You Can Call Me Johnny Racecar
December 13, 2007 · Print This Article
You owe money to the IRS, your last name rhymes with a hate crime, you’re ashamed of being Jewish. What are reasons you use a stage name! Today Brian discusses the lost art of the stagename. Why they have gone by the wayside, does it make sense to use one in this day and age and a new interactive game to see how well you really know your favorite comics.
Other topics include the best place to catch a show in New York City, how to be a good audience member, why throwing around the word “comedian” will only lead to bloodshed, and Brian apologizes for the Boston Tea Party. Sarah has died. Game over.
Email: brianmcomedy@gmail.com and give us a call on 206-203-4692
Irwin Kniberg- Alan King.
Nathaniel Stroman- Earthquake
Kevin Knipthing- Kevin James
Albert Einstein- Albert Brooks
Allen Konigsberg- Woody Allen
Jack Roy- Rodney Dangerfield
Andrew Silverstein- Andrew Dice Clay
Yakov Maza- Jackie Mason
Dan Whitney- Larry the Cable Guy
Ned Holniss- Carlos Mencia
I think that’s all of them. Alan King was the toughest for me.
-I knew Dice, Mencia, and the cable guy’s real names, but the older one’s aren’t usually talked about because they just either died or were never seen as anybody other than that persona, plus earthquake isn’t exactly a big time comic.
- Mike, please do not go on stage as mike not really, that is as long as you want to be taken seriously. PLEASE!
-Thanks for the Louis C.K. clip. Sorry I creeped you out with my post Brian, and my life wasn’t necessarily changed because of it, I was just really inspired by a guy like that performing the way he did.
I feel awful, I think I fucked up the fun for everybody else… have a feeling I was supposed to E-MAIL my guesses in. Sorry everyone!
No worries Joel, out of curiousity how many (if any) did you know without looking up?
Just breaking balls Ben, my life was altered by about half a dozen comics, so I definitely can’t point fingers.
I knew 5 of the 10- Dice, Woody, Dangerfield, Larry the Cable Guy, and Mencia.
I feel the label comedian given to a funny actor or radio host etc who’s funny is like when someone who gets an honorary doctorate from a college without having taken the classes.
I feel like a guy busting his ass in the University of Michigan’s graduate school while working two jobs and filing for massive student loans for years…and then Tim Allen gets famous and gets a free doctorate.
It’s the closest analogy I can think of. I feel if you haven’t busted your ass on the road…or at least alone on a stage, then you shouldn’t be called a comedian. It makes people think that anyone funny can do stand up. I feel like it’s kind of an earned title and I think it blurs the line for people/fans who aren’t familiar with the business.
My two cents,
Sina.
” I love comedy I could watch it non stop, I even like watching new comics, bad comics, I, I’m obsessed with it”
That’s clear enough, but wait…….
“But three hours, four hours I mean that is enough”
An obviously confused Brian Mollica
Hi folks,
Hey Brian, thanks for another fun show!
I’m embarrassed to say I only knew 4 of the names, but what a great question. I look forward to more of these types of comedian questions in the future.
The discussion about stage names made me think of 2 comedians.
BTB fans in the U.K. might remember that Craig Ferguson, now the host of CBS’s Late Late Show, used to use the name “Bing Hitler”.
I heard him on NPR once in which he said he thought it would fun to mix one of the most heart-warming singers of all time with the personification of evil. And, of course, it really stood out on posters and comedy club marquees.
The other comedian is one of Canada’s best, a fellow who goes by the name of Glen Foster, “a.k.a. That Canadian Guy”. He started using that several years ago because it’s just like you mentioned: most people in the audience will only remember you for a routine or joke you did and not your name. And so Glen has actually made a bit out of the fact that no one is going to remember his name, joking along the lines of “When you go home tonight the only thing you’re going to say about the show is, “yeah, that Canadian guy was kinda funny”. It’s funny, true and pretty profitable for him now as he sells t-shirts at his shows and on his website (www.thatcanadianguy.com).
