Day 19. Every day this month, I’m sharing stand up I admire and, like last weekend, this weekend I’m looking at bits from comedy specials. Today is reserved for a voice I wish was still here. Here is Patrice O’Neal delivering “Harassment Day” and some of the many ways he gets me laughing:
• THE ANALOGY. Like Dave Chappelle’s bit (Day 11) or Bill Burr’s set (Day 14), Patrice makes the case for an unpalatable idea. Unlike the others, Patrice builds his defense with an analogy (the grizzly bear and salmon). In part, it’s necessary for me to have this link so that I can see Patrice’s viewpoint. But comedically, it’s strong because he doesn’t just give me the analogy. He also extends it into a scene. I then laugh at his silly world where animals have voices and discomforts, but in the process, absorb Patrice’s provocative argument.
• THE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE. Patrice’s philosophizing sounds off the cuff and conversational. Some of this freshness comes from his using crowd interaction as a launchpad for his material, and some comes from his cutting off his own sentences to give the illusion he just thought of it. For example, he doesn’t just say, “We should have Harassment Day.” He instead chops off his sentences multiple times, veering into a separate idea first (that women get to be inappropriate), before finally returning to this idea. It feels unscripted, and I’m laughing all the more as a result.
• THE FACES. Throughout the set, Patrice uses very bold facial expressions to punctuate his punchlines. (See also: Marina Franklin, Day 10.) I can watch the set in silence and still tell where many of the jokes are because Patrice will accentuate whatever trait is getting laughter (exasperation, impishness, discomfort) with his face. A clear example is right after he speaks to Tyrelle. He gives us four completely different looks before his next word, each one conveying a different emotion. In this way, Patrice is able to heighten already powerful punchlines to keep me laughing.
Patrice O’Neal passed away, but for more of why the comics I respect all respect him, watch the full special “Elephant in the Room” and pick up his album “Mr. P.”
Day 18: Eddie Murphy
Day 18. I’m sharing stand up each day this month, and like last weekend, I’m taking this opportunity to look at classic bits from specials. Today’s is a rock star 1983 performance, “The Ice Cream Man,” from Eddie Murphy’s Delirious and here are some reasons I’m laughing 36 years later:
• THE KID’S PERSPECTIVE. Eddie taps into what is naturally funny to me about kids: their reactions are so big and so unexpected. They’re not self-conscious at all, so when the ice cream man comes, the boy loses his mind and, when he gets his ice cream, has no filters on what he says. To revisit this perspective as an adult is simultaneously relatable and hilarious.
• THE TWISTS. Eddie could have fallen back on world class acting ability, but I’m laughing in this bit because he also has written in so many twists. Like Russell Peters’s dialogue (Day 12), Eddie’s monologue keeps taking unexpected turns: the kid bringing up welfare, the offer to share that’s rescinded, the dropped ice cream, eating fallen ice cream. It’s a string of back-to-back twists that keeps me constantly off balance and constantly laughing.
• LOUD AND SOFT. Throughout the set, Eddie heightens the funny by juxtaposing loud and soft moments The ice cream music is soft, but the kid’s reaction is loud. The kid’s teasing is big and noisy, but when the ice cream falls, it’s silent. By being both unpredictable and swift, these comedic shifts in volume cause me to laugh even more.
For more Eddie Murphy stand up, revisit this iconic special, Delirious, and its follow-up Raw.
Day 17: Taylor Tomlinson
Day 17. I’m sharing one set each day this month that I really like and talking about why. Today’s is the 2017 debut on Conan of Taylor Tomlinson, and here’s what I admire:
• STRONG POINT OF VIEW. Taylor has very clear opinions and gets big laughs by turning these into commands. In the beginning, middle, and end of the set, she’s saying how she feels and then giving orders (“Hug yourself. Walk it off.” “Don’t bite the jazz hand that feeds you.” “Trust no one. Swipe left.”) These are short, directed dictates that have added punch because they’re borne out of such a clear attitude.
• PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN. Two of my favorite jokes in this set come from when Taylor shows us how an alien would see the world: Parents aren’t superior beings; they’re really just people. And prayers aren’t special; it’s really just telling secrets to the wind. Society’s imbued parents and prayers with traits, but by pulling back the curtain, Taylor reveals the make-believe we’re agreeing to and gets me to laugh at our own silliness.
• STAGE PRESENCE. Part of the reason this set is so entertaining for me is Taylor’s ability to be so captivating on stage. In each of her characters, she makes strong choices and commits. And when she’s not playing someone else, she speaks while leaning forward slightly, nodding her head, and opening her eyes wide - the way we would if we’ve got something important to say. It’s very engaging, the thorough performance distinguishing the set from those with just great jokes.
For more Taylor, check her out on Netflix (The Comedy Lineup), catch her live at a club before she’s in theaters, or follow on Instagram: @taylortomlinson
Day 16: Sam Morril
Day 16. I’ve been sharing one stand up comedy set I really like each day this month. Today’s set is a recent appearance on The Late Late Show by Sam Morril. Here’s some reasons I laugh at it and think it’s great:
• PARALLEL PLAYERS. For multiple jokes in this set, Sam creates one character (singing homeless man, horrible best friend, and judgy comic watching stand up) and then a parallel character who plays off the first comedically (regular homeless man, woke best friend, and judgy murderer watching true crime). In the case of the movie friends and judgy TV watchers, he also gives the first characters dialogue. Since I now have those lines for context, his parallel characters’ dialogue gets me laughing that much more.
• EXTREME FACTS. To show the extent to which something is true, Sam points out some radical observations. That’s how tough it is to be in New York City: even if you’re homeless, you need a talent. That’s how low the bar is to be considered a great guy: you just have to not commit rape. That’s how long ago the founding fathers existed: they thought a powdered wig was a good look. I laugh because these are such extreme facts and yet, despite being so large and obvious, I hadn’t even considered them before.
• ANACHRONISM. I think fads are funny because they were serious when they happened, but silly in hindsight. Sam doesn’t just talk about the wig fad, though. He places them in the present by suggesting gun owners should still have to wear them. Since we take the current moment seriously and guns very seriously, the silliness of the fad becomes heightened. This anachronistic image causes me to laugh and also allows Sam to make the subtle point that gun carriers should be identifiable. Capped with a callback, this bit closes out a great set.
Sam’s got a ton of funny late night sets, plus his own half hour special and hour special on Comedy Central. To see more, follow @sammorril.