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.

[zen_racer]

I find this really interesting.  It looks like I may be the odd duck out here, though not completely.  I have watched solo comedy acts and enjoyed them, or at least pretty long segments of them on Netflix.  However, I've generally really disliked anytime someone has shown me a stand up comedy act.  To me, that seems too personal, in a sense.  I haven't really ever given it thought, but I am now.  I think it has to do with the fact that my own humor often doesn't land.  People don't get it and I have to explain my jokes.  I'm a bit of a nerd, and often even after explaining, people still don't get it.  I don't try anymore.  I literally never tell a joke for anyone else's benefit anymore.  I tell them because I will laugh, and think it's funny.  Similarly, I will never share what music I like.  By friend's and family alike, I've always been harassed, teased, or made fun of for any preference I've ever had in things like that.  I know this is the wrong way to look at it, but it feels like all of society has effectively told me that my jokes are too dumb or too cerebral.  So when someone wants to make me watch comedy that they like, and want me to have the same reaction, it just feels like I'm being forced to try to conform to a society that has already rejected anything about me concerning the same subject.

I definitely agree that I have to be in a better mood for any comedy to really land.

I know, that's wildly different than what you originally posted about.  Sorry for that.

[NarcKiddo]

No need to say sorry, ZR. The last line of my post asked a question that you answered. And I find the related comments interesting too. I'm glad you tell jokes for your own benefit. I sometimes do that but only in my head.

[sanmagic7]

i'm pretty eclectic when it comes to comedy. i've found for the most part that when a comedian begins pushing an agenda in my face, that turns me off.  or if they're pushing to shock.  i found eddie murphy to be over the top as a stand-up, but loved him in movies.  love kat williams, who is swearing a lot, but he is on point w/ his message.  used to love amy schumer until she became all about sexual stuff all the time.  found sheng yang wonderful, softer.  and richard pryor was one of my all time favorites. saw judy tenuta live, and on tv, laughed out loud every time. 'bowling fingers'.

so, it depends on their approach, their themes, their energy, their vibe, their personality.

older comedies, like 'bringing up baby' and 'it happened one night' or 'arsenic and old lace' i find hilarious and brilliant, have watched them several times and they're still entertaining to me.  so much of comedy depends on timing and personality, for me.  monty python was genius to me, both the movie and their show, but mr. bean i never got into.  british comedy, yes, almost all the time.  miranda hart's show,'miranda', again, hilarious and just fun fun fun.