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I used to feel that comedy needed to be really fast and something always needed to be happening. But recently I’ve been thinking more about stillness and silence. On stage, for instance, I try to find moments to stay as still as possible, so that any time I move, the audience notices it. Being perfectly still and silent (but relaxed) after delivering a joke is very funny: it shows you are committing.
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The sheer amount of standup specials, YouTube/IG/TikTok stars, etc. oversaturate our brains, and I think it dilutes our experience. This is surely true of music for me lately - I need breaks from new things pretty often. I think another symptom of it being so abundant is the more you've seen, the harder it is to be surprised by new styles and personalities. I've been a life-long standup fan for as long as I can remember, and gimmicks and fads have always been a thing. But still, every year, something new grabs my attention. It just takes some digging to find the people that tell the kind of stories that make you laugh. Here are some ones I really liked recently:
Kyle Kinane - Dirt Nap
Jacqueline Novak - Get On Your Knees
Sheng Wang - Sweet & Juicy
Brian Simpson - Live From The Mothership
Chris Fleming - Hell (As mentioned in other responses, just the best kind of weird)
Taylor Tomlinson - Look At You
Nate Bargatze (any of his many on Netflix)
Jun 21, 2024
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Something about laughing along with a live audience
Apr 12, 2024
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Yes technically you go for the comedy, but most of the time the jokes aren’t nearly as funny/entertaining as watching the Audience’s reactions.
Was recently at a comedy show where I could see as much of the audience as the comedians, and saw some absurd yet hilarious behavior from them. Comedy was 6/10, but people watching at the comedy show was 10/10!
Apr 6, 2024
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The strap of my dress snapped a few years ago and then in minutes I sewed it back on and felt a satisfaction so profound that it had to be Ancient and Just. If you don’t know how to mend it, someone does… COBBLERS are REAL!!!!! I’ve seen them with my eyes and they have re-birthed my shoes like Gods on Earth. Mass consumption has us addicted to buying and discarding but I highly recommend repairing your shit - relationships too! My uncle who doesn’t shut up once told me that “life is all about maintenance” (genius) so I forgave him for being the way that he is!
Apr 4, 2024
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Robert Moses State Park is open in the winter, and if you go on a weekday you’ll probably have the entire beach to yourself and a few fishermen. Great for a contemplative walk wherein you mull things over spiritually. Towards sunset, can start to feel like you’ve reached the end of the earth and are about the meet God. Bring a blanket, some grapes and your copy of The Power Broker.
Apr 4, 2024
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The best movie theater in New York seats 35. See a movie here you know nothing about and you will be inspired. For me most recently it was a screening of Dave Wascavage’s Suburban Sasquatch. Simple Town has been lucky enough to play videos here twice. The first night was packed, the second night we sold two tickets, and both nights were perfect.
Apr 4, 2024