Ask me about comedy.
Recent Responses
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i'm going to start again... sorry, been crazy busy with the actual site.. our amount of content there has more than doubled. but i'll start this again. i promise. -dylan
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absolutely. i love yowie.com. we'll do it eventually.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
We dabble. We'll be doing it more regularly in the future.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
These genres certainly exist, though the jury's still out on how valuable they are. I've never seen an official list. But honestly, I think sometimes its good to quickly be able to describe the type of comedy an artist performs; and placing a comic under a certain heading helps-- as long as everyone understands that it's not a perfect description; it's just a start.
And since you mentioned him, you're totally right. A lot of people do describe Aziz Ansari as indie/alt. And I never understood it. He is the furthest thing from either of those things. He's as mainstream as it comes. That's not a bad thing at all. I just find it funny that the same people who hate Dane Cook embrace Aziz as this counterculture figure. He couldn't be further from that.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
That's a great question!
Sadly, I don't have an impressive answer. I drove to Boston and stayed at a friend's house in 2006 to see Lewis Black at what was then called the Comedy Connection. I had interviewed him a few days before over the phone and I wanted to get some color for the story. That trip was about four hours.
The truth is I live minutes away from all the clubs in New York. So there's really no need to travel. The longest I travel to a show these days is 45 minutes or so-- if the show isn't in the city. That's not counting the comedy festivals I fly out to.
I love that you're driving six hours to see Maron. He's fucking worth it.
By the way, if you're interested, here's a link to that Lewis Black article.
http://punchlinemagazine.com/from-the-punchline-magazine-archives-the-root-of-all-evils-lewis-black/
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
I'd imagine it would make more sense to write a spec script for a show known for it's quality writing. So, no there's probably not much value in writing a spec for Curb-- unless you're just trying to entertain yourself. And then that just starts to become fan fiction, which can be fun but is largely useless in the business world.
That reminds me. I once read some Golden Girls fan fiction online about Sophia farting or something. Maybe I have it wrong. Either way, I've just put the image of Sophia farting in your head. You're welcome.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
They're the same thing. Whoever says "...and your host and MC is..." should be punched in the genitals.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
Men and women are different.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
I've wondered a lot why everyone is going batshit over the return of Pee-Wee Herman. I remember watching the show as a youngster. I don't remember enjoying it. I am told by my peers that it was a smart, funny comedy show. I'm going to go ahead and believe them.
So, I'll say now that it's ok you still like Pee-Wee. But, if, when I do finally re-watch Pee-Wee's old shows, I deem them to be utterly worthless, I'll tell you, "yes, your parents dropped you on your head as a baby."
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
Who the fuck is Sarah Silver? Were you so sexually aroused when you were typing this that you couldn't even finish Sarah Silverman's name? Get a grip, you perv.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
Hell yes. E-mail me at punchlinemagazine@gmail.com for info.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
Who the fuck is Tiffany Brissette?
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemgazine.com -
You've used a lot of words to ask a question I barely understand. But I'm going to try, anyway. Because my kid is asleep and I need to get new tires for my car, but I don't want to do that because I hate being an adult.
Do comedians have "serious" fans, like "smaller scale Bieber fans?" Are you asking if someone like Jim Gaffigan is stalked by hundreds of comedy nerds who want to fuck him? I don't think so.
If they did have fans like that how would they handle it? My guess is that the ones who weren't married would fuck a lot of their fans. I think they'd probably love it.
Does this help at all? What are we doing? I'm going to take a nap.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
Obviously, this is difficult to answer.
First, I had to establish the parameters on which to base my decisions. So, being emotional, over-analytical and somewhat sentimental, here’s what I did: I thought of all the comedy albums that still make me laugh and/or think hard—shelf life; staying power, if you will.
To further narrow down my choices, I started thinking about the albums that have meant something to me on an emotional level. What are the albums or specials that really got me interested in comedy or introduced me to a novel approach to stand-up?
Finally, though I didn’t give myself a hard figure, I only thought of releases that had been out in the ether for quite some time. So, here’s what I’ve come up with, in chronological order:
Bill Cosby: Himself (1983) –
I was six years old when this special first aired on HBO. I’m not sure how old I was when I actually saw it. I know I watched it on VHS after my parents had recorded it from our television. Although I didn’t know it at the time, this was my first taste of stand-up comedy. I had no idea that this was an art form— that it was something other performers did. I just knew that I was watching some guy sit on a chair in a darkly-lit theater tell a lot of funny stories. It’s an amazing performance—plain and simple.
A few years ago, I saw Cosby in Montreal. It was all new material. However, he did his famous dentist story from Himself. It immediately brought me back to my living room in New Jersey, watching and laughing the video version with my brother. It was a beautiful experience.
George Carlin: Doin’ It Again / Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics (1990) –
First, let me explain the reason for the double title. Carlin’s seventh HBO special aired as Doin’ it Again and then was released in album form (his 12th) in a slightly different arrangement and named Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics.
This special and album were the things that compelled me to begin following a comedian's career. It would come to represent the early stage of me becoming a comedy nerd. Friends and I would quote lines from Doin’ It Again in grade school. The phrase “Right, right! I know. Well, what I’m going to do is I’m going to have my testicles laminated!” became an in-joke between a small group in class.
Brian Regan Live! (1997) –
I first saw Brian Regan on his 2000 Comedy Central Presents. He was stunningly funny. It’s the only way I could describe what I saw. I, of course, went out and bought his album. And like most comedy nerds, this release has become a perennial favorite. It is, unofficially, the comedy album by which all others are compared.
