tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938448068751972875.post815742945928790547..comments2023-05-30T04:25:37.367-04:00Comments on Sandpaper Suit | Matt Ruby's comedy blog: Topical jokes that have no shelf lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938448068751972875.post-8370098629472971042009-03-12T13:29:00.000-04:002009-03-12T13:29:00.000-04:00Hey, Matt, first of all, really like your blog. Be...Hey, Matt, <BR/><BR/>first of all, really like your blog. Been in stand up for about 6 months here in the UK and it's been a real help.<BR/><BR/>On this note, for me, material with a shelf life is a good writing excercise. You can get a line out of it that can be placed elsewhere when the joke has to go to joke heaven - and it's also a good warm up for the crowd, to give them the feeling that the perfomance is unique for them....I think.<BR/><BR/>Also, when something inherently funny happens on the news e.g a 13 year old boy has a kid, I've got to write something about it.<BR/><BR/>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4679640/13-year-old-father-Alfie-Patten-The-world-reacts.html<BR/><BR/>A trap I've fallen into however is when no one knows what the hell you're talking about. The first couple of times I went up I wouldn't shut up about Sarah Palin.....not the best for a British audience.<BR/><BR/>later,<BR/><BR/>NickNick Cranstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13037949518955802198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938448068751972875.post-40755807102318093872009-03-12T10:03:00.000-04:002009-03-12T10:03:00.000-04:00Myq, pretty much agree with all you've said. "SHOU...Myq, pretty much agree with all you've said. "SHOULD we be doing that?" I think a comic should do whatever he/she thinks is funny and is authentic to who they are (or who their onstage character is). If you don't care about what's in the news, don't do jokes about it. And vice versa.Matt Rubyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15042748088506030894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938448068751972875.post-78315387925202150082009-03-12T01:24:00.000-04:002009-03-12T01:24:00.000-04:00Louis CK also throws out his act every year or two...Louis CK also throws out his act every year or two now, after recording it.<BR/><BR/>So it's not like he's concerned about being able to do the jokes he's writing forever. (Though he might be happier having them recorded for posterity if they'll make sense throughout the ages.)<BR/><BR/>But you've got someone like Chris Rock, whose last special has a bunch of Obama stuff in it, if I remember correctly... and obviously it won't hold up exactly however many years from now when we have half-alien gay robot presidents and Obama doesn't matter anymore, but not all comedy HAS to stand the test of time.<BR/><BR/>Improv comedians make shit up every night that won't be duplicated every again, and some of them are great.<BR/>And some standups do crowdwork or riffing that is akin to great improv, like you said--there's certainly something to be said for being in the moment.<BR/><BR/>And that's what I feel people like Alexandro are doing--he's not necessarily building a lasting set of timeless comedy, he's being a comedian in the now.<BR/><BR/>Even if I don't care about Michael Phelps or everything that's in the news, I think when people talk about relevant shit that's going on right now, that's valuable, a good skill to exercise, and fun to watch and impressive when done well.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Sorry if I just basically reiterated and agreed with most of what you guys just said.<BR/><BR/>But the point is, to answer the question "SHOULD we be doing that?" the answer is that there is no "should" about it--if that's the comic you are, then yes, if it's not then no.<BR/><BR/>The only should is we shouldn't all be doing the same thing.<BR/>(And that's a shouldn't, not a should.)<BR/>Except we should all be doing the same thing of being great and original and ourselves, but if we're all different then that's not the same thing.<BR/><BR/>Is it bad when a comment is longer than the original post that it's commenting on?<BR/><BR/>Love,<BR/>Myqmyqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00772814671528097421noreply@blogger.com