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 I certainly wish I wrote this
I have never been a big fan of books that try to theorize something as ambigous and subjective as a form of art. I am a comedy writer, I write a late show that airs through Latin America and before that I was wirting a cartoon for adults that was censored because it made fun of local politicians. I state this, not to brag, but to prove that I was used to worked with spicy humour, and had a high standard for this book.
The thing is that because of all the censorship issues I was kind of depressed and felt that the comedy I was writing that made it to the final program was completely inane and empty, and a lot of friends told me that my show lacked that edge that late shows from the USA have. So, after I realized that I had too little power to battle the network, I decided to start a stand up show where I would say everything that this guys didn't let me say. The thing was, I've never performed anything on stage. So, logically, all the material I prepared for my firs show ended up in the bigges bombing since Hiroshima, they didn't throw food at me because they didn't serve it at that bar. I was so puzzled, my material was good and I knew it, they were jokes that had worked with friends of mine... But then I realized, by watching the tape, that I was so nervous that I talked to fast and sucked pretty badly. Of course, I had never perform anything on stage, no even on elementary school.
So, as always, I went online looking for tips, and found this book, and this book alone about stand up. As I said before, I don't believe in this kind of books but I was desperate for guidance so I ordered it. All I can say is that, not only is Franklyn Ajaye a genious, he interviews nothing but.
In here you will not find Ajaye's method for stand up, you will find the biggest comedians' method for doing their wide variety of sets. From the I-never-bombed-and-always-improvise style of Simbad, to the extremely organized and hard working style of Jerry Seinfeld. You won't believe how many of this comedians failed when they began, and you will laugh and cry when you here how they found the real funny in them. Like George Wallace, who prefered to work as and advertiser and ensure his future before pursuing his true dream of becoming a comedian.
This are very unique interviews made by a comedian, to comedians and for comedians (wich makes them answer concrete and amazing things), Ajaye also list a very wide range of subjects that when you read them you feel you always knew them but never frased them, and that's the beauty of it, you are never imposed with a method for making your routines, he encourages you to find your own way of getting to it, essentially by paying attention to the holy trinity of comedy: Your material, your timing, and your delivery. It's so simple, yet so rich and so well supported by the testimony of the greatest of them all (Except for Klein, Pryor and Bruce, but they all talk about them), that it will really help you if you're starting out, I can say, my last performance didn't bomb, it wasn't a blast either but at least I'm starting to see the road I must take, and I don't like a loser because, if Paul Reiser, Ellen Degeneres, Richerd Lewis and Garry Shandling, all bombed for a year or two, then I'm doing ok.
This is an unlikely book about comedy, it is something that every person interested in this, the greates subject of them all, should have.
 Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy
Rather shallow and repetitive. Then again, comics are gifted humans and their art and skills come from practice, practice, practice and inherent gifts. You can't teach funny but it would be great if the author had included some who didn't say the same thing everyone else said! It is also dated.
Got to get up there!
All these books about Stand Up can not produce one good joke. Some of the techniques might come in handy when in front of an audience but laughter they will not bring. For that, one must be inspired and have a particular view of the world to attract people and share in a funny manner. Bought several books and fine and dandy to hear anecdotes and comedians in all kinds of situations but in the end, if you are really interested in pursuing Stand Up Comedy, a person must be willing to put themselves on the line. Attempt and fail, over and over, until one is recognized as a true comedian and has developed hers or his particular style of comedy. Taking an acting class might be beneficial for so many aspects of stand up comedy can be affected by theatrics. Kind of like wanting to play poker and become rich. You can read all the books you want but until you become one of the players you will not really know wether you are good enough or not. Practice makes perfect, theory does not accomplishes the same thing.
Great Read
Ajaye gives great insight to the aspiring comedian in this concise read. I have never been on stage but this book has helped tremendously in the writing process and my eventual presentation. The many interviews he conducts show a wide variety of approaches and thought processes. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone that is thinking of taking it to the stage.
The best of its kind.
The lone negative review is so off it's beyond belief. This is, in part, my defending a book which I found to be the most helpful of the 3 I own (the other two being Judy Carter's) and challenges the negative points in the bad review.
The author's introduction includes the information that he found law school disinteresting, which is a fact that cohesively brings him to his self-admitted bumpy first night at stand-up comedy. His analysis of comics was fresh information to me. I am relatively new to stand-up (one year) and never thought to specify what makes my comedic heros funny. This advice is tailored to the individual as a road to slowly find one's footing in this world of comedy, a full introduction.
The author does not simply state "tap into your own life experiences". What he does suggest is for the beginning comic to try and find their own voice, whatever that may be, i.e. what we are truly passionate about, as opposed to what we think we should write about. And he writes about this in great detail.
The "third eye" is explained in great detail. I was stumped when sitting down to my notebook to write jokes. I thought to myself "if only I could get to that 'zone' in which I'm on a roll with my friends, making them laugh". The author is urging the reader to expand on his/her own self-awareness as to when and why people respond to him with laughter, as well as asking them to stay aware to one's surroundings and environment. If you're funny or geared towards comedy, your original take on life will guide you, over time, to better writing. That's "third eye" in a nutshell. I'm not an author, nor an expert, but I feel compelled to offer just a tiny explanation of the in-depth book discussion so dismissed above on "third eye".
Lastly, I was at first concerned with the seemingly small portion of the book before the interviews. First of all, those pages offer so much more than previous, now dated books (i.e. Judy Carter) in less space; Secondly, the interviews are truly the most informative part of the book. Trust me. Most of the subjects are so humble and truthful about their beginnings. (I write most as there was one comic who I found egomaniacal, and that in its own way was informative about that world). Hearing their stories and different methods is priceless.
This book rocks.
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