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Being depressed gives anyone such creativity- it's the soul's way of crying out in the darkness I used to write. Then prozac. Now the words don't come.
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i am vividly funnier when angry or depressed. i personally think it's a good thing to deal with it through laughter - crying or screaming at someone doesn't sound as fun.
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humor often does come from pain. personally, when my life's dysfunctional (which is 99% of the time) the only way to deal with such stress and unhappiness is to laugh. comedy is a way to deal with craziness. in fact, sometimes it's the only way to deal.
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@alflamont I agree about open mics. I've probably watched somewhere between 80 and 100 open mics. There are a lot of sad, sorry people who go up at those. A lot who bomb every single time, with no signs of improvement, and don't have the self-awareness to stop. They're the same kind of people you see in the early rounds of American Idol. But I think those people are very different than those who are good at it, work hard to get better at it, and pursue a career in it.
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here's a cool article on the subject . . . an interview with a comedian: http://is.gd/rbwU" target="_blank">http://is.gd/rbwU
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@positivelyjaded Everyone I know remembers me being funny from an early age, but is it because my dad is hilarious and I inherited his sense of humor or because I grew up around it? I can certainly appreciate this. However my parents were separated before I was born. Now towards that thought I happened to developed a knack for playing drums/percussion (my father was a professional drummer, later lawyer, you see how they're related of course...) and have been now for 17 years. It certainly wasn't "around" me growing up but one wonders if there's a genetic component in there. I think to categorize and possibly pigeonhole something that can on the one hand be so natural and on the other be so removed and astounding kind of defeats the purpose...if we wanted comedy to be so methodical and clinical we wouldn't be appreciating the punchlines anymore. Certainly there are those that draw upon their dark experiences for fodder. Hell, it's pretty much regarded as a textbook defense mechanism to laugh at oneself to prevent others from wounding with a barb. Show me a former (insert here: addict, abuse victim, unloved overachiever) that isn't two stages away from the Laugh Factory however there are some can use the pain for good, and some couldn't write a decent joke/skit/bit if they tried. It's not for everyone. But pretty much all of us can name a comedian that never needed to delve into the dark side for their ammo. I would hate to trivialize those that work in comedy as only being funny so long as they're being laughed AT. Many I admire are with the word(s) as a great painter are with brush/palette. If it were that easy to craft comedy clubs would be as ubiquitous as corner stores (I'm not so sure they aren't anymore). Most of the comedy I appreciate is set among situations you can to relate to whether you want to or not (and as dark or not). If I were merely watching someone drawing on personal pain for the sake of a laugh it may almost be unwatchable (crossing the line between comedy and catharsis). However, to me, the ability to weave situations from the real or the absurd (or the combination) that draws in a relevancy even amongst differing (social/political/racial/religious/potentially stereotypical) backgrounds and the possible commonalities that exist therein is a craft in and of itself. Then again there may be just as many people that want to laugh at themselves as much as there are those that want to be transported and laugh from afar...either way I maintain that true comedians hold a mirror up and let us gaze upon ourselves in either a harsh and/or absurd light. Most hold the audience for app(dep)reciating ourselves, or making a little more comfortable to laugh at what we think too much on, or rarely want to think on - dark, light or somewhere in-between.
