Episode 275
The Art of Laughter
The central theme of this podcast episode revolves around the intricate dynamics of comedy, particularly emphasizing the unparalleled prowess of Dave Chappelle as the preeminent figure in the realm. We delve into the unique attributes that distinguish Chappelle from his contemporaries, as well as the challenges faced by comedians, especially those of color, in garnering recognition within the Canadian comedy landscape. I reflect on the complexities of crafting a successful comedic narrative, the impact of audience engagement, and the significance of personal experience in shaping comedic material. Our discourse further touches upon the nuances of performance, including the delicate balance between humor and sincerity, which is essential in resonating with diverse audiences. Ultimately, this episode serves as an exploration into the art of comedy, underscoring both its transformative power and the inherent trials faced by those who dare to pursue it.
The podcast delves into the nuances of comedic performance, particularly focusing on the comparative analysis between Canadian and American comedians. Speaker A articulates the distinct styles of various iconic American comedians such as Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Kevin Hart, while positioning Canadian comedian Trix in a similar vein. The discussion emphasizes the unique blend of humor and cultural context that shapes the comedic landscape within Canada, contrasting it with the American approach. The speakers explore the aspirations of comedians, particularly those of color, to gain visibility and recognition in the industry, highlighting the challenges they face in a predominantly white comedic arena. They reflect on the importance of originality and the struggle of maintaining relevance in a fast-paced comedic environment, as well as the emotional toll that comes with the art of stand-up comedy. The speakers share personal anecdotes and insights about their own experiences with bombing on stage, emphasizing that every comedian inevitably faces the challenge of a failed performance and how such moments contribute to their growth.
Takeaways:
- The comedic landscape in Canada often lacks representation for comedians of color, posing challenges for their visibility.
- Dave Chappelle is universally acknowledged as the king of comedy, with no close competitors in the field.
- Comedians often find that their material's effectiveness can be heavily influenced by the audience's demographic and environment.
- The process of crafting a comedy special involves rigorous testing and touring to refine material before recording.
- Hecklers can disrupt performances significantly, emphasizing the need for comedians to maintain control of their narratives.
- A comedian's best performances often arise from genuine emotion, including anger, which can enhance their material's delivery.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Trix
- Dave Chappelle
- Cat Williams
- Chris Rock
- Kevin Hart
- Russell Peters
- Sugar Sammy
- Martin Lawrence
- Eddie Murphy
- R. Kelly
- Jay Martin
- Kenny Robinson
- Dread Lee
- Adrian
- Larnell
Transcript
If, if you compare Canadians, which we always do to Americans, I think Trix has that, that Dave Chappelle, Cat Williams combination with it.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:That you're, you're, you're gonna be like, not Dave Chappelle.
Speaker A:Apologize, apologize, apologize.
Speaker A:I don't want to miscalculate this.
Speaker B:We might cut that.
Speaker A:I'm saying Chris Rock, okay?
Speaker A:Cat Williams, loud, in your face.
Speaker C:Fights teenagers.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:That kid Trix wouldn't fight a teenager.
Speaker A:He would.
Speaker A:He would cuss out a teenager.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Not like Cat Will.
Speaker A:That was hilarious.
Speaker A:But, yeah, he's much that kind of beast.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And let's say it.
Speaker A:I said his name.
Speaker A:Everyone aspires to be the king.
Speaker A:Dave Chappelle.
Speaker A:No one, no one will ever come close, like, yeah, to me.
Speaker A:And everyone can say what they want to say.
Speaker A:And you're entitled to your own opinion, though it doesn't matter anywhere else.
Speaker A:But Dave Chappelle is the absolute king of comedy.
Speaker D:It seems to be unanimous too.
Speaker D:Like comedian.
Speaker D:Like, you're a brilliant comedian.
Speaker D:Every brilliant comedian that I listen to always is Chappelle Hart.
Speaker D:Kevin Hart, he just makes it.
Speaker A:Look, he just makes it so easy.
Speaker A:What did you say?
