Comedy is one of the things in my life I find myself not going "why?" to. So for obvious purposes, I am now going to overanalyze comedy.
I love comedy so much. When I was 10-14ish I used to watch just disney channel shows (Suite life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, etc). They were comedy shows and looking back they aren't overly funny but they were to me at the time. At one point one of my favourite celebrities was on the Ellen show and I soon discovered how hilarious she was. I watched the Ellen show religiously until I was 15 when I slowly stopped watching it for no particular reason. I just got bored I guess.
Sometime when I was 15/16 or so I discovered the Office and I decided to finally start watching it because Season 2 was on sale at Wal Mart for $15. I remember it was the day before Christmas Eve, and I watched almost half of it before christmas. I was in love with it, and now I own all of the seasons of it! Naturally, I discovered other NBC shows, like Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock, which were on around the same time as the Office. Eventually, I also began watching Community.
From that, I have found many actors and actresses I love, that are very funny as actors. Some of them don't write comedy, some of them only perform it. But they are good at it. I discovered that Tina Fey from 30 Rock wrote Mean Girls and I also learned who she was from a sketch she did with Justin Bieber.
I have gotten more into the actual writing and different types of comedy within the past few months.
I am not really big on sketch comedy shows, I don't find them absolutely amazing, I mean they are OKAY, but most of the time they're crap. I am not big on Saturday Night Live but there are some amazing sketches. I watch it occasionally. The ironic part of that is that I am best at writing short comedy bits, like sketches.
I never did improv at school, although I wanted to. The thing about improv is you see it, and it is hilarious and you are just like "I want to join, I want to play!". I am not quick to think on my feet and I am also not good at acting, but I want to try improv. I looked into whether or not there is an improv or comedy group at my University, and there is kind of something and I found a few individuals who also want to try it. So there might be something there.
Recently I came across Drew Carey's "Improv-a-Ganza" on youtube while looking for some improv videos to watch, because I was bored. I watched the entire thing in less than a week. I discovered the show "Whose line is it anyways?" which essentially is most of the same cast of "Improv-A-Ganza", it is just from the 90's. So I started watching it, and it's been 4 days, and I am almost at the end of season 2. I love it so much.
I did some basic research on what makes people laugh because I am thinking of writing a short comedy book. Basically filled with anecdotes. Yes, that is the book I am writing. I know that before I said I was writing a book on atheism, and I am. But halfway through my planning I decided instead of making it a big non-fiction book, I want it to be a smaller anecdotal book. Sort of like those books you see at Urban Outfitters, or at a music store like HMV.
I think part of the reason why I am so passionate about comedy, other than the fact that laughing feels really good and happiness is awesome (usually), is because I am quite cynical and like to look at the negative side of life. Comedy is easy to just sit down and watch and relax. I love it.
The only comedian that I have actually seen live was the Keynote speaker at a conference I was it, and the comedian I saw was Elvira Kurt, and she was really good. I really want to find the photo of the group of us with her! She was a really good choice because the conference was based around creating a positive atmosphere in schools and specifically acceptance of all types of people, including the LGBTQ and she is gay, so she was awesome. She told us about a time when Wanda Sykes came out to her and she also told us about her time writing at the Ellen Degeneres show.
In addition to improv and TV comedies, I love stand up comedy. I personally think it is the hardest type of comedy, because you have to not only be able to write comedy and deliver/act it out, you have to do it in front of an audience and you have to also be able to improv and think quick on your feet. I am always impressed by stand-up comics.
Some of my favourite comedians (and some of their comedic performances/successes) are:
- Tina Fey (30 Rock, SNL, Mean Girls, Date Night, Baby Mama, Admission)
- Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation, Blades of Glory, SNL, Upbright citizens brigade, Baby Mama)
- Will Ferrell (Elf, SNL, Blades of Glory, Anchorman)
- Colin Mochrie (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway)
- Ryan Stiles (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway, The Drew Carey Show)
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney, Stand Up)
- Chris D'Elia (Whitney, Stand Up)
- Brad Sherwood (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway)
- Greg Proops (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway)
- Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, she also does really epic and hilarious interviews... just saying)
- Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation)
- Jonathon Mangum (Improv-A-Ganza)
- Heather Anne Campbell (Improv-A-Ganza)
- Jeff B. Davis (Improv-A-Ganza)
- Rachel Dratch (SNL)
- Kristen Wiig (SNL, Bridesmaids)
- Will Arnett (30 Rock, Blades of Glory, Up All Night)
- Ken Jeong (Hangover, Community)
- Amy Schumer (Stand Up)
- Steve Carell (The Office, Evan Almighty, Smart Act, 40 Year Old Virgin, Date Night... I've pretty much seen every movie he has been in)
- Rainn Wilson (The Office)
- Maya Rudolph (SNL, Bridesmaids, Up all Night)
I know there are a hell of a lot more I love, these are just people I pulled straight off of the top of my head.
As for myself, although I don't consider myself to be overly funny, I try, sometimes. I have been told I have a "weird" sense of humour. Obviously I am never on a stage or behind a camera performing, so in life, when I am funny it's usually just because I am doing something weird/stupid/embarrassing or because I just say something random. I think I am funnier than the average person, but there is no way I will ever do stand-up. I would be the worst stand-up comic. I'm more of the type of person to be the writer, not the performer.
