All of comedy at some level is trial-and-error, whether it's a stand-up trying out jokes or a comedy show trying stories.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I think a lot comes from having the experience of doing stand-up comedy. It allows you to figure out the psychology of an audience; what things are funny and not.
It seems that two of the most basic forms of comedy are jokes and stories. And, of course, they are not mutually exclusive.
With stand-up, there's a little bit of an exaggerated reality because things have to be manipulated to create comedy, to create jokes.
Comedy is not funny. Comedy is hard work and timing and lots and lots of rehearsals.
Comedy, at least the way I write comedy, is just drama with jokes.
Comedy is one of the toughest genres. It is so essential to get the timing right, failing which the humour can fall flat.
Standup comedy is inordinately difficult. If doing something else for a living will make you equally happy, choose that instead. I'm serious. Comedy is punishing.
I don't play comedy as comedy. That would be the biggest trap. I think about the characters and their situations. Then you don't have to worry where the laugh is going to be. But comedy is harder than drama.
Comedy is not something that a person can fake or learn how to do.
Stand-up comedy is all you. It's your show, it's your game. You control every aspect of it - of that experience and that expression. There's really nothing quite as satisfying.