Hey guys*: Listen, I know you’re mad at me. I mean, maybe not me specifically, but a figurative “me”âthe type of woman who thinks she’s funny, who thinks she understands comedy, who has opinions (and shares them) about what kinds of jokes comics “should” or “should not” tell.And I want to try and convey to you, broadly, how you are hurting women and hurting your own art form, and how easy it would be to stop. Because right now you’re coming across like a bunch of entitled babies terrified of a few girls in your clubhouse—demanding that women be thick-skinned about their own rapes while you’re too thin-skinned to handle even mild criticism. It’s embarrassing.
Hello!
Great question. Well, first of all I would suggest re-aligning yourself with what you think is funny. What did you used to think is funny? Is it funny to you now? Maybe re-watch old stand up specials, and try to consume more comedy. Doing that will get you back into the mindset of thinking in terms of jokes.
Secondly, maybe it’s not that you’re less funny but that your comedic voice has changed. Like, if the things you used to think were funny, aren’t to you any more that doesn’t mean you’re less funny or have a “bad” sense of humor, just that it has changed. Identify what has changed, and see if it lines up with the kind of comedian you want to be. Maybe you should go on a sort of comedic internal journey and make a list of who you think you are as a comedian, who you would like to be, and your goals. Does that make sense? I know it sounds like administrative work but I think it can be really valuable!
Three. Go back to basics. I did this just yesterday. I re-read Bill Hick’s Rules of Comedy, I also read this Cracked Article about how not to suck at stand-up. I also really like this Wired article about the “benign Violation theory.” Additionally, if you have Netflix, watch I Am Comic. It’s my favorite documentary on stand-up comedy and it really helps me re-center myself.
The only other thing I can really think of is just to sit down and try to write jokes. Writing jokes works that muscle (the funny bone) and even if the jokes you write suck, it’ll still make you a stronger comedian for it because now you have more jokes written under your belt.
I hope that I was helpful! If anyone else has tips for this annon, please send them in to me and I’ll publish them.
I think we all learned a lot about Twitter and rice and life in today’s #ComedyFest panel, I Figured Out the Internet: Secrets of My Twitter Success.
I promise you, comedians hate April fool’s day.
