How To Be A Hack
November 22, 2007 · Print This Article
Uh oh, a negative topic is looming, that can only mean one thing, the Simon Cowell of stand up has returned. Brian invites his buddy Mike back to the show to discuss the 10 hackiest premises of all time and why Galagher got a bad rap.
Other topics include jaded club owners, why you should never try to please all the people all the time, the first international joke of the week, and why you should never say “cock ring” in front of your in laws. Must…get…cheese.
Email: brianmcomedy@gmail.com and give us a call on 206-203-4692
Hi everyone, Great show Brian and I won’t forget Mike either. I had a look through mybook where I write material I had one hack joke about a postoffice which I dont think has been said, well I hope not.
Happy Holiday to all you americans
Dan
Happy Thanksgiving to our American cousins.
Great show - and fantastic to hear Mike again. Loved the top 10 hack topics, though I would say regarding hack stuff about air travel, I haven’t heard much airline food material by acts recently, but I have heard LOADS of identical-sounding stuff about airline security post 9/11 - ,especially stuff about airport security cops asking you if you’ve packed your luggage yourself: “Well actually no, Officer. A kind Iraqi gentleman in a facemask offered to do all my packing for me..ho ho..”
Cheers for playing my joke, although I really didn’t think it sounded good listening to it again. I have better stuff but to paraphrase Krusty the clown, I’m not using my A material on you schmucks
Enjoyed the show, can’t believe how much “hack” material I have used in the past.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Brian
Another great show, and the first international joke of the week, nice one Brian C ( would have loved to have done that myself but i am one of these people that cannot tell a joke )
Loved listening to Mike (really) his contributions are always quality ( does he ever post on here? )
Am trying to get the word out about this show to Friends and Family, but i’m pretty much the only comedy obsesive i know ( my wife just about tolerates my need to get ALL the stand up comedy DVDs when they come out for Xmas, even thou i’ve still not watched all the ones from previous years, some are just getting too long )
Speaking of which are you going to review some comedy stuff that out for Xmas ( just listened to your shows from last year when you did this )
Still 20 minutes of the show lwft to listen too but wanted to contribute this whilw it was still in my head.
Happy Thanksgiving by the way
By the way, I meant to mention this at the end of the show, but December will be an all request month, so if there’s a comic you want to hear, post it on the boards or fire me an email.
Rick I totally agree with you, the airline sercuirty questions are toally hacky!!
To add to the hack list, I fucking hate when a comic comes up and says ‘Hey, I know what you’re thinking….I’m the illegitmate son of Madonnna and chris rock’. No, you’re the son of a pair of retards asshole.
Also, priests fuck little altar boys, ‘Keep drinking, it’ll just get funnier’, ‘People from the south are inbred’…….god I fucking hate hacks!
Also, “I’ve just broke up with my girlfriend” material………………….Urgh!
I agree with the point that Bmo and Mike made that premises can be hacky, it’s just how you do them; if you’re trying something new and have got a different approach, that’s whats interesting.
In a way, BMo, don’t you feel sorry for all the awesome comics who originally thought up the material or do it better? Dom Irrera’s stuff on airline sercuirty is awesome.
And another thing which is kinda related, don’t you hate when comics go for an appluase when they say ‘Hey, I just had a kid’ or ‘I just got married.’ Stop rubbing it in!
Cheers Nick. The other premise I really hate is when comics try to justify a hack impression by putting a celebrity in a mundane setting. Dennis Miller (when he was still funny) did a really funny piece about this, and hack acts who set up lame bits with stuff like “Can you imagine Jack Nicholson working as a clerk in a grocery store?” Miller’s response to this was ” NO! Fuck you! YOU I can imagine working as a clerk in a fucking grocery store!”
In response to Nick, I also hate the cheap applause bit. One thing I really hate is when the comic starts off a set by saying something like “how about that last guy, give him a round of applause”. To me, they are riding the coat tails of a good act, they are beginning their set with a totally undeserved applause. If the previous act was exceptionally good, it was up to the MC to congratulate them.
It doesn’t seem to happen that often anymore, but it is especially common amongst US comics who don’t play this side of the water regularly.
Great call Nick/Rick. It’s amazing how comics are just sponges. One thing that is amazing to me on a slightly related topic is the way every comic ends their set by raising their arm up in the air and saying good night. What’s with the arm raise? It’s not an act that people do at any other point in their life, unless they want to show their Nazi pride.
Seeing how so many comics are complete booze monsters, maybe the arm raise is a coded signal to the bar staff for one more round of drinks before the bar shuts?
Do you find hack material to be somewhat regional/cyclical? I was at an audition in LA last year and every single comic did the straight-girl voice, which wasn’t really big in Northern CA. I only ask because I want to believe there is a place in this country where Asian-women driver jokes aren’t utterly pervasive.