And I would agree. Mike Not Really, if you’re thinking about using a stage name, I’m not sure that that one is the best. But keep us posted on that, Mike.
Also, Brian, just wanted to thank you for talking about my question about Open Mic nights. We’re planning one here in my part of Nova Scotia and there’s good buzz started already, so I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.
(And I should mention that getting updates on how fellow BTB fans have done with their first-time gigs, or performances or radio appearances is one element of BTB that I really enjoy).
Also, I liked your anecdote about running into Dave Attell.
I’d be curious to hear from other BTB fans about their experiences meeting or running into other well-established, well-known comedians. (I have one experience that I may phone into BTB one day). Did the comedian impart any wisdom? Was the meeting what you thought it was going to be? Was it better or a disappointment?
And just before I go, just wondering if anyone has further thoughts on Steve Martin’s new biography, “Born Standing Up”.
Thanks, folks.
- Don in Nova Scotia
That’s actually a great analogy Sina. It bothers me when I ask young guys who their favorite comic is and they say Adam Sandler. Granted he did stand up for a while, but even he admits he was horrible at it. Giving comedy actors that label makes the general public believe they come from stand up.
Thanks for the kind words Dan and for the stage name stories. I had never heard those before and thought they were great. As for “Born Standing Up”, I’m 3/4 of the way through and it’s already the best comedy book I’ve ever read. I can’t wait to read about why he walked away. Once I’m done I will, of course, do a full review on the show, and I’ll let everyone know the week before so those who have read it can participate.
hey brian. just got finished listening to “born standing up” during a layover in minneapolis on my way to a gig in the icy reaches of bemidji, mn. nothing brings the book more to life than finishing a section about the loneliness of the road while seated by yourself on the floor of an airport.
here’s my one problem with the book and i’m curious whether you feel the same way: i think he oversells this idea that he “had no talent” and only got to where he was through “hard work.” i think steve martin is smarter than that — at best, it’s faux humility, at worst, it’s a slap in the face to every aspiring entertainer. it’s fair to say that martin is probably on the short list of guys who invented modern stand-up (along with klein, pryor, bruce, and carlin); you don’t get to do that with out having any innate talent.
always a fan of the podcast — i’m a fulltime comic who, during college season, spends 3 or 4 days out of every week on an airplane. your show is one of the one’s that is _always_ high priority on the ipod.
best,
–jayblack
Hey Brian thanks for playing my joke. You wouldnt believe the amount of ass that has gotten me. Oh wait, you probably can since its zero- such is the life. I agree with you about the label of comedian but I can see how since all of us here are, or aspiring to be stand up comedian that we can have a “purist” view of it. Along the same lines that im sure you delt with before with the argument of whether poker is a sport or not. Cause that would make a poker player an athlete…..
I just know that we put “Whos your favorite comedian?” on our information sheets for our improv troop auditions. Lets me just say, I once saw the answer Jimmy Fallon and my reaction reflected that of the first time I took a shot of cheap vodka….or saw a penis (not my own)
I just saw Gaffigan’s “Beyond the Pale” special. I don’t find his “audience voice” necessary. His material is funny without it. In the hour the special was on, I think I laughed at the voice once.
I’m kind of torn about the comedian distinction. I think guys like Kimmel and Corolla are pretty darn funny, and it’s not like everything they say is scripted.
Welcome Jay, thanks for checking in. Always great to hear from the road warriors out there. Everyday I have one moment where I miss that life and a moment where I’m thankful I’m not sharing a dirty condo with 2 other dudes.
I see what you’re saying about the humility aspect of Martin, but I didn’t take it that way. While I agree He doesn’t give himself near the credit he deserves, I found it somewhat refreshing that a man who’s considered a genius in the field takes such a humble stance on his abilities. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to hearing comics who have accomplished nothing discuss how amazing they are.
