This is a serious question guys. From what I have seen most "comedy magicians" are simply guys who have bought what have been advertised as comedy magic tricks.

The question I have is has anyone actually spent the amount of time necessary to learn comedy like they have magic. Many guys spend lots of years on magic, but then just assume they are funny enough. Not true in my mind.

Has anyone even heard of Steve Shrott, Judy Carter, and on and on. There are constant workshops going on throughout the country. Mostly in LA but still others abound also.

I am just curious why this important aspect of "comedy magic" is missed.

Good point, Danny...and on target!

Comedy is "tricky". I spend as much time studying comedy performers as I do in my magic studies, possibly more. I watched an interview with Stephen King on the Ovation Channel last night. The interviewer asked King if he considered himself a writer first and foremost? King said first and foremost he is a husband and a father and a member of his community. "I have to live my life in order to write in a way that people can relate too", he said. If we, as performers spend all our waking moments surfing the internet to learn about the latest, greatest trick, then how can the regular folks we attempt to entertain relate to us?

If you want to learn anything about comedy get off the internet magic sites right now and start reading and watching all you can about the greats of comedy. Read all you can, watch as much video footage as you can. Take a class if you can.

Best,
Tony Brent
Orlando, Florida

Excellet point. In order to be a good comedy magician, you must study comedy. Many peopel say things and people laugh, do you know why? To the average person that's not umportant, but to you it should be. That way if you get a joke, or a line, that doesn't hit like it should, you don't have to throw it out, you can evaluate it. Sometimes comedy can be a serious business. And you learn to always have your voice recorder with you.
You mention Judy Carter, she has an excellent book on comedy. The book really goes into studying the art. People should read it, and by all means I'm sure her workshop is worthwhile, since her book is so good.

Yes it is serious business. I have taken workshops but not by the people you mentioned.

I still am sore thinking about the workshop I attended by the Kappotz(sic) Klowns.

Judy Carter and others have great material which I have read.

The encyclopedia of physical comedy has a lot of great ideas.

Improvisational troupe work and workshops have helped this nearly normal one.

My latest tool is a digital voice recorder.

Over the last couple of years, I have been learning as I hold workshops on comedy for middle school drama students.

In July and August I will be working with a talented director in a Godspell production. This nearly normal guy will play Herb. The directors notes reads to look for more of a comedian than singer.

This will stretch my comfort zone and move me back into the learning zone.

Be safe, well and funny.
Sewiously funny!

Harris

I resemble that remark, I must agree I would not be as funny if it wasn't for learning the ropes via classes and books and just watching funny people and taking notes. Comedy can be learned, yet sadley many folks don't take the time or effort to.
cheers chris

I have studied comedy. I do magic and comedy. I do not use comedy magic tricks (except for the bra trick on a man, it is just too funny if done correctly).
I do regular magic with funny patter. I like to amaze the audience and make them laugh.

I was just curious. I have actually studied comedy more than magic.

It just seems as if few of us are in that boat.

At least people KNEW who Judy Carter was. And by the way I do recomend her workshops for anyone truley interested.

Danny it was a good point to bring up. Maybe that was the reason magicians had and sometimes still have a tough time in comedy clubs, especially breaking in for the first time. People see comedy magician, they don't necessarily think that he's going to be funny. I open my sets with twenty minutes of straight stand-up and then go into my magic. I still bill myself as a comedy magician, I've just grown to enjoy the stand-up as well.
As far as comedy goes, it really helps to tape your set. It's all about timing and the little things that make everything click. I just wish more comedy magicians would take the time to learn this stuff. It would help TREMENDOUSLY in the entertainment value of their show.

Greetings,

At one point during my show, I will address my audience that I'm a comedian... then will tell them that it means "Comedy Magician". Most of the stuff that I used during my show are not so-called comedy props.

Sal

Joey you get exactly to my point. IT IS WHY MAGICIANS HAVE TROUBLE IN COMEDY CLUBS.

