Stand Up Comedy

[Damini]

I figured it was time for a new thread. It's Damini time again! Everyone, grab your cushions and your glass of milk, Nibbler spit out that Play Doh, and all gather round.

For some reason, that I am totally going to regret, for my drama degree final year I am specialising in Stand Up Comedy. I've been procrastinating about this for ages, and today was the deadline for deciding, and thats what I have put down to do. Its not simply the study of comedy, oh no, I actually have to Do Stand Up. My teacher and Kenny have talked me into it, but my pulse rate is rising already.

Fear One: Loss of bladder control on stage

Fear Two: Complete humour bypass - turn into a Butlins Redcoat and end up making lewd passes at prepubescent girls on stage.

Fear Three: Wobbley voice syndrome

Fear Four: The entrance of the Tumbleweed

So you lovely people, I want you to be my muses. Who are your favourite comedians and why? I hate Lee Evans, I want to staple him to the floor and tell the little shit to stop sweating everywhere, but hey, thats just me. Anyone seen any really good/terrible live stand ups?

Have you ever seen a comedian cry on stage?

Yours in a fit of panic,

Damini xx

 

[Nibbler]

Mish Damhini, zhe phlaydoh ish shticking to my teetch.

 

[Sar]

Connolly rocks on his one man shows, man can wibble for hours and it's allllll good.

Ditto Robin Williams. Jack Dee is pretty good stand up, as is Patrick Kielty.

 

[Nibbler]

Peter Kay 0wnz. Il'd love to see Johnny Vegas do a show.

 

[Sar]

There's always the Queen of Stand up: Izzard.



And Vegas is meant to be shit at Stand up

 

[Nibbler]

 

[old.MissEv1L]

Billy Connelly rules

but there r other gr8 comedians as well
(dont want 2 cause another arguement)

 

[Kempo]

heh my 2 faves are eddie izzard and billy connoley

 

[Damini]

Comedians I like : Bill Hicks, Billy Connoly, Eddie Izzard, that guy with the badger.

Comedians I hate: Lee Evans, Roy Chubby Brown, and that bird who pretends she is a page three model.

I think doing stand up is going to be the scariest experience of my life!

 

[Munkey-]

THE GUY WITH THE RED FEZ!!!!!!

 

[Damini]

Tommy Cooper?

 

[Munkey-]

thats the guy. well ace

 

[echo]

//edited cos I was too late at pointing out tommy cooper

 

[xane]

Izzard is my favourite, been to a couple of his shows, great stuff, the piece he did for Hysteria III sticks in my memory forever and makes me laugh everytime.

(Controversial) I often liked Ben Elton, once he'd got into his post-Thatcher mode, and the amount of funny stuff he has written (like Blackadder).

Woody Allen, prior to making films and knobbing his step-kids, he was a great stand-up comedian in the early days (1960's), if you can get a tape of these "Nightclub Years" they are great, look out for the infamous "Moose Sketch".

The wildest act I have seen is Amazing Jonathan, he is one of a number of stand-ups who use magic as well, the best known are Penn & Teller and Jerry Sadowitz, both good too.

The worst live "stand-up" I've seen is Mark Thomas (of the TV), his "show" consisted of 30 minutes of "I want to kill Tony Blair", very non-comedy (unless you are a rabid new Labour hater), and extremely vitrolic.

 

[xane]

Forgot about Steve Wright, I don't think he still appears any longer, here is a list of his more famous one-liners.

 

[Summo]

Oh my God, Damini you chose STAND-UP COMEDY? What were you THINKING?

Okay, so the damage has been done. It's not too late. It's fixable. :/

As you're doing drama I'm guessing you (at least) have a fair degree of talent, confidence and an ability to observe people. So copy someone...

Of course... no. That's wrong. If I were in your shoes (and to be honest I would NEVER have chosen stand-up comedy, but that's not helpful) I'd make a routine that's more acting-led and try to establish a small series of characters which recure throughout the routine, obviously without making them appear too often. Audiences love it when they recognise a reference to an earlier character or segment. I guess it makes them feel clever, or something.

Usually in stand-up the charcaters are secondary to what's actually written (assuming you have to write it as well) but if it was me I'd really focus on the charcaters and performance. I'd avoid feedline/punchline type stuff which I imagine is harder to succeed at for an unestablished comedian. Unless they're so stupid and off-the-wall and delivered by one of your characters that it's clear that it's supposed to be stupid. A bit like Paul Merton, maybe.

