We’ve all played the role of class clown or cracked up co-workers with a story by the office copier, but what are some of the signs that you should take that show on the road and go into standup comedy? The experts attempt to answer that question.
“Be fearless. That’s the No. 1 thing. Well, determined and fearless. You have to be both. Wit is also essential. Look, there are a lot of people who are funny at work, and all of their friends tell them, ‘You should do stand-up,’ but they know the back story of this person, so anecdotally, situationally, of course it’s funny. But when you step up on stage in front of people who have no idea who you are, who’ve never seen you before, it’s a different challenge to earn their laughter.” - Angry Patrick Beam
Favorite comedian: Chris Rock
“What are the signs someone should be a comedian? Probably some of the same signs as Asperger’s. If you feel socially awkward or if you don’t quite fit into groups of people. If you have an interesting or unpopular take on something. Or be funny. That’s literally all I tell people. Funny is the one thing that hits all classes - you can be skinny, fat, short, tall, black, white, Asian, Hispaniel … I don’t know words. Is that a word? - it doesn’t matter. Funny is the great equalizer. Either you’re funny or you’re not. If you’re a funny person, then try to be funny onstage. If you’re not a funny person, don’t.” - Michael Brown
Favorite comedian right now: Brian Regan
“Somebody that can sit there and talk to a group of people - having a conversation with yourself, basically - without any input from that group and making everyone laugh, that is a true sign. Most comedians, their comedy actually pulls from a darker place in their lives and getting on stage is kind of a therapy for them. Usually someone that’s a mass murderer would make a good comedian. No. I’m kidding. But you need confidence. If you don’t exude self-confidence, people are just going to feel sorry for you.”
- Michael “Doc” Davis
Favorite comedians: Jim Carrey, Louis C.K., Robin Williams
“You might be a comedian if you write a lot, and you write funny things,even if they’re stories or essays or poems or songs. Or if you’re already into public speaking or an actor, or someone who could show no fear. Fear is what separates the boys from the men or the girls from the women. … You have to have a thick skin to be a comedian in general, but especially a woman. It’s cool to me to know that female comedians have that vulnerability. Comedians are a strange group of people with low self-esteem who also esteem themselves very highly. They’re a weird crop of people.” - Amy Pannell
Favorite comedians: Louis C.K. and Eddie Murphy
“You gotta be able to make as many people as you can, in any given area, laugh several times over the course of say, 10 to 15 minutes. I like people who think of funny waysto look at really horrible things. I think that’s where the best laughs come from. Something beyond a chuckle at bathroom humor. If you can make people laugh about something that’s completely and totally devastating, those are good laughs.
- Jason Thompson
Favorite comedian: “That Hicks Carlin Pryor Foxx” guy.
Style, Pages 36 on 05/21/2013