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My perspective: I used to work at a comedy club, I've interviewed dozens of high-profile comics as a journalist, I'm very close friends with a few headliners, and I've done a bit of standup myself. So I know comics. That said... I believe there are just as many depressed comics as there are depressed accountants or depressed plumbers. True depression is not unique to comedy or even to the performing arts. It's VERY romantic to think of someone as the "sad clown", but I simply don't think that's true. There are a dozen reasons why someone would pursue comedy for a living. Is a need for attention one of those reasons? I think guys get onstage because they want attention, sure. And some get onstage because they're trying to fill some sort of void with the response from the audience. But I don't think it's terribly common. People also do it because they want to be famous. Or they like the lifestyle. Or they get off on the adrenaline rush that comes from performing. Or they adore the artform. Or it makes them feel good to make others feel good. Or they just plain think they're good at it. Standup comedy (or improv, or sketch writing/performing) is HARD. There's angst involved because you are being judged harshly every single time you get on stage. You may have killed last night, and you may kill tomorrow night, but you could bomb horrifically tonight. That's stressful. Anyone in that position is going to be pacing the hallways beforehand, and complaining about what could have gone differently afterwards. Some guys travel hours to work an hour per night for a week, spending the rest of their days in a boring hotel room in a crappy town, and wind up with very little money at the end of it. And if those shows don't go well? You aren't going to be a happy person that week. But that shouldn't be mistaken for depression. @alflamont What do you do at the club? I'm a little surprised by your observations. "So many overdoses and suicides, so much self destruction." How many of these Jeni-esque meltdowns have you seen in the past 20 years? The stories of Belushi and Farley are famous, but famous shouldn't be mistaken for common. "I think the ability to mock your existence is the byproduct not of mere depression or angst, but of rejection." That may be true for some, but I would argue that everyone has experienced the pain of rejection in their lives at some point. Divorced parents, abuse, flunking out of college, weight struggles, you name it. I don't see everyone with those problems flocking to the nearest club. Most comedians I've known have been highly intelligent and passionate about what they do, and the only thing that separates them from investment bankers or teachers is a heightened perception of the world around them, and an awareness of the common things that make us all ridiculous as a human race. This is what I love about the comics who I've known. I think a lot of people mistake comedians' demeanor off-stage for something more than what it is. For the most part, they take their jobs VERY seriously. And they're rarely "funny all the time", because they're balanced people who have an outlet for that stuff. My point: I don't think any cop has successfully talked down a jumper by assuring them that there's an open mic right around the corner, they can get a 5 minute slot, and it'll all be okay. "I didn't feel pain until I *started* doing comedy." - Orny Adams
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@alflamont said: "Ultimately 'WTF', is better than 'No' , much like laughter supplants an actual acceptance by society." I can totally see this. Using humor to build resiliency to personal pain and rejection. A laugh is way to snap out of negativity, reframe something painful into something that has some redeeming qualities. And yeah, right on with the acceptance by society, which elicited laughter, definitely is. @CultLeaderPancake said: "Sometimes laughing is permission to acknowledge something that is dark. It doesn't mean that people understand, but it's a good first step." I agree. The other day I was thinking about how ubiquitous the horrendous but funny marriage jokes are…and it goes to show that a lot of people are in painful marriages. It doesn’t mean we can fix everything by laughing, but just that there is something that needs to be fixed. @alflamont said: "So basically you agree then, that at the heart of all that's truly funny is a weakness or pain." I think for a majority of comedians this is true. George Carlin was brilliant because he talked about how screwed up the world is. He came from a place of pain, and frustration with humanity – and the way he dealt with those issues was so tinted by that pain that it was comic genius. But not all comedians come from this place. Demetri Martin for instance, has many jokes that don’t slight anyone (or seem to come from a place of pain) – they are just very thoughtfully arrived-at truths about the ridiculousness of society. For me personally, humor does not have to be attached to weakness, pain, rejection, fear, or frustration. I tend to find something funny in all the inanimate objects in my environment, that’s how easily amused I am. But I think it’s because I happen to be highly empathic (meaning I experience my share of pain and frustration too) and emotionally engaged with my surroundings – and that makes it easier to assign emotional meaning to what’s going on around me. And that makes it easier to see the humor in different dynamics and relationships (between objects/entities/concepts whether animate or inanimate). So, I think that I have such a wide sense of humor because I’m looking at my world very carefully, and just notice the funny things in these perceived relationships. Hmm, it’s kind of hard to describe my perspective (of what I find funny and why) without being able to step out of it.
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and your tiny hooters. i can see why you're depressed, though... te he heeee... funny boobs... sorry... te he heeee...
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well, the overwhelming trend of funny people with lives that were often larger than they were is hard to argue against. I wouldn't say that tragedy has to be an ingredient for great comedy, but often, certain people learn how to make a shield, some armor and a sword out of funny - for their own sanity's sake. Sometimes, unfortunately, even that isn't enough to keep them from tipping over the edge. The more you use comedy in defense of yourself, the sharper your craft becomes. (Especially if you can't outrun the bullies. You have to get funny/crazy so that there's not a hospital ward named after you by the time you finish high school.) I think though, that comedy has to ultimately come from a place of unrest, because comedy is the truth laid bare (aka sans bullshit and sugar coating). It is also, essentially, anthropology without the college loan. Comedy is about paying attention, about being observant and immersed in your environment, and often, it's painful, because it involves discussing things about society, yourself, and other people that are messy, embarrassing, even infuriating, but also downright ridiculous. It's about forging a voice - which requires mastering your craft without losing yourself. Most people are actually pretty scared to find out who they are and who they aren't. Finding those things out is a messy process. it's easy to play dumb, but you miss the details, hence, you'd be lying to yourself (and everyone else) and you'd suck at comedy. And on top of that, your voice wouldn't be coming from somewhere authentic. The greats all have that frighteningly sharp sense of self awareness - and that helps them to uncover all kinds of things WE interpret as comedy, but THEY interpret as discovery/observation. Then there's rejection - which most people have to get over rejecting THEMSELVES before OTHER people reject them. If you are a successful comedian/comedienne, then it also involves a degree of pain in that, you have to accept that there are groups of people who just won't like you, even hate you. That's harsh, but it's the reality of the business. So, comedy may not necessarily have to start from a place of pain, but pain is never too far from the truth you're trying to tell either, regardless of the subject.