I think I’m with B-Mo on the analysis of Martin’s book. It’s THE best comedy book I’ve ever read, and I can’t wait for the show where it gets reviewed. He does give himself credit for understanding that, hey, maybe he should do jokes WITHOUT punchlines and let them audience figure out where to laugh. So he does, I think, give himself appropriate props where it’s necessary and still stays humble throughout the book.
hey brian — it’s even worse when you’re doing the college circuit because there are no other comics to hang out with and _every_ show is a one nighter. i just did the funnybone in pittsburgh and i was almost weeping with joy when i saw the two other guys on the show. and you know how hard-up for human contact you are when you’re excited to see two other comics
as for the humility — yeah, you’re right that it’s refreshing that despite being one of the most successful comics of all time he manages to be more humble than the emcee who “usually features” (is that something you’ve addressed on the show, by the way? if not, i’d love for you to talk about that — that also goes for the “feature” who “usually headlines”). i think the reason i found it so galling is that the rest of the book is so self-aware and smart regarding stand-up technique (not to mention what the real life of a stand-up is like). because of the wit and intelligence he displays everywhere else in the book, i have to believe that he is smart enough to know that yes, obviously, he had talent.
(i guess if you want to get philosophical about it — which is appropriate, considering steve was a philosophy major — it brings up the question of “just what talent is”. what, exactly, is the innate ability that makes someone a good comic? performance? writing? and is one more important than the other?)
on the whole, though, it’s a minor point, because the rest of the book was spectacular. i look very forward to hearing your thoughts on it. i’m not sure there has _ever_ been a better book about stand-up.
I feel for you Jay. I did a 3 month NACA tour about 4 years ago and that was enough for me. It was one of the few times stand up actually felt like “work” to me. Drop me an email sometime, I’d love to chat with you about the college scene on the show sometime.
Hey Brian. Finally caught up with this week’s show. I thought Mike Not really’s comment refering to last weeks shows about how musical comedians are heckled less than non-musical stand-ups because they somehow warrant more audience attention and respect due to the music being played was a fascinating point, and as good a theory as any I’ve heard. I also think that if you’re playing songs as part of your comedy act, you’re reasonably well rehearsed, and leave less dead time in your set that allows hecklers to shout over the top of you - it’s also more tricky for a drunk to shout out a killer shut-down heckle mid-song while the act is plugging away loudly on their guitar or keyboard - as opposed to a non-musical stand-up who may leave a pregnant pause in his act that can act as heckle-bait to the drunk abusive audience member. (And speaking as a musical comedian, you’re so focused on playing the song correctly and listening to yourself not fuck up that you probably don’t even hear any heckles out there - like tunnel vision, but in an audio sense)
Hope this helps!
When the weather gets shitty in the wintertime, I’m glad to be able to turn down road gigs in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and the midwest. I used to love making those drives but now I hate driving twenty minutes in the snow. My heart goes out to you road dogs.
As for the stage name…here’s my input (stories and opinions):
My acting agent has said from the beginning, whatever name you choose…pick it and stick with it. I was originally going to go by David Sina Amedson…then sometimes Sina Amedson etc. My agent stressed that it’s hard enough to get people to remember you so don’t make it any harder by changing your name.
Whatever name you do end up using, Mike, make sure you can see yourself getting old using it. There was a local guy who used to call himself Joluba, then he would call himself Jose Bacio (his real name) then he started going by Jose L. Bacio. Joluba spent more time thinking about what his name was going to be this week than he did writing jokes. Nobody cares what your name is…just pick it and move on. Don’t spend energy trying to be creative with your name. That was your parents’ job.
My friend Trent’s last name is Krummenacher though and my agent said that he should just use his middle name as his last name since no one can pronounce or spell Krummenacher (ala what Brian was saying). So now he’s Trenton James.
I struggled with the aspect of the name thing myself when I first started open mic’ing because no one could pronounce either of my names very well so sometimes they would just call me Sina…or just stutter like a substitute teacher and blurt out some weird arabic-sounding letters as a last attempt to be funny. The result was me getting shitty intros every time I went on stage. For a while, I told the MC to just call me Sina Alibaba (which is actually my birthname before my dad changed it)…but I realized, fuck it, I don’t want to be known as Sina Alibaba and fuck them for not being able to pronounce my name. Let them learn how. So I’ve stood by my guns and decided that people will eventually have to learn to say my name.
