[agent_PUNT]

Originally posted by scotch-romanian
If I may paraphrase what Mr. Cross said on an episode of Celebrity Poker...

DAVID: (to the announcer guy, in a Donald Trump accent) You're fired.

(audience laughs)

DAVID: Did anyone see there's some guy trying to make that into a catchphrase? What a douche bag.

(audience laughs more)

I thought DC actually said something like "Did anyone see that asshole is trying to make that into a catchphrase"

?

[teengirlsquad]

you are right (copyright not catchphrase)

[scotch-romanian]

Originally posted by scotch-romanian
If I may paraphrase...

[Upskii]

Originally posted by CptPlanet
Mike, to me the comedy scene seems to be a lot more meritocratic than the rest of the entertainment industry. It seems like as long as someone is both talented and hard working, they'll be able to eke out at least a semi-decent living doing what they want.

Is that necessarily true, or is it possible for even the funniest and most dedicated person to give it their best shot and still be forced to live on dollar store gin and off-brand Spam until they return to their bumfuck hometown in shame and move back in with their parents until they die of cirrhosis and a broken heart?

I think the key is to be able to give it your best shot, get nothing, and still be able to come back and give it your best shot the next day. The system isn't always fair, but if you are funny and dedicated you will eventually make it. Some of the best people get killed by their own bitterness or self-doubt. It's not like anybody gets forced on that bus back to bumfuck.

Al Franken gave me another bit of wisdom: he warned me about "comedian's disease" in which comedy writers get hung up on all the bad unfunny stuff that gets made, and become extremely bitter and judgemental, and ultimately they lose their funny. I remember thinking, "oh, crap, I'm getting that disease!" It perfectly described the comics I was hanging out with in Las Vegas, who wanted to do nothing more than rag on all the hack comics getting stage time. Every comedy writer is susceptible, because they are sensitive to everything that is fake and wrong. So, beware of comedians disease, it is the number one hidden killer of funny people.

Originally posted by CptPlanet
Also, is it possible to "make it" (and by that I just mean comfortably support yourself) on writing alone without ever doing standup/acting/improv? Is that what you did? That shit is unbelievably difficult and nerve wracking for me, and it seems like- at least in my case- it would actually do more harm than good if my goal was to make people think I'm funny. I'm also ugly, which I realize isn't necessarily a dealbreaker for a standup comic, and some comics use their natural homeliness to their advantage, but the point is I'm really uncomfortable in those types of settings.

I never did stand up because I was a chicken. Performers have an advantage because they have visibility and credibility if they are funny on stage, but if their writing samples suck they won't get work.

But still seek out funny performers, because you'll need them in your gonzo projects. They can give you feedback, and get you used to writing stuff that people have to speak. Performers are always open to material and, if you lay something on them that makes them look good, they will remember you. As a non-performing writer you will need to be resourceful in getting folks to read your work, but you never know when a performer or writer who worked with you previously on little projects will champion you, get you read by the right people, and even get you a job.

You might take an improv class just to confront your stage fright. I think Second City is in Phoenix, and their beginning classes are really low impact and low stress. There's some good concepts there, and it teaches you to work with others on a comedy premise. Not necessary, but couldn't hurt. Also, no where are good looks less important than in comedy writing. Just bathe, get a hair cut and wear clean clothes.

Originally posted by CptPlanet
Oh one more quick question: Were you scared of failing and being rejected when you started? How did you deal with it?

I was terrified that I would blow it somehow. I found out later that a lot the other writers felt that way. BJ said Mr. Show was the first job where he cared if he got fired, and it freaked him out. I just dealt with it by focusing on my next pitches, and whenever I got away from the office I'd go hiking or dive into the ocean to get out of my head. And, if I ever started worrying at work, I'd just put on the earphones, and rock out.

[terris]

"Mike Upchurch, single handedly fostering the dreams of wannabe comedy writers and nerds"

man if anyone on this board makes it the payback for mike is gonna be huge, we can retire the shit out of you

[agent_PUNT]

Originally posted by Upskii
I I was terrified that I would blow it somehow. I found out later that a lot the other writers felt that way. BJ said Mr. Show was the first job where he cared if he got fired, and it freaked him out.

That "not caring about getting fired" is a good motivator to me to start taking more chances.

Thanks Mike.

[Upskii]

Am getting slammed with some of that reality stuff currently. There's been some good stuff mentioned that I wanted to respond to, but can't right now. Might be a day or two, but thanks for keeping the thread warm.

Agent, that sounds like a sweet gig. Try dressing for semi-success as a comprimise, and maybe you can continue milking that cash cow a little longer.

Mike

[CptPlanet]

Nick thanks for making this thread sticky. I'd like to return the favor sometime if you catch my drift

[JuanBallsac]

Tis I JuanBallsac.

Upchurch, It's gnarly that your taking the time to answer our homosexual questions and share stories about the Home Improvement kids.

I've been writing to that cock slobber Robert Towne for almost five years and haven't heard shit.

[agent_PUNT]

Originally posted by Upskii
maybe you can continue milking that cash cow a little longer.

Mike

My female boss has the calves of a cow. I'm not talking about her kids, they're cute... no I mean her legs are fucking giant tree trunks.

but now that I think about it, cows don't really have big calves. But elephants do. But they also have trunks so this could get confusing...

In conclusion:

Her legs are like the calves of an elephant.

And I chopped up her 12 year old son and stuffed him in the trunk of my car.

There.

And that's the story of the soy bean.

(sorry had to do it.)

