MAMA'S REVENGE...
Okay posting from work. I finished writing copy for a new fruit juice drink that is just like very other fruit juice drink on the market and yet I have to make it seem fresher and purer.
I swear, working in Advertising feels like my parent's revenge on me for not doing Computer Science or an MBA like they had wanted me to.
There's a job description waiting to be made.
ADVERTISING: MAMA'S REVENGE.
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So I started thinking about Comedians I love. Here is a rough list off the top of my head:
BILL COSBY: I will bitch slap anyone who criticises the man. He does 2.5 hour long shows twice a day. He is as funny now as he was before you were born. And he does it all using material that actually makes you feel good after he is done. No cursing. No crude stuff. Just pure storytelling. All from the comfort of a chair. My dream is to meet and hug him.
STEVE MARTIN: His old Stand-up stuff was weirder than anything I could ever dream of coming up with. It worked on both slap stick and intellectual levels. Plus, doesn't he just remind you of Saad (saadharoon.com). I swear the mannerisms and expressions are the same. Also a brilliant writer. I want to write stand-up and a movie and a novella and a stage-play and do them all with so much class and culture.
SEINFELD: Probably been compared to him more than anyone else (physically I think someone once said I look a bit like Woody Allen. I hate people). Pure old-school observational material. I learned alot about delivery by listening to him. Also pacing and joke-structure. His clean, simple, monotone delivery makes the material all the more ridiculous.
MITCH HEDBERG: Apotheosized since his death but really great writing. My wife hates his delivery and prefers to read his stuff (you can find huge transcripts on Wikipedia). I know I can never write like him. But it's a heck of a thing to aspire towards.
BILL HICKS: I was introduced to his stuff by, believe it or not, a comic book (ten points to anyone who can tell me which DC-Vertigo title it was). Angry. Political. A dark poet who made you laugh so damn hard. Chomsky with a strap-on.
ROBIN WILLIAMS: His material doesn't age too well, but the manic style of delivery is truly something worth watching. I love his older stuff though. Had more of an improvised feel to it.
EUGENE MIRMAN: Recently discovered him. I think his material is described more as "alternative". It's funny as hell whatever it is.
DANE COOK: Not as popular with the hardcore comedy nerds. Still, I kind of like his delivery more than anything else.
CHRIS ROCK: I love his constant pacing on stage. And that wide-eyed look he gets when hitting a punch-line. Delivery that is perfectly paced, right down to the curse words.
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I'm sure there are more. Just can't think of names right now. Eddie Murphy should be on there because he really is the first comedian I ever saw. And one or two members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. I know I'll love Aziz Ansari, if I can ever get around to hearing him.
You don't get Comedy CD's here so I download most of my stuff using Limewire. If you have anything new you want to swap just drop me a line and I'll burn you a CD.
I love Comedy. I hate Advertising. Why do I spend most of my waking hours in the latter and not the former?
I swear, working in Advertising feels like my parent's revenge on me for not doing Computer Science or an MBA like they had wanted me to.
There's a job description waiting to be made.
ADVERTISING: MAMA'S REVENGE.
----------------------------
So I started thinking about Comedians I love. Here is a rough list off the top of my head:
BILL COSBY: I will bitch slap anyone who criticises the man. He does 2.5 hour long shows twice a day. He is as funny now as he was before you were born. And he does it all using material that actually makes you feel good after he is done. No cursing. No crude stuff. Just pure storytelling. All from the comfort of a chair. My dream is to meet and hug him.
STEVE MARTIN: His old Stand-up stuff was weirder than anything I could ever dream of coming up with. It worked on both slap stick and intellectual levels. Plus, doesn't he just remind you of Saad (saadharoon.com). I swear the mannerisms and expressions are the same. Also a brilliant writer. I want to write stand-up and a movie and a novella and a stage-play and do them all with so much class and culture.
SEINFELD: Probably been compared to him more than anyone else (physically I think someone once said I look a bit like Woody Allen. I hate people). Pure old-school observational material. I learned alot about delivery by listening to him. Also pacing and joke-structure. His clean, simple, monotone delivery makes the material all the more ridiculous.
MITCH HEDBERG: Apotheosized since his death but really great writing. My wife hates his delivery and prefers to read his stuff (you can find huge transcripts on Wikipedia). I know I can never write like him. But it's a heck of a thing to aspire towards.
BILL HICKS: I was introduced to his stuff by, believe it or not, a comic book (ten points to anyone who can tell me which DC-Vertigo title it was). Angry. Political. A dark poet who made you laugh so damn hard. Chomsky with a strap-on.
ROBIN WILLIAMS: His material doesn't age too well, but the manic style of delivery is truly something worth watching. I love his older stuff though. Had more of an improvised feel to it.
EUGENE MIRMAN: Recently discovered him. I think his material is described more as "alternative". It's funny as hell whatever it is.
DANE COOK: Not as popular with the hardcore comedy nerds. Still, I kind of like his delivery more than anything else.
CHRIS ROCK: I love his constant pacing on stage. And that wide-eyed look he gets when hitting a punch-line. Delivery that is perfectly paced, right down to the curse words.
-------------------------
I'm sure there are more. Just can't think of names right now. Eddie Murphy should be on there because he really is the first comedian I ever saw. And one or two members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. I know I'll love Aziz Ansari, if I can ever get around to hearing him.
You don't get Comedy CD's here so I download most of my stuff using Limewire. If you have anything new you want to swap just drop me a line and I'll burn you a CD.
I love Comedy. I hate Advertising. Why do I spend most of my waking hours in the latter and not the former?
posted by Sami at 4:23 AM
4 Comments:
robin williams' old stuff is brilliance. i assume you're not a huge fan of people like stephen wright. i wonder if you were able to catch the allah made me funny tour? also another site you may be interested in browsing is maniac muslim. some of the articles on that page are hilarious, but more centred towards north american's i suppose. our local toronto boy, russel peters has been making the waves recently as well. anyway, lemme know if you want the allah made me funny stuff, and i'll ship it over.
Just spotted your letter on The Apiary. Why didn't I know about you last year when I was visiting a friend in Islamabad? I could have asked you for a guest spot...
because comedy, sadly, wont pay the bills.
This comment is a tad bit late but I noticed you missed out Bill Maher, George Carlin, Dave Chapelle, Stephen Colbert and Borat (guy who plays Ali G)..
All of them mind-blowingly funny guys in their own right (or show) ..
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