Speaker A:Kevin Hart?
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, he's.
Speaker D:No.
Speaker C:Really?
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker D:No, no, no, no.
Speaker A:Kevin Hart says Dave Chappelle.
Speaker D:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:He says, hey, you know what's funny?
Speaker A:A lot of people discap.
Speaker A:A lot of people.
Speaker A:A lot of people discap.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I've met Kev.
Speaker A:I'll tell you, Kevin is infectious.
Speaker A:And Kevin is, to me, funnier in person than he portrays.
Speaker D:I agree wholeheartedly.
Speaker A:I think he's also a victim of what I told you about.
Speaker A:Everyone hears his jokes, so their shelf life is very small.
Speaker B:That's tough.
Speaker A:And his three, if I'm gonna critique him, his three writing skills, and if you guys watch any special from beginning to end, he.
Speaker A:He talks about only three levels of subject matter.
Speaker A:One, being his kids and family and ex wife.
Speaker A:Two, being his height, and three, being him scared because of his height.
Speaker A:Every bit has one of those three components that are locked into it.
Speaker A:And it's like, Kev, we'd like to see you say something else out of these three.
Speaker A:And when he does, it's always a big deal, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:To have that superstar status and only three subject matter.
Speaker A:Three levels of subject matter is really difficult to stay within.
Speaker C:Could you do that break breakdown with Dave Chappelle?
Speaker C:What makes him hilarious?
Speaker A:Oh, what makes.
Speaker C:What makes the word economy?
Speaker C:Is it that he doesn't care Three first.
Speaker A:Number one.
Speaker A:He is by far the most intelligent comedian.
Speaker A:So his, his knowledge space is enormous.
Speaker A:His mom was a professor at university.
Speaker A:He comes from a knowledge like the.
Speaker B:Knowledge that you finger Jay crazy.
Speaker A:I know I started one.
Speaker A:Middle finger.
Speaker A:Number one, screw yourself.
Speaker A:Number two, he.
Speaker A:And, and, and his transitions are awesome.
Speaker A:Like the best Dave Chappelle joke.
Speaker A:Like there's so many.
Speaker A:And how can anyone have a favorite?
Speaker A:But my favorite is when he talked about.
Speaker A:He has so many, he has so many jokes that he puts the one word in.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:In a fish jar.
Speaker A:And he put it in a fish jar and told you the word yeah.
Speaker A:Took you on a journey.
Speaker D:He had no idea.
Speaker D:And then dropped it back with telling.
Speaker A:You he had it.
Speaker A:And I said that's with him toying with you.
Speaker A:Like, like, that's like Maradona and Ronaldo and Messi all in one going, look at what I could do.
Speaker D:Because he comes in braggadocious.
Speaker D:He's like, I'm the, I'm the greatest.
Speaker D:I'm so dope.
Speaker D:He pulls it out of a fish at a fishbowl and you're like, wow, that's braggy.
Speaker D:But then he, for you, forget about it.
Speaker D:And then he hits you in the face with the punchline he just said.
Speaker D:And, and it's ridiculous.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:His language, his way he speaks, how he speaks, what he does.
Speaker A:And it looks like he's just up there going, I'm going to grab a cigarette, I'm going to grab a drink.
Speaker D:And the other great thing he does is he'll make you laugh, laugh, laugh, maybe for a good half hour.
Speaker D:And then he hits you with some real shit like he's got you relaxed like he did in.
Speaker D:For what it's worth, he talks crazy laugh, laugh, laugh.
Speaker D:And then brings up the ridiculousness of nobody's batting an eye at a 15 year old kid accidentally slamming someone and going to jail for life in Florida, as opposed to R.
Speaker D:Kelly peeing on girls.
Speaker D:And no one doing.
Speaker D:And like that joke.
Speaker D:And he does it so much brilliant.
Speaker D:He does way better.
Speaker A:He's just way better than ever.
Speaker D:But he hits you with the real.
Speaker D:And you're just like, wow, it's, it's, it's wonderful, incredible.
