Comedy

[Crazy Elf]

I've been called a rant comic a few times in the last week, and I don't really think that I am. My live performances are less based around ranting and more about set pieces. Of them I know that one of them is a rant, but I hardly use it. I see myself as a different style, but I'm interested in categorisations of comedy as a whole.

What styles of comedy do you see there as being? Also, what styles of comedy do you personally find amusing?

To add to this I think we should also look at categories of comedy. You can be a rant comic, but talk about relationships or politics primarily. Thus you'd be a rant relationship or rant political comic, which are different topics in the same style.

Anyway, hit me.

[Serious Paul]

Hmmm, a good question. I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer it, but I'll try.

To me there a few simple categories of comics:

• Genre (black jokes, white jokes, trailer trash jokes, etc...). I think Jeff Foxworthy is a good example of a Genre Comedian.
• Satire (Political Satire being the most well known). I think Bill Maher is a Satirist.
• Parody-some people would include this in Satire, but I think Satirist's have a harsher edge. I think Carrot Top, and Gallagher do Parody really well.
• Slapstick or Physical Comedy: Just what it says, Pie in the Eye stuff. The 3 Stooges and Charlie Chaplain were great at this stuff.
• Rant/Angry Comedy. I think the vast majority of your on line persona fall sunder this. I agree the few skits you've shown people don't always fall under this, but the persona you portray reminds greatly of Dennis Leary, which in my mind is a compliment.

I think there are subcategories under all of these, but that's how I basically see comedy. I generally enjoy all of them-part of why I like you so much is I do think you're funny. The problem is I'm not always looking to laugh. I will admit that slapstick has to be really good to get me going, but I really like to laugh most of the time.

Does that help? And despite what it may seem like, I'm not trying to patronize you-I actually have a lot of respect for you. You're certainly much more honest than some of the people who've posted in this very thread, and certainly have more integrity than a lot of people I've met in life. That's mileage in my book.

[Kitt]

I'm personally a huge fan of dark comedy. Anything where you say, "Dude, that's so fucked up," while trying not to pee yourself laughing is also always appreciated. I try to avoid political humor, simply because I have such mixed views. I also enjoy a great deal of Carlin's work.

As a direct note to you, CE, I've heard one of your sketches...at least, my brother claims it's one of your sketches. Assuming it is yours, it's the one about Jesus and the wallet/purse. First time I heard that, I had tears rolling down my face from laughing. If only I could get my ass to Australia, I'd def go see one of your shows.

[Crazy Elf]

• Rant/Angry Comedy. I think the vast majority of your on line persona fall sunder this. I agree the few skits you've shown people don't always fall under this, but the persona you portray reminds greatly of Dennis Leary, which in my mind is a compliment.

And I'll take it as one, don't worry. I don't think you're trying to patronise me.

Anyway, I think that traditional stand up comedy is missing from the list. The traditional telling jokes about situations that are completely made up and passing on observations about the world. It's usually just observational comedy. Let's just call it that.

There's also one liners. Some comics, such as Stephen Wright just tell joke after joke after joke, without them really linking up that much. A lot of comics do this, too.

Oh, and storytelling comedy, like Billy Connolly. That's not there either. They're styles rather than tones.

I'm personally a huge fan of dark comedy.

Shit, you'd love Australia. It's pretty much all that we do. I'm a little confused as to how you can hate political comedy and yet love Carlin.

We're probably going to have to come up with examples of each style of comedy. Seeing that I like pushing this particular skit to a lot of non-Australian audiences, here's an example of satire.

[Serious Paul]

See I think Observational can fall under the heading of any of the others. Like Jeff Foxworthy does Observational Comedy. He observes with in his "genre" and passes on his humorous observations. I think Traditional Standup and Storytelling tends to be divvied up among the five headings, but I also know that is just personal preference on my part so we could easily make it a sixth and seventh category.

That's the beauty of course, humor, like any art, is in the eye of the beholder.

[Crazy Elf]

Well I think it's about styles and content. Jeff Foxworthy would be Genre Observational, whereas John Stuart would be Political Satire. It's a two ended thing I think.

[Kitt]

I'm a little confused as to how you can hate political comedy and yet love Carlin.

I enjoy much of Carlin's stuff, like Feminist Blowjob, Names, Rape Can Be Funny, and Stupid People. Sure, most of his stuff is at least insidiously political, but I steer clear of the outright political stuff.

[qote="Serious Paul"]Like Jeff Foxworthy does Observational Comedy. He observes with in his "genre" and passes on his humorous observations.[/quote]
Let's talk about Dane Cook, talentless hack that he is. (I used to be a huge fan. Then I actually listened to the material and realized that it's not really all that funny.) His is a strange cross between observational and storytelling, but he also throws in a few one-liners just for funsies. But what do we call the ridiculous stuff? One quote in particular comes to mind:
"Come see me in the lobby. I'll be the one stabbing jaws."
And what the fuck is the deal with mispronouncing "sandwich" as "sangwich"? That kills me.

Shit, you'd love Australia. It's pretty much all that we do.

How's the housing market over there?

[Crazy Elf]

But what do we call the ridiculous stuff?

That's a traditional stand up tool. Ridiculousness is part of observational comedy, or any other form. If he branches into Storytelling, then it's easily a part of that.

I was going to say surrealist, but I think you'll find that this is more surrealist than anything that hack you were talking about has ever come up with.

How's the housing market over there?

Crashing, just like everywhere. Our banks are doing fine, though. MacQuarry won't, but that'll happen later.

[Kitt]

Crashing as in prices are falling? If that's the case, sign me the fuck up.

[Crazy Elf]

Aren't prices falling everywhere?

[Kitt]

Not on Long Island, which is where I originally lived.

[Crazy Elf]

Ha ha! Suck the pain!

And that's black comedy.

[3278]

Well I think it's about styles and content. Jeff Foxworthy would be Genre Observational, whereas John Stuart would be Political Satire. It's a two ended thing I think.

This and the archetypes thread fall prey to the same vile flaw: you just can't describe reality in a useful way by picking an arbitrary number of slots and shoving everything into one of them. By the same token, without some sort of series of divisions, most people cannot see the whole, or how the various parts integrate. But I think any attempt to pigeonhole every sort of person [even just in literature] into X number of slots is going to produce more inaccuracy than simply discussing each person in detail. Comedy most certainly likewise; not only will most comedians fit into a large number of slots, but the set of slots can be considered functionally infinite!

It's like trying to fit every musical work into some particular genre: either the fit will be imperfect [is 3278 making IDM, or blip hop, or baroque?] or the set of genres must expand too far for utility [oh, he's making experimental darkwave undertone funk vibe jazz].

[Crazy Elf]

Although there is a potentially infinite number of slots, I think you'll find that most mass marketed comedy fits neatly into only a few. Although many comedians are pretty creative there's only a limited number of marketable styles. Hence, even the most creative of comedians are limited by their audiences.