I went to an audition last week, and I got a call back to perform on a show w/ some other comedians. I watched each of the other 11 comedians perform and kill. I thought, "Jesus... how are they gonna ever pick a winner(s)? Everyone is funny! Just how many fucking comedians are out there?" As I sat in the back, among the other comedians, I looked around the table and thought this is less a "talent" game and more an "endurance" game. Eventually, some of these comedians will give up, and that's when the ones who stuck it out will move ahead. Until then there are just TOO many of us comedians to all find great success.
Being an original is not just an option, I think its a necessity (at least for personal and artistic growth). I could easily do some piece of shit that would make me more liked, but is that the ultimate goal to all this? There are lots of comedians who get tons of laughs, but afterward I can't remember one joke they told, or if I do, it doesn't resonate in any sort of way. It's like my memory of that comedian is just a video on mute: I can only "see" him in my mind, but can't hear a word he said.
Here's something I came across (and haven't seen in a while). Keep on flowin'.
From "I'm Dying Up Here", on Comedian Elayne Boosler, finding her friends in comedy in Los Angeles during the 1970's: It was like the best version of a family that she would have designed for herself, comprised entirely of quirky, funny people on a shared mission and completely supportive of one another.
I walked into the Comedy Cellar last week for my semi-irregular dosage of Colin Quinn and Nick DiPaolo. I was pleasantly surprised by special unannounced guests Chris Rock and Louis CK.
The last two guys up were Rock then CK. Rock walks in, and the place erupts. He does 15-20 minutes, gets off stage, and the crowd is all a-buzz. Whispers, talking, chatter. People who didn't want to get up during Rock's set now get up and head for the bathroom. The waitresses (including mine) who didn't want to hand out checks when Rock was on stage, now rush all over the tables settling up their bills.
Now up comes CK (who essentially did the check spot). He didn't do crowd work. He didn't say some stupid hacky shit like, "Oh how about another hand for my opening act Chris Rock" (implying that the bigger star was warming up the crowd for him). He didn't spend two seconds addressing the people walking around, getting up, or the obvious distractions going on in the room to "win over the crowd". He just nonchalantly said, "Helloooo", and went into his material. It was a bit rough at first, but then ended up killing the room and had the biggest laughs of the night, BY FAR.
At one point a table of women were chatting a bit too loudly. He stopped mid joke, and simply said, "Ladies, I'm sorry... Could you keep it down? It's just that I can hear you from the stage that's all, and it's sort of distracting..." Bam. Just like that they quieted down, and he continued.
I hear a lot of comedians say, "You HAVE to do crowd work. You HAVE to address the room when something unexpected happens, like a waitress dropping a glass or a celebrity like Chris Rock shows up". No you don't. You don't HAVE to do anything. You do what you do; that's it. It doesn't matter if you're a comedian or not; apply this to your own life. Just do what you do, man. Just do what you do... Here's CK, in his own words from his DVD 'Chewed Up', circa 2007-08:
