The Truth Behind Stand-up Comedy
I actually happen to be a stand-up comedian in the Atlanta area. What made me want to become a stand-up comedian? Well, stand-up comedy of course. I watched stand-up comedy for the first time when I was 4 years old. It was Ron White, a comedy not suitable for a 4-year-old. But I loved it. So, right then, I decided I wanted to become a stand-up comedian.
Comedy is something that no sane person chooses to want to do. We are born for it. The people who do it are truly irrational. Getting up in front of strangers to try to make them laugh? It's hard enough trying to make your friends or co-workers laugh, but complete strangers who don't know you and don't care what you have to say? Who would do that? I would. It is stressful, but I love it.
And I want to clear something up: there is a lot in the media about how comedians are secretly sad or all comedians are depressed, and, while some of that is true about some comedians I know, the truth is this: comedians are optimists. Every comedian, right before they go on and they've seen every single one of their friends (some of them much better comedians than themselves) do terribly and bomb, will think to themselves "Yeah, but I got this." And they will bomb. This is a universal truth.
Comedians also think too much about what audiences think. An audience, when hearing comedy, only has to listen and think about how the jokes make themselves feel. However, a comedian, at all times, has to think about how the jokes make themselves and the audience feel. Really, the audience is lucky they weren't born comedians. It's a lot of stress.
Every time a comedian tells a new joke on stage it is akin to introducing their significant other to their family. And the response the audience gives is telling the comedian whether they approve of their choice or not. So, if you think about it, every time a comedian gets on stage it's like Thanksgiving. You can imagine the stress.
"But what about offensive comedians? They don't think about what they say on stage." I can tell you, wholeheartedly: they do. They deeply care about what people think. Ricky Gervais, a comedian known for his offensive monologues at The Golden Globes, has said that any time someone says they were hurt by his jokes it devastates him.
Comedians are weird people to tell jokes they know people may not like. Everyone has those moments where they think of a joke that they shouldn't say. Comedians are the people who still say the joke because saying the joke is more important. An apology can be made at any time, but the perfect timing for the perfect joke is fleeting.
The biggest struggle me and my comedian friends face is ourselves. We place limits on ourselves. We narrow our vision too much, focusing on only one path; like a horse at a race track, we place blinders on ourselves and think there's only one way to get to the finish: follow the track. When, in fact, the nature of comedy allows comedians to explore every angle and direction.
I truly love this medium. But I fear it. Comedy is one of the vaguest and ethereal things. It's like trying to wrestle the wind. Or it's like trying to balance plates of fine china on top of a yoga ball. It's a high-wire act. Any misstep could be the end, but the feat of accomplishment is so alluring that I feel drawn to it. It's akin to Gatsby staring at the green light; it is desirable but it feels like it could also be the end of myself.
Marc Maron, in his comedy special Thinky Pain, said that he writes all of his jokes on napkins and loose paper because he sporadically thinks of a joke and must write it down immediately before it is gone. That is the epitome of the mind of a comedian. And now you know why it is even harder for a comedian to do what they do.
Realizing that the people who do this are people who think sporadically and take random, unconnected thoughts from moments in their life, try to make a cohesive chunk of entertainment, and present all of it while looking like they thought of all of this only moments before is one of the greatest ironies of them all. And that is comedy at it's finest.
Opinions and Perspectives
I think the writer downplays natural talent too much. Some people are just naturally funnier than others.
The bit about perfect timing being fleeting really struck me. It's true for so many things in life.
This explains why so many comedians seem neurotic. They're constantly analyzing everything from multiple angles.
Love the insight about comedy being vague and ethereal. It's true, you can't quite pin down what makes something funny.
Wonder if other comedians started as young as 4. That seems unusually early for career inspiration.
The article really captures the contradiction of planned spontaneity in stand-up.
My take is that good comedy comes from truth. All that overthinking probably gets in the way.
I respect comedians even more now. It takes guts to keep going when you know you might fail.
This reminds me why I stick to making my friends laugh. Professional comedy sounds way too stressful.
The comparison to high-wire acts is spot on. One wrong move and everything falls apart.
Would love to hear more about how comedians develop their unique style. That wasn't really covered.
The article captures the paradox of comedy well. It's both carefully planned and spontaneous at the same time.
I'm skeptical about comedians being born for it. Surely dedication and practice matter more than natural talent?
That point about comedians caring deeply about offensive material is eye-opening. Changes how I view certain performers.
Comedy seems like the ultimate form of vulnerability. You're literally asking for judgment with every joke.
The optimism angle is interesting. Must take a special kind of hope to keep going after bombing repeatedly.
I wonder how many great jokes have been lost because someone couldn't find a napkin fast enough.
Makes me think about how social media has changed comedy. Everything gets recorded and scrutinized now.
The Maron napkin story is classic. My friend who does stand-up has notes scattered everywhere too.
This article feels a bit self-important. Lots of jobs require courage and quick thinking.
Never realized how much mental juggling comedians do on stage, thinking about their feelings AND the audience's.
The spontaneous thought process reminds me of jazz musicians. It's structured improvisation.
Interesting how they mention blinders like racehorses. We probably all do this in our careers to some extent.
I've bombed at open mic nights and can confirm it's soul-crushing. But there's something addictive about those rare good moments.
The stress level sounds similar to what musicians go through before performances. Creative people share similar anxieties.
That bit about introducing jokes being like introducing significant others to family is pure gold!
I'm curious about how different comedy scenes vary across cities. Atlanta must be quite different from New York or LA.
The part about comedians limiting themselves really resonates with me. We often create our own barriers.
I think the article romanticizes the struggle too much. Some people just naturally have good timing and wit.
This makes me appreciate stand-up comedians so much more. We just see the final product, not all the stress behind it.
Anyone else catch the Great Gatsby reference? Interesting parallel between comedy and impossible dreams.
The idea that comedians are born not made is interesting. I wonder if there's any scientific basis for that claim.
I love how the article compares it to balancing china on a yoga ball. Such a vivid image of the precariousness of live comedy.
This really opened my eyes to how much preparation goes into what looks spontaneous on stage.
You're missing the point about offensive comedy. It's calculated risk-taking, not thoughtless shock value.
I found it fascinating how comedians still go on stage even after watching others bomb. That takes serious guts.
The part about Ron White influencing a 4-year-old is concerning. Maybe we should be more careful about what kids watch.
My cousin is a comedian and she always says similar things about the random thought process. She keeps a voice recorder with her everywhere.
The article makes stand-up sound terrifying. Why would anyone choose this career path? It seems like voluntary torture.
I actually don't buy the idea that comedians overthink audience reactions. Some clearly just want shock value.
The analogy of comedy being like wrestling the wind is so accurate. You can't quite grasp it, but you know it's there.
That bit about Ricky Gervais being devastated by hurting people's feelings surprised me. I always thought he didn't care what people thought.
As someone who's tried open mic nights, I can confirm the stress levels are insane. Even with just 5 minutes on stage, my heart was racing the whole time.
The comparison to Thanksgiving dinner is brilliant! Never thought about it that way, but it makes perfect sense. Every new joke is like introducing a new boyfriend to your parents.
I disagree with the claim that comedians are optimists. From what I've seen, many use humor as a coping mechanism for their struggles.
Reading about comedians writing jokes on napkins reminds me of my own creative process. I can totally relate to that urgent need to capture ideas before they slip away.
I've always wondered what drives people to become stand-up comedians. The part about comedians being optimists really struck me as interesting and counterintuitive.