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Friday, May 14, 2010
This isn't funny.
Now before you get all hater on me. I'm not hating on the man. He's got more money. I can certainly respect the work he's done. all in all. this blog is just my opinion.
I'm trying not to be one of those "joke purists" but I can't really help it I guess.
He's just retelling a story about some crazy shit that 1 million other people witnessed. People come to comedy (in my opinion) to be like "I could never do what he just did." but if you go and some guy tells a story about an R Kelly concert. You're like "Oh yeah. I remember that. Hey. I could do comedy."
Which. Anyone can. but we don't need more competition. Fuck off.
Just kidding. But the only "jokes" are when he says "we're the only white people here." which is funny. The funniest part is when he talks about the interview with R Kelly. That's like joking about a viral youtube video. Chris Rock was GREAT at taking something like that, sort of re telling it so you get the jist of it and launching into a whole bit about it. but the funny part of that shouldn't be about the actual video. Does that make sense?
Plus I hate it when you can see a set list on the floor. Isn't comedy about the illusion of spontaneity? Unless it's a order for the host. Still. Memorize it like everyone else has to do.
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I disagree with you on this and don't get me wrong, I AM A COMEDY PURIST, and I am proud to say that.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those examples of what happens when you find "your comedic voice." (I know you hate that term) You make a great point, it is a story that millions of people could tell literally, but can't actually tell like Aziz does. Every moment in that story has been finely tuned to find the laugh. I tell a lot of stories in my act, sure they are more personal than a lot of Aziz's, but he and I are different in terms of style. Watch that clip again and pay attention to the inflection of his voice and the rhythm that he gets in with the audience in terms of laughs. Also, there are a lot more punchlines in the story itself in terms of how he characterizes R. Kelly and his responses than you are giving him credit for. There is a whole shit ton more to comedy than set up punch, I know you know that.
When you read a script, it is up to you to find the humor in it. On paper it could be kinda funny, but comedian voices bring out the laughs in the character itself. Why do you think Aziz is killing on sitcoms right now... because he developed a voice that IS funny. For that matter, some of the best sitcom characters ever come straight from the stage. I am dealing with that right now auditioning for TV and film. How do I BE funny as a character immediately no matter what is said, and it goes the same for the stage.
If you ever watch the best comedians in the world, Louis C.K., Bill Burr, Giraldo, etc. they start killing from the first word to the last... why? Because they are funny and they know their voice. I could read a transcript of Burr and it would be ok, but wouldn't kill like Burr does. And I have studied those guys forever, they are straight jokey comics. For that matter nobody is. Why does every Hedberg rip off suck? Because they don't have Hedberg's voice. If Hedberg told the R. Kelly story, he'd kill it, and it would be 100% different from Aziz.
I meant that they aren't Jokey comics, and they'll go a long time in their act without a standard set up punch, but still get laughs.
ReplyDeleteTypos in that last post are due to pure laziness and fatigue. Way too much typing.
I see your side of the coin.
ReplyDeletePart of me disagrees, part of me agrees. Yes. He is amazingly talented and has an incredible character that can make lots of things appeal to a crowd more than the average comic. He can take a youtube video, tell a story about it and make it funnier than I can. but maybe it's the bitter part of me that feels like making goofy faces and crazy voice inflections is cheating. Another part of me wonders if people are laughing more at him or R Kelly.
You're right about his voice. Fantastic. Not my cup of tea. but I certainly admire the courage it would take to develop such a hit or miss style. While I personally have made it my goal to appeal to as broad of an audience as possible.
I guess part of how I "learned" comedy was write a setup, write a punchline and then go back and make the setup just as funny that way you aren't doing such an obvious setup, joke, tag format even though if you break it down. Water is still an H and 2 O's.
I'll tell you one thing. You have amazing insight into this voice thing. I still don't completely understand it, but the more I talk to you the closer I feel like I become.
I feel like I've found my voice and I feel like there's parts of it yet to be discovered. In the sense that, I feel like every joke in my head sounds similar. It has a similar style. Kind of a similar theme. I know the type of topics I prefer to talk about. I know the words I like to use and not use. At the same time. I have no idea if that means anything. :)
Holy crap, that was a clinic by the Mootster. Really good stuff. Brian should have a blog dammit.
ReplyDeleteAnother guy who can now buy small countries on the strength of his incredibly unique and hilarious "voice" -- meaning his entire persona from hair to toes, all in perfect sync: Chappelle. I've tried to analyze as many comics and their acts as possible, but he's one where I just threw up my hands and gave up, letting myself just enjoy it, because it's nothing anybody not named Dave Chappelle could replicate. It's not traditional setup/punch, it's just a guy so in tune with his comic soul that every gesture and syllable seems perfectly tuned toward being funny.