Speaker D:But when you think about your comedy, do you have any like, goals as far as like, you want to put out a special at this time?
Speaker D:Or like, how long do you go from writing a joke and then testing the joke, touring the joke to a special?
Speaker D:Like, what is that?
Speaker D:Like, is that one full year or is it maybe two?
Speaker D:Because you got to tour it and then record it.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:You asked two questions in one, and they were fantastic.
Speaker A:First of all, the process is, yes, everyone wants to get a special, right?
Speaker A:Everyone judges your character based on your greatness, based on your special.
Speaker A:We live in a country that doesn't.
Speaker A:Obviously not.
Speaker A:Obviously.
Speaker A:They do not start bring up the level of comedians of color.
Speaker A:Do you know what I mean?
Speaker A:Outside of Russell Peters.
Speaker A:Name one person of color that you've watched their special or seen put to the limelight.
Speaker A:I'm gonna kick myself and say Sugar Sammy out of Montreal, a phenomenal comedian.
Speaker A:Yeah, he gets it.
Speaker A:But I think a lot of his love comes from the fact that he's bilingual.
Speaker A:Do you know what I mean?
Speaker A:So my point in the matter is that people of color don't get a lot of the chances in Canada to be able to show the star case, to, you know, showcase their talent by means of a special.
Speaker A:But I'd love to have a special, and I'm one of those do it myself guys.
Speaker A:I'm not kind of waiting for anybody.
Speaker A:And everything in my career, I've done by myself and worked it out by myself.
Speaker A:Did my own shows by myself.
Speaker A:Never been signed to.
Speaker A:Yeah, to any of the comedy clubs.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I think I performed in Absolute once.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And I hear all these guys, I'm signed to Absolute.
Speaker A:I'm tying to.
Speaker A:Signed to Yuk Yuk and that.
Speaker A:I gotta tell you all, you asked how this started before, and I really didn't nail it home.
Speaker A:I started my comedy on a dare.
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:I had a friend that's been my friend since high school, and he was like, I'm tired of crying every time I'm around you.
Speaker A:Why don't you do this?
Speaker A:And he goes, I'm gonna dare you to do this.
Speaker A:And he rented a spot and invited all of our friends, about 50 to 100 people, and said, you have two weeks.
Speaker A:And I was like, ah.
Speaker D:So even your first gig?
Speaker A:My first.
Speaker D:Not even in a comedy.
Speaker A:No, no, no.
Speaker A:My friends did that.
Speaker A:That show.
Speaker A:And I.
Speaker A:I had two wedges, because I know I'm dealing with guys that know music.
Speaker A:Wedges, monitors.
Speaker A:And I had two pieces of paper on the monitors and no one could see them.
Speaker A:They were just there, and I was.
Speaker A:And I was flowing, but they're watching going, this is your first time.
Speaker A:And I went nuts.
Speaker A:And that set.
Speaker D:What year was that?
Speaker A:Oh, geez.
Speaker A:We have it.
Speaker A:Oh, gosh, I know it.
Speaker D:You have it recorded?
Speaker A:No, I do have it.
Speaker A:I do have it recorded.
Speaker A:But I'm trying to remember because I have the invitation that he gave out.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker A:Right home.
Speaker B:That's a good friend, right?
Speaker A:He's a great friend.
Speaker A:He's a great friend.
Speaker A:My boy Reggie.
Speaker A:And he put me out there and we.
Speaker A:We did the show.
Speaker A:And the next month.
Speaker A:That was me.
Speaker A:It was me.
Speaker A:And I took June and went down to Yuk Yuk's and watched the Nubian show.
Speaker A:And I saw like 10 comedians and I rated myself out of 10.
Speaker A:Which guy would I.
Speaker A:I kill?
Speaker A:That was my thing, a challenge.
Speaker A:And then July came.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And at the end of June, I did a show which was my first public show at the York Event Theater.
Speaker A:And Russell Peters was the host.
