The Comedian Thread!!!!

Variable

New member
Joined:
Jul 24, 2010
Posts:
3,023
Liked Posts:
122
BlackhawkPaul said:
There are plenty of comedians like that. I honestly wish George did more. I think if Bill Hicks would have lived, he may have been the most vocal outside of a comedy club/stage.
Click to expand...



Yeah maybe he would have, but that's not what I'm really talking about. I mean during the stand up, you could take away the actual jokes, anything considered "funny" and you'd have material for like a speech or a lecture leftover that it alone would be incredibly engaging by itself. Like, I wouldn't go see Chris Rock if he weren't doing his act. I wouldn't go see Patton Oswalt not be a comedian just to hear his thoughts on X, or whatever. It's kinda tough to explain, I have no interest in the majority of comedians outside of their "act" and who they might portray on stage and what they do to make me laugh.



Carlin was one of the very few that made me care more about the more important underlying points he was making rather than his actual "jokes", if that makes any sense. It made me think about those rather than just be, for lack of a better word, brainless entertainment (which there is nothing wrong with) that I would forget an hour or two later and in which most comedians fall into that category. Yeah he could be the goofy Hippy Dippy Weatherman and do jokes about the airport or dogs and cats that everyone else takes a stab at, but then he'll say something like :



"Where do people think these politicians come from? They don't fall out of the sky. They don't pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and American universities, and they are elected by American citizens...So, maybe, maybe, maybe, it's not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here... like, the public. Yeah, the public sucks. There's a nice campaign slogan for somebody: 'The Public Sucks. **** Hope.'"
 

Ymono37

New member
Joined:
May 16, 2010
Posts:
4,005
Liked Posts:
0
Location:
Suburbia
the canadian dream said:
Schimmel was great. He was bound for even bigger success. One of those comedian who also was interesting to listen to off stage and exposed a lot of the underbelly of the stand up circut. How lonely it can be and how depressing it is. Drugs and alcohol and all that interesting stuff.
Click to expand...

If you haven't already - you should read his book, "Cancer on Five Dollars a Day" - scary and hilarious at the same time.
 

the canadian dream

New member
Joined:
May 15, 2010
Posts:
6,402
Liked Posts:
14
Variable said:
Yeah maybe he would have, but that's not what I'm really talking about. I mean during the stand up, you could take away the actual jokes, anything considered "funny" and you'd have material for like a speech or a lecture leftover that it alone would be incredibly engaging by itself. Like, I wouldn't go see Chris Rock if he weren't doing his act. I wouldn't go see Patton Oswalt not be a comedian just to hear his thoughts on X, or whatever. It's kinda tough to explain, I have no interest in the majority of comedians outside of their "act" and who they might portray on stage and what they do to make me laugh.



Carlin was one of the very few that made me care more about the more important underlying points he was making rather than his actual "jokes", if that makes any sense. It made me think about those rather than just be, for lack of a better word, brainless entertainment (which there is nothing wrong with) that I would forget an hour or two later and in which most comedians fall into that category. Yeah he could be the goofy Hippy Dippy Weatherman and do jokes about the airport or dogs and cats that everyone else takes a stab at, but then he'll say something like :



"Where do people think these politicians come from? They don't fall out of the sky. They don't pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and American universities, and they are elected by American citizens...So, maybe, maybe, maybe, it's not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here... like, the public. Yeah, the public sucks. There's a nice campaign slogan for somebody: 'The Public Sucks. **** Hope.'"
Click to expand...
 

the canadian dream

New member
Joined:
May 15, 2010
Posts:
6,402
Liked Posts:
14
LOL.



What I was going to say before my phone turned into a commodore 64 is this.



I hear what you are saying Variable. I feel that way with a lot of stand up comics also (I love those who do social-cultural material). Carlin was an artist and a master of his craft. He pushed the envelope when it needed to be pushed and he effected not only popular culture but culture as a whole. When you just quoted him I laughed at not only the writting but also because I could see him and hear him speaking those words. I think everyone can when they hear a Carlin quote. That says a lot about not only him as a performer but also a writter. His material comes off as essays in a lot of senses. The guy was simply incredible. His material still lasts the test of time also. Cant say that about a lot of comedians. I dont think Carlin was simply generational like many. I put him up there with one of the most important artists of all time. Artist!!



But I also like the showmanship of some comics. I like the Chris Rocks also but for different reasons. I think Chris Rock has a lot of features that Carlin displayed and went to areas that needed to be delt with also. Not sure if he will ever have the lasting power Carlin had though. Guys like Chris Rock I cant see doing stand up when they are in their 60s. And I dont think their material will still be relevant. But for the time and space they are important and entertaining figures in the comedy relm.



I may be too young but what sort of influence did Lenny Bruce have on Carlin. I mean Lenny has been declared the most important figure in stand up. Its strange because I have never really sat down and watched or listened to Lennys stuff. I need to do that one day. I have heard sound bites of course and just love what I hear and how he presented his material. I really need to listen to much more of him. I would love to learn more about Lenny Bruce.
 
BlackHawkPaul

BlackHawkPaul

Fartbarf
Donator
Joined:
Sep 28, 2010
Posts:
5,997
Liked Posts:
2,338
Location:
Somewhere in Indiana
I have to agree with TCD.

I respect comedians that want to do more than just comedy. That's cool.

