The American President” were resoundingly booed as disgusting “chick flicks.”

Well exsqueeze me for having an iota of civilized taste. Personally, I don’t find Jim Carrey emitting a Tarzan yell from his anus - a bit in his new movie that caused nearly every male in the theater to roar with laughter - particularly uplifting … or humorous.

Carrey’s film success really is an amazing cultural phenomenon, worthy of some serious study. I don’t do serious study, but I will speculate a bit.

I have deduced that the proclivity to laugh at the embarrassing, the gross and the stupid is almost singularly a male trait.

I cite “The Three Stooges” as evidence. Show me a male, 30 years or older, who cannot wax eloquent about Larry, Moe and Curly routines.

Throw in a “whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop” sound effect, and they’re rolling on the floor.

Jerry Lewis is another case in point. Jerry was Carrey before Carrey became so scary.

Need a rubber face to make you laugh? Jerry had it. Need slapstick moves to get you rolling? Jerry had them.

What Jerry had that at least moderately appealed to the female half of the audience was Dean Martin. If men dragged their wives to Jerry Lewis movies, at least they could console themselves by focusing on the good-looking guy.

Maybe Carrey could team up with Kevin Costner. After Kev’s latest belly-flop into the deep, he could use a break.

Any humor that deals with nasal mucous, bowel movements, digestive sounds or making “the most irritating sound in the world” seems to be all it takes to get a loyal male audience. Jim Carrey is the hero of humor to the guys of America.

What does this say about men?

I’m pretty open-minded, and some even say I have a good sense of humor. I rented “The Mask,” the first “Ace Ventura,” and “Dumb and Dumber.”

I tried to get it - really I did. As all my guys rolled on the floor laughing, I turned up my nose in disgust.

Who are these people I’m living with?

Perhaps this juvenile humor is some sort of secret revenge for men. The very behaviors their mothers punished them for as youngsters are now being glorified on the big screen for millions to see. Nanny-nanny-boo-boo on you, Mom.

The morning after our family saw the second “Ace Ventura” movie, my husband was still chuckling and the boys were all imitating Carrey.

“I don’t get it,” I said, exasperated.

My husband looked at me much as he would a clueless child.

“It’s funny,” he said. “That’s all. It’s just funny.”

We-llll, all-righty then!