Speaker A:And that was my first ever public show, which I did the set now memorized from the billboards.
Speaker A:And it got a standing ovation.
Speaker A:And Russell was like, when did you start?
Speaker A:I'm like, today.
Speaker A:Like, this is the day.
Speaker A:And he was like, you've got to be kidding.
Speaker A:And yeah.
Speaker A:And then the guy, another guy, Dread Lee, went to talk to Kenny Robinson at Yuk Yuk, and they let me on August.
Speaker A:And I went, August.
Speaker A:And I didn't tell any of my friends.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And it hit the sounding ovation again.
Speaker A:The set was fire.
Speaker A:And by, by.
Speaker A:From August to December.
Speaker A:I headlined there in December.
Speaker A:So it was a great.
Speaker A:It was a great first six months of comedy.
Speaker A:It was just like, douche, douche, douche.
Speaker A:And knocking dudes out and not bragging.
Speaker A:But then I got knocked out.
Speaker A:Your first knockout is the sweetest.
Speaker A:Like, your first knockout is the sweetest.
Speaker A:It's the most humbling pie you could ever eat.
Speaker A:It's nice and okay.
Speaker A:Remember the movie Life with Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy and they've been in jail so long, and Martin's like, I don't care.
Speaker A:I'm gonna steal that pie.
Speaker A:And he runs and he does the pie thing and he put the pipe.
Speaker A:It's so hot, it's burning it.
Speaker A:That's the equivalent of pain you feel when.
Speaker A:When you go and get your first punch in the face.
Speaker A:So my first bombing took place at.
Speaker A:At Niagara Falls Casino.
Speaker A:And in the first year, I got a big paying job at the Niagara Falls Casino.
Speaker A:And my head couldn't even fit in this room.
Speaker A:And ladies and gentlemen, listening to this podcast, this is a very big room.
Speaker A:My head would come through the door and be like, I can't go in there.
Speaker A:My head was that big.
Speaker A:And I went down there with a fellow comedian and we went to do the show and I thought, it was gonna be like Jay Martin live at Niagara Falls Casino.
Speaker A:No, it was a little corner room where when you lost your money, you went into this room to cry.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's where all your dreams went to die.
Speaker A:It's a funeral for your dreams.
Speaker A:And I was in that back corner.
Speaker A:And they introduced you by means of a tape cassette that didn't even have your name.
Speaker A:Give it up for this next comedian.
Speaker A:Hopefully they make you laugh like one of those.
Speaker A:And there's a clock on the floor that's 30 minutes and you gotta do 30 minutes and it just counts backwards and it's like you're death.
Speaker A:Like nothing was hitting nothing.
Speaker A:And I lasted about 17 out of the 30 minutes and then I ran.
Speaker B:Gave it up.
Speaker A:Yeah, I gave it up.
Speaker A:I gave it to the other guy who took the other.
Speaker A:Whatever.
Speaker A:Do your math.
Speaker A:13 minutes of it.
Speaker A:And then we had to do it again in the next hours.
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker B:It lasted the same night.
Speaker A:21 minutes.
Speaker A:It's the same night.
Speaker A:So I did 17 and 21 of the 30 and it paid like three grand.
Speaker A:It was really nice, but it was a painful.
Speaker C:Why do you think that is?
Speaker C:Why is it that you can tell a joke and it lands and then you tell the same joke and you bomb?
Speaker A:Two reasons.
Speaker A:Number one, your, your, your jokes.
Speaker A:My jokes in my, when I first started had a lot of ethnic ethnicity to it.
Speaker A:So if you were in a crowd that wasn't an ethnic crowd, you were going to take some hits.
Speaker A:Another reason why they bomb is, is the environment of comedy.
Speaker A:Like, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:Someone would be like, oh, I'm having a backyard barbecue.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker A:Would you come out and do comedy?
Speaker A:Well, if there's nobody.
Speaker A:If.
Speaker A:First of all, comedy is only works when you're sitting, right?
