this is a great question: "Would anyone still care what you're talking about if you took the jokes out?"
and
this is another question (from me to you): have you seen dave attell's new special yet? i think he represents the flipside* of your question above, because in some ways, he's not talking about ANYTHING, and as he is a self-assessed "joke guy," it wouldn't be POSSIBLE to take the jokes out.
he's doing something special and different and impressive.
AND
"Would anyone still care what you're talking about if you took the jokes out?" is still a great question.
thanks for sharing!
love,
myq
* i'm reminded of this niels bohr quote: "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." one profound truth is "it's good to talk about things you care about when you're doing comedy" and the other profound truth is DAVE ATTELL IS HILARIOUS.
Loved the new Attell and of course he's amazing and there isn't just one right way to do standup but if I'm thinking about my personal ideal version of standup it would align with comics like Carlin/Burr/CK/Rock and others who make you laugh but also embed deeper ideas that are resonant even without punchlines. But as always, follow your comedic bliss.
I think "Would anyone still care what you're talking about if you took the jokes out?" is a great question to ask yourself as a comedian, ESPECIALLY if your ideal version of standup is what yours is.
And also, in music, there are some songs with incredibly meaningful lyrics as well as beautiful music, and then there are some songs that are incredibly beautiful with no lyrics at all.
I'm also reminded of this passage from "Mr. Vonnegut in Sumatra," an essay by George Saunders that I think about a lot:
"[Vonnegut] did not seem to believe, as I had read Tolstoy did, that his purpose as a writer was to use words to replicate his experience, to make you feel and think and see what he had felt.
This book was not a recounting of Vonnegut’s actual war experience, but a usage of it. What intrigued me—also annoyed me—was trying to figure out the purpose of this usage. If he wasn’t trying to make me know what he knew and feel what he’d felt, then what was the book for?
In fact, Slaughterhouse Five seemed to be saying, our most profound experiences may require this artistic uncoupling from the actual. The black box is meant to change us. If the change will be greater via the use of invented, absurd material, so be it. We are meant to exit the book altered."
My experience of watching Dave Attell alters me.
My experience of watching Mitch Hedberg alters me.
It's beautiful. None of their jokes are the one and only point of what they are doing.
They are the point.
And also, my experiences of listening to folks like Maria Bamford, Kamau Bell, and the kinds of folks you mention, those experiences also alter me. Their work is beautiful as well. Some of it is really SAYING something. Some of it just really IS something.
Some of it is beautiful music with powerful lyrics. Some of it is beautiful music that just conveys that something.
Happy to be having this conversation, friend! Now, just to add some punchlines and I've got a new comedy chunk here!
Isn't this similar to clapter? Maybe I'm not getting it but my preferences for comedy are not usually things that border on lectures.
dear matt,
this is a great question: "Would anyone still care what you're talking about if you took the jokes out?"
and
this is another question (from me to you): have you seen dave attell's new special yet? i think he represents the flipside* of your question above, because in some ways, he's not talking about ANYTHING, and as he is a self-assessed "joke guy," it wouldn't be POSSIBLE to take the jokes out.
he's doing something special and different and impressive.
AND
"Would anyone still care what you're talking about if you took the jokes out?" is still a great question.
thanks for sharing!
love,
myq
* i'm reminded of this niels bohr quote: "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." one profound truth is "it's good to talk about things you care about when you're doing comedy" and the other profound truth is DAVE ATTELL IS HILARIOUS.
Loved the new Attell and of course he's amazing and there isn't just one right way to do standup but if I'm thinking about my personal ideal version of standup it would align with comics like Carlin/Burr/CK/Rock and others who make you laugh but also embed deeper ideas that are resonant even without punchlines. But as always, follow your comedic bliss.
I hear you!
I think "Would anyone still care what you're talking about if you took the jokes out?" is a great question to ask yourself as a comedian, ESPECIALLY if your ideal version of standup is what yours is.
And also, in music, there are some songs with incredibly meaningful lyrics as well as beautiful music, and then there are some songs that are incredibly beautiful with no lyrics at all.
I'm also reminded of this passage from "Mr. Vonnegut in Sumatra," an essay by George Saunders that I think about a lot:
"[Vonnegut] did not seem to believe, as I had read Tolstoy did, that his purpose as a writer was to use words to replicate his experience, to make you feel and think and see what he had felt.
This book was not a recounting of Vonnegut’s actual war experience, but a usage of it. What intrigued me—also annoyed me—was trying to figure out the purpose of this usage. If he wasn’t trying to make me know what he knew and feel what he’d felt, then what was the book for?
In fact, Slaughterhouse Five seemed to be saying, our most profound experiences may require this artistic uncoupling from the actual. The black box is meant to change us. If the change will be greater via the use of invented, absurd material, so be it. We are meant to exit the book altered."
My experience of watching Dave Attell alters me.
My experience of watching Mitch Hedberg alters me.
It's beautiful. None of their jokes are the one and only point of what they are doing.
They are the point.
And also, my experiences of listening to folks like Maria Bamford, Kamau Bell, and the kinds of folks you mention, those experiences also alter me. Their work is beautiful as well. Some of it is really SAYING something. Some of it just really IS something.
Some of it is beautiful music with powerful lyrics. Some of it is beautiful music that just conveys that something.
Happy to be having this conversation, friend! Now, just to add some punchlines and I've got a new comedy chunk here!
Love
Myq