It’s been a while. So why do I have nothing to say?
Topics on the day include the return of Last Comic Standing and why it’s not making Brian’s blood boil this year, combating the shakey mic syndrome and why Behind the Bricks isn’t going anywhere…both literally and figuratively. Do you think I’m pretty?
Comedian of the week – Andy Kindler: Un-Cabaret’s The Un & Only
Email: brianmcomedy@gmail.com
Hey B-mo, my suggestion for your next show is to completely re-tool the format, different theme music, introduce your brand new co-host as “with me as always is…”, carry out your “regular” features you’ve never had before etc. But don’t reference on air that this is a completely re-tooled show. It’ll really confuse those who don’t come to the “blog style comment threads” regularly. I personally would find it hilarious.
I have a buddy who does this: http://comedynerdinterviewscomedians.podbean.com/
He interviews nearly all the headliners and a lot of the features at The Jukebox in Peoria, IL. Maybe you could work out a similar arrangement with your club there.
Interesting note about the 1993. The year Sam retired from the road, was a year in which I wasn’t even a year old yet.
Hey Bmo, long time no post – just caught up with the latest show and the ‘announcement’. I got a new ‘civilian’ job earlier in the new year and it just wiped out much of my free time to post and comment but I still listen; even if I have to load up a few episodes and get the listening done in the evening. That’s the beauty of podcasts!
It’s been great to follow BTB the last four years, I now do listen to many others but BTB was the second one I started downloading regularly I think and the only one I still do. And by the way, I really enjoy interviews from people you have on and what you find on Adam Carolla’s or Marc Maron’s but I don’t think I’ve come across any other that has given such direct advice on the actual craft. I’m doing pretty decently with my comedy (although not gigging nearly as much as I’d like) and I think I’ll always be in debt to BTB- it gave great advice, grew my interest and knowledge in the build up to my first gig.
There’s so many things I’ve already got from stand-up so I’m pretty bloody chuffed I finally got round to giving it a go!
Dear me, dunno where that came from but to wish lots of luck with the reboot/retool, if you’re happy, I’m happy!…..look forward to any changes I’ll be subscribed as ever!
Nick
Thanks nick. Much appreciated. Like I said, we’re definitely going to keep it rolling. I still need a place to air my comedy grievances!
Yo Brian, love the show, haven’t listened to this Episode yet, but figured I should start contributing. Great thing you got going here, even when you air your grievances;). Was that backhanded? would love to hear more and more about writing techniques and excercies.
Keep it up bro!
So I just listened… now your leaving me???
Quoted from Nick, “I think I’ll always be in debt to BTB- it gave great advice, grew my interest and knowledge in the build up to my first gig.”
My thoughts exactly. Thanks for the great entertainment over the year(s) – I haven’t been here since the very start, but I’ve listened and caught up since I found this place. The way it is now is very useful and entertaining, as it does provide a different take than say, WTF; one which I appreciate. Anyway, hope it doesn’t change too much, but I’ll be happy if it continues in any form.
I absolutely love the podcast.
By the way, we just got a REAL domain for the Iowa Comedy Festival. We’ve teamed up with LaughStub to bring you a kick-ass four day event!
http://www.IAComedyFest.com
Tickets for “ICF Presents: Jake Johannsen” and ALL other Iowa Comedy Festival shows are on sale now.
I’m like a battered wife when it comes to Last Comic Standing. I was actually ok with most of the comics that got put through in the audition round, and even with the first few that made the finals, but then it completely unraveled as usual and became more about some retarded NBC agenda than picking the obvious best talent.
I guess it’s my fault…
Haven’t seen one minute of it. Is Roy Wood Jr. still in? Cool dude.
B-Mo:
Can you expound on the NBC agenda you mention? Do you mean they went more for a look that could be plugged into a sitcom than a true standup talent? Is it the male-female-white-minority ratio thing? I’m not sure I follow. I know I wasn’t so crazy about the last few put through…
I plan on having a show Tuesday in which I bitch about it. I will ssay that diversity is a big part of it. I’ve also thought it was fascinating that super agent Barry Katz is a producer on the show. Might be interesting to find out how many of the finalists he represents.