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker A:Like it doesn't work when you're standing and people just think, oh, we're gonna do a standing thing.
Speaker A:It's like our good drummer there.
Speaker A:What's the best drummer name?
Speaker B:He want to say the wrong name now.
Speaker A:Canadian drummer.
Speaker C:The best Canadian drummer.
Speaker B:I don't got a strong name, but also Adrian.
Speaker A:No, they're all good.
Speaker A:They're all good.
Speaker A:Notice.
Speaker A:Is my dog known?
Speaker A:I've heard that Larnell is the best.
Speaker A:And when Larnell got married, he had a standing wedding.
Speaker A:And I didn't know till we got there.
Speaker A:That was like, ah, this is like the worst comedic environment ever.
Speaker C:You did comedy at his wedding?
Speaker A:I did comedy at his wedding.
Speaker A:But again, I'm one of his favorite comedians, as I've been told.
Speaker A:And he wanted me there and I did it.
Speaker A:Don't get me wrong.
Speaker A:When they don't know that standing is.
Speaker B:The worst environment, I wouldn't have thought about that.
Speaker A:But people forget.
Speaker A:So the environment that you're in can also.
Speaker A:Like, you can smell a bombing.
Speaker A:Sometimes when you walk in the door, you're like, oh, this is going to be a bombing.
Speaker C:And they just have to take it.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah, that's terrifying.
Speaker A:You got to eat that.
Speaker A:You got to eat that.
Speaker A:And they're like, oh, I've never bombed.
Speaker A:Like, any guy that says they never bombed or any not guy or any comedian that says they never bombed is the biggest liar.
Speaker A:Because I can place you in an environment where it's not conducive to society, where its chances of you failing are very high.
Speaker C:So that experience is not one that a lot of people like.
Speaker C:Just honestly, why people aren't doing it.
Speaker A:Like, there would be more comedians if people weren't terrified of bombing.
Speaker D:Good point.
Speaker A:There'd be way more comedians.
Speaker B:That's true.
Speaker B:I'm looking at one right now.
Speaker D:I'm not scared.
Speaker D:I'm definitely scared of bombing.
Speaker D:But I just wasn't writing, like, my jokes.
Speaker D:And then I would always write a joke and not think it was.
Speaker B:Wait a minute.
Speaker D:Because I'd listen to Jay Martin and be like, oh, that's not, you know, it's funny.
Speaker A:That would be because some people in their jokes, a lot of the jokes that I deliver, people are like, you laugh at your own jokes.
Speaker A:Yeah, because I'm thinking, that's just funny.
Speaker A:I'm taking myself out of myself and going, that's just funny.
Speaker A:Sometimes it's just the simplest thing.
Speaker A:And sometimes you're betting on yourself because the joke, you wrote, it, it might have came off corny, but you're like, I think I can make this corny into a delicious meal for somebody.
Speaker B:Right, right, right.
Speaker A:So it's about confidence and delivering.
Speaker A:And don't get me wrong, if you read my joke book, you'd laugh at maybe 70% of it.
Speaker A:But if I delivered the exact same set to you, it would probably raise back up to the 85, 90% because of the fact it's how you deliver the material of the joke.
Speaker D:Speaking of.
Speaker D:And I wholeheartedly agree, but speaking about delivering the material, when you encounter a day, like, I'm sure you have a wonderful life right now, but I'm sure at some point in time your day, you have a show at 7 o' clock at night, but during the day you're hit with so much Bullshit.
Speaker D:You're really angry.
Speaker D:And you still have to show up to Niagara falls for the $3,000 because it's a significant amount of money and give people a show.
Speaker D:How do you kind of like.
Speaker D:Because I have a hard time in anything to be a professional when it matters.
Speaker D:What are some tips that you would have for someone like myself or the audience when you need to still be a professional when you really, really don't want to?
Speaker A:That statement reigns true to everybody who is in performing arts.
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker D:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:It's not just exactly.
Speaker A:It's everyone in performing arts.
Speaker C:Very true.