I don’t know if there’s a real moral to my story but I feel that there’s something to be said for taking pride in who you are and not conforming yourself for something so trivial.
Hope it gives you some perspective,
Sina.
Oh and I have a Dave Attell story.
I went to see Dave when he came to Salt Lake right when I was first starting to do comedy and went with friends and got just fucking trashed during the show. He was all my friends’ and my favorite comedian at the time and biggest influence into getting into comedy so I really wanted to meet him but didn’t want to come off like a groupie/fanatic etc…so I went out back where he was standing and smoking to avoid the crowds and in my drunken stupor the only words I could manage to get out were “hey man, can I bum a smoke?”
He just walked away.
I learned early on to not talk to people if you don’t have something to say.
Sina.
I have a Jamie Kennedy story.
Two years ago, he came to perform at my college. After the show (which was surprisingly good), I went back to get my picture taken with him. During his show, he had mentioned that he used to perform at Penguins Comedy Club here in Iowa. So when I went back and introduced myself, we had this conversation:
Me: Penguins moved last year.’
JK: What?
Me: Penguins Comedy Club. It went to downtown Cedar Rapids last year.
JK: Oh, oh yeah… *mutters something*
–Camera goes off–
As I’m leaving:
JK: What the fuck was that?
I didn’t think about it until later, but it must’ve seemed strange that someone just started mentioning that penguins move. Felt like a genius.
another point about stage names: if you have a name that is the same as another already famous person (comedian or otherwise), it might make life easier down the line if you change your name.
two examples:
1) michael keaton’s original name was michael douglas. when he first started in acting, there was already kirk’s son on the “streets of san francisco”, so he had to change his name.
2) jay black (me). there’s a 60s musician (”jay black and the americans”) who is still (sadly) alive. when i do colleges, it’s never an issue. when i perform in atlantic city or las vegas, the club is overwhelmed with calls from the 70+ crowd who wants to see a near-death former star belting out “cara mia” one more time. i’m _always_ asked by the management of those clubs if i’d “ever consider changing my name.” since i don’t want to adopt a stage name, i’m just gonna wait it out and hope that the other jay black dies or retires before i get big enough that it matters
Jay Black- Thats is really funny. Im glad I dont have to wait for someone to die before I could claim my name.
In Refrence to comedic actors being comedians or vice versa or whatever i thought i should bring this up. apparently Vince Vuaghn did a a tour called Vince Vuaghns Wild West Comedy Tour. now i know for a fact that Vuaghn aint a stand up and as far as i can tell the guys on the tour arent stand ups, but im taking this form the trailer so i coud be wrong. but that seems to be a problem with non stand ups milking the generic term of comedian. thoughts?
Hey Brian… First, I want to thank you for your podcast. I just started listening to it, and I’m really hooked. I’m thinking about starting to do some standup and I find your show to be an invaluable source of information.
I also wanted to suggest somone for a comedian spotlight (or comedian of the week… I forget what you call it on the show)… Eddy Izzard. I know, I know, most people think he’s ridiculous. BUT, if you can look past the crossdressing and the makeup and the bullshit, he has some GENIOUS material. I find most of it to be extremely intellectual, and hilarious. His set for HBO, entitled Dress To Kill, was the most earthshatteringly killer set I have ever seen. It just got better and better and better. I know he can be a little controversial in the world of comedy, but I think he’d make a great spotlight. Thanks, Jay.
Thanks Jay. Welcome to the community. I think you’ll find that no one around here thinks Izzard is ridiculous. In fact, we did a whole month of British comics a few months back and he was the headliner of the group. Look forward to hearing more from you as you prepare to take the plunge.
You know the cross dressing never really bothered me. when your listening to him on cd you cant really tell and he never brings it up. and i agree that he has some genius material.
(Sorry, this is late!)
You forgot the man attributed with creating the art of stand-up comedy, Samuel Clemens, used the alias Mark Twain.
Although, that was to escape persecution for his views, but an alias nonetheless!
~Charles K