"The List" aka My Favorites

This week's post is going to be more structural since it is going to be a list of my favorite stand-up comedians. I will add that these aren't all of them, and my opinion now might change later on. But if you like these comics, then we will have a grand ol' time.

Dave Chappelle:

My interest for Dave Chappelle happens to be fairly recent because his recent special and I have not watched a lot his work. For the most part, I have only watched his occasional Laugh Factory bits. Though, after many appraisals from my friends, watching him on SNL, and watching both of his Netflix specials, I can honestly say he is a comedic genius. Weird, famous, understanding, and clever are some words that can portray Dave Chappelle. (Trigger Warning)Second last note: Dave Chappelle does not portray the "I am defined by my race comedian". As for the last note, Dave Chappelle is a comedian that puts his audience at a time where jokes are universal.
Dave Chappelle - Man Rape

Steve Byrne:

Steve Byrne is a comedian that has an interesting twist. The jokes Steve Byrne tells are from the side of a half-Korean, half-Irish perspective. Instead of being labeled as one or the other, Steve Byrne chooses to be labeled as "American"; a philosophy I am fully inspired by. Not too mention his Bruce Lee impression is remarkable. Other than that, he has great delivery without the need to be self-deprecating.

 Jo Koy:

Another interracial comedian; half-Filipino, half-White. I can relate to him a lot because he is Filipino and a mama's boy. Rice is rice.

Dane Cook:

I believe the hype for Dane Cook dies in the mid-2000s. However, he was one of the first comedians I was introduced so I can only blame nostalgia. Also, I watched a lot of his movies on Comedy Central. Peanut Butter Smack

Donald Glover:

From actor to musician to stand-up comedian. Call him what you want(Donald Glover, Childish Gambino, Troy from the show Community), the man has exponential talent. Donald Glover engraved the title "Black Nerd" and it totally works for his bits. Watching him perform jokes just shows that experience is one thing this comic owns. Japan

I could go on and on. Stand-up comedy is amazing and brings people together. The list would be longer but five is the minimum for a list format. It seems this is my last post for this blog. Maybe I will update it in my free time(probably not)? I had fun sharing ideas and hope to post my opinion more publicly from now on. Thanks to everyone who spent a couple of minutes to read this crap.

"Improv" or "Going with the Flow"

(This week's post is inspired by the improvisation books I have been reading recently.)

Here is a top secret that I do not tell anyone: All of my posts have been on the spot and totally improvised with little to no revision(occasionally). Now, this may be a forced excuse to hide from my sloppy work, but this is actually an attempt to improv my improvisation skills; one of the biggest key components in comedy.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word improv is this scene from Ted 2. Luckily, it turns out that improv is actually the spark of creation; making something out of nothing. If you want to be a comedian, you absolutely need this skill. In more specific detail, improv is also adding more to what you already have. For example, a comedian will acknowledge the crowd to do a bit. Even though the comedian has a punch-line set, it is better to improvise and create a new experience. It is better to mix things up rather than to go insane.

People do not realize, but great improv skills are great for real life situations as well. Presentations, performances, speeches, acting, and even real life conversations can be benefited with improv. Another purpose of improv is to keep a momentum going. Anybody remember my first post on hecklers?(It's ok if you don't) Well, a bad improviser adds nothing to the performance if he/she does not interact with said heckler. Meanwhile, a great improv fanatic will likely put their own twist on a heckler. The heckler could argue that the performance is trash but the comedian can instantly remark with, "You're the one who paid for this garbage." Improvisation like that shuts down all forced negativity and adds realism to the performance. Love it or hate it, comedians that take a chance earn much respect from an audience member.

Here the two improv books I have currently read:

These books have been more than enough to inspire the little entertainer in me. Read a preview if you also inspire to entertain one day. Just like every weak week, I would like to thank anyone using their precious time to read a post from a guy who has no idea what he is talking about. Keep calm and wait for next week's lame post.

Impressionists

"Top a' the morning!" You see, it's funny because, as a non-Irish speaking person, I can pull off a smooth Irish accent.

Impressions, like any form of comedy, can be quite touchy. Some audiences w. I'll say. "Hey! We(They) don't sound like that at all!" Sometimes people will rejoice at the performance saying, "It's as if I was actually with that kind person/popular figure." My "favorite" impressions are the ones with no context. Just throw in a sentence and say it in a Brtish accent. Why? Becuase why not; that is the point of no context.

The great thing about impressions is that they open up a whole new world for your viewing experience. For example, on multiple occasions, people will instantly laugh at a stereotypical Japanese or Chinese accent(even if it does not apply to a majority). People laugh because they mix the Ls with the Rs. Take a rook at this exampre: "Herro my name isa Wata Bottre and I rove noodres." I know some of you laughed but you laughed because it was different. Comedy has a lot of shock value, and impressions can be known to electrify.