Speaker A:To drum up the.
Speaker A:The feeling and emotion that the crowd resonates from.
Speaker A:You understand, it's your energy.
Speaker A:So you've gotta one, build up your energy for the performances.
Speaker A:And then I always ask myself, I've asked God to give me this talent that I have, and you make good with this talent.
Speaker A:You understand me?
Speaker A:So when I hit that wall, I always think of the people that are.
Speaker A:That are not as fortunate as me to have a family and be able to make a living, a decent living off of.
Speaker A:Off of your.
Speaker A:Your talent is a big deal.
Speaker A:So when it comes to that, that's when I'm like, come on, Jay, you have this talent and other people don't have this talent.
Speaker A:The ability to translate that talent into finances, like, get up and do it.
Speaker A:And the second part to your statement is.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm, I'm.
Speaker A:I'm weird in the fact that as a comedian, I'm one of those guys that get.
Speaker A:That gets better when I'm angry.
Speaker B:Interesting.
Speaker A:And it's, you know, it's like them boxers or those, those.
Speaker A:Those, you know, sports people.
Speaker A:You poke the bear.
Speaker A:Unfortunately, I'm a poke the bear guy.
Speaker A:I don't want to be that guy.
Speaker A:No, I hate being that guy.
Speaker A:But I know a guy, Roger Dundas, shout out to him.
Speaker A:He was like, I love it with Jay Zagrey.
Speaker A:Can we piss him off?
Speaker A:And when I'm pissed off and I get out into that experience, I feel sorry for you.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:Because the.
Speaker A:Because I'm such a nice guy portrayed comedian, so I can't portray the anger, so it just.
Speaker A:It just molts into a funny monster.
Speaker A:So, yeah, piss me off on stage.
Speaker A:And I'm just gonna go to another level because I think it's all of a challenge.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Curse in my comedy.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker D:You don't curse at all.
Speaker A:Not at all.
Speaker B:Like, yeah, I was gonna mention that.
Speaker A:I don't curse in my.
Speaker D:Trying to go through your.
Speaker D:You can Go through them.
Speaker A:You're like, what?
Speaker A:Nobody notices.
Speaker A:I don't curse in my com because while I'm on there, it's not like, oh, he's funny for a clean comedian.
Speaker A:I want to be funny for just being a comedian.
Speaker A:And it's when my set is over, someone sits there and goes, wait a minute.
Speaker A:I, I didn't hear him curse.
Speaker A:And it's not for first.
Speaker A:Of course it was.
Speaker A:The church is where I started doing comedy first.
Speaker A:And my first DVD is called, you know, somebody Pray for Me.
Speaker A:It's a DVD or dvd.
Speaker A:Yeah, I said it.
Speaker A:I said it.
Speaker A:My first DVD was when it was in a church.
Speaker A:But, yeah, I've tried it.
Speaker A:Yeah, I've tried cursing on stage.
Speaker A:And I.
Speaker A:Even if you didn't know me, it just doesn't come off genuine.
Speaker A:So I.
Speaker A:It's just something I've tried to do.
Speaker A:So we'd be writing with my comedians and the joke would be dirty and I'd be like, you could take it.
Speaker A:Because I can't even deliver it.
Speaker A:I've tried to.
Speaker A:So I'm not.
Speaker A:It's not a philosophical, I'm holier than thou thing.
Speaker A:It's just not my thing.
Speaker A:And I can't.
Speaker B:Got to be true to yourself, right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Well, let's give the anger a pedestal here for a second.
Speaker C:And the soapbox.
Speaker C:What makes you angry at the audience?
Speaker C:And then follow up question.
Speaker C:Do you have any tips for an audience?
Speaker C:How do you behave as a good.
Speaker C:Because you need to know, like, when you go into a jazz club, there's a way to behave and a way not to behave.
Speaker C:And it's not the same as an opera word.
Speaker C:What do you.
Speaker C:What makes you angry at the audience?
Speaker A:Okay, just tell us.