Hi folks,
Brian, this week’s hack segment was fantastic.
I know that if I continued to work as a comic for the next 100 years I’d never be half as successful as Robin Williams. But as you and Mike went through the list, I couldn’t help but think how much of it applies to his act. (He does Jack Nicholson instead of Arnold, and does a Thurston Howell the Third voice as his “white guy” voice, and also does the lisping gay). But perhaps that’s unfair and I may be picking up on an anti-Robin Williams vibe I’ve sensed among many comedians I’ve talked to.
Anyway, my question for you this week, though, goes back to the topic of DJs interviewing comedians.
As you’ve mentioned, it’s incredibly lame and unimaginative to ask “how’d you get started” and “what type of comedy do you do”. So I was wondering, just in case there are any DJs or radio personalities who with us at BTB, what are some of the questions you would like to be asked as a comedian? Or maybe what are the questions you have been asked that you thought were decent ones for you and the audience?
Cheers.
- Don
Hell yeah, can’t wait to listen to the show…hope no one got ran over shopping today…….Happy Thanksgiving a day late…I love the shows Brian-I loved the dude that called in a few times the last couple of weeks, priceless.
Good question Don. I’ll address it more on the show, but the most successful spots I’ve done involved just hanging out and vibing with the show. If there is something specific about a comic that’s unique or interesting, key in on that, but most of these DJ’s interview a new comic every week, you’d think they’d get tired of hearing, “Well, my friends always told me I was funny so I decided to try an open mic…”
I claim the origin of calling Mike, Mike (really).
I have the opposite story. My parents thought I was really unfunny, but I got obsessed with comedy after listening to a podcast run by a 30 year old man, who records out of his future baby’s room.
Great topic this week. Enjoyed listening to Mike (really) on the show again. I’m thinking about whether to call in an original joke his week.
Did you know Abraham Lincoln invented thanksgiving? fun fact.
I’m looking forward to next week’s show as well. Being home for four days leaves very little to do.
haha…I think it’s funny you should mention the arm raise because I used to think that was so weird and learned it was kind of a Pavlovian response to the crowd to let them know when to clap. Almost like a bow or something. So, even as a very young comic…probably my third time on stage I would end my set with the arm raise but would say something completely unrelated and still watch the audience applaud.
One of my favorites was *arm raise after my closing bit* “I have small hands!”
Next time you’re on stage try it. You’d be surprised.
Happy Thanksgiving…to those celebrating. I suppose to the Brits, this is your 9/11 isn’t it? haha. Only kidding.
Love you.
Sina.
“Happy Thanksgiving…to those celebrating. I suppose to the Brits, this is your 9/11 isn’t it? haha. Only kidding.”
:0 Cheeky sod!
Actually July the 4th is probably more of a 9/11for us, reminding us that we lost The Colonies. Besides, wasn’t thanksgiving invented by a bunch of strange English people in pointy hats? I feel I should honour Thanksgiving due to all the pleasure BTB gives me, so I will celebrate by eating a replica of Brian Mollica made from reformed turkey pieces.
I hope you’re hungry because I’m at a beefy 205 now. But in all fairness, I’m eating for 2.
…no worries, Brian. Just purchased a reasonably priced industrial-sized vat of cranberry sauce on Ebay.
Wouldn’t Lincoln have needed a time machine to have invented Thanksgiving?
I find the redneck humor fairly hacky. In Canada, there is a lot of “Americans are ignorant people” comedy that is kind of funny when done correctly, but it is done quite a bit.
Thanksgiving as a holiday was created by Lincoln. They did the thanksgiving before hand with the indians, but it wasn’t called that then. Honest Abe made it a holiday.
I love how we got an exclusive story for once.
Great show.
Darcy- I would imagine Americans are ignorant would be fairly easy. Just like doing material about how Canada doesn’t matter. jk. But really. I find redneck humor not only hackey, but I also don’t get it a lot of the time. I like Ron White out of the blue collar guys, but some of the stereotypes I haven;t heard.
Attention everyone! Ron Shock is officially on myspace! He doesn’t quite know the site very well so i set the page up for him…but please go add him so we can start getting him some friends.
http://www.myspace.com/RonShockComedy
Thanks,
Sina.
Brian:
Care to tell us what happened over at MSR? You left so suddenly and I’ve always wondered…
For hackey material, how about France is always surrendering.
I can go into MSR a little on next week’s show LL. I don’t really like bad mouthing them because they gave me my start, but it’s hard to tell the story without bad mouthing. I’ll try to find a balance.
For the all request month, is there any Lenny Clarke material floating around out there. I haven’t heard his stand up, but I found him funny on The Job and Rescue Me.
Hey all, finally got around to listening to this weeks show - great one.