It has nothing to do with jealousy as so many like to pretend. It has nothing to do with "prop comic status". It has to do with an actual lack of comic talent.

I learned comedy from my uncle,

Go ahead "pull my finger"


kOnO

Most comedians believe that your are born funny and workshops and courses only serve to make you funnier or to hone what skill you have natually. Magicians on the other hand can learn the skill from scratch. I am very uncoordinated and yet have learnt our art through practice!

I have studied comedy from both a practical and a theoretical background. I wrote thesis on the sociological basis of comedy.

Well what can I say from my point of view , is that some people are made , while others have a natural knack at comedy , if like me , you were the guy in school who always had a fast remark ready for every occasion , the guy who whenever friends are around usally has people rolling with laughter , than most probabblt you are a natural , but even naturals , have a database where they get ideas , and concepts , me for example , I watch everything which I deem funny , and store good ideas in a note book , who knows they might come in handy sometime . a good exercise is to watch an effect and say to yourself now how do I make this funny .

2 examples which I was working on ( emcee bits , 1. the super vanishing knife , assistant comes out with a tray on which is a large butcher knife , you take knive throw it in the air and it turns into a bunch of confetti , as soon as you start walking away people notice a large butcher knife sticking out of assistants forhead , who in turn falls to the ground and gets dragged away . effct no2 , the vanishing banana , very simple get assistant on stage , instruct him to bend over , ect ect , all that you need is a pull , you can even add more presentation by adding a tube of lube gell and describing how the banana needs to be prepared ect ect

Ok first off the knife thing is an OLD vaudville bit which YOU did not make funny. The bananna thing is just crude. Rehashing old bits does not make you funny. It means you can tell others jokes well.

Second of all making sarcastic remarks does not make you a comedian on any level.

You are pointing out exactly what are some of the problems. Lets say you do have people rolling in laughter, do you understand why? Writing things down does in no way really help you with this.

Thanks for pointing this out so clearly for us. It makes the point perfectly.

Is this the funny bit?

Corona

First of all , if the things are already out there , its not really my problem , I perform the material , ( I have some out with them independantly if you really wish to know ) and for the crude part , there are two guys out there doing a show with just there privates , in the end what you do or how you do it doesn't count as long as your getting the results

what I mean by the above post is that as long as the style that you are using gets the laughs and the check, and repeat bookings one doesn't have to care what other performers think about your act, in fact they should be so busy thinking about their act that they shoulnt have any time to critisize your act.

in fact here in malta we have a saying which when translated literally goes along the lines of " and that's why at the end of the day the whole cow gets sold " which means that not everybody likes the same part, some like certian things, while others wil complain if you present them with those same things.

Posted: Jun 13, 2006 10:29am
Oh yeah one last point . most of the top comedians on the circuit tell jokes which have existed for over 100 years , they just rephrase them to appeal to our present time . does that mean that they aren't comedians but performers who just can tell other peoples jokes very well.

ps. "You are pointing out exactly what are some of the problems. Lets say you do have people rolling in laughter, do you understand why?"

when comedy stops being funny to you gimmie a call.

I like to write my own material, or brainstorm with other funny thinking people.
Very rarely use old jokes, sometimes at kid shows. For obvious reasons.

Sniper you have not gotten our point.

YOU COULD ACTUALLY BE FUNNIER! You tell old jokes obviously. Great but have you actually studied comedy and figured out why those jokes are actually funny? Obviously you have not. THAT WAS MY POINT.

can you make money in this way. Sure you can. Does it make you original? Well no.

And by the way just for a little reference. ORIGINAL is what the top comedians, comedy magicians, jugglers and so forth have. You choose to ignore it to do crude humor and ancient bits. Great if you get the money then fine. BUT again you continue to prove our point with each and every post.

Actually if you would have read my last sentence in the post you should have realized , I said when comedy stops being funny to you gimmie a call { which means when you have analized and disected comedy to the point where it literally stops being funny , and ends up being technique ,timing , ect ect }