So this is a continuation from yesterday's post on Carlin… (read that first.) Now, imagine George Carlin's Stuff routine in front of a different audience than us. An Indian George Carlin, perhaps. He wouldn't be as funny talking about consumerism in a country where most people don't own homes. His jokes Read more
Do a little archival comedy research. It's a very interesting historical enterprise. Not only can we observe the public sentiment of the political atmosphere at the time, but we can chuckle at the outdated jargon and references. One of my favorite examples is George Carlin. He started out totally apolitical Read more
So: is it more important for you to feel that your comedy will be relevant for a long time or rather that you are totally hip and cutting edge? Some topics in comedy can go from ripe to rotten. If your act used racist or sexist stereotypes, it was probably Read more
Humor is evolving, because culture is evolving. There is a continual stream of new cultural references and lexicon, new current social and political events, new media formats and uses, and shifts in social mores that change what we find funny. Some comedians from the 1950s are still hilarious today, for Read more
In my last series, I talked about how to be a comedian. So this is Level Two. It's not just about taking the leap into comedianhood, but taking the leap into being a skilled jokeslinger (which is also the title of an album by Jim Short, who is a very Read more
If you haven't already, look back at what we've already covered. Ok, here's where we get spiritual. So you've done all the writing and stuff, but it's time for me to let you in on a new secret. The ideas that come from you aren't yours. Especially the really good Read more
Here's an excerpt from the standup comedy show I did with the lovely and talented Katie Rubin at the Sacramento Center for Spiritual Living recently. Enjoy!
Don't forget to check out the earlier posts on becoming a comedian. They're good. We're getting into some juicy stuff here. I'm holding your hand. You're not alone. I'm not leaving you. You can feel safe and secure in my comedy kangaroo pouch here, and you're protected and I'll be Read more
Check out the earlier blogs for more secrets… And let's not fool ourselves. Being a comedian is not so simple as follwing some blog entries and then saying you're a comedian, is it? Well, yes it is. All you have to do is follow the simple diagram. I promise you Read more
The first three Parts are discussed ways of interacting with comedy. Now it's time to jump in. START JOKING AROUND. Keep a notebook with you at all times. During or after you've gone to see live comedy, start letting the jokes wash over you, flow through and around you. Start Read more