My favourite is Eddie Izzard who picks a good balance between intelligent observations (his European history bit stands out here) and his little characters (squirrels, drilling cat, "cake or death?"). If you just read his stuff it's not very funny at all and certainly doesn't feature any punchlines.

In conclusion then: YOU FOOL! But focus on what you're good at. You clearly have a mind full of childhood stories so start with them (everyone can relate to that) and embelish the charcters of the younger you, and other protagonists. I reckon that once you've got a basic outline you'll be able to go off at tangents and that's when it becomes special and funny. I remember reading how Izzard used to pretend to be two charcaters and have conversations with himself. That's pretty easy to do and you could get some good stuff out of that.

I dunno if this is helpful or just very patronising, but it's supposed to be the former.

Good luck, little funny lady!

 

[old.twilight]

I saw Harry Hill and thought he was well funny- albeit a bit of a lunatic.

 

[Summo]

There ya go - character over writing. In my opinion...

 

[Moving Target]

Eddie Izzard is the best. 'nuff said.

 

[old.Fweddy]

Billy Connelly's on TV tonight (bbc1, 10.35) you should watch that as, err, research.

 

[caLLous]

Eddie Izzard is a comedy GOD.

 

[Testin da Cable]

imo Billy Connelly is pretty cool. I'm not current on brit comedians tho D, sorry.

 

[old.Jas]

Jack Dee is brilliant. While your Lee Evans' and Harry Hill's have to run around and make tossers of themselves to get a laugh, his cool, calm gags are hilarious

Bill Hicks is also good. His views may also be of interest to your, I guess, mainly student audience...

I have never seen two people on pot get in a fight, because it is fucking IMPOSSIBLE. "Hey, buddy!" "Hey, what?" "..................." End of argument.

Heres another good one...

A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fuckin cross?

 

[caLLous]

Hehe, you heard Bill Hicks' take on English crime? The "hooligans".

 

[S-Gray]

Lol anyone remember the Celebrity * You ARE the weakest Link - Goodbye *? with Jonny Vegas and who have you.. that made me piss myself for hours TOTALLY LOVED IT

*REPEAT

 

[Damini]

Erm.... Thanks Summo! And bloody hell Camazotz, I'd forgotten all about the Amazing Jonathon. I particularly liked the clip where he stabbed someone in the head with some scissors, gentle soul that I am.

Right, well... the reason I chose to do stand up is because the teacher (who is a stand up comedian) approached me to do it and said I'd be good at it, and because Kenny insists it'll do my confidence the world of good. I personally am not to sure how having a mental breakdown on stage is going to do that for me, but that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger huh? Either that or make us frail scarred shadows of our former selves.

I don't know if I could do character impersonations The only impressions I can vaguely do are Captain Kirk and Agent Smith, and both sound vaguely Pakistani/Welsh if I dont hold my concentration. So I think my only salvation lies in falling back on the fact that before I met Kenny I was the most bitter and scathing person known to mankind; this now is Damini #2: The Fluffy Years. Well, 3/4 fluffy, still retaining a closet 1/4 feral. But I don't want to be the illicit love child of Jack Dee/Jo Brand, I wanna be me, I spose. I'm going to be going round in circles for the next 6 months!!

I was the child from the Omen Summo. I worked out everybody who lived was therefore condemned to die at the age of four, and I got dragged of to see a psychaitrist very very promptly. Everytime we had to sing the grandfather clock I'd break down into grand bouts of mournful crying for the decomposing "old man", and I tried to warn all and sundry that they and their parents were mortal. Maybe thats a place to start from?

 

[luap]

Jim Davidson live. Totally the funniest thing ever.

It's cos he's beliveable.

 

[Nibbler]

Jim Davidson? Get out.....now......

 

[Gumbo]

and end up making lewd passes at prepubescent girls on stage.

I'd pay to see a bird doing that.....

Loss of bladder control on stage

I'm sure there are people who would pay to see a bird do THAT!!!



either way, Winnar!!!!!!!

 

[old.Kilostream]

As well as all the above, there is one name that I didn't notice, who I think is funny as f*ck, and that's Jasper Carrott.

Oh and that other guy who used to get pissed and rant away on stage, what was his name.........?

Dave Allen I think it was.

There, glad to be of no help whatsoever

Kilo