Make jokes personal

I nervously ran a bit by Louis CK and he said, “it’s a funny idea but who cares? Every bit is funnier if it’s personal. Make it more about you.”

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Related posts tagged 'Coming up with ideas'

All of my jokes happened to me. Sometimes I will change details (names or where I saw something happen - saying "someone I dated" instead of "my current boyfriend" etc) to protect people I have relationships with but the material is true.
There's no rhyme or reason. I take an idea or story and write it or try it on stage. I'll remember what worked and try to fix what didn't. The length of time varies based on the bit.
There's improv, but we write a bunch of stuff in advance, too. So have a library of jokes in your head, and on paper too, and you can pull some out when you need 'em.
I wish I could. i have a lot of journals with one page half written in. I sometimes will write myself a quick email on my bb when I think of something.
Nick and I came up with Too Much Tuna in five seconds with Jessi Klein about ten years ago at a restaurant on 6th avenue called French Roast. We got a plate with too much tuna and we said "this is too much tuna."
Question: Peter and Nancy are my favorite characters on the show. What was the inspiration for Peter's pasta addiction and will they go anymore adventures like starting a B&B?? Answer: That came from a real dinner that Carrie and I had in Los Angeles. And we were looking at the menu, and we just thought "well obviously we can't order pasta, so I guess we have to order this." So we started talking about, why do we have to avoid pasta so much? So it was more that we were weighing the difference between the difference between enjoying life and really living, or ordering salmon.
i usually just think of one funny grain of the character's identity and let it build from there. with hoho, for instance, i just wanted to be an elf who delivers toys to naughty kids.
Dan had the idea. He liked the idea of a guy who took the time to look ridiculous and then having the guy hating being called ridiculous.
Intuition mostly. I trust the writers I work with and my own instincts. If we all feel like something is hilarious or fresh, I have to assume it is. And those are the things that tend to be well received.

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Chris was always doing that bit to me at work. We shared an office, and you had to walk through our office to get to Chris Rock & Adam Sandler's office, so these 2 microscopic offices were back to back, and Chris' desk was behind mine, and he didn't really know how to write, or read, really (kidding!) but he would come in bored, because I would have to write my sketches to try to get on but they would always let him on, so he would get behind me and be bored, everyone would write him sketches, and he would say "Davey… turn around" and I said "if this is Fat Guy in a Little Coat I'm not turning around, it's not funny anymore." And he would say "no, i've got a whole new thing I'm doing." And ...
He is one of the greatest guys alive. I'm serious. He is one of my best friends. There is not a deeper, kinder, gentler mental giant than one pete holmes. I'm glad to know him.
Norm is awesome. I was a huge fan of his when I was growing up, and still am. He always supported my web show and is one of the great stand up comics ever. Go see him live if you ever get a chance.
Well, it starts with not taking yourself too seriously. I've never taken myself too seriously, which means that there's nothing I'm trying to guard or protect. I'm very honest with who I am, and a lot of times, the criticisms are spot-on. And when my friends are making fun of me, they love me. If it makes people laugh, I like it. Because it means I'm a part of the joke. That's a big thing young people should know - don't take yourself too seriously. Take your JOURNEY seriously, but not yourself. You're just a leaf on a very big tree. And your job should not be being a taker - you should rather be a giver. You should be in a position of service. If you're in a position of service - which mean...
I loved it when Conan came in and interrupted us from working to make us laugh for hours while production was waiting for us to write a sketch. Conan wasted more time than anyone on that show, but it was a lot of fun.
No! I had Bill tied up with a phone cord, so he can't swing a golf club at me anymore, hahaha! He invites me to play golf with him, but he's so good, I don't even see him after the first hole - he's usually WAY at the 9th hole, too far for me to catch up! We're friends. I think he's remarkable - and by the way, I just St. Vincent with Billy in it, and I thought That's an Oscar caliber performance, really great. So it's nice to see his growth, and it's nice not to have to smell his breath.