Comments on: Jack Russell Terriers

By: Ricardo Lewis

Ricardo Lewis — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:35:13 +0000

Brian C : There’s novel writen by Bill Maher (him again) called True Story set in 1980 and about 5 ambitious stand-ups all trying to get their big break just as the Comedy Boom is starting.

I’ve not read the book, but downloaded the audio version read by Maher himslef off ITunes for just a few bucks. I thought it a great story and a fascinating chronicle of that time and definitely worth a listen.

By: Dan Tessitore

Dan Tessitore — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:52:07 +0000

Brian C: There’s a collection of short road tales from several dozen comics called “I Killed,” but I don’t know of a comprehensive history of 80’s comedy.

By: brian c

brian c — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:21:12 +0000

I’ve just finished reading “I’m Dying Up Here…”, great book and cheers for the recommendation. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any books about the stand-up comedy scene in the 1980s?

This was the decade of the stand-up explosion, and most of the big names from this era went on to be the sit-com stars when I was growing up, folks like Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Paul Reiser etc. There has to be a good story from that era, and it would be even more relevan to me as these were my influences when growing up. I am searching Amazon but it seems that this book has yet to be written, does anyone know any different.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:08:14 +0000

Crap, I keep forgetting things and having to post twice… I was going to chime in on whether conservatives can be funny comics, and say that I think they can. I don’t think all conservatives necessarily have to be the sort of extreme stuffed shirts and flag-waving bible-thumpers they’re often characterized as. They’re just people who don’t agree with leftist politics, the left doesn’t have a copyright on partying.

There used to be a conservative comic that cracked me up back when Stand Up Stand Up used to be on Comedy Central, I think his name was Nick DiPaolo… he used to do jokes about animal rights sometimes in a way that let you know he was definitely not with the left (“If hooking a monkey’s brain up to a car battery will save a human some day, I got one thing to say: the red is positive and the B is negative.”) and a few other conservative-angled topics that I can’t remember off the top of my head. I hope I don’t have the name wrong…

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:00:20 +0000

Brian, that’s a good point about the difference between Maher and an unknown road comic. I think it would be way more risky to do Maher’s material as an unknown touring random clubs and not knowing what sort of audience you’re going to have.

Maher isn’t really in that position anymore, and that’s the only reason I don’t see his act as all that risky. At this point, I actually think it’d be more risky for him to come out and do a show with absolutely no political material. Defy all expectations. I don’t know whether I’d recommend he try it, though… maybe he’s just a lot better at political material, and wouldn’t necessarily be all that funny as a straight comic. Nothing wrong with playing to your strengths. (And for the record, I thought the clip was pretty funny… just not super-risky.)

Ricardo: As an audience member, I wouldn’t call Usual Suspects too obscure. That’s a funny line.

By: Ricardo Lewis

Ricardo Lewis — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:21:13 +0000

forgot to post a random gag idea regarding Tony’s set and the bit where all the girls at the brothel assemble for selection.

” The last time I ever saw a line-up of people this ugly ,I was asking myself which one was really Keyser Soze ? ”

(too obscure ?)

By: brian

brian — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:02:56 +0000

Well said Leonardo. No need to put any real finesse into crafting an act when you can just punish the “opposition” knowing that a few thousand people will give you a standing o after it.

By: Dan Tessitore

Dan Tessitore — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:23:17 +0000

I think Leonardo’s post nails it. I guess part of the question, too, is … can stand-up actually change hearts and minds, or do political comics just draw the audience that’s already in their camp? I think it’s mostly the latter, with one or two possible exceptions.

By: Leonardo Lugnut

Leonardo Lugnut — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:38:23 +0000

I used to really enjoy Bill Maher when he had Politically Incorrect and thought he was done dirty when that was taken off the air for his statement that the 9/11 hijackers were not cowards. And I loved Ricardo’s comment comparing conservative standups to non-alcoholic wine. I’ve beaten this aspect to death (why can’t conservatives be funny standups) a while back, but wnated to mention that although I liked Maher before 9/11, I don’t find his stuff or shows funny now, and I don’t think it’s my politics, I think his bits are all just easy lay-ups for the crowd he draws, like “Git ‘er dun” is adored by rednecks.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:37:34 +0000

Also, just thinking out loud (er…on print), maybe the way to tie it all up is to continually highlight the awkwardness of the situation…highlighting the unsettling anxiety as you move through these different phases, and than at the end, wrap it all with “and as she was surveying the wreckage, I noticed her DVD shelf, and I took a look through her collection (who wouldn’t?). That’s when I finally felt like everything was gonna be alright, and I knew I had made the right choice. Because any brothel hooker that has “________________” in her DVD collection is not only the right choice, she’s the only choice.” (Whether you go Nemo, or something more ridiculous….ever season set of 7th Heaven…what have you.)