The Eugene Mirman thread?

[Eugenem]

I have one joke that I did as part of my thesis that ended up in my first Conan and on my first album. It's where I say that I am nervous because this is the first time... I've spoken English.

My thesis had a style that was similar to what I do now, in that I had lots of odd bits. I had a haiku, a letter to Mattel and one to MCI (I think that one may be online somewhere), something involving a stuffed bear I think, a list of ridiculous philosophies ("There is no God, not even a little one"), a goofy poem thing with a guitar that made fun of indie rock, and fake fortune cookie fortunes I'd claimed I'd gotten ("On behalf of the Chinese, we think you are getting fatter" and "You will get breakfast...in bed" were two). Of course all of it was peppered with weird standup, some of which made sense and some of which did not.

One joke I remember was about how I'd invented something called a "ball ladder" which was a ladder that led up to your balls and was for tiny monkeys and squirrels. It was generally met with confusion, but some enjoyed it.

[CJ Toledano]

Wow, that's really cool. Thanks, Eugene.

One more question about your thesis if you don't mind but how did you go about coming up with the one hour? Was there a moment where you decided that you would come up with one hour of stand-up for your thesis and you went out and started working on it or was it the kind of the thing where at that point you were doing stand-up enough to just put it all together for one hour?

[wrinkle_in_my_pants]

How did the 2nd night of recording go for you?!

[Eugenem]

I had always intended for my thesis to be an hour of standup. I went about it as best I could — I did a weekly comedy show in the basement of my dorm, I performed regularly at a Chinese restaurant in Hadley, MA. I would drive to Boston and New York to do bringer shows and random sets. I once had the pleasure of opening for a dirty clown in Belchertown, MA. I had never done an hour up until that point and was very nervous. But there were a lot of people in the audience and excitement so it went pretty well. But my thesis was not just writing and performing the hour — it was also producing it, promoting it, running the weekly show — sort of everything that went into creating the hour.

And my recording the second night went well, I did not have to throw any drunk people out.

-Eugene

[KevinLee]

I thought this was a pretty interesting video of Eugene and Brian Posehn
[youtube]uF2SAlKFI9U[/youtube]
"Brian Posehn had lost his voice the previous night, so he called on Eugene Mirman to help him recite his jokes."

[Cameron]

Ha! That's my video!

[CaptainBreakfast]

Eug (it's alright if I call you that, right? No? How 'bout Dennis? do you like that name?), did you do most of your comedy in your early years independently, or did you get work at more mainstream clubs like the chuckle bucket or the funny bone? (or whatever they have in boston/NY)

[St. Elmos Oxygen]

Better yet, how did you get into hampshire whilst being in special ed in high school? I looked at that place, and it takes a lot to get in.

It was probably a little easier to get into Hampshire College in 1992

And 1996. In fact, considering the lack of education I got in one year, I have no idea how they could entice anyone to go. Maybe they've decided to forgo investing the majority of the tuition towards mediocre weed and fences for the sheep behind the dorm buildings.

Let me just say Eugene, that having been at your final, even helping you set it up, you've improved immensely since then, even though you no longer perform your Sally Struthers/coffee joke. I know I bring that up every time I run into you, but it is the only joke I remember from the performance.

[PinkieOfDoom]

Better yet, how did you get into hampshire whilst being in special ed in high school? I looked at that place, and it takes a lot to get in.

I was in special ed. in high school and I got into Wesleyan University. Then again, I got in for hockey and the coach told my mom I shouldn't go in for an interview if I wanted to get in (I was too retarded, I guess).
Point: Slightly retarded people getting into good colleges happens more than you think.

Question to Mr. Mirman if it's not prying too much:
-You tell the story of how you got in Special Ed. Not that I don't believe it's true, but were there other incidents that made them put you in Special Ed?
-And to what extent where you in Special Ed? Was it like actual classes you had to go to or was it speech therapy?
(I was in speech therapy my entire school career. At some point, I started rebelling against it by purposefully giving the most autistic answers possible when we had to play board games.)