I love comedy so much. When I was 10-14ish I used to watch just disney channel shows (Suite life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, etc). They were comedy shows and looking back they aren't overly funny but they were to me at the time. At one point one of my favourite celebrities was on the Ellen show and I soon discovered how hilarious she was. I watched the Ellen show religiously until I was 15 when I slowly stopped watching it for no particular reason. I just got bored I guess.
Sometime when I was 15/16 or so I discovered the Office and I decided to finally start watching it because Season 2 was on sale at Wal Mart for $15. I remember it was the day before Christmas Eve, and I watched almost half of it before christmas. I was in love with it, and now I own all of the seasons of it! Naturally, I discovered other NBC shows, like Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock, which were on around the same time as the Office. Eventually, I also began watching Community.
From that, I have found many actors and actresses I love, that are very funny as actors. Some of them don't write comedy, some of them only perform it. But they are good at it. I discovered that Tina Fey from 30 Rock wrote Mean Girls and I also learned who she was from a sketch she did with Justin Bieber.
I have gotten more into the actual writing and different types of comedy within the past few months.
I am not really big on sketch comedy shows, I don't find them absolutely amazing, I mean they are OKAY, but most of the time they're crap. I am not big on Saturday Night Live but there are some amazing sketches. I watch it occasionally. The ironic part of that is that I am best at writing short comedy bits, like sketches.
I never did improv at school, although I wanted to. The thing about improv is you see it, and it is hilarious and you are just like "I want to join, I want to play!". I am not quick to think on my feet and I am also not good at acting, but I want to try improv. I looked into whether or not there is an improv or comedy group at my University, and there is kind of something and I found a few individuals who also want to try it. So there might be something there.
Recently I came across Drew Carey's "Improv-a-Ganza" on youtube while looking for some improv videos to watch, because I was bored. I watched the entire thing in less than a week. I discovered the show "Whose line is it anyways?" which essentially is most of the same cast of "Improv-A-Ganza", it is just from the 90's. So I started watching it, and it's been 4 days, and I am almost at the end of season 2. I love it so much.
I did some basic research on what makes people laugh because I am thinking of writing a short comedy book. Basically filled with anecdotes. Yes, that is the book I am writing. I know that before I said I was writing a book on atheism, and I am. But halfway through my planning I decided instead of making it a big non-fiction book, I want it to be a smaller anecdotal book. Sort of like those books you see at Urban Outfitters, or at a music store like HMV.
I think part of the reason why I am so passionate about comedy, other than the fact that laughing feels really good and happiness is awesome (usually), is because I am quite cynical and like to look at the negative side of life. Comedy is easy to just sit down and watch and relax. I love it.
The only comedian that I have actually seen live was the Keynote speaker at a conference I was it, and the comedian I saw was Elvira Kurt, and she was really good. I really want to find the photo of the group of us with her! She was a really good choice because the conference was based around creating a positive atmosphere in schools and specifically acceptance of all types of people, including the LGBTQ and she is gay, so she was awesome. She told us about a time when Wanda Sykes came out to her and she also told us about her time writing at the Ellen Degeneres show.
In addition to improv and TV comedies, I love stand up comedy. I personally think it is the hardest type of comedy, because you have to not only be able to write comedy and deliver/act it out, you have to do it in front of an audience and you have to also be able to improv and think quick on your feet. I am always impressed by stand-up comics.
Some of my favourite comedians (and some of their comedic performances/successes) are:
- Tina Fey (30 Rock, SNL, Mean Girls, Date Night, Baby Mama, Admission)
- Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation, Blades of Glory, SNL, Upbright citizens brigade, Baby Mama)
- Will Ferrell (Elf, SNL, Blades of Glory, Anchorman)
- Colin Mochrie (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway)
- Ryan Stiles (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway, The Drew Carey Show)
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney, Stand Up)
- Chris D'Elia (Whitney, Stand Up)
- Brad Sherwood (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway)
- Greg Proops (Improv-A-Ganza, Whose Line is it Anyway)
- Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, she also does really epic and hilarious interviews... just saying)
- Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation)
- Jonathon Mangum (Improv-A-Ganza)
- Heather Anne Campbell (Improv-A-Ganza)
- Jeff B. Davis (Improv-A-Ganza)
- Rachel Dratch (SNL)
- Kristen Wiig (SNL, Bridesmaids)
- Will Arnett (30 Rock, Blades of Glory, Up All Night)
- Ken Jeong (Hangover, Community)
- Amy Schumer (Stand Up)
- Steve Carell (The Office, Evan Almighty, Smart Act, 40 Year Old Virgin, Date Night... I've pretty much seen every movie he has been in)
- Rainn Wilson (The Office)
- Maya Rudolph (SNL, Bridesmaids, Up all Night)
I know there are a hell of a lot more I love, these are just people I pulled straight off of the top of my head.
As for myself, although I don't consider myself to be overly funny, I try, sometimes. I have been told I have a "weird" sense of humour. Obviously I am never on a stage or behind a camera performing, so in life, when I am funny it's usually just because I am doing something weird/stupid/embarrassing or because I just say something random. I think I am funnier than the average person, but there is no way I will ever do stand-up. I would be the worst stand-up comic. I'm more of the type of person to be the writer, not the performer.
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