Aside from language impressions, there are also celebrity or famous impressions. Obama, Owen Wilson, Christopher Walkin, Nicholas Cage, Jane Lynch, and way more impressions available to the public. These mimicries are great for people who have or haven't met the person they're talking about. Like if I ever met Pitbull in person I imagine his first words would be, "Dale! It's ya boy Pitbull: Mr. Worldwide!" Again, this is just generalizing and I honestly do not expect anyone to sound like that.

Hope I left a good impression on the audience... My final note on impressions is that they require a LOT of practice. If not done correctly, they can offend and bore a crowd. However, if done exceptionally well, a crowd will further accept the spit. Off the top of my head, my favorite impressionist comedians are:

• Jay Pharoah*
• Kate McKinnon
• Any comedian of Asian decent
• Jo Koy
• Andy Sandberg

(If I find more, I will come back an edit this post. Have a nice day!)

"Persona/Characters"

Right off the bat! Today's post is going to be a lot more deep and psychological. What is the main reason we enjoy the presence of something or someone? Yes imaginary audience, the answer was because the person or things were #relatable. This, in my personal opinion, is the main selling point for any stage presence. Most stand-up comedians will provide background on themselves and create this "character" for the crowd to enjoy.

Stand-up comedy is usually well-developed stories with punchlines in between. Crowds can enjoy the "immigrant" persona in which the performer shares their weird understanding of the English language. Accents are very present in this stage. Also, there is the "I wasn't that cool in school" persona. This hits home for a lot of people, which is why they laugh because they have either seen it or lived in it. Another persona is "the parent"; a personality that is basically everywhere. Most likely the parents in that crowd will think in their head, "Hey, that's happened to me waaaaayy too many times!" On stage, we are all just a bunch of characters.

With a stage presence comes expectations as well. If a performer hypes up the crowd to think he/she is a big nerd, the audience will most likely comply to all the performer's nerdisms and what for. Just know if suddenly the comedian suddenly talks as if they were also popular, it is certainly off-putting. Just throwing some advice: Find your middle-ground and don't forget what you started.

My final bullet is a positive one. Comedians are great, relatable storytellers that know how to setup up a character or persona. Next time you laugh think about what triggered that emotion and prove me right. In any situation, a good character always prevails. Big thanks to anyone's day that I have affected. Also, I hope you like my character which is not even made-up. This is how I actually am. Next week I shall return or whatever. It depends.

Race/Ethnic Comic

This week's subject(whatever week it may be) is a sensitive subject. Although you and I will have different opinions on said topic, it has one redeeming merit.We can all agree that a majority of stand-up comedians make jokes about others' or their own race. And most of the time it is hilarious... to me.

If this post was made pre-2016 P.C. Culture, I would glide right through and blast a bunch of racist jokes. Instead, I will let the comics do the talking to save my own skin.

Race/ethnicity jokes have always existed, but early 90s and 2000s stand-up comics have perfected using the joke in a way that does not aim to offend. These types of jokes fall into the more relatable category because comics like to parody their own race by confirming or breaking stereotypes. Jokes likes bring the crowd together to share a laugh and smile. No one gets judged because everybody gets judged.

Here are a list of my favorite "race" comedians in my personal opinion:
-Chris Rock
-Kevin heart
-Steve Byrne
-Daniel Tosh
-Bobby Lee
-PK
-Dwayne Perkins
-Dave Chapelle

Feel free to share your favorite "race" comedians. Maybe you have the same interests as me? We live in the land of the melting pot because our jokes are so hot... Anyway glad you could stop by and I shall return next week.

"Tough Crowd"

Welcome back! Mostly likely, you and I have not visited this blog recently. I will say this as much as I can before it kills me but I need this for a grade. This week, if you haven't read the title, is the concept of a "tough crowd".

Now all comics have used the term "tough crowd".

A tough crowd is any crowd that does not 100% agree with the performer(I got tired of using quotations around tough crowd). Whether it be a flat joke or poor delivery, not all jokes hit. That's why it's called a punch-line because it is supposed to hit the crowd metaphorically.

Not really much can be said about a tough crowd other than the fact that performer is clearly to blame(most of the time). Tough crowds are boring crowds. Tough crowds are distracted crowds. Tough crowds just do not care for the material. Here is a playlist of famous comedians discussing their encounters with bad crowds on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon:

Worst I ever Bombed

Against All Performances

Had to ruffle around in my notebook to find my second topic. And voila! Here it is. Today, Tomorrow, Tuesday, or whenever you are reading this I will be discussing comparisons of the stand-up comedy genre to all other live performances. Believe it or not, singing at Madison Square Garden is the same thing as telling jokes at a local Pub. By-the-freaking-way,  you can also perform stand-up at Madison Square Garden. At the end of the day, entertainers are entertainers and that is what makes them the same.

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