Chris Gethard's opinions on comedy
"I have no interest in bad art with good politics, or good art with bad politics."
A few years back, comedian Chris Gethard wrote, “My Personal Opinions Regarding What I Do.”
I’ve been keeping a list of my opinions on comedy for a few years now. These are the things I cross-reference my own ideas and writing against, to try to guide myself towards work and behavior I’m proud of…These are just opinions. Not rules, not even guidelines, just things I’ve found work for me in the context of comedy.
It’s a great list and I’ve excerpted some of my faves below with my own comments:
The best stand ups are the ones who can go into any environment and figure it out. Alt, club, college, festival, rock show, etc.
Avoid comedy ghettos. If you’re only going up at the same club all the time, you’re not stretching yourself or your act. If a joke works at a club and an alt show in Brooklyn and an urban show uptown and on the road in a red state, then you know you’ve got a bulletproof bit.
If a comic before you tells the audience they suck, that comic is weak. Try starting your set like this afterwards: “Thank you guys for being here tonight. And thanks for giving me a little bit of your time.” You will instantly feel their guards come down. They’re just happy someone (specifically, a mediocre comedian) is not calling them dumb for being there.
The people who did show up are not the enemy. If you’re mad, it’s at the people who didn’t show up. Don’t take it out on the ones who are there. Use that iffy crowd as a workout and try to turn the energy of the room around.
When you don’t take enough time to live a real life, your jokes start to feel stale and thin. Sometimes the best joke writers demonstrate an insane amount of skill at writing and telling a joke, but the joke isn’t about anything since they don’t go and live life. (I have the opposite problem. Too much bouncing around life, not enough discipline in writing.)
Interesting artists lead interesting lives. If you’re just a database spewing jokes, there’s a ceiling to the connection you can make with a crowd.
Never underestimate young people. If you feel like young audiences are too PC, there’s something to be said for “Maybe you need to find a smarter way to make your point.”
I get why people are so mad at kids today for being sensitive. But then again, when in the past were the kids wrong?
Comedians are allowed to say whatever they want. But comedians forget that the other side of that is that audiences are allowed to be offended.
Go ahead, be provocative. But then don’t be surprised when they’re, y’know, provoked. Congrats, mission accomplished!
I have no interest in bad art with good politics, or good art with bad politics.
We’re all glad you said the right thing but did you say it funny? If not, it’s a lecture, not standup.
If you want to live a life with no rules imposed via others, it’s on you to install your own discipline into your routine.
The higher up the food chain you go, the more you realize professional comedians behave like professional athletes. Regimens, hard work, diligence, constant training, etc. You don’t “not have a boss.” You are your own boss.
Imitate your heroes in your early days, but remember that the best type of imitation is emotional imitation. At it’s best, you won’t imitate their writing style. You won’t imitate how they behaved. You will imitate how they made you feel.
Art school students go to museums and draw the sculptures. That’s how you learn. But eventually, you have to make your own thing that’s unique to you.
Don’t act like a comedian, act like yourself.
Comedians are thirsty. Real people are real. Be a real(ish) version of you instead of this guy: