Comedians

[NarcKiddo]

I wasn't sure where to put this topic. Someone said in their journal recently that anything feeling like a protocol can feel like abuse, and being forced to jump through the hoops of others.

This made me think about a topic I've been tossing around in my head a bit recently. It concerns comedians, particularly stand-up comedians. My husband will often ask me to look at a clip, or he will record a show for us to watch. We have been to see one live (both of us hated it and we walked out). I usually find myself watching stony-faced, even if I can see why the act is supposedly funny and is not offensive. I know humour is very subjective and not everything will land. I am also somebody who has always used humour as protection. If M was laughing she could not be in a rage at the same moment.

I am quite happy to watch a comedy film. The comedy may or may not land for me but I will usually watch the film through unless it is really bad. I am quite happy to watch comedians in pairs or groups doing little sketches, or riffing off one another. It's the solo stand-up acts that turn me off. There's a couple of names who I will watch in clips but have disliked any entire show I have chosen to watch because I find their clips hilarious.

It occurred to me that it may be because the stand-up comedians are trying to elicit a response from me far more than, say, the pairs or groups doing their own thing that they hope the audience will find amusing. A stand-up act feels more direct and personal. And manipulative. Perhaps I am being hypocritical here since I use humour myself. And I don't always find solo acts unfunny. I was lucky enough to see Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) live many years ago. But of course his humour is totally visual so it did not feel so manipulative. Maybe he's the exception that proves the rule.

Anyway, I'm rambling on, but I just found it interesting that I am very, very hard to reach when it comes to a solo comedian trying to make me laugh. I might well laugh at a live show, as a fawn response, but it's rare the laugh is genuine.

How do you get on with comedy?

[Moondance]

Pretty much the same here.  The only comedians I have searched out must be clean, family oriented.  I shut anything else out.

I find older comedy movies okay to watch and will actually laugh out loud at times - but it takes a lot or has in the past.  When I am feeling in a better place easier for me to allow laughter. 

I do not enjoy recently made comedy shows/movies.  Does not hit my funny bone at all.

Interesting topic as I have wondered whether this is just me or a known issue for many of us.

 

[Bach]

I can relate to what you said about stand-up comedians vs other kinds of comedy.  I've occasionally seen a stand-up performance that I really liked, but for the most part I find stand-up off-putting.  I never really thought about why until this very minute, but it seems to me that you've hit the nail on the head there.