[Eugenem]

did you do most of your comedy in your early years independently, or did you get work at more mainstream clubs like the chuckle bucket or the funny bone? (or whatever they have in boston/NY)

I mostly did independent clubs or ran my own shows. For me it always seemed easier and more fun to build my own audience than break into some club. I mostly performed at The Comedy Studio (3rd floor of a Chinese restaurant in Harvard Square). I was there most nights they were open and eventually did a weekly show with Brendon Small (we were roommates) and Patrick Borelli (co-author of Holy Headshot!) called P.S. Absurdo. I also ran a weekly show called The Lounge Soot at the Green Street Grill in Central Square. That's where Jen Kirkman did her first standup set. And Patrick Borelli, maybe even Brendon and Larry Murphy?

When I got to New York I tried to do some clubs. I remember someone from Gotham telling me that they saw me do an Aspen showcase and that I'd "passed" and to call in "avails." I would call them and leave messages for months but never heard back. Marc Maron recommended me to the Comic Strip and after my set the owner told me that he knew I'd done Conan and that Marc had recommended me, but that he didn't get it and was mostly confused. He said he already had a low energy wordsmith, and I wasn't quite that anyway.

It didn't matter, because there were lots of great Alternative shows. I would do Luna and Stella at Fez and Tinkle. Then Bobby and I started Invite Them Up. It never seemed that important to do the clubs. There were plenty of rooms with good audiences to try stuff out. Now I do sets at clubs sometimes, especially for showcases, or I'll headline Comix. There are lots of good clubs, but the process of passing seemed so annoying that I never found it worth it. It was easier to get on television, so I did that.

Question to Mr. Mirman if it's not prying too much:
-You tell the story of how you got in Special Ed. Not that I don't believe it's true, but were there other incidents that made them put you in Special Ed?
-And to what extent where you in Special Ed? Was it like actual classes you had to go to or was it speech therapy?

I was a terrible student starting in 6th grade. They would test me, but the results were erratic. I would test great in math and then make up answers on reading comprehension and just add random shit to the stories. My parents thought I was bored, the school thought I was retarded. Both were probably right. In Massachusetts it was called "Resource Room." For one or two periods a day I would go to a room with other slow students and nice ladies would help us with our homework. This went on for 6 years.

And 1996. In fact, considering the lack of education I got in one year, I have no idea how they could entice anyone to go. Maybe they've decided to forgo investing the majority of the tuition towards mediocre weed and fences for the sheep behind the dorm buildings.

Though a lot of people drop out of Hampshire and it certainly was a disorganized school, I loved it. Hampshire was maybe easy to get into at the time, but it was not easy to stay at and finish. But yes, there were lots of potheads and hippies and loud fools. You could still get a great education. How else would I know that the number of white collar jobs between 1898 and 1910 went up 600% or something like that? (I might be way off). How else would I know that Vaudville, amusement parks and the light bulb helped create the middle class? (Sort of — amusements parks DEFINITELY let guys and girls brush up against each other on rides at a time you couldn't otherwise.)

[Alex Mac]

Hey Eugene. Quick questions from an amatuer.

1. What is the best way to organize your own comedy show, especially in a college setting? Is it just a matter of claiming a room, setting up the PA, and giving it a go?

2. How can one go about being influenced by certain comics without seeming too derivitive of them as well? Case in point, I find that I am highly influenced the way you don't always seem to worry about segues. How does one go about channeling (or at least heavily being influenced by) comic styles that resonate and work with you, while avoiding pure imitation?

Thanks. Best of luck in all endevours.

-Alex Mac

PS. I seem to recall hearing that you recently played Mottley's in Boston. If so, what can you tell me about the room? I'm doing a show there next week and any advice would be snaz-tastic.

[Cankerblossom]

Not a question, Eugene, but I flipped past the Sci-Fi channel a few nights ago and watched part of a movie that may be even better/worse than Mansquito- "Frankenfish."

[dougbenson]

hey eugene, are you going to be appearing in THE BENSON INTERRUPTION monday night at 9:30 at ucb-ny?

[Scratch Lightning]

Not a question, Eugene, but I flipped past the Sci-Fi channel a few nights ago and watched part of a movie that may be even better/worse than Mansquito- "Frankenfish."

You know, as far as those Sci-Fi channel movies go, Frankenfish wasn't the worst.

I particularly liked how they made the hot asian biologist a lesbian for no reason whatsoever, and then killed her halfway through the movie in the most random way possible.

[Eugenem]

Hey Eugene. Quick questions from an amatuer.

1. What is the best way to organize your own comedy show, especially in a college setting? Is it just a matter of claiming a room, setting up the PA, and giving it a go?

