Everyday Canvas

Stand-up Comedy

Prompt: Most of us enjoy stand-up comedy, but what do you think of stand-up comedy and stand-up comics? What turns a person with a funny-bone in him or her into a stand-up comic?

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I always liked the stand-up comics if what they said were funny and it hit a nerve; however, I think this has to be a very difficult job to do, especially the writing of the material. First, you have to know your audience and what makes them tick. Second, you mustn’t have scruples as to who you are going to attack with your jokes, including yourself and your own family. In addition, the material has to be fresh if delivered more than twice in the same location. Then, you mustn’t pick subjects that would make everyone mad. No wonder, such funny people often seem troubled!

Yet, the essence is in the word “seem” in my last sentence for chances are these people may only seem to be psychologically unhealthy and they may be perfectly fine in their everyday lives.

Then, there is that ability to write humor. Not every comic writes his own material. Some of them employ several writers and when they go on stage, they are no more than the actors who have perfected their timing in telling jokes. These types of actors depend on not only the timing but also on the use of the subtle social signals such as gestures, gazing or staring at the audience, and the use of their bodies while telling their jokes.

What turns a person into a stand-up comic? I think it is us, the audience. What the comics tell us may be funny, but anything funny in a subject alien to us wouldn’t make us laugh. What would make us laugh are the subjects we know about or better yet disturbed about, which should be freshly delivered. We like stand-up comics because they validate our likes, dislikes, and prejudices, and in return, our recognition and cheering can encourage an actor or a comedy writer to turn into or continue on being a stand-up comic.