Here’s something I came across recently that sparked an update to the post on Persona– where I talk about the idea of comics being themselves on-stage, or if they put on an act. [BTW: I’m changing the name of that post to just Persona, as it’s grown a bit.]
In a piece on Elle’s 2017 Women in Comedy (6/16/2017) written by Seth Plattner, Kezia Wier and Amanda Fitzsimons, Natasha Leggero says the following,
When I was showcasing for Mitzi Shore, I’d show up every Sunday at The Comedy Store, and there was this little sign: ‘You don’t have to be funny for three minutes. You just have to be yourself.’ That’s always taken a lot of pressure off me. It’s like the old quote: ‘Stand-up is your evil twin.’ You just have to find that place where you’re able to be yourself—if a little bit, well, heightened.
In these statements, Leggero seems to note that it’s not really being yourself as the sign she’s quoting would have it, but a version of yourself – that it’s a negotiation.
Similarly, Jaime Lee gives the following advice for writing Bits (Bit-Writing 101) “a crash course on success at open-mic night”:
STEP ONE: Tell the Truth
In stand-up, you notice your time line doesn’t make sense. In one joke, you’re like, “I just went through a breakup!” And then in another, you’re like, “I just got married!” So you’re like, “Which one is it?” That’s a problem with not telling the truth: It starts to not make sense in your act.
STEP TWO: Mine your personal life for material
STEP THREE: COMMIT
STEP FOUR: Have a Backup Joke
What this seems to say is that telling the truth is practical, and comedy should come from you, but she doesn’t quite say that you have to tell the truth, all the time, let alone stray away from making jokes funny.
Questions? Comments? Thoughts? Additions?
