Nov242005

Patton Doesn’t Need You

Filed Under Stand-Up Comedy

Yesterday, I referenced the AV Club interview with Sarah Silverman. On the other side of self-examination, is the A Special Thing Interview with Patton Oswalt. It’s incredibly dense discussion of how an incredible comedian has learned and evolved. The conversation delves deeper into a concept Patton’s only been able to touch on quickly in his show Comedians of Comedy… needy comedy. Simply, being funny and needing laughs don’t mix, if you want to come along with what I find funny that’s great. Being happy with yourself on stage and not worrying about what would make you popular with audiences. It’s a great lesson in how presentation is everything in comedy. Well worth the long read it’s becoming. Part one and part two are up now, with more to come. Read the AST Interview with Patton Oswalt. It’s a must for all fans of the form.

Nov232005

Sarah Silverman’s A.V. Interview

Filed Under Stand-Up Comedy

This A.V. Club interview with Sarah Silverman while not as good as others they’ve conducted, is still interesting simply for how little is revealed. A New Yorker story mentioned that “Because Silverman is a comedian, she doesn’t like to dissect what she does.” I disagree with this premise generally, because in order to get anywhere in comedy, you have to examine your work simply to figure out what works for you, for an audience. It might be more inexplicable that a Zen Koan, but there has to be a critical eye.

That said, this is a great example of a comic avoiding dissection, although I’m not really sure how you would answer questions like, “What was it like to be fired from [SNL]?” The most interesting part is her description of how Chris Rock would get an audience to listen to him - he’d simply start his act and let them catch up. There’s a little else there, but it’s kind of fun to see how rude-funny someone can be in print. Read the full interview here.

Nov172005

Sarah Silverman =/≠ Lenny Bruce?

Filed Under Movies, Stand-Up Comedy

In the wake of Jesus is Magic, comaprisons of Sarah Silverman to Lenny Bruce are almost as cliche as hipster reporters salivating over her, contemplating just what does it means to be so funny and so fuckable (more on that at the end). It’s a parallel that she’s appropriately humble about. But what makes someone the next Lenny Bruce? What’s the ruler here? Here’s some answers from other sites as to if Sarah = Lenny and whether I find the comparison fair.

Onion A.V. Club Blog: Yes. And No. Why? She’s walking a well-worn path of taboo breakers, but she walks it incredibly well. But her work isn’t attempting to make an impact in society, ultimately being about itself rather than meaningful. Fair or Unfair Fair. Hysterically funny stuff doesn’t have to have a goal, but I think any comparisons to Lenny Bruce would require the comics to be attempting some sort of change. David Cross is far closer to Lenny Bruce in this regard. Sarah’s material lives in its own world, you live and laugh, laugh very hard, in it for the hour and you’re done.

Entertainment Weekly: No. Why not? Though “blasphemous-and-proud-of-it”, she lacks a connection with her own material in a way. We simply rehear stereotypes. Fair or Unfair? Fair, although she is found wanting in this category in opposition to Margaret Cho, whose material, while sharp, doesn’t seem as twisted. I don’t think this is necessarily a flaw, but some comics find they enjoy talking about themselves, some do not. The Sarah Silverman on stage is a character and I think it might be a function of her sex. Female comics who talk about themselves on stage are considered confessional whereas a guy who does the same is simply talking about something that happened to them. It’s an annoying categorization that people place on comediennes. I think it’s one reason why Sarah is so popular in a frustratingly masculine art, she avoids that limiting box by not putting her real self in her act. I ‘m not sure we’ll get a feminine Lenny Bruce until a comic defies that box entirely.

Cinematical: Somewhat. Why Not? Sarah will never get arrested for her material. Her struggles are against political correctness rather than establishment. Fair or Unfair? Unfair, considering times are different. Would Sarah have gotten arrested then for doing the material she performs now? Almost certainly. Even today, she still has trouble with some audiences who are not ready to hear her play on racial sterotypes (the infamous Chink statement and getting booed off stage by a largely African American audience for a Martin Luther King Joke.) A lack of spontaneity is a bit more daming, because she is very rehearsed and calculated. But she is capable of incredible improvisation, see her joke from the Aristocrats. She’s professional, not stiff.

Now, as to Sarah “coltish looks” and “porcelin skin.” I don’t think Sarah’s looks matter one bit to her comedy. You could easily issue “Jesus is Magic” on CD, with equal effect. (In fact, I hope they do). Her material is strong, although arguably the expressions on her face help sell some of them. Gushing over her looks is just another sign that so many comics and fans of comedy have never really exited puberty. Grow the fuck up, already.