I was wondering if the comics that had the judges say something like, ” I’ve worked with you” or I’ve always thought you were hysterical” were the more highlighted comics that didn’t get through, and the judges were hoping to avoid friction if they worked again in the future. Maybe somebody noticed?
I’m sure LCS has done some of the comics well in terms of their club fees, work, etc., but where are the development deals? I’m not a huge fan of most sit-coms, but a show around Josh Blue seems like a no-brainer.
Good call Dan, in general, nothing truly remarkable has happened for anyone who has come out of that show. I guess Ralphie May has done the best as he was a complete unknown and and has since found some success, but again, no real star power. This is the 7th season! You’d think someone would have hit by now. Even American Idol has generated one or two mainstream stars from their fancied up Gong Show.
So still catching up on LCS. I like the fact that they took the lame Real World element of having them live in a house and do retarded challenges out, but it’s also a tall order to have comincs come on every week and do a fresh 3 mins. Unlike American Idol you can’t do covers, and even with a huge arsenal of material, it’s extremely difficult to create one 3 min set, let alone 10 different ones.
The most shocking part to me is that they still don’t have a formula that works, yet the show gets renewed every year! Most series get 2 weeks to hit a home run or they’re axed.
Let’s see if anyone’s checking this page:
I just did my first open mic this week, and I have to admit, I’m pretty damn happy with how it went.
There were a few moments of silence where I thought there should be laughs, and a few pretty big laughs where I thought a joke would fall flat on its ass.
I was by no means the best guy out there, but I’m happy with how I did considering it was my first time.
Quick question though:
If there’s a joke that you like, but it doesn’t do well the first time, does anyone try it again, or do you throw it away and never look at it again?
Congrats Kyle. You are about to learn one of the most frustrating things in stand-up, the joke you love and no one else thinks is funny at all. Trying it again once? I’ve tried jokes for years before realizing it’ll never work. Welcome to hell!
Kyle: Do what I do and tell the joke every time you go on stage for the next four years and stew in the silence.
ha ha, that’s good advice
Kyle: I’ve heard some people say try a joke three times, if after 3 times it doesn’t work, then abandon it. If you think the premise is good, then what you can do is, not use the joke for a while, and then try to retackle the joke later, to see if there is a different angle you can use. And perhaps your natural growth as a comedian will allow you to know how to tell such a joke at a later time.
That’s a good point Mike. I’ve also had jokes resurface down the road. Something that isn’t quite strong enough to stand alone (at least no the way I was trying to do it) have come back and become strong tags to other more developed bits.
Ditto. Sometimes it’s just a matter of context. That’s the difference, IMO, between having jokes and having an act. I had a conversation about this with a veteran comic just the other night – people respond to the whole person, the point-of-view, etc., not just the jokes. When you figure out who you are on stage, an audience might respond well to something that doesn’t necessarily kill as a stand-alone joke.
Hey Brian
Hope you’re fine and dandy. Was just wondering if you or anyone has read Doug Stanhope’s latest blog regarding anyone who tries teach Comedy Classes – or as he calls them – “Contemptible Parasites ”
Stanhope’s rant is one of the most venonmous hate-filled hilarious things I’ve ever read –
“One thing though that I’ve hated since even my youngest,hope-filled days as a comic – worse than bad comedy, hack comedy or even joke thieves – are people who teach stand-up comedy classes.
Keep in mind that before I started comedy, most of my young adult life was spent working in low-level fraud – from toner scams and ad-specs to inventor/patent hoaxes. But comedy classes fall into that gray area of deceit – like Jesus or psychics or chakra healing – where you can’t prove that it’s a con.
Say what you will about any Carlos Mencia, Dane Cook or Jeff Dunham but I would lay Rubenesque on my side, chin cupped in my limp hand blowing the lot of them before I would say one positive thing about anyone who steals money by teaching a comedy class.”
Read the entire very funny Comedy Class rant here:
http://www.dougstanhope.com/