2. How can one go about being influenced by certain comics without seeming too derivitive of them as well? Case in point, I find that I am highly influenced the way you don't always seem to worry about segues. How does one go about channeling (or at least heavily being influenced by) comic styles that resonate and work with you, while avoiding pure imitation?

PS. I seem to recall hearing that you recently played Mottley's in Boston. If so, what can you tell me about the room? I'm doing a show there next week and any advice would be snaz-tastic.

1) Yes, I think you have to claim a room and set up a PA. I'd try to make it fun and not too long. When I was in college there weren't a lot of other standup comedians, but I would get people I thought were funny to tell stories or get sketch groups or have people read stuff. Sometimes I'd get comics from Boston I knew or nearby cities to come. There was a man who lived in a halfway house and was very funny but unstable who'd perform. And a man in a potato sack who performed at rallies. You can have a party afterwards. People like to be part of a community.

2) I think the only real answer is to do it for a while. You'll eventually find your voice and be less derivative. Maybe 5 years? Lots of people say it takes about 10 years to find your voice and feel comfortable. I think that's somewhat true. Obviously you'll have success and write good jokes before that, but if you think of most of the comics that are really great, many of them have done it for 10 to 20 years. There are exceptions. Demetri Martin, Aziz (I forget his last name), Andy Blitz, Nick Swardson, those people all found their voices much faster and had much faster rises. But it's vaguely true. Also, if you're worried about sounding like other people, that's probably enough self-awareness to avoid it eventually. So, I guess my advice is be yourself for 20 years and you can have a TV show?

3) I did play Mottley's. It's a nice room with low ceilings that seats about 100 people. My advice is to do standup well when you're there. There's nothing to really suggest.

hey eugene, are you going to be appearing in THE BENSON INTERRUPTION monday night at 9:30 at ucb-ny?

Now that I think about it, yes. I believe I will be there.

[CaptainBreakfast]

In writing your material, do you find it essential to surprise yourself?

[Eugenem]

In writing your material, do you find it essential to surprise yourself?

I do like to surprise myself. I think most things that make me laugh a lot end up working well, and those things, are often surprises.

I also would like to let you all know that I have relaunched my website today. Go to http://eugenemirman.com/ or http://www.eugenemirman.com and enjoy. It went up today, so there are bugs being worked out.

There are some new videos, a blog, a store, phone calls, and a multi-user blog — The All Night Party Think Tank League — where a bunch of my friends will post random stuff. Enjoy.

-Eugene

[Keith Whitener]

3 Questions:

Eugene, what philosophical and sociological texts did you find most insightful into the art of humor as well as the human condition? Perhaps the latter also informed your worldview in general.

What are some of your own insights into the art of humor?

How often do business associates, such as journalists or executives, or fans speak with you in Russian?

Thanks!

Cankerbloosam, was this Frankenfish just a mutant fish of some sort of was it a megafish constructed out of the parts of other fish. If not the latter, expect Keith Whitener's Frankenfish to surface in the future.

[Eugenem]

3 Questions:

Eugene, what philosophical and sociological texts did you find most insightful into the art of humor as well as the human condition? Perhaps the latter also informed your worldview in general.

What are some of your own insights into the art of humor?

How often do business associates, such as journalists or executives, or fans speak with you in Russian?

1) I forget what I read. A lot of the text on comedy isn't really that great and fairly boring. I think you can find most of the common theories with google, but you can also imagine them pretty easily too. Some stuff involved humor being a corrective tool for society on an individual (though I often thought of it as being the opposite), some theories involved a displacement of "nervous energy" — that was from the 1800s — when people still believed in magic. I think Nietzsche had some idea about the progress of a person starting as a camel (beast of burden), then becoming a lion (fiercely rebellious), and then ending up a a baby (reborn anew). I always thought that was nice. I don't think his theory had to do with comedy at all, but I enjoyed the idea that you start out imitating what you like — like a beast of burden, then fiercely rebel against it — like a lion — and then you're reborn as yourself — a comedy baby that makes fun of government and relationships in your own way. I honestly forget and might be wrong about what he wrote. That was a while ago, now mostly I make very smart sex jokes and write angry letters do shitheads.

2) I forget what my insights are — but they are probably great.

3) Sometimes. Often if people speak Russian, they will say something in Russian to me.

[Chris Donahue]

Eugene,
how come you aren't coming to Ohio with Stella on the 7th?
Is there anything that can be done to make you come?