Oct242005

Christian Finnegan Avoids ‘Bama Beatdown

Filed Under Stand-Up Comedy

This past Friday, stand-up Christian Finnegan nearly got beaten up by a drunk marine during his show at the Stardome theater in Birmingham, Alabama. He recaps all the details in his blog posting about the incident. The staff, including the eight it took to drag the guy outside, were great according to Christian’s account, having already cut the guy off from any alcohol prior to the incident and swooping in very quickly when he did make a move to the stage.

Despite the two empty bottles of vodka on the floor of the drunk’s car, Christian takes the ass-kicking attempt a little bit to heart, talking about how he’s been modulating material for other areas of the country to establish himself as a headliner. He states that he had already “de-balled” his set prior to the show, although he did do a bit about America being a bully. Christian concludes that wasn’t what set the guy off, but rather that he just screams “Yankee Faggot.” Comics… always focusing on the one person not laughing. Or the one trying to punch them in the face.

Christian has one great point: that avoiding beatings from the inebriated few and proud isn’t a mark of indie cred. He’s actively trying to entertain the rest of the country that isn’t below 14th St. in Manhattan. All self-deprecating references to becoming a hack aside, I think what Christian’s working on is exactly what makes a great comic… finding the common points in any audience that can bring them into your own voice. I hope he won’t think of himself as politically or culturally neutered for long.

In the meantime, if you’re a member of the armed services, here’s a schedule of Christian Finnegan’s next performances.

Sep222005

No More “I’m Rick James”, Now it’s “Pick Me! Pick Me!”

Filed Under Stand-Up Comedy

In an act that’ll send thousands of fledgling comics to the front rows of their favorite stand-up’s shows, last weekend Dave Chappelle tapped a young audience member and stand-up of six months to be his opening act at the Pittsburgh Improv. Clyde Toledano was found by Chappelle while he was conversing with the audience. Toledano asked Chappelle to sign his joke notebook, which brought cheers from the audience to read it. Chappelle didn’t want to embarass Toledano as he had once been, but was inspired to have Toledano open for him right there.

It all sounds too good to be true, as some on aspecialthing have mentioned. But with Toledano’s blog offering copious evidence and online new sources corroborating, it’s pretty obvious that Chappelle’s not only funny, but incredibly nice. Toledano entitled one of his blog entries featuring a photo of him and Chappelle, “ Life Begins To Suck From Here.” With a chance like this, let’s hope not.

Hmm… maybe Chappelle could pick someone to do a third season of his show this way. Aspiring comics, if you want to open for Chappelle, try these dates:

• 9/23 - Davis, CA @ UC Davis
• 9/24 - Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center
• 9/30 - Ypsilanti, MI @ Eastern Michigan University
• 10/1 - Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
• 11/12 - San Antonio, TX @ Municipal Auditorium
• 11/13 - Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
• 11/14-16 - Denver, CO @ Comedy Works
• 11/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Jon M Huntsman Center
• 11/18 - Reno, NV @ Silver Legacy Casino
• 11/19 - Las Vegas, NV @ Caesars
• 11/20 - Tucson, AZ @ Anselmo Amphitheater

Jun152005

An Interview with Larry the Cable Guy

Filed Under Interview, Stand-Up Comedy

Recently I had an opportunity to talk via e-mail to Larry the Cable Guy (real name Dan Whitney) on the release of his new album The Right to Bare Arms. I’ll have a review of that album tomorrow. The transcript after the jump is unedited.

Sorry about all the SHOUTING.

More>>

Jun062005

Pol: Raise Comics’ Minimum Wage

Filed Under Stand-Up Comedy

Shecky Magazine caught an article in the NY Daily News about a bill in Albany to make sure comics get $120 for a 20 minute weekend set. The bill was written by Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat. The Daily News editorial has had some fun with this, pointing out how ridiculous it is to claim comedians need a raise because they might have to cab between clubs. The Observer wonders if Espaillat is joking. And Shecky, though for stand-ups, is strongly against anti-raise efforts, stating “Nobody owes any standup comic a living.”

And they’re absolutely right, but the point here shouldn’t be not necessarily a living wage off of comedy but a fair one. Any language in the bill guaranteeing comics an ability to live off their comedy should be dropped. Entertainment is a crap shoot and if you try and eliminate the risk, you’d kill comedy clubs dead. But comedians should have some bargaining power to gain some money.

But the thing that gets me, isn’t this bill moot? Earlier this year the New York Comedians Coalition got club owners to agree to a wage increase. Sure it was not the $120 they originally wanted, but most went to $85, a compromise that all parties seemed grateful for, considering the potential work stoppage threatened at the time.

Worse, Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat seems unaware of this deal. The Daily News reports that a spokesman for Espaillat stated, “If they make a deal, we will withdraw the legislation.” But The Coalition website makes no mention of any sort of backtracking or reneging on the deal made in February, so why is the government getting involved? The two parties have already resolved their differences.

Espaillat might be helping comics just by making himself a good joke.