[GeneP]

Most performers have had bad nights. I heard Bob Newhart at a seminar say that any comic who said he never had a bad night, is a liar. However, most comics have also had gloriously successful nights. Audiences reacted to every nuance and laughed appreciatively. It’s a fantastic feeling. Often in doing my routines, I picture myself at the microphone getting that same marvelous receoption. When I do, I stand a little taller, speak more boldly, and deliver my material with confidence. It usually makes for a better performance.

[GeneP]

When I would emcee parties where I worked, we did a “roast” of the guest of honor. However, the lines couldn’t be hurtful because, not only the guest of honor was in the audience, but also that person’s family. If the lines touched a nerve (and this happened) the guest of honor and friends and family would leave. I had three rules that helped to avoid hurtful humor. (1) Kid the person what they kidded themselves about. (2) Kid about things that didn’t really matter. (3) Make the jokes so unbelievable that even if there was a real insult in there, no one in the audience would accept it as real. The final caution I applied was to pick someone who was particularly close to the guest of honor and review the material with him or her. If they felt it might be construed as offensive, I dropped the gag. It’s easier to get new jokes than it is to get new friends. Will Rogers summed it up pretty well when he said, “If there’s no malice in your heart, there can’t be none in your jokes.”

[GeneP]

Dean, I agree also. I’ve been involved with a group of people interested in comedy. It’s an informal gathering with no pre-planned agenda, no speakers or lectures, no homework assignments. It’s just a group that gathers to chat about comedy and a few other things. I’ve been amazed at how much this influences one’s work. People seemed to be inspired by the activity of others. Also, the regular gatherings tend to keep people interested in the profession. It seems to remind all of us to get to work.

[GeneP]

I would suppose that most comedians write, or at least assemble their material at the beginning of their careers. One reason is that when they’re first starting, they can’t afford writers. Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller became so successful that they could then afford to pay for material. Also, once a comic becomes successful and gets more and more bookings, they get too busy to write material. They almost have to depend on writers. Another point is that even if comics can write their own material, they still like to have input from writers because it may be funnier than the material the comic writes for him or herself.

As to comics developing their character, that almost happens automatically. As comedians perform they begin establishing that character, they gradually find their voice and their stage persona is created. Writers can then take advantage of that character and use it to build the jokes. It’s much easier to write for a comic with a strong, established stage presence and character than it is to write for a raw beginner. With the beginner, there is no character to lean on.

Both Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller were funny people on and offstage. Some of the gags they did were the result of adlibs they tossed out during a performance. If they worked well, they included them in the act. Even though both of them could create funny material, they also liked to have input from their writers as I mentioned above. Comedians depend on material so they can never have too much of it.

As a writer, it’s important to know your comic. What material they prefer, which material they won’t us, which type of material works best for them, and so on. If the comic has a strong stage presence, it’s easier for the writers to utilize it in writing the gags. I don’t know if we knew it better than the comic, but we had to know it pretty well.

Two-person comedy is interesting. With the distinct personalities, you can vary the delivery somewhat. The setups have a different cadence and speech pattern than the punch lines. Dean Martin could deliver a straight line in a much different way than Jerry Lewis would present the punch. It’s a good form. I’m not sure it’s better than individual comics. I’m not sure individual comics are better than team comedy. They’re just different.

I’m not exactly sure how George Carlin or Steve Allen came up with their routines. I’m sure they worked hard on them.

Is it easier for a writer to become a comedian or a comedian to become a writer. My advice has always been to decide what you want to become – a writer or a comic. Once you decide, then devote your efforts to that goal. Show business has a way of pigeon-holing people. If you’re a writer, you should only be a writer. If you’re a comic, you should only be a comic. It’s difficult for a writer to become a comedian or a comedian to become a writer. That’s just the way it usually works. Some have made the transition, but it’s not a common one. Go for whichever goal you prefer.

[GeneP]

Lin…we have to be careful with scripts and screenplays, too. We wouldn’t dare to tell Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks how to deliver a line. Also, we probably shouldn’t be telling Steven Speilberg how to plan a shot. A good rule of thumb about stage directions and line readings is to keep them to a minimum and include them only if you feel they are absolutely necessary.

[GeneP]

You’re right. People can sometimes take offense at “stage directions.” I once saw a major star get upset because a word in the script was underlined for emphasis. The comic demanded and held up production until that page of the script was retyped and replaced with the underline removed. My personal belief is that whoever is at the microphone is in total control. However, with a little effort there may be a way to phrase a joke so that there is no confusion about the delivery.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 3 months ago by Linda Perret.

[GeneP]

Linda…what you said about “Regardless of what you may think about Mr. Harvey’s career” is interesting. I know in working with celebrities, some have talent that is captivating and some have talent that doesn’t impress me at all. Yet, if you study their delivery, their style, and their approach to success, you find you can learn something from each one. And I read that book, too, and found it very helpful.

[Author]

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