DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Sun Nov 01, 2020 12:26 pm
First time I've watched your stand-up (not on Facebook).
One thing I would recommend is trying to build a couple transitions to help you move from topic to topic. It will help your set flow and also reduce your need to rely on a set list. While I'm guessing you were concerned about accidentally skipping parts of your bit to make sure you went the full 20 minutes, the addition of some transitions should also help make the entire set more like one long bit as opposed to several small bits tied together.
Otherwise, you're doing really well. It's often hard for any comic to win over a small crowd unfamiliar with them, and the content of your material can make that even more difficult, but you did a good job at making sure they stayed with you, interacting with them without doing crowd work.
you are right 100 percent. When i run 10 minute sets the transistions are seamless because i'm used to the bits...doing a 20 for the first time meant a new set order for the first time in awhile, and 5 new bits to mix in. it was a trial by fire set....by set 3 that weekend i was going note free, but i know the transition quality and set checks are bad here. i'm open to review on which joeks to keep or cut if anyone has thoughts or favorites..a lot is new and i don't have opinions on it yet
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 10:29 am
by DSafetyGuy
TT2.0 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 01, 2020 10:30 pmWhen i run 10 minute sets the transistions are seamless because i'm used to the bits...doing a 20 for the first time meant a new set order for the first time in awhile, and 5 new bits to mix in. it was a trial by fire set....by set 3 that weekend i was going note free, but i know the transition quality and set checks are bad here. i'm open to review on which joeks to keep or cut if anyone has thoughts or favorites..a lot is new and i don't have opinions on it yet
As far as which jokes to keep/cut, I think you should rely on the feedback you get from your live audiences more than from Swampers. Getting a complete stranger to laugh is a lot harder than someone who knows you. I know there aren't a ton of opportunities to perform in front of crowds, but they'll let you know what works and what doesn't (and what maybe just needs to be re-worked or tweaked as you keep using it).
One other thing to take from doing these 20 minute sets is that you can pick different bits and move them around to see how they work when doing shorter sets. You can see differences in audience reaction based on the sequencing as to what works well, if it's the material on its own, how it fits into your set, and so on. Eventually, you can use this to build your best possible 10, then, as you keep creating a developing material, a best possible 20, a couple different strong 10's, and on and on.
Keep working at it. You're doing really well.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:05 am
by Johnnie
That was really good, man! I was really sucked in when you're telling the story-based stuff with jokes intermixed. That seems like your strong suit. I fucking laughed at "That's a meth body!" And "All Dicks Matter." And taking a sip of your drink from the McDonald's cup was really good.
And outside of the back turning and memorizing your set a bit better, I'd keep my hands out of my pockets too. That draws me away from the stories you're telling for some reason. Maybe that's a thing with me, so I could be wrong.
Keep this up. You're doing such a great job. I look forward to watching your next set.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:50 am
by Shirley
Johnnie wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:05 am
That was really good, man! I was really sucked in when you're telling the story-based stuff with jokes intermixed. That seems like your strong suit. I fucking laughed at "That's a meth body!" And "All Dicks Matter." And taking a sip of your drink from the McDonald's cup was really good.
And outside of the back turning and memorizing your set a bit better, I'd keep my hands out of my pockets too. That draws me away from the stories you're telling for some reason. Maybe that's a thing with me, so I could be wrong.
Keep this up. You're doing such a great job. I look forward to watching your next set.
Agreed on the storytelling. I've noticed that so many of the really big comics are really just funny storytellers. That works better than a series of jokes.
Also agree on the hands. When you have your hand(s) in your pocket, you look nervous, which then makes the audience uneasy. Be confident and own it out there even if inside you're nervous as shit!
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:52 am
by mister d
Audiences are like bears, do whatever you can to make yourself seem even larger.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:54 am
by Ryan
Finger guns the whole time
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:54 am
by BSF21
The improvement you've shown in a very short time is really remarkable Ben. Keep at it. I can't wait to see it come together more. Your stage presence is night and day from the first vids you posted.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:57 am
by mister d
Ryan wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:54 am
Finger ... the ...hole ...
Ryan wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:54 am
Finger ... the ...hole ...
best advice.
seriously im so fucking Ricky bobby..
