October, 2010 archive
Stand Up Comedy Tips
Many individuals want to learn how to be funny; some with the reason of wanting to impress their dates, while others aim to earn money. If you have the talent to make people laugh, you actually have the chance to be a stand-up comedian/comedienne. Remember though that comics do not only rely on funny jokes to say, but also on their ability to deliver jokes and lines that can make the audience crack up. Here are a few stand up comedy tips that you can follow to up your chances of becoming a successful and really funny comic:
Try To Be As Unique As Possible
If you really want to succeed as a comedienne or comedian, it is important that you give your audience a unique show. This means sharing jokes that are unique, specifically the ones you created yourself. Rephrasing another comedian’s joke, or totally copying them and then using them in your show is something you have to avoid if you really aim to know how to be funny. Joke copycats usually fail as comics, thus, better come up with your own jokes that will make people laugh. Read more »
Physical Comedy
Physical comedy is one of the older forms of humor in human culture. Watching another person fall down, get dirty, receive a slap, trip over obstacles or perform a stunt has always been a popular source of entertainment for audiences of all ages. Physical comedy often depends on a sense of schadenfreude, the secret pleasure an audience member may derive from witnessing the misfortune, real or imaginary, of the performer. A circus clown who takes a hit of seltzer water to his or her face or a comedian making a comically exaggerated entrance is using his or her physicality to sell the joke to the audience. Physical comedy is not necessarily a low-brow form of entertainment, since many mimes and comedic actors can tell elaborate stories through body movement alone.
One of the masters of physical comedy was the late silent film comedian Buster Keaton. Keaton’s films were often based around his willingness to put himself into risky situations for the sake of a visual joke. The sight of Keaton stoically riding on the pistons of a steam train, for example, entertained audiences because of the sheer physicality of the act. Other silent film stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd also used physical stunts and visual humor in their films. Charlie Chaplin’s character “The Tramp” would routinely throw himself in front of a moving car or get struck by flying objects. Lloyd’s films featured his ability to hang precariously from tall buildings or perform other seemingly impossible feats of strength. Read more »
A Humorist Person
A humorist is a person who creates or performs material that is considered humorous. A person with this job makes people laugh or smile via the written word or through on-stage or on-camera performances. Often, the material a humorist performs or creates is subtle and intellectual rather than simply funny. Usually, there’s a message or point included in a humorist’s material.
It can be difficult to pinpoint the difference between a comedian and a humorist. Some people say the main difference is money. They assert that humorists typically receive higher pay than comedians while others say the difference is in the humorist’s performance. Some say a comedian’s performance is primarily concerned with making people laugh at the things he says. A humorist’s job, on the other hand, is to make people laugh at important things.
Some humorists perform their material on stage, much in the same setting a comedian does. Others give humorous speeches at events, seminars, conferences, and workshops. For example, a major corporation may hire a humorist to give a speech at an annual meeting or during a conference. Humorists may also create videos or audio recordings of their performances for people to enjoy repeatedly. A humorist may even appear in a film or on television. Read more »