Speaker A:Oh, two things.
Speaker A:Yeah, we'll answer the follow up two things real quickly.
Speaker A:Number one, a lot of the shows, as I said earlier, are my shows.
Speaker A:So I've had to be the guy who gets the ticket at the door, the guy that drops off your stuff at the front and then their lineup is around the room.
Speaker A:And then you got to go home and go back in and change and someone pissed you off.
Speaker A:I want my money back now.
Speaker A:That, that part made me angry.
Speaker A:So it was me having to hire that had to come and take care of that.
Speaker A:And it, it was so bad that my team would just be like, don't come outside.
Speaker A:And I'm like, what?
Speaker A:I have so much of connections with so many people that are here.
Speaker A:How can I not come outside?
Speaker A:But we just put our foot down and we're just like, you're not coming outside.
Speaker A:Just like a star in a regular show, no one gets to see him, so you don't come outside.
Speaker A:That used to piss me off a lot.
Speaker A:But what pisses me off is when we get backstage and you'd have individuals that have, like, a prima donna attitude, like, what order am I going in?
Speaker A:Hell, no, I'm not going in that order.
Speaker A:First of all, they didn't come to see you, right?
Speaker A:They came to see me.
Speaker A:Yeah, humble yourself.
Speaker A:Yeah, humble myself.
Speaker A:So that kind of stuff would piss me off.
Speaker A:But when you go to the audience, now that pisses you off is that audience that won't let you finish your premise.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:They're out there yelling out stuff when you're starting your joke, or they're trying to draw attention to themselves, when all you want to do is give the regular patron a chance to hear what you're working on.
Speaker A:Which, again, doesn't happen to me often because I'm a storytelling comedian, and 90% of people want to hear how the story starts.
Speaker A:But every once in a while, you got that idiot that walks out and be like, yeah, man, what about this?
Speaker A:Oh, I know that punchline.
Speaker A:Not funny, bro.
Speaker A:Not funny.
Speaker A:And you're like, what?
Speaker A:Wow, dude, this.
Speaker A:This style of comedy isn't meant to make you laugh in the intro.
Speaker A:It's the dismount that makes you go, holy, I'm still dying.
Speaker A:While he walked over and got himself something to drink and came back and did his part.
Speaker A:So what was the last part of that question?
Speaker C:What is supposed to be, you know, an alien's like, I've never been here, right?
Speaker C:How.
Speaker C:What do I do?
Speaker C:Yeah, how do I conduct myself in a comedy?
Speaker A:You know, what can I.
Speaker A:A comedy show is one of the freest spaces that you can be in.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:You can really do just about anything there.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Laugh.
Speaker A:Laugh out.
Speaker A:It's that person that's having another conversation.
Speaker A:The only thing, rule of thumb is, like, you can't pull out your phone and be like, hey, what's up?
Speaker A:Yeah, that's the only rule that I know.
Speaker C:Do that during.
Speaker A:Oh, people have done that.
Speaker A:Hello?
Speaker A:Yeah, man, I'm at the comedy show.
Speaker A:And you're like, dude, really?
Speaker A:And we will rip into you.
Speaker A:That's the only thing.
Speaker A:Like, don't get me wrong.
Speaker A:You can have your phone and look it up, because there are facts that we're trying to throw at you, like the fact that you can only do prescription drug commercials.
Speaker A:In two countries like that, someone will be googling, as I say that line on the show.
Speaker A:So they have their phones, but it's when the phone starts ringing.
Speaker A:And the other rule of thumb is if you're sitting in the front row, don't come in late because you will get.
Speaker B:Oh, God.
Speaker B:And don't get up and go to the washroom because way back in could.
Speaker A:Washrooms are needed sometimes.
Speaker A:But you fear the chance of a.
Speaker B:Comedian going, yeah, no, it happened to me.
Speaker B:I got roasted.
Speaker B:Remember that?
Speaker B:I got roasted.
Speaker D:Ian Edwards got him.
