Day 27. Each day in May, I’m sharing a stand up set that I like and discussing why I enjoy it so much. Today’s is a 2016 appearance on Conan by Mary Mack, and here’s some reasons I’m into it:
• OFF THE CUFF. Generally, the material performed on a TV spot has been fixed down to a T, since the comic is filmed only once and wants to ensure it’s airtight. But when the audience gives Mary a fragmented applause, she goes off script to make a comment about it to Conan. It’s a gamble, but it pays off. Not only is what she says self-deprecating and humorous, but she also makes me feel she’s creating a fresh experience and not just regurgitating her lines. (For Being In The Moment, see also: Bernie Mac, Day 22.)
• PHRASE ANALYSIS. Mary gets me laughing in this set by playing with some phrases, scrutinizing the implications of “Live in the now,” “Bay Area,” and “I am not the victim.” In addition to her observation about the phrases, she personalizes them, talking about how she has a tough time living in the now or how she wouldn’t ever say she lives “inland.” In doing so, she gives me her fresh and funny perspective to phrases I’ve only passively heard before and also adds punchlines to her set. (For Language, see also: Maggie Maye, Day 20.)
• UNIQUE PERSONA. With her voice, appearance, and material, Mary’s persona is distinct. And while being unique isn’t enough to make me laugh, in Mary’s case, her persona enhances the humor of her already well-crafted jokes. The midwestern accent and petite appearance lure me into expecting soft jokes, but she instead delivers cutting material that tears at West Coast pretentiousness. Like a lot of comedy I enjoy, it’s a surprise. By keeping me off balance, she keeps me laughing.
Hope you enjoyed it, and for more Mary Mack, check out her IG: @marymackcomedy
Day 26: Jerry Seinfeld
Day 26. I’m sharing stand up that I like each day this month, and weekends I’ve been reserving for bits from specials. Today’s comes from the “I’m Telling You For The Last Time” Jerry Seinfeld special, and here’s some reasons I’m still laughing at it 21 years later:
• PHYSICALITY. While it’s easy to think of Seinfeld as solely a gifted observational comedian, his performance often gets me laughing from a physicality that can be overlooked. Whether it’s smaller motions, like the car wash strips he makes with his arms or the intense gnawing of the seatbelt, or bigger motions, like the metal tangs pose or the stewardess dance or the goofy running around after he’s turned on the water, this isn’t just a comic who’s sitting back and discharging observations. He’s very actively and physically showing me the funny thoughts that live in his mind.
• REIMAGINING. Seinfeld’s observations are sharp and humorous, but how he’s able to keep me laughing is by coming up with theories that pertain to the observations. He notices the airport faucet, but he also imagines, “What is it that they think we would do with a faucet?” He notices the vague stewardess point to emergency exits, but he comes up with a theory on what she’s actually thinking and reimagines what the points actually mean. It’s these theories allow a single funny observation to grow into hilarious bits.
• PRECISE LANGUAGE. Seinfeld’s word choice is one of the ways he’s able to morph a keen observation into a joke worthy of his stage. Airport security? They’re a “crack squad of savvy, motivated personnel.” Airport faucets? It’s a “one-handed, spring-loaded, pain-in-the-ass, Alcatraz-style faucet.” The observations are funny in their own right, but by using deliberate descriptions, he makes them vivid in my mind. The result is an image that really shines and a bit that really pops. (For Precise Language, see also: Stewart Lee, Day 6.)
Hope you enjoyed it, and for Seinfeld announcements, check out his IG: @jerryseinfeld
Day 25: Chris Rock
Day 25. I’m sharing stand up that I like each day this month, and I’m using the weekends to discuss bits from specials instead of standalone TV spots. Today’s bit is “Rich vs. Wealth” from Chris Rock’s Never Scared special and here’s just some of the many reasons I admire it:
• THE REFRAIN. At the Comedy Cellar once, I remember Chris Rock telling the comics seated around him that good jokes should be like good pop songs. Rock directly applies this theory in this bit: “I ain’t talking about rich. I’m talking about wealth,” is a refrain, and the and the rest of the jokes are verses. The repetition (like Bernie Mac, Day 22) makes the joke memorable and helps reinforce the dichotomy he’s presenting, which leads me to the second bullet point…
• THE LABELS. Rock creates two labels: Rich and Wealth. Dividing a group into two categories is something he’s famously done before. By assigning these clear labels, he can then juxtapose them to create comedic and thought-provoking contrasts. He also then draw on extremes (like Sam Morrill, Day 16) to further his argument and make me laugh: Bill Gates is SO wealthy, he’d commit suicide if he woke up with just Oprah’s income. Black guys are SO bad with money they’d put rims on a toaster. Wealthy are SO rich, they own the color blue. (For Labels, see also: Greg Giraldo, Day 8.)
• THE DISTILLATION. The ideas Rock expounds on are smart, but he doesn’t muddy the set with jargon. He instead distills these intellectual ideas into short, digestible jokes. “Shaq is rich. The white man that signs his check is wealthy.” It’s just 12 words. They’re all one syllable, except for the last. There’s no mention of “income inequality,” “racial disparities,” or “structural biases.” But in these 12 words, he’s able to more clearly illustrate these ideas than most academics. Packing these ideas into concise jokes that I can understand elevates his comedy, and compounded by his signature delivery, turns his bits into classics.
For more Chris Rock stand up, rewatch his famous specials and follow on IG: @chrisrock
Day 24: Sheng Wang
Day 24. I’m passing along one stand up set each day this month and discussing why I like it. Today’s is a 2013 Sheng Wang set on Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Here’s why I’m laughing so hard at this set:
• HEAVY TWIST. In Sheng’s final bit, he spends half a minute just detailing this DEA story. By giving us the horrific details for so long, he builds up the tension. Then, at its peak, he points out an observation I’d overlook. The result is a hilarious release of tension. I’m laughing simultaneously because I didn’t catch it and because the emotional valence swung so abruptly from heavy to light.
• THE TAGS. Sheng basically has 4 bits in this set (Safety, Rats, Russia, Feces), and after he establishes the premise of each bit, he gives a barrage of punchlines, almost every sentence ending in a laugh. For example, in Russia, he uses dialogue (like Russell Peters, Day 12). In Feces, he uses theoretical act outs (like Joe List, Day 9). In these ways, he’s able to extend the bits and convert a single funny idea into a storm of laughter. (For tags, see also: Jim Gaffigan, Day 13.)
• THE SILLY SERIOUS. Sheng shows politicians (serious characters) having a childish fight (a silly setting). This is a corollary to when Aparna Nancherla (Day 7) placed babies (silly characters) at a women’s march (a serious setting). The juxtaposition of serious and silly is unexpected, so Sheng is able to paint a funny picture by taking serious politicians and turning them into silly kids. Not only does this tickle my brain and get me laughing, in the process, Sheng is able to effectively satirize the petty way world leaders sometimes act.
For more Sheng Wang stand up, check out his half hour special on Comedy Central and follow on IG: @shengwangtime