Berrto's Xanga

Hustle & Flowin' Like Water

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:38:02 GMT

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'.

Survival

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:59:01 GMT

It's been a rough last couple of days. But then I wrote a joke, and everything's okay...

Corps

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:52:42 GMT

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.

Is yours?

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:19:14 GMT

Demonic sleeping Boxer. This made me laugh out loud.

What the heckle??

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:09:06 GMT

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:

Chuckles in the Park

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:02:05 GMT

(I run like an old man...)

Twit for Twat

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:32:09 GMT

Required reading www.twitter.com/brianjian

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:55:06 GMT

Sometimes I gotta stop and ask myself, “Why did I get into comedy in the first place?"

There is a REAL hypocrisy among comedians. On the one hand we say to ourselves (out of ear shot of civilian audiences) “We have to be different! We have to be original! So many comedians sound alike; take risks!” Blah blah blah. But on the other hand when a comedian DOES step into the margins and ventures into truly creative (albeit unorthodox) territory there is a DISTINCT backlash against him/her for it. Sorry for you non-comedians reading this; it might seem too “inside”. But I’m confident this applies across disciplines and art forms so draw your own analogies. There is the hypocritical “establishment” who shuns the very creativity it whines that it’s lacking. I see it ALL the time!! There are guys who I don’t particularly find funny per se’ but I sit there and admire the HELL out of him/her for trying something different. I’m grinning ear to ear as they reach for something no one else in the room had the balls or foresight to reach for. Then I look around the room and see the other comedians (or hear from them later) shit on the guy for doing what I just saw. BUT THEN, in another breath, say, “Oh, I gotta be different, you gotta be different, we gotta different! Stand out! Be unique!” Oh Christ… you can choke on the hypocrisy.

You’d THINK comedians are a cheerful bunch, or at least good-humored and fun-loving… accepting of anything and everything ‘comedy’. And some are. But there are a whole lot of just cock sucking bitches, who you I want to kick in the throat. I run into them and look at their stupid faces and want to shit in their mouths. Which leads me back to my first question: Why did I get into comedy in the first place? I got into this because I love telling jokes in front of people who love to listen to jokes. Isn’t that so simple? So simple but so easy to lose sight of.

When you become more conscious and worried of what your contemporaries will criticize you for than just doing your best, you’re no longer an artist. You’re a slave. You become enslaved to opinions instead of ingenuity. You create not art but predictable, factory-line assembled crap. I’m not saying I’m super original or creative, but I know enough not to let others talk me out of trying something different. There’s a certain danger in listening too much to your friends/colleagues that you start sounding (and creating) like them. You can become TOO influenced by your circle; you try something “fresh and new” but only with the implicit approval of those around you. If that’s the case then it AIN’T FRESH AND NEW!!! That sort of defeats the purpose of ‘originality’.

[Side note: The friends I’ve made in comedy are based on them being good people, not whether they’re good comedians (I’ve actually heard that some comedians out there only befriend those they think are funny or on their level of talent or ability; and if you’re not, they won’t talk to you! Are you fucking kidding me??!)]

I’ve curtailed a lot on how others influence me; unless you’re someone I really care to hear or read about, I’m probably going to avoid listening to you too closely. I don’t think Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and George Lopez sit around reading each other’s blogs or websites. I have a feeling they’re too busy writing material.

My Dogs

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:42:57 GMT

Wow.

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:24:40 GMT

I don't even know what to say to this (or how it even relates to comedy, but I think if I try hard enough I can make some sort of connection), just that this is absolutely mind-fuckin-blowing...