Re: Impressions… the best impression “bit” I can think of is Maria Bamford’s Alicia Keys bit from her second CD. Brilliant…
Britain has some great impressionists - Jon Culshaw for one - also Rory Bremner managed to fool foreign secretary Margaret Beckett pretending to be PM Gordon Brown…
Also, hacky material - I have heard jokes from a billion comedians on the circuit in England about the American immigration forms that say “Are you a terrorist?” and “do you plan on committing genocide?” and then have a tick box…
They always start the joke with “I was over in America last week -” as if they’re all jet-setters and they fly all over the bloody world puking their comedy on it… Only 99 percent of them have never been further than Ireland and the other 1% were in American 26 years ago.
I think that’s my number one hack set-up line: “I was in _____ last week.”
Brian,
Congrat’s on the upcoming baby and Bear Down.
I just finished the Steve Martin Memoir, Born Standing Up, and I was wondering if you’d read it and if you had how much if it can you relate to?
“Britain has some great impressionists - Rory Bremner”
Love Rory Bremner - I think his finest moment was appearing on the Uk Whose Line Is It and having to pretend to be Tony Slattery - to the real Tony Slattery. A golden comedy moment!
Check it out here:
[url]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=49K2AXjqSVk[/url]
Britain has some great impressionists - also Rory Bremner .
I love rory Bremner. thought his finest moment was appearing on the Uk Whose Line Is It and having to pretend to be Tony Slattery - to the real Tony Slattery. A comedy gold moment. Check it out here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=49K2AXjqSVk
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=49K2AXjqSVk
Hey great show brian as always. so ive got some reasonably big news, im going to be in a stand up competition thats being held by the new york comedy institute, its being held to find out the funniest college student in new jersey. grand prize is a spot at gotham so thats cool. i’ll proably be on at saturday at william paterson university. so if your in the jersey area stop on bye.
Hey Patrick, good luck! Not a whole lot of stuff like that happens here in the Heartland. A couple guys and I are in the beginning stages of planning a week-long trip out to NYC this Spring, though. Hope ya win!
What’s up Smack, great to see you. My Steve Martin book just came in from Amazon yesterday and I can’t wait to start it tonight. I’ll definitely do a book report when I’m done.
Brody said
“Also, hacky material - I have heard jokes from a billion comedians on the circuit in England about the American immigration forms that say “Are you a terrorist?” and “do you plan on committing genocide?” and then have a tick box… ”
I opened with that line for three years! Granted three years gigs for me means I only used it about 30 times, but still I hate realising how much hack material I have used. Haven’t used it for two years odd so I don’t feel too bad now.
My current bugbear, is when people do low cost airline material. Specifically Ryanair not landing in the city they say they will, but somewhere nearby. Argh, there is nothing new in that joke, yet I have seen some seasoned veterans still use it.
Thanks fry i appreciate it, but i dont expect to win. but this could be a good oppurtunity to meet some other young jersey comics so it should be fun. i’ll keep you guys posted
I have a question for you Brian. When you write jokes out do you find that you laugh at loud when you write them or is it just something that clicks and says to you “This is funny and can work” I always wonder because sometimes I write a joke that I think is really funny but I don’t laugh out too loud when I’m writing it down.
This is also open to anyone on the board who has an opinion on this!
Thanks
Happy Holidays Guys!
I just found the podcast the other day and listened to all of them that I could get my hands on. Just wanted to say Hi and excited to join the community thinking of doing my first open mike in a few years. Also Joel Fry- I live in the college town north of you and didnt realize all the open mike opportunities in DM. I would like to get a hold of ya sometime.
To respond to Ryan- yes. I will laugh when I write some stuff down but its a mixture of being excited about getting that material out there.
Most of my best material comes out spontaneously when talking with friends and, if it makes them laugh, then I add it to the set. So, I’m not testing the material on them, I’m creating it with them.
I’ve just found that I’m not a very good “writer” but can be funny when in the moment…so I just try to remember those funny moments and find ways to use the analogies and punchlines in my act somehow.
So, I guess…sometimes I laugh out loud. Sometimes you just know when it’s funny.
Hope that helps.
Sina.
The Steve Martin book is incredible, I loved it.
RaunchFoxxx on stickam has a show and he says he’s a comic but, if you ask him to prove it he kicks you- If you were a comic wouldn’t you prove it? This guy is so bad I want to rip out my computer and throw it in the garbage, but then I wouldn’t be able to hear BMO and I just decided to ignore the loser.. I think that if you don’t try to prove your a comic When someone asks for proof you must be a hack.
I want to request BMO play Larry the Cable guy Brian told us to watch some Comedy acts and I watched Larry the Cable guy and I’m hooked just like I’m addicted to this show. Now I am trying hard to find more Larry the cable guy stuff, because a certain pain got me hooked on him! Brian, I know you don’t like Blue collar comedy but, suck it up, because your the one that got me addictted to it!