Comedy and Everything Else

[Wizz]

I don't know if anyone from the show still reads this thread, but on the last episode you guys were trying to figure out a bit about how someone being gay choosing a life of ridicule and prejudice is absurd. I think that's a David Cross bit.

it is!

listening to this bit on CAEE(?) reminded me of something i saw on the news a year or so ago - i don't remember who it was exactly, but it was an interview with a WNBA player who was coming out as a lesbian. shocking, i know. but what struck me was when the interviewer asked if it was a choice a not, the wnba player in fact said that it was a choice, and that after 30 years of heterosexuality, she suddenly had decided to lead a gay lifestyle.

...what?!

[nathansmart]

that's hot

[Tuohy]

Todd never spanked his son Tim "The Toolman" Taylor

[punkdc]

Todd never spanked his son Tim "The Toolman" Taylor

One of the best first posts ever! I wanted to speak on the Comedy and Everything Else title change; DON'T DO IT. I love the title. Also, I cannot wait for Todds new cd to come out! Is this the dvd that was recorded in Tempe? Matt or crew, can you post a pre-sale link as soon as one comes up? I need to buy this ASAP.

[Joe McAdam]

the bagpipes after that danny gans routine was hilarious.

[aenemaTron]

You beat me to posting that exact thing. That was great.

[Jenny]

In light of the Mrs. America talk and Jimmy Dore's mention of civil unions being seperate but equal, I thought they'd be interested in the set of articles mentioned here: Adult Content Notice

Three articles with gay people against gay marriage because they don't want to conform to a traditonal lifestyle.

(The adult content notice is only for subject matter)

[Kentock]

In light of the Mrs. America talk and Jimmy Dore's mention of civil unions being seperate but equal, I thought they'd be interested in the set of articles mentioned here: Adult Content Notice

Three articles with gay people against gay marriage because they don't want to conform to a traditonal lifestyle.

(The adult content notice is only for subject matter)

Ugh, I hate this argument. You don't want to conform? Don't.

But give the people who want to marry the opportunity to do so.

[scamboogah]

Don't you contradict yourself all to hell when you give an interview saying that your non-conformist lifestyle has made you happy and implying that everyone else should also adopt your non-conformist lifestyle?

[nathansmart]

In regards to Flipman's Humpty Dumpty routine - I can't be one hundred percent on this because I don't have that type of memory but I can recall him riffing on mother goose tales on his radio show before he ever put out his DVD. I would have to say it's gotta be an accident, if anything, based solely on his reputation as someone who is a champion of originality. But, who knows...

Can we say that the premise, while not being overused or hacky, is probably something that a lot of comics who surgically dissect subjects could come to the same conclusions about?

[Kentock]

Hey, can we all discuss Jimmy's assertion from a couple episodes back that crowd work is a crutch? I think that's pretty off the mark. Especially because part of his point was that crowd work comics never get famous. That seems, to me, to be entirely beside the point of how artistically ambitious or lazy it is.

I love crowd work. It's exhilarating to watch, but more than that, it's one of the things that separates stand-up from other forms of comedy. Where else are the performers given the option to address the reality of what's going on in the room? And there's something so attractive about the idea that I just witnessed a joke that is based on what is happening right now. It makes me, as an audience member, feel like I saw something special.

Crowd work, like almost anything else in stand-up, can be a crutch. But that doesn't make it a crutch per se. To use a touchy example, a lot of comedians use political humor as a crutch, knowing that they will get a certain level of support from a crowd that agrees with them, even if his jokes aren't terribly clever. But I wouldn't say that political humor is somehow bad because some comics use it badly. Because then I wouldn't be able to enjoy jokes like "bleeding heart conservative," which killed me.

Whaddaya think?

[nathansmart]

i agree - now rate my post with a plus

[nick]

In regards to Flipman's Humpty Dumpty routine - I can't be one hundred percent on this because I don't have that type of memory but I can recall him riffing on mother goose tales on his radio show before he ever put out his DVD. I would have to say it's gotta be an accident, if anything, based solely on his reputation as someone who is a champion of originality. But, who knows...

Can we say that the premise, while not being overused or hacky, is probably something that a lot of comics who surgically dissect subjects could come to the same conclusions about?

Didn't Gervais do the Humpty Dumpty thing in Politics, his special from 2004? Way before Gulman's special. I'm not entirely sure, since it's been a while since I've seen Gervais's first couple of stand up shows, but that's what the youtube clips say. Either way, I agree that once you decide to deconstruct Humpty Dumpty, there's only so many ways the bit is going to go. And I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of other comics do similar jokes.

[nathansmart]

Didn't Gervais do the Humpty Dumpty thing in Politics, his special from 2004? Way before Gulman's special. I'm not entirely sure, since it's been a while since I've seen Gervais's first couple of stand up shows, but that's what the youtube clips say. Either way, I agree that once you decide to deconstruct Humpty Dumpty, there's only so many ways the bit is going to go. And I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of other comics do similar jokes.

Oh, when did Gulman's special air again? 2006? That's right! So, Gary, watch your back!! The Politics DVD did come out in 2004.

[JimmyJimmy]

Note to Ken,

Thanks for your thoughts on the crowd work. I think we actually agree, but let me clarify..... I also love crowd work. I am jut saying that the comedians who make it the only thing that they do are fooling themselves into thinking that their crowd work is special. IT is not. Most funny people who are funny on stage can do crowd work well, and do it when appropriate. Making it all you do is a mistake artistically, and bizness wise. I think if you re listen to what I was said on the podcast you will see that I love crowd work and think that the people that do it exclusively do it well.

But comedy is taking an idea and relating it to strangers in a way that resonates. Doing crowd work is way way way way way way way way way way way easier than it looks. and way way easier than crafting ideas and presenting them comedically to strangers.

[TacoSmith]

Having not known really anything about Gary Gulman before the 'cast I was very pleasantly surprised by how well he fit in on the show. Seems like a super nice guy, too.

And even though I don't think it happened on this show, Todd saying "I'm just happy to be alive" at the beginning of the show never fails to make me laugh.

[aenemaTron]

All I knew from him was watching Tourgasm and he had the (not ironically) best moment, which was beating Jay Davis with his shoe. He seems cool, I agree. Pretty funny, too.

[Adult Ed]

All I knew from him was watching Tourgasm and he had the (not ironically) best moment, which was beating Jay Davis with his shoe. He seems cool, I agree. Pretty funny, too.

I couldn't watch more than an episode and a half of Tourgasm. My positive impression of Gulman from LCS was reinforced when he seemed perpetually embarrassed to be on the bus and appeared to hide from the camera as much as possible.

[aenemaTron]

I illegally downloaded it and watched it out of the corner of my eye, like a solar eclipse.

[nathansmart]

I couldn't watch more than an episode and a half of Tourgasm. My positive impression of Gulman from LCS was reinforced when he seemed perpetually embarrassed to be there and appeared to hide from the camera as much as possible.

My opinion of him was raised when he was bummed that Todd Glass was leaving the house and that it would be boring from then on. And it was.