off my chest in a way I guess?

Performing standup comedy is such a fun thing. I absolutely love it. I love it even moreso when you can create an entire set on the spot and just make people laugh. Making people laugh is what I love to do. I love doing it anytime of the day any day of the week. I don't care if it isn't a show and there isn't a microphone and there are only 5 people with me and we are going to dinner for someones birthday. I love being able to make that group laugh and have fun. I see standup in this way also. You get on stage and you make that group laugh. The group can be 4 or 1000. You just make them laugh. With your ideas and your persona and who you are. YOU are funny and therefore you have funny ideas which lead to you saying funny things about funny observations. I love it when this kind of stuff can happen on the fly. You just make things around you work into a funny story or situation or idea on the spot. Its my favorite thing to watch. This is why Todd Barry is one of my favorite comedians. His crowdwork is awesome. He could do an entire show unscripted and crush. This is because he is just funny. Him. Have you ever been in a social situation where someone introduces you to a friend and they throw in "by the way he does comedy, watch what you say around him." Then that friend goes "oh wow, that must be really difficult. Tell us a joke." This has awkward written all over it. The thing is you can't really tell them a joke. Material is for the stage and outside of the stage it has an awkward presentation and needs a setup and a timing to it and all these other factors. Has this happened to you ever? Could you explain to them that you just can't do a joke in this setting but yet still make them laugh with conversation? Could you show them you are a comedian by just talking with them for five minutes without looking desperate for validation as a performer. And vice versa. If you are on stage could you show the crowd that you are a funny person and that you can naturally create laughter with who you are because you are just funny? Or is the only way you can prove that you are funny is with your script that you completed 2 years ago? These are things I constantly think about. There is a difference between saying funny things and being funny. I'm not saying you shouldn't perform your proven bits that you write, everyone performs standup differently. I just see a difference between people that are funny people and people that had a funny idea, wrote it down, and decided today was the day to pursue a new career goal. We all know these people. All of us know them. Joe Robinson made a chart for these people to consult and dammit if that thing isn't true. Its more than true, its the platinum visa card of true. Read it, consult it, think it over, compare your performance to it, then go back and do it again and this time don't lie to yourself. On a sidenote: if you've ever stolen a joke and people laughed, you are in the wrong field. You're an actor and you should be doing plays or movies, not standup. You aren't funny and you are basically conceding that fact by using someone elses ideas and voice. Thought of the day: There are millions of people around the world that give presentations for their companies in conference rooms every single day. They usually make a joke or two within their presentation. Are they comedians or are they merely saying something funny to lighten the mood? Its okay if you hate this blog entry. There are days.