[5InchTaint]

Mr. Upchurch, I couldn't help but notice a similarity between Powerloafing (the philosophy) and the Church of the SubGenius' philosophy of Slack. Is there a corollary or am I just being pink?

[Upskii]

Originally posted by CptPlanet
Then who the fuck is getting fat off my DVD dollar? Does it all go to the pricks at HBO who strongarmed Bob and David into walking away from Mr. Show in the first place?

I'm not really sure, but probably HBO and Time Warner. Whoever it is, they are so wealthy already that they don't even notice the extra millions the Mr. Show DVD's added to their fortune.

Originally posted by CptPlanet
Oh yeah Mike if you have an inside line on the Stella TV show please spill whatever you can.

I don't, but I occasionally hear stuff. If I do I'll let you know in the stella thread.

Originally posted by Pali
To answer that question for myself though, the series I recommend are Brass Eye (available on region free dvd from amazon.co.uk) and The Day Today. Both the work of a comedian called Chris Morris.

Now on my list. When I get my Tivo back from the shop, I might have some more little known comedies. I have three years of stuff catalogued that I don't have access to. (BTW: The Tivo warranty sucks. You're covered, but you have to wait 5 weeks for it. I'm having serious withdrawls living without it.)

Hey, are you and Taint both in the UK? How did the episodes play there? Was there any pausing or still frames?

Originally posted by 5InchTaint I really enjoyed your two commercials. I actually liked them better than the Powerloafing episodes. I prefer my comedy a little more bizarre. I did really like the more concept episodes, like the Star Trek and soap opera ones in the sneak preview section. The Mr. Show cameos are great, I enjoyed Minor's zombie character quite a bit. You said that the episodes in the Sneak Preview section were the way the show was headed, so I'll keep watching.

It started with a lot of conceptual ideas, but the Pop.com executives were very keen on us doing "regular" and "normal" shows to start with. So, those first six were pretty low-concept. I am actually glad, because it established a very stable thing for self-parody. I don't think the Star Trek one would be quite as funny without the normal ones as a spring-board.

Thanks for checking out the commercial parodies. They are the first thing I've ever sold to any show through my "production company," Hardscrabble Pictures. I don't think I could possibly have produced them any cheaper. I got $400 bucks per spot, and the only people who were compensated besides me were the lead actors ($50). All the graphics were lifted and altered from Google Images, the explosion was a close-up from a movie, and I got the music from Freeplaymusic.com and added vocals. The scripts were rejects I wrote for Mad TV that were laying around, and I had a lot of other expensive gags that I had to cut from the original ideas. I thought I was cutting the best gags at the time, but I don't miss them in the finished product.

Originally posted by scotch-romanian
I just watched "Cubicle of Fear" again, and not only do I think it's the funniest episode on there, but I think it hints at how Powerloafing could me a much stronger show: the Blaine Capatch "straight guy" character... He and Paul's exchange at the beginning I think is the funniest moment of Powerloafing so far (the rest of the episode - with Jerry Minor - is also hilarious.)

I think you'll like the next episodes. We continue to explore the fake horror concept, and a bunch of other cool directions, as well as some less conceptual shows that are sturdier than the earlier ones.

I think the pencil line was mine. I write a first draft and then we get together, read it through it, and add to it improvise from it. Sometimes I'll bat the episode around with the three main actors before writing. Probably half of the dialog is from the first draft and the rest is improvised or built on something out of the script.

Originally posted by CptPlanet
Have you ever thought about submitting any Powerloafing to Jump Cuts on Comedy Central? It might fit in quite well there.

Powerloafing is built for the web, and is for watching on a tiny screen while goofing off at work. Most of the episodes only work if you know the concept of the show, and aren't nearly as funny by themselves to an uninitiated viewer. But, there's one upcoming episode in particular that might work as a stand alone. (BTW: that is not to say it woudn't work as 1/2 hour in altered form. I just haven't been able to pitch it because of the American Office. The minute I would say it takes place in an office, executives would say, "You mean like The Office?")

Originally posted by Upskii
in your case Hamilton, (Good place, where half the writing staff of Kids in the Hall came from.)

I am totally talking out of my ass here. I just checked with a former KITH writer, and the writing staff came from 1)Calgary (sketch group The Audience) and 2)Toronto (Kids in the Hall) those two groups merged.

[Upskii]

Originally posted by agent_PUNT
My female boss has the calves of a cow. I'm not talking about her kids, they're cute... no I mean her legs are fucking giant tree trunks.

but now that I think about it, cows don't really have big calves. But elephants do. But they also have trunks so this could get confusing...

In conclusion:

Her legs are like the calves of an elephant.

I believe those are called "cankles." That's when a woman's calves and angles are merged into trunk-like cankles.

Originally posted by Brain Stew
I don't know, but somehow it did. He even trademarked it. For some reason, the justice system is bending over backwards for businesses nowadays.

Funny, Jimmy "JJ" Walker will sue any skinny black guy who says "Dyn-O-Mite!" for trademark infringement. Apparently, years after Good Times, he would charge money to say Dyn-o-mite. You could have him do comedy, or act, but if you wanted him to say the word it was an extra three to five grand or something. People will ask for it, and he ignores them. Trademarks are weird, you have to specify a bunch of stuff to make it stick.

[5InchTaint]

Originally posted by Upskii
Hey, are you and Taint both in the UK?

No, I'm a true blue tried and true American. I just have always had an interest in British comedy especially when are home-grown products really suck dick. Which is more often than not lately.