My philosophy to this blog isn't so much “What else I think is funny” as it is “Insightful moments with humor thrown in to make it less whiny” Perhaps in the future i will turn more gag-ical, but for now I am liking the somewhat serious side of Mikey: Unplugged. You'll find Nathan's blog to be the excess of his column that overflows his weekly bucket, and Court's to be something of a “I don't write anymore, but I can still try right?” I don't know what to call Forest's
As much as I poke fun, I am enjoying the e-company of these other humor writers. As a humorist, I can only see good in being exposed to what others are trying out there, especially since I'm still trying to figure out my own brand of comedy. Nathan and I were talking the other day about influences, at which point he listed a ton of writers, flippantly, and stole the whole aura of gradiose perplexity that attracts my nerdy puzzle loving brain to the topic in the first place.
Anyways here are some of my favorite comic influences…
Dane Cook- Dane has a wild stage presence and over the top nature that I just can't get enough of. His style is a pinpoint observational combined with extreme act out. What I mean is that he can describe a situation, and then give the exact phrase that comes out of your mouth at that point. Dane could take a joke written by any other comic, boil down the Wordality into gold, and then say “Punch you in the FACE” and you're rolling on the floor.
Example from The Hard Way: from Beautiful Days “Maybe I WILL have an amazing night with night! She puts out, honey! Get your shiny hands off me!”
Zach Galifianakis- Maybe it's just Zach's beard that I'm attracted to, but for some reason it's been love at first sight of his Comedy Central special. The man is not afraid to be a comedy outcast, throwing out one liners of self-deprecation and oddball, off the wall jokes all while playing the piano. I challenge anyone to find an act like him.
Example from HW: from Wearing Clothes “and accidentally wearing girls' panties… Because they're strewn about the floor in my dorm… Because I stole them.”
Aaron Karo- Probably all of the writers from College Humor, and even some Old PIC folk, deserve a spot on here, since they taught me how to WRITE comedy. Believe it or not being funny in person is different from funny on e-paper. Karo is the probably the most influential. His style is pretty much pure observational, but I've always loved his use of call back and focus on situations that make him into a fool. Now it's going to look like I borrowed the entire Hard Way premise from him… Fuck Me!
Example from HW: From Having Fun “You were supposed to go to a party, have a few drinks, dance, hit up the ladies, and be renowned as the most interesting bachelor among the land. What happened? Well, the ladies went to a different party, your dancing looks like the throes of death, and your few drinks turned into a few stops to allow your stomach to dry heave.”
Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, and Ryan Reynolds: These are some of my favorite film actors, and although it's hard to spot them in my column they do have influence in my comedy in general. From a young age I loved Carrey and Myers for their zaniness. Ryan Reynolds just has some priceless expressions and a silky smooth confidence in his delivery of lines.
Examples from HW: All in the pictures baby, dressing up like Mike, hamming it up like Jim, and smirking it up like Ryan. Also those film dialogues, come from my love of comedy movies.
Honorable Mentions: (people I like, but not reflected in my writing) Bill Hicks, Pablo Francisco, Mitch Hedberg, Lewis Black, Demetri Martin, Stephen Lynch, Otis Lee Crenshaw, Sklar Brothers, Jack Black, Stella, Reno 911.
Tell me who YOU like and maybe we can be friends.