Mitch Hedberg: Strategic Grill Locations (1999) –
Long before Comedy Central re-released Mitch Hedberg’s previously self-released first album in 2003, I ordered it from his website. I’m not sure if you could still get the original version, but I feel like I have a true treasure that not many later-day comedy goers have. More importantly, however, Mitch introduced me to an incredibly different approach to stand-up comedy. He was largely a one-liner comic with a delivery more odd and endearing than any other comic I had heard up until then. I never saw him live. I was supposed to see him at Carolines in New York City but couldn't get out of work in time. He died a few days later. I'll always regret not leaving work early.
Zach Galifianakis: Comedy Central Presents (2001) –
I almost didn’t put this on the list because, since it aired on Comedy Central, it doesn’t even amount to 30 minutes of comedy. But, Zach gets a lot done in 20-something minutes. I’m pretty sure I’ve read that Zach hates this special, but its pure genius—regardless of what the man thinks now. Utilizing his piano, an all-female a cappella group and his dry wit, ZG gave me the perfect introduction to absurdist stand-up comedy.
Hope that answers your question!
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
Why so mysterious? A small city in a small country?
Ok, so assuming you live in a small place where everyone hates comedy and hates going out, I'd say that you need to ... uh, shit, I don't know.
Use MySpace?
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
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This is the third time I've gotten this question. Not complaining at all-- just pointing out that obviously this is on a lot of comedy fans' minds. So, I'm just going to paste in my original answer. Hope that's cool. Here goes:
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Janeane Garofalo, I think, answered this best when I asked her the same question in 2008. I'll tell you what she said and then I'll add a wee more. Here's her answer:
"The term ‘alternative’ just means alternative to a comedy club proper. It doesn’t necessarily always mean that the material is alternative or indie. But people like Demetri Martin and Patton– they’re definitely more cerebral.
They’re not as well suited for a mainstream audience as a more mainstream comedian is. Your average Saturday night crowd at a chain comedy club is probably not going to appreciate Demetri as much as he deserves to be appreciated. But it is a sort of overused phrase that inspires bitterness in certain other comics. I don’t know why, but a lot of times it’s used sarcastically to mock a comedian."
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And here's me again. And before I go any further, I'm answering this question as a comedy fan who doesn't believe labels are always necessary but also believes that sometimes they're helpful when you're trying to explain the way someone performs art. The trick is to not rely on labels too much. Use them sparingly and when only necessary. And never let them dissuade you from checking out a comic. Ok, here goes...
Just like the term "indie" in music -- short, for independent -- used to literally mean any band signed and putting out records on an independently-owned label (that is, a label not owned by a much larger entity), it now means something a bit less exclusive.
Now the term "indie" in music is used to attempt to define a sub genre of rock music based on its actual sound, not necessarily the label putting the music out. It turns out a lot of bands that got their start on indie labels had similar sounds, lyrical components and style. Most of them borrowed from pop influences but largely strayed from sticking strictly to conventional form. Therefore, when bands of similar ilk started signing to major labels, critics would still describe their sound as "indie."
Janeane's point is that alt comedy began as a movement simply because there were some comedians who didn't want to deal with traditional stand-up comedy clubs. So, they began doing shows in rock clubs, VFWs, bowling alleys, hamburger joints, wherever. Chances are, if you're the type of comedian willing to play these places, then I bet you're comedy style isn't exactly mainstream. You think a bit differently than most people and most comics. So, in the end -- just like the indie bands -- the "alt" comedians, by and large, share a common vibe-- and that vibe likely wouldn't include airplane food humor or jokes about the differences between men and women.
And now, the term "alt," if you choose to use it to describe a type of comedy, describes a style of comedy and not exclusively where a comedian decides to perform.
That all said, alternative comedians like Demetri Martin and Zach Galifianakis (to continue the rock music metaphor) have since signed to major labels, so to speak. They've become a bit more mainstream in that a large portion of the entertainment-consuming public know who they are. To me, that doesn't mean they're no longer "alt" comics. They are. I think the mainstream audience has just embraced their non-traditional style of joke telling.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
In my experience, most stand-up comedians are, in some way -- clinically diagnosed or not -- depressed people, yes. As with the general population of depressed people, however, there are varying degrees.
If you're the type of person who feels compelled to get onstage and bare your soul to a room full of strangers night after night, chances are your mind doesn't work in what society would consider a traditional way. Something like depression or compulsive behaviors or severe anxiety (read: not being well-adjusted) is going to get you onstage.
However, I think labeling these comedians as "sad clowns" is a bit too easy and doesn't begin to describe the intricacies of the typical comedian's thought process.
As for "normal?" Man, what is normal, ya know? (Check out Tom Segura's bit on this; it's hilarious)
For real, though, in my opinion being depressed IS normal. As Marc Maron said in one of his older bits -- and I'm paraphrasing here -- it's the folks who are constantly smiling and happy you have to worry about.
Stand-up comedians are, in general, much more sensitive and have more access to their emotions than, say, the average office worker-- or at the very least, they *appear* much more sensitive because in their line of work, they're actually allowed to say exactly what they're feeling. If you work in accounting, you can't lean over to your cube mate and tell her how you think that people should be allowed to fuck their cousin, just once, if she's really hot-- no matter how funny you phrase it.
So, yeah, most comics are "depressed." In my opinion, most comics are "normal" as well. Does that make sense?
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
A few days after Christmas.
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com -
There's a lot of questions I haven't answered. With the real questions (like yours) I put a lot of thought into them. So, if i can't answer a question in five seconds (like the Seth Rogen one) it might sit for a few days. But you'll get a quality answer.
Also, leave your name next time!
-dylan
http://www.punchlinemagazine.com
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punchlinemag’s Bio
NYC/NJ
Punchline Magazine, launched in 2005, is your online hub for all things stand-up comedy. I'm Dylan Gadino, the founder and editor of Punchline Magazine.
