Comedy School - Week 3

Yesterday was something of a nightmare with my time split four hours playing golf, surrounded by six hours of travelling, mostly on the circular car park known as the M25.

Long story short, I missed the first half of last night's session. The numbers were one down on last week, one having returned, but with two others missing in action. We had a new "tutor", Mr Cee, a working comedian who is obviously going to push things in interesting directions.

His contention is that the best standup comedy comes from the darkest parts of our minds. We have agreed that in the class/workshop, political correctness is left at the door. That is not to say the room is filled with malaice or anarchy, but rather this is the time to learn about ourselves and and to test it in a safe environment.

He also made a few interesting points. The first was that a stand up comedian should push the audience, but needs to be smart in drawing out the links, contrasts and/or hypocrisy between seemingly unrelated and often shocking elements if the comdey is to navigate the line between being controversial and being offensive.

The second was that a standup does not go on stage to be liked. If that is what one seeks then standup comedy is not the answer. Instead one does it for oneself. And of course for those others that "get it" and may pay money to hear it, but not everyone will. Given the embarassment of my wife and daughter about all this and their refusal to attend the end of course showcase, it is just as well that I am doing this for myself! :) If anyone else finds it funny then for me that is a bonus.

The last point I wanted to mention was the power of comedy to change people's perceptions of the comedian. First impressions are based on height, weight, colour, age, dress, etc and will influence what others think of you, at least at first. With comedy one can start showing the comedian's inner aspects, their history, their values, their ambitions, etc all of which may be rather different to that initial impression. I hadn't thought of it that way before, but I suspect it will make me listen to comedy with new ears.

The "dark places" comment is one I am struggling with a little. I am not sure how many and how dark the places are in my mind. Also given my "day job" how comfortable am I in exposing them. On the other hand this is an opportunity to push myself and explore these aspects. If I don't embrace the ideas then I will not get all that I could from this experience.

One thing I have learned in other aspects of life and was part of the message from this course is that one needs to be true to oneself and not be a clone/copy of someone else. This is something I will hold onto during the next few weeks and whoever it is that goes on stage at the end, it will be "me" and no one else.

I am generally a tolerant and fairminded person, happy to help almost anyone if they ask and I can, but there are some things that rile me and maybe it is those I need to work with.

I have been a car driver for 30 years and consider myself a considerate road user, even in these heavily congested days. Currently I drive a black Ford Mondeo. Not very exciting, but it works for me. Did I say it was black? Well it is with very little in the way of reflective surfaces. Tonight I am going to go out after dark and will leave my lights off. It seems only fair and a way to level the playing field with that annoying group of cyclists who continually weave up and down our roads with dull clothes and no lights. I want to see how they feel when they can't see me coming either!

Well this week's homework is to do with love and hate; the two things that the tutor believes motivate us as people. We are to look through all aspects of our life and bring to class next week a set of examples where we have strong love or hate feelings. They need not be funny (yet!) but may be the incubator from which we will develop our own material.

Onwards to Week 4.




The second was

Change perceptions