The Unfunny Truth (truncated)

Part 2 — Comedians (believing your own bull)

It has been echoed, “that every Comedian wants to be a Rock Star and every Rock Star wants to be a Comedian.” I cannot speak for the Rock Stars. I have however, been around and studied enough Comedians in 3 decades (myself in particular) to say with certainty that the analogy has truth.

THE BOOM — The 80s were not the invention of the Stand-Up Comic, but they certainly were the period that popularized the profession. At first, a handful of well-known Comics monopolized TV and a few nationwide clubs. Blame cocaine or that whole era of excess, but whatever the reason, Stand-Up Comedy and Comics alike became those Rock Stars, and many Comics who started out then, are still longing today to be as such — but never will again. Comedy was “everywhere,” and the public knew the names and schtick’s of the performers. By the 90s, it became so saturated, that it shot itself in the foot until there was no foot remaining.

Comics are the only people, who think about comedy as much as we do. The Road (90s) — For most, the “illusion” of a career and an extension of the fantasy (sex, drugs, drinking, money). In reality — it is a string of Honkey Tonks venues run by the purveyors of Boom opportunists, who took advantage of us.

The birth and enormous popularity of social media leveled the playing field and in the worst sense! Thirty seconds of silliness, that caught on, lead to Posers who do not have the ability to hold a live audience in the palm of his or her hand for an hour, achieving success and a nice income.

It comes down to believing your own bullshit! I have witnessed far too many people invent and create who they were, without the chops to back it up. Going through life (Comedy life anyway) believing in this made-up persona. They do not leave the stage having been brilliant and think to themselves, wow did you see that? They WALK IN THE ROOM spewing out this facade from every pore of their being and people buy into it. Integrity is lost on them — with regards to the artform as well as loyalty. They are the stereotypical Used Car Salesman!

The Whole Scoop — https://link.medium.com/1harsy8xThb

#posers #comedians #boom #reality