Can a stand-up comedian's performance be objectively evaluated and ranked? In the recent documentary
I Am Comic [imdb | clips],
Steve Roye demonstrates his product, the
Comedy Evaluator Pro. A "Positive Audience Response" (PAR) score is the percentage of PAR during the time the comedian is on the stage (not taking into account other factors such as venue size, etc.). Of course, this method
stirs controversy about the art vs. science of stand-up.
Ritch Shydner, the protagonist of
I Am Comic, thinks that
booking agents shouldn't rely on PAR scores to choose who gets to be on stage, while the director of
I Am Comic, Jordan Brady, disagrees, seeing
PAR as a way to elevate the quality of stand-up. So, drum roll, please:
Who is the world's funniest comedian? According to PAR score, it's
J.R. Redwater, during this bit at the Pow Wow Comedy Jam. [agree | disagree]
posted by not_on_display
on Aug 19, 2010 -
112 comments
"Wally Ballou here, reporting for the
Matinob with Ray and Bob from the World Wide Internets..."
Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding are better known as
Bob and Ray. Spending
over four decades on
the radio,
television,
print, and
Broadway, beginning in Boston in 1946, they pioneered absurdist, satirical, dry, improvisational sketch comedy, influencing a legion of future comics (and others). The duo was inducted into the
NAB Hall of Fame in 1984. They last appeared on the radio in NPR's
"The Bob and Ray Public Radio Show" from 1982-1987.
[more inside]
posted by not_on_display
on Nov 17, 2008 -
27 comments
Garry McDonald, aka
Norman Gunston, aka the "
little aussie bleeder," may be well known out Australia way. For most Americans, however,
Norman G remains far, far down under the radar. But he's the forefather of the UK's
Ali G; he's Canadian
Nardwuar thee Human Serviette's nerdier dad; he's America's
Lazlo Toth (US) with a combover and a microphone; he's
Jiminy Glick's
Jack Sprat.
Perhaps you saw Norman long ago in a segment on USA Network's
Night Flight variety
show.
[bonus: many many youtubes of Night Flight segments, courtesy of this awesome website.] But I bet you didn't know he released a
KIckaSS single (among
others), jammed with
Frank Zappa, and was at the right place and time
to upstage a piece of Australian History. Not bad for someone whom
Keith Moon dumped his drink on and called a "great pooftah." [more inside]
posted by not_on_display
on May 4, 2008 -
21 comments
This man kept me awake at night as a child, As I stared, bleary-eyed, at my flip-card style analog alarm clock, willingly watching the hours go by, thinking, "How am I going to be able to wake up for school tomorrow?" And laughing, laughing. I place the blame for my night-owl-ness squarely in his lap.
[more inside]
posted by not_on_display
on Oct 18, 2007 -
17 comments