I don't know what the fuck to do with my hands
I do a lot of product demos for work, which is not the same thing at all, but it IS sort of being on (virtual) stage with folks watching you talk. I find that I talk with my hands then about 50x more than I do in regular conversations. Not sure it makes my presentations any better, but it feels like I'm engaged and doing something.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 2:28 pm
by A_B
I think most presentationists encourage hand moving.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2020 2:36 pm
by Shirley
Back when I used to do them in person in a room with people, I also walked around a lot. Again, I think that helps keep the audience's attention.
Johnnie wrote: ↑Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:05 am
That was really good, man! I was really sucked in when you're telling the story-based stuff with jokes intermixed. That seems like your strong suit. I fucking laughed at "That's a meth body!" And "All Dicks Matter." And taking a sip of your drink from the McDonald's cup was really good.
And outside of the back turning and memorizing your set a bit better, I'd keep my hands out of my pockets too. That draws me away from the stories you're telling for some reason. Maybe that's a thing with me, so I could be wrong.
Keep this up. You're doing such a great job. I look forward to watching your next set.
Agreed on the storytelling. I've noticed that so many of the really big comics are really just funny storytellers. That works better than a series of jokes.
This.
Set 'em up, knock 'em down... It's hard to keep an audience's attention with that.
Guys like Andrew Shulz are so good at crowd work, they can slip in rapid fire stuff for the bulk of his shows... But he can also do a great story arc run. His bit on going to a National Park is fucking amazing.
But, yeah, Mike Brbiglia is a great example of a guy that is almost more of a story-teller than a comedian.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 9:33 pm
by wlu_lax6
Wow after a more than 20 year hiatus Frank Rizzo and Sol Rosenberg are back.
Yup just learned the Jerky Boys released a new album.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:33 pm
by TT2.0
i rarely catch video but my best friend caught a cell phone video of me opening for chad prather this past weekend. it was fun
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:49 pm
by BSF21
God damn your delivery is getting better and better my man. Keep it rollling.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:01 pm
by The Sybian
BSF21 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:49 pm
God damn your delivery is getting better and better my man. Keep it rollling.
This, and you are looking really healthy! Great job, Ben. I love the mix of storytelling, one-liners and Jeselnik style twists. Keep posting when you do get videos.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:14 pm
by Shirley
Can't decide if my favorite part is Ben getting so comfortable and good at his delivery or that the camera man felt he needed to turn his phone to capture all of Ben.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 3:08 pm
by BSF21
Shirley wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:14 pm
Can't decide if my favorite part is Ben getting so comfortable and good at his delivery or that the camera man felt he needed to turn his phone to capture all of Ben.
He's 20% funnier in portrait. Common knowledge.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 3:12 pm
by Pruitt
That was really good!
He's got the timing down.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 4:01 pm
by L-Jam3
That was like the third or fourth time I heard you tell that one, yet the "drive slowly past the abortion clinic" joke always gets me.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 6:30 pm
by TT2.0
thank you guys for watching. i really appreciate the feedback. I've been working a lot on the comfort issues up there, and its getting easier. I have this love hate relationship with my closer...its just a joke i can't seem to stop telling yet.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:00 pm
by Shirley
I noticed that you started with a hand in your pocket, looking a bit nervous, but it quickly came out and you started using it, walking around and owning the stage. Very nice. You have your pauses timed out nicely as well. Keeping working it and keep writing new stuff.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:17 pm
by Johnny Carwash
TT2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 6:30 pm
I have this love hate relationship with my closer...its just a joke i can't seem to stop telling yet.
Random thought - have you considered opening with it? That strikes me as a good icebreaker that makes it clear what your style is going to be like. Just my non-professional view though.
TT2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 6:30 pm
I have this love hate relationship with my closer...its just a joke i can't seem to stop telling yet.
Random thought - have you considered opening with it? That strikes me as a good icebreaker that makes it clear what your style is going to be like. Just my non-professional view though.
Don't stop telling that joke! I think it's great. Like L-Jam said, I've heard it several times and I still laugh. It's clever, insulting, a little gross when it unravels in your mind... it's perfect. I think it's too clever to open with, I think you need to get an audience into your mindset and style so they are with you before you hit them with that one.
TT2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 6:30 pm
I have this love hate relationship with my closer...its just a joke i can't seem to stop telling yet.
Random thought - have you considered opening with it? That strikes me as a good icebreaker that makes it clear what your style is going to be like. Just my non-professional view though.