Speaker B:And I wasn't expecting it, so I was just like, wait, this is just a part of.
Speaker A:Do I rush this guy?
Speaker A:Looks like you.
Speaker A:Looks like you hired a prescription of knockout.
Speaker B:I didn't have the training to realize I gotta, you know.
Speaker A:A little bit.
Speaker D:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Or when the host comes back on to introduce another person, that's when you kind of squeak out the door.
Speaker A:And he'll still might.
Speaker A:The host.
Speaker A:Oh, he or she.
Speaker A:I keep saying he might get you, but yeah, it's just the way it goes.
Speaker B:Just a part of it's fun of the show.
Speaker D:See, you don't mind being heckled.
Speaker A:I'm going to be tr.
Speaker A:Real honest with you.
Speaker A:Might have been heckled twice in 17 years.
Speaker D:Is that probably because everyone is coming for you?
Speaker D:Everyone respects your.
Speaker D:Like, you kind of cultivate your own community.
Speaker D:So it might be different.
Speaker A:It could be that, you know, 90% of my audience knows me.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker A:But a heckler is a heckler and I'm not always performing at my own shows.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I think the problem, the reason why hecklers come at you is when you give them a chance.
Speaker A:If you ever see me perform, my shows are all rhythmic.
Speaker A:They have a story, they're joined into.
Speaker A:What a joke.
Speaker A:And I'm not.
Speaker A:My jokes are mostly written about me because I don't want people stealing them.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker A:And so my life on a journey, what are you heckling?
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Like, yeah, my material doesn't give you room to heckle as much.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I'm not always saying stuff that's contradicting.
Speaker A:I'm always kind of touching.
Speaker A:Like if somebody did something stupid, I translate it to me or I know the whole world thought, you know, that person did something dumb.
Speaker A:So when I'm going in on them, you're not going to hear, leave me alone.
Speaker A:But I've been heckled maybe once or twice.
Speaker A:And the first time I got it, I was like, am I being heckled?
Speaker A:I was like, so excited because it doesn't happen to me.
Speaker A:I was like, man, I've been writing down some stuff for years for you.
Speaker A:Like hecklers come in.
Speaker A:And even if someone came to my show to heckle me, they'd have it so difficult because I would.
Speaker A:I have such a way of turning the crowd on.
Speaker D:Right, Right.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker C:So I almost want to try that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:DNA.
Speaker C:DNA Airwaves Heckle Tour.
Speaker A:Trust me.
Speaker A:And me now I wish I wasn't a part of the Brotherhood, be it S.O.B.
Speaker A:the Comedies Institute, that I could heckle people because I would have had a ball doing it.
Speaker D:I think any comedian would really be.
Speaker A:Loved it.
Speaker A:Like they.
Speaker A:If they had a TV show called the Hecklers.
Speaker B:Oh, man.
Speaker A:Three or four concepts comedians that went from show to show.
Speaker A:Heckling comics.
Speaker A:Well, first of all, comics would hate them, but it would be the funniest show ever because you would show the bit and then you would plant the hecklers in the audience and the comedians wouldn't know that they are licensed.
Speaker D:You just made a show.
Speaker A:I just made a show.
Speaker A:Right on your podcast.
Speaker A:You guys want rights?
Speaker A:That would be so sweet.
Speaker A:I take the episodes of the Hecklers and they just come in with girls and guy.
Speaker A:How you going to show we're part of this show?
Speaker A:You're gonna be my date today because I want them to recognize me.
Speaker A:And we go.
Speaker D:Amazing.
Speaker A:Yeah, that'd be enough.
Speaker A:And you'd order a bunch of drinks.
Speaker A:You'd have a budget per The.
Speaker B:Per.
Speaker A:Per show.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And get lit.
Speaker A:Order the wings.
Speaker A:So because if I'm watched as a comedian, I see this guy eating wings and he's got a drink and he heckles me, there's no way I'm thinking that's a professional comedian.
Speaker A:True.
Speaker C:Let's just push this.
