This is apparently my week for truly sick comedy. Warning to all readers: these are two very funny movies. Provided you like the sort of humor where you’re constantly saying, “I can’t believe she just said that.” If your sense of humor is not sufficiently twisted, then move along, there’s nothing to see here.

That line came to mind because the South Park urchins make an appearance in The Aristocrats, along with just about every other name comedian of the last two generations. Give producers Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette props for thoroughness, since this comedy documentary includes talent from the Borscht Belt, 80s “where are they now” folks, and current HBO headliners. If you missed the reviews, the movie tracks what is widely considered to be the filthiest joke in history through the improv variations given it by various comedians; along the way, we get several interesting commentaries on the nature of comedy and the business. And a mime act that nearly made me burst a lung.

For my part, the film reminded me of something I’ve learned from spending time with several insanely talented comedians, artists, and actors: it just sucks that I don’t have any talent. Because when you’re performing, you then get to hang afterwards with other professionals as they do their damnedest to make beer shoot out of your nose. Stand-up comedy is probably the hardest job on Earth, but these people seem to have more fun after the show than any one human being should have.

And if I were in the industry, I’d definitely want to meet Sarah Silverman. Sure, she’s got that cute Jewish thing working, but more importantly, she’s smart and funny. You can pick up most (but as Ebert points out, not all) of her act in Jesus Is Magic. Like the Aristocrats, this is comedy for limited (i.e., sick and twisted) tastes; Silverman does material on rape, the Holocaust, and AIDS. Oh, and infant mutilation.

The downside of this film is that it suffers from HBO-itis; has there ever been a “comedy special” where the crap they bookended the show with was funny? Here, unfunny material bookends and is interspersed throughout the movie; the show would have been far better if they just let the stand-up, er, stand up on its own.

Regardless, this is well worth 70 minutes of your time, and be sure to stick around for the encore and the funniest performance of Amazing Grace you’ll ever see.