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I think a deeper question to consider is whether a sense of humor is innate or developed? Everyone I know remembers me being funny from an early age, but is it because my dad is hilarious and I inherited his sense of humor or because I grew up around it? Either way, I think having a sense of humor causes us to have a different view of the world and could possibly make us more prone to depression. This is just my personal opinion, but I think we see the world more acutely than other people. We see much more emotional depth in every day things because we're so in tune with happiness and the opportunities to create it. Ironically this also opens us up to feel the pain and sadness in the world as well. I think that being funny makes us more aware of our dark places than vice versa.
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I don't think that comedy comes for the darkest of places. It is creativity in an individual. I personally like being funny, and I am not depressed nor lost. Sure, people can hide behind humor by feeding their insecurities or fulfilling some void for attention, however, comedy is used to cheer people up! It does not always mean that the comedian is depressed!
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I once heard that "comedy is about the worst day of someone's life." Deep down, I think we find it funny when something is...wrong. Whether it's role reversal, gallows humor, or even punning wordplay, we find amusement in what's not right. As to comedians, I think they are just a bit more keen in observing the wrongnesses (huh?) and exploiting them. Some can laugh at it all, and others (Lenny Bruce) find it all a bit too much.
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some of us just feel like we have something unique to say about the world, or a unique voice. some comedy is driven by social-consciousness and is used at a teaching tool. going for the easy laugh, of course that's easy. going for the thought-provoking kind of laugh, the one that doesn't compromise on certain standards and has an irony that lingers long after the punchline, now THAT'S the good stuff.
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I think that for a lot of people who don't feel they fit, or have anything else to offer, being funny is a way to survive. When I was a skinny, geeky kid, I felt like I had to earn my way by making the other people laugh - stoners were easy, the cheerleaders, were also, suprisingly easy (smaller brains?). Anyway, it was how I earned my way through high shool and some college - it also kept me from getting my a*s kicked on a number of occasions, and sent unwanted males scurrying away. It a protective device, a way to fit, and release that's almost as good as a fist fight. Oh, and I am a girl, and not particularly hideous.
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I work at a Comedy Club in L.A, and the walls are dripping with the angst and tragedy of the comics who have walked through these halls (Yeah, I'm pancaking at work. so?) So many overdoses and suicides, so much self destruction. I think the ability to mock your existence is the byproduct not of mere depression or angst, but of rejection. It is specifically the rejection of your serious self that advances your comic self. "Hey, would you go out with me?" - NO "Hey, would you go out with me HONK HONK ?" - WTF? Ultimately "WTF", is better than "No" , much like laughter supplants an actual acceptance by society. If you look at the subculture of Comics and comedians it is ruled almost exclusively by unattractive males. Belushi, Seinfeld, Carlin, Rickles, Foxx, Chapelle, near gargoyles. The attractive female comic is a rarity, not because women aren't funny, but rather because attractive women rarely experience the sort of rejection that a doughy white nerd will. Again, not to say that there aren't exceptions, but the numbers do support my theory, as do the instances of drug and sex addictions amongst comics especially those who even reaching the higher echelons of fame find that their need for acceptance and inclusion remains unfulfilled. Comics who have been accepted, who aren't tragic and needy, i daresay face a decline in their comic skills. (Steve Martin) Those who hit the sweet spot between self loathing and emotional fulfillment will have the long careers. Ultimately rejection, and the struggle to negate it is what we refer to as comedy.
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I never really thought that comedy was dark. I thought people had to be pretty happy people to be able to laugh at everything. But, seems I have learned something new. However, I have thought this a lot about literature; that all (or a large percentage of) "good" literature is dark.
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oh dear, I hope not! I love many funny people (not personally...but on television, stand-ups live, sketch groups, etc.) and I do not think they are all depressed. then again it's quite possible they are. it's not difficult to think of notable examples. if you think you might be depressed, then you may be right, but don't blame the comedy. it could also be a love of words and playing with them, using them to paint a picture and surprise, or using your body in a funny dance...or commenting on something you care about in less than straightforward way. I hope at least some of my favorite comedians are as happy as I am!
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