Comedy Evaluator Pro Software

[apreacher]

@nerdist. i agree with the sentiment of your post, but as far as science goes this system seems more like phrenology than neuroscience. what is the operational definition of a great set? absolutely comedians should be constantly evaluating and fine tuning their material, but shouldn't those adjustments should come from developing a rapport with your audience and your craft, and not from some glorified decibel meter? does this software have an innate sense of comedy timing? does it know how to build laughs? it seems like all it does is say, "be funny, faster, all the time." i guess, if i'm honest, i'm really just worried robin williams is going to get a hold of this software and start using again.

[drbristol]

I'm really looking forward to seeing I AM COMIC, but this Roye guy is already huckstering himself by barnacling to the flick so heavily that I half expect to see him on an infomercial by the end of the week.

If it's all a big joke, kudos. If not, well...like the Comedy Boot Camp, it's probably a great idea if it works for you, but it seems like a frighteningly narrow-mided attempt at numerical analytics (an example of that polarizing thing Chris mentioned). For example...

Cable Larry grunts out "Git Er Dunnnnnn", doesn't the crowd explode into a fit of uproarious laughter? And again when he repeats it? And then again? Sounds like each of those obvious crowd-baiters would spike Larry's laugh score. So if he added a couple of "Giterdunns", and his score went up...would that mean his set improved?

[beccaBeccaBECCA]

I was going to start an I AM COMIC thread, but eh.... I'll just post the videos here because the Comedy Evaluator Pro software is featured in it:

[YOUTUBE]6FP9nmD6fts[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]0WQw9hO9Qlg[/YOUTUBE]

The comics interviewed in the film are pretty wide-ranging (imdb). I definitely want to see it when it becomes available to REGULAR, NON-FAMOUS PEOPLE.

[Evander]

Cable Larry grunts out "Git Er Dunnnnnn", doesn't the crowd explode into a fit of uproarious laughter? And again when he repeats it? And then again? Sounds like each of those obvious crowd-baiters would spike Larry's laugh score. So if he added a couple of "Giterdunns", and his score went up...would that mean his set improved?

There's the rub.

None of this sort of stuff can actually measure how funny you are, or even the quality of your set. All that it can give you is how much that particular crowd subjectively liked your set.

Now, tracking things over time might give you a larger set of data to work with, but ultimately, it has nothing to do with how funny you were, and everything to do with how much the crowd liked you. That is totally fine to care about, of course, but it's important to remember. Your catchphrase may not be funny, but the audience sure does enjoy it when you say it.

[scamboogah]

If a comedian says, "Give it up for yourselves", does the score get applied to the crowd as a group, or is it divided by the number of people present? Is there a situation where Comedy Evaluator could rank an audience member higher than the comic?

I would imagine that whoever mentions 'The Troops' most is the funniest comedian.

[SlyBattery]

Sometimes when I go to a comedy show, I find the stand-up makes me laugh too much in a short time and my jaw starts to hurt. Recklessly increasing your Laughs per Minute can have negative effects too that I think should be arbitrarily debated.

[bradyoil]

1 - to be truly scientific, you;d need a constant measure of what was a positive response versus a hack-response... to weed out the "let's hear it for the troops" clappin'.

2 - dana gould on that doug benson podcast is genius. wait until you see him in "I AM COMIC"

3 - what about a Mocking Audience Response, for open mic night... a MAR Score for how bad a comic is and we laugh AT him/her?

best,
j

[bradyoil]

here a clip NOT in "I AM COMIC", left on the cutting room floor that cracks me up every time. Note how long it takes the emcee to leave the stage.

http://tinyurl.com/yffbzcm

[beccaBeccaBECCA]

From Part 2 of the RAAAAAAAANDY Documentary:

(Skip to 1:40)
[YOUTUBE]3R-9D2O6-ss[/YOUTUBE]

JUST SAYIN'...

(Though, I do plan on analyzing my sets whenever I start doing stand up, so don't take this as any condemnation or formal censure... more anecdotal evidence of hilarious coincidence than anything!)

[drieux]

I would love to see how this software analyzes somebody's first open mic set.

[beccaBeccaBECCA]

I would love to see how this software analyzes somebody's first open mic set.

Ooooooh! Just putting this out into the universe, MAKER OF THIS SOFTWARE, WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE SNOOPING ON THIS POST, I'd love to get a trial version and try it on my first open mic set, which hasn't happened yet, but will ... presently.

Throwing out the bait. Let's see if I get a bite.

[drbristol]

Ooooooh! Just putting this out into the universe, MAKER OF THIS SOFTWARE, WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE SNOOPING ON THIS POST...

May or may not be?

Page back in this thread to the January 19, 12:06 pm post by (cough) Jim Nayzium (cough). Captain Calculation was as subtle as a cabbage fart.

[drieux]

Hey, I hope you get a free trial version. But I was being sarcastic; the last thing any newbie at an open mic needs is a number-by-number assessment of your set.

Let me look into a magical comedy crystal ball (charge: free!) and tell you how you'll do your first few times: mediocre to terrible. Ooooh! (waving arms mystically)

If you're somebody who has been performing for a few years, and has a general idea of how to write to your voice and strengths, and you want something nerdier than watching/listening to yourself and poring over your sets, then by all means drop the cash to buy this thing.

But to anybody who hasn't even gotten onstage yet-don't. Your first months of performing are strenuous and difficult enough, and you'll basically be grasping at straws to just get laughs anyway. Seeing a numerical, scientific evaluation of how badly you suck at this moment isn't going to provide you any real assistance.

And frankly, in your early stages you will find plenty of people who will eagerly take your cash with promises of making you totally awesome. They are often failed comedians themselves, and all they can provide is a quick way to throw away some hard-earned money. Whether material, comedy classes or sure-fire tactics to become King Shit comedian #1, consider it the equivalent of a late night commercial telling you that You Too! can make big money on real estate or a pill will suddenly make you as boneable as Kim Kardashian.

Again, I can see some merit behind this program - but NOT for a brand-new open mic'er. And besides, 90% of newbies are going to quit within a few months anyway. Save your bucks for the possibility of the night where you admit failure and drink yourself silly.

[nixonjames]

I stumbled across this as a suggestion from a fellow workshop member and was put off by the heavy dose of scam site design, not to mention the killer SEO that covers pages and pages and pages.

In hindsight, it makes sense. I couldn't even come close to finding an objective review or 'free download.' If you sign up for the free trial you get a 14 day trial of the software.

As mentioned before it's a tool. If you're not a self aware comic (re MAR score... spot on) then you can use it for evil, so to speak... and enhance and reinforce certain behaviors. That being said, the fool is a pretty difficult character and ultimately I think this would fall flat... but I'm sure many crappy comics could use this to their advantage.

But so could the good comics. While I had the trial I went back and taped my favorite 2 minute segments to compare. The math is not THAT difficult... and with 2 stopwatches and a calculator you could theoretically all do this yourself. But it did open my eyes to a couple of things. I don't think I'd justify spending money but I do feel like this program at least, is merely a tool... and the responsibility is in the hands of the user.

But don't listen to me. I'm 18 months in and trying very hard to desystemitize my system and work all day every day with no pay or success oye vey. Sorry. Not sorry.

[shig]

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[shig]

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[crowbar]

Just based on how it rated Todd Glass, one of my top 10 favorite comedians, I really don't know that I can trust this software. And though that native American guy supposedly got a high score, I was pretty bored by what he had to say. There is no such thing as an objective measurement of comedy. Dane Cook might get a higher PAR score than my favorite comedian. Does that mean he's better?