Some albums like Eddie Murphy: Comedian are just funny.
 

Variable

New member
Joined:
Jul 24, 2010
Posts:
3,023
Liked Posts:
122
the canadian dream said:
LOL.



What I was going to say before my phone turned into a commodore 64 is this.



I hear what you are saying Variable. I feel that way with a lot of stand up comics also (I love those who do social-cultural material). Carlin was an artist and a master of his craft. He pushed the envelope when it needed to be pushed and he effected not only popular culture but culture as a whole. When you just quoted him I laughed at not only the writting but also because I could see him and hear him speaking those words. I think everyone can when they hear a Carlin quote. That says a lot about not only him as a performer but also a writter. His material comes off as essays in a lot of senses. The guy was simply incredible. His material still lasts the test of time also. Cant say that about a lot of comedians. I dont think Carlin was simply generational like many. I put him up there with one of the most important artists of all time. Artist!!



But I also like the showmanship of some comics. I like the Chris Rocks also but for different reasons. I think Chris Rock has a lot of features that Carlin displayed and went to areas that needed to be delt with also. Not sure if he will ever have the lasting power Carlin had though. Guys like Chris Rock I cant see doing stand up when they are in their 60s. And I dont think their material will still be relevant. But for the time and space they are important and entertaining figures in the comedy relm.
Click to expand...



Yeah I agree. I feel "comedian" is limiting when it comes to describing what Carlin was. He was one, he was an entertainer, but he was more than just that. To me, his best stuff aren't really jokes at all. Like this:



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W9Cs6KPTus[/media]



That might be my favorite Carlin piece and it didn't include one joke whatsoever.
 

the canadian dream

New member
Joined:
May 15, 2010
Posts:
6,402
Liked Posts:
14
The Mule said:
Shit is getting **** heavy in here, and as the solel female poster I need to up my lady game. Maria Bamford's impression of the stereotypical female comedian is pure gold. Ammirite ladies?



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDnLedkBjWg[/media]
Click to expand...



Feminist!!!



Why do you think its been so difficult for women to break into the mans club which is stand up comedy. Is it the material that dumbs down the audience and dumb downs the female audience. Or could it also be the lifestyle. Not that there havent been great female stand up comedians but are their legendary ones.



Bamfords a good comic but that was a shitty example of her material meatball.
 

The Mule

New member
Joined:
Dec 11, 2011
Posts:
722
Liked Posts:
4
Location:
Vancouver
the canadian dream said:
Feminist!!!



Why do you think its been so difficult for women to break into the mans club which is stand up comedy. Is it the material that dumbs down the audience and dumb downs the female audience. Or could it also be the lifestyle. Not that there havent been great female stand up comedians but are their legendary ones.



Bamfords a good comic but that was a shitty example of her material meatball.
Click to expand...



Hooray! I am a feminist and so should you!



It was more of an example of why other female comedians aren't successful. Even in this clip Bamford is making a social commentary. Not merely on women's comedy, but also how it's perceived by an audience.



The respect level isn't there for a variety of reasons. Women didn't even work out of the home for a long time, let alone go to comedy clubs or stand on those stages and write jokes. If you listen to interviews with female comics, like Sarah Silverman of Janeane Garofalo, they often talk about how just regular old shitty misogyny prevented them from getting ahead. A lot of male comedians did not want them on stage, did not think they were funny and were very dismissive of them, as well as club owners who didn't want to give them a chance or risk not making money off of them. The comics who persevered had to go through all the hard part of comedy, tours, shitty clubs, agents, crappy pay, but also a lot of other shit too that make comedians got to skip over.



I think a lot of female comedians turn to improv or sketch, like UCB or Second City, because they could work with other people, play characters in scenes and there was a pre-existing structure and a pre-existing audience. Starting in the 70's with Catherine O'Hara, Gilda Radner and then moving to women who started at UCB or SC and now do television and not straight stand up, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig. Or people who I consider comedians, but don't do straight stand up, like Amy Sedaris for example. She does her own thing, worked with Colbert doing sketch and then had develop her own way of presenting comedy.



I would consider Joan Rivers a legend. Woman is like Don Rickles. Old school, still tours, still has to work, sells out venues. She inspired young female comedians and had to go through the ringer to make it where she is today. And Phyllis Diller is a legend. She's 94 and was doing interviews even last year. ***** is on it.
 

phranchk

New member
Joined:
May 14, 2010
Posts:
2,053
Liked Posts:
0
Location:
Champaign
Some other comedians I haven't seen listed that I enjoy

Ricky Gervais, although sometimes his laugh drives me insane.

Brett McKenzie and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords)

Bill Cosby

Robin Williams

Dave Chapelle

Bill Maher

Steven Wright

Jon Stewart

Larry David
 
MassHavoc

MassHavoc

Moderator
Staff member
Joined:
May 14, 2010
Posts:
17,856
Liked Posts:
2,554
Andy Woodhull and Tommy Johnigan you can all suck it.
 
MassHavoc

MassHavoc

Moderator
Staff member
Joined:
May 14, 2010
Posts:
17,856
Liked Posts:
2,554
You make no sense as usual. I can't help it if you don't know these rising stars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

10,936members
95,812threads
4,542,884posts
191online users

Members online NOW

  • Member
  • Admin
  • Mod
  • Donor
  • HOF
Total: 191 (members: 4, guests: 187)
Top