Don't stop telling that joke! I think it's great. Like L-Jam said, I've heard it several times and I still laugh. It's clever, insulting, a little gross when it unravels in your mind... it's perfect. I think it's too clever to open with, I think you need to get an audience into your mindset and style so they are with you before you hit them with that one.
I opened with it twice and it's too weird an energy. there is no place to go after it.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:28 am
by Johnnie
I was wondering why I hadn't seen Andrew Schulz popping up on my YouTube feed. He took his act to Netflix. Good for him.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 6:43 am
by wlu_lax6
Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:28 am
I was wondering why I hadn't seen Andrew Schulz popping up on my YouTube feed. He took his act to Netflix. Good for him.
Had not heard of him before 2 days ago. He just ended up showing up on Facebook and I went down a rabbit hole. He was just working the crowd in most of them and I was impressed. He was quick. What I found great was how pleased he was with himself. He is just sitting on stage and giggling at something she just said or was thinking.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 6:59 am
by Johnnie
I listen to the Brilliant Idiots podcast. It's him and Charlamagne The God. It's pretty good. That's how I knew of him. So his stand up stuff was always in the YouTube suggestion algorithm for me.
Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:28 am
I was wondering why I hadn't seen Andrew Schulz popping up on my YouTube feed. He took his act to Netflix. Good for him.
What I found great was how pleased he was with himself. He is just sitting on stage and giggling at something she just said or was thinking.
This is a double edged sword for me. Some comics its fucking annoying. But Chapelle and Ron Funches are 2 specifically I can think of that just make me double over when they crack themselves up. I can't imagine Chapelle's act without him smacking the mic on his knee because he knows he's so fucking funny.
Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:28 am
I was wondering why I hadn't seen Andrew Schulz popping up on my YouTube feed. He took his act to Netflix. Good for him.
What I found great was how pleased he was with himself. He is just sitting on stage and giggling at something she just said or was thinking.
This is a double edged sword for me. Some comics its fucking annoying. But Chapelle and Ron Funches are 2 specifically I can think of that just make me double over when they crack themselves up. I can't imagine Chapelle's act without him smacking the mic on his knee because he knows he's so fucking funny.
Watched the embedded video. Decent writing but feel like a big step back from what I saw with him on stage. Would not go out of my way to watch him on netflix but if he was in town would consider seeing him live.
One of the things I liked was he could joke about sterotypes and people in the crowd and it did not feel insulting or cheap. Just everyone enjoying themselves even the person on in the audience he was picking on.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 10:50 pm
by Johnnie
Just posted a couple hours ago.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:38 pm
by Reaper
Watching the Patrice O'Neal retrospective on Comedy Central, Killing is Easy. I feel like I don't know any comedians from the past 10 years, and he's one of the last ones I really remember watching.
Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:28 am
I was wondering why I hadn't seen Andrew Schulz popping up on my YouTube feed. He took his act to Netflix. Good for him.
Had not heard of him before 2 days ago. He just ended up showing up on Facebook and I went down a rabbit hole. He was just working the crowd in most of them and I was impressed. He was quick. What I found great was how pleased he was with himself. He is just sitting on stage and giggling at something she just said or was thinking.
Johnnie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:28 am
I was wondering why I hadn't seen Andrew Schulz popping up on my YouTube feed. He took his act to Netflix. Good for him.
What I found great was how pleased he was with himself. He is just sitting on stage and giggling at something she just said or was thinking.
This is a double edged sword for me. Some comics its fucking annoying. But Chapelle and Ron Funches are 2 specifically I can think of that just make me double over when they crack themselves up. I can't imagine Chapelle's act without him smacking the mic on his knee because he knows he's so fucking funny.
Watched the embedded video. Decent writing but feel like a big step back from what I saw with him on stage. Would not go out of my way to watch him on netflix but if he was in town would consider seeing him live.
One of the things I liked was he could joke about sterotypes and people in the crowd and it did not feel insulting or cheap. Just everyone enjoying themselves even the person on in the audience he was picking on.
Yeah, I love his stand up, not a huge fan of where he is taking his podcast--at least the one with the Indian dude. Definitely didn't like the Netflix special... Only watched a few minutes.
Like I said, his crowd work is unparalleled.
Re: Comedy...stand-up and otherwise...
Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 3:55 am
by Johnnie
Reaper wrote: ↑Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:38 pm
Watching the Patrice O'Neal retrospective on Comedy Central, Killing is Easy. I feel like I don't know any comedians from the past 10 years, and he's one of the last ones I really remember watching.