AboutTom Expertise I can answer questions about The Capitol Steps, a political (mostly musical) satire group based in Washington, DC which performs in Washington, around the U.S., and four times a year on public radio. I can answer questions about who is performing which role in Capitol Steps sketches and songs on albumns and can help identify a routine (and which albumn or radio show includes it) based on partial lyrics. I can also provide tips and suggestions for those interested in writing and performing spoonerism-based comedy similar to the Steps` "Lirty Dies."
Experience I have been a Capitol Steps fan since about 1995. I own all the albumns and have listened to each dozens of times. I have particularly studied (and particularly admire) the "Lirty Dies" routines and I have written and performed material of this sort. Despite the fact that I live halfway across the U.S. from Washington, I've attended many live Capitol Steps performances, including several at their permanent locations in the DC area.
Question QUESTION: hi, my name is chris. i love to write jokes. i use self-deprecating humor and i like to throw in some reverses, exaggerations, misdirections, and double entendres. i like to poke fun at myself and poke fun at people i am close to. this is what i do, i make up things to say and claim that i am telling the truth. ill think of conversations and ill think of situations and characters also. i like to do observational comedy. i like adam sandler and jerry seinfeld. i like to play chess and i watch cop shows and court tv. i think it takes a lot of writing to get in the joke to what is the funny part. how do you write a one-liner? and how do you write small bits? i watch seinfeld on tv alot. how does seinfeld structure his jokes? i just want to know. if you can answer me that. ill be happy. thanks,chris
ANSWER: Hi, Chris --
Thanks for the interesting question and for providing good details about your situation. My response is going to be based on my own individual experience, but basically I think you're on the right track with what you're already doing.
In my own initial work with comedy, I had a particular form that I admired and wanted to try my hand at. I listened to a lot of it, over and over, trying to figure out how it was constructed: What makes the funny parts really funny? And, very importantly, what's different about some parts that make them less funny than others? Based on my observations, I was able to give it a try and then refine my technique.
To give you an idea of what I came up with, here's my brief summary of what I think makes the Capitol Steps' "Lirty Dies" routines work: (1) The routine has to be based on a story the audience is already quite familiar with. (2) The story has to have present-day conflict in it (can't just be a familiar fairy tale, for example). (3) Don't load up on extra word flips if they aren't really funny; the flipping itself is not the funny part. (This last one was particularly non-obvious at first; I learned it by paying attention to things that were less funny than others.) I was able to use these three principles to guide me in my topic selection and writing of my own material.
I haven't studied Seinfeld, so I couldn't even begin to tell you how I think he structures his jokes. But, I'd bet that even if I could tell you how I think he does it, that explanation would not get you as far as you forming your own mental model of how he does it, based on your careful observation. It doesn't matter if what you come up with is actually the way he does it, as long as you understand it and can use it.
So, my advice is to keep listening and start to identify some patterns. Then, give it a try. Another tip: Write a lot of material, but don't mess around with trying to use anything that doesn't turn out really well. It's better to have a short, really good routine than to have one you think is "long enough" but which includes more ho-hum jokes, which will really drag you down. (I'm talking, in my case, writing ten jokes and keeping one of them.)
Good luck in your quest. Keep your spirits up, even when your self-esteem is challenged by initial less-than-stunning success.
-- Tom
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: when you get in a writers block how do you get out of a writers block?
ANSWER: Chris --
I've used a system of keeping notes when ideas come to me. This helps me when I'm trying to write, because then I have a lot of ideas to work with -- when I get stuck working with one idea, I can set it aside and work on another. The challenge is figuring out a way that works for you to jot down ideas wherever and whenever you get them. It doesn't work as well to just hope that you'll remember them later!
-- Tom
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: you said that it is better to have a short, really good routine than to have one you think is "long enough" but which includes more ho-hum jokes, which will really drag you down. since you said its better to have a short,really good routine. how do I get to the punchline or funny part faster? I think that comedy is based on doing the opposite, and if i want to use a double entendre, should i use the verb? i think comedy is also using characters plus action. if you can answer this for me. I will be happy, thanks.
Answer Chris --
It sounds like you're asking the right questions, but it's getting a little out of my area of experience, as I haven't done punchline-based material much. I would say that the observations you make (e.g., "comedy is based on doing the opposite") are the sort of thing that should provide a useful theoretical basis for your work. But as far as structuring jokes with punchlines goes, I'll have to leave you to your own devