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A stand-up comedian is someone that performs in comedy
clubs, usually reciting a fast paced succession of amusing
stories, short jokes and one-liners, typically called a
monologue. Some stand-up comedians use props, music, or
magic tricks in their act.
Stand up comedy is
perhaps the easiest field of entertainment for new talent to
enter, in the sense that many smaller venues hold "open mic"
events where anyone who dares to can have a shot at
performing comedy before a live audience. However, more than
any other performer, the stand up comedian is at the mercy
of the audience, which is an integral element of the stand
up comedian's act. A truly adept stand up comic must nimbly
play off the mood and tastes of any particular audience, and
adjust his or her routine accordingly. The test of a master
stand up comedian is the ability to not only face down a
"heckler", but to be able to retort to in a way that wins
over and entertains the rest of the crowd.
Many stand-up comedians
go on to have their own television programs or star in major
motion pictures. Famous examples of this include Jerry
Seinfeld, Bob Newhart, and Bill Cosby.
American stand up
comedy has it's roots in various traditions of entertainment
popular in the late 19th century, ranging from vaudeville
and humorist monologues (with Mark Twain a notable master),
to Yiddish theatre and circus clown routines. Most early
comedians were merely viewed as "joke tellers", who warmed
up the audience as an opening act, or kept the crowds
entertained during intersession. Being a comedian was often
considered a stepping stone to a proper career in show
business. Jokes were generally broad and (off when not
broadcast) mildly risqué, and often dwelt on stock comic
themes ("mother-in-law jokes", ethnic humor). "Blue humor",
or comedy that was considered indecent, was popular in many
nightclubs, but working "blue" greatly limited a comedian's
chance for legitimate success.
Beginning in the late
1950s and into the 1960s, a new generation of American
comedians began to explore political topics, race relations,
and sexual humor. Stand up comedy shifted from quick jokes
and one liners to monologues, often with dark humor and
cutting satire. Lenny Bruce became particularly influential
in pushing the boundaries of what was considered acceptable
entertainment at this time. African American comedians such
as Redd Foxx, long relegated to segregated venues, also
began to cross over to white audiences at this time.
Stand up comedy
exploded during the 1970s, with several entertainers
becoming major stars based on stand up comedy performances.
Stand up expanded from nightclubs and theaters to major
concerts in sports arenas. Richard Pryor and George Carlin
followed Lenny Bruce's acerbic style to become
counterculture icons. Steve Martin and Bill Cosby had
similar levels of success with gentler comic routines. The
older style of stand up comedy was kept alive by Rodney
Dangerfield and Buddy Hackett, who enjoyed revived careers.
Television programs such as Saturday Night Live and The
Tonight Show launched the careers of other stand up comedy
stars.
The great popularity of
stand up comedy led to a boom in stand up comedy venues for
both locally based and touring comics in many cities. Many
stand up stars landed major television deals, and
established television and film stars such as Robin
Williams, Eddie Murphy, and Billy Crystal tested their comic
chops with live stand up comedy appearances. The advent of
HBO (which could present comedians uncensored) and other
cable channels such as Comedy Central further fueled the
stand up comedy boom.
By the 1990s, the glut
of stand up comedy led to a decline in stand up comedy, as
the market became somewhat flooded with mediocre comics.
There were exceptions however as incredible new comics such
as Mitch Hedberg appeared and raised the bar on stand up
comedy for years to come. However established stand up
comics still command top ticket prices, and talented new
comedians still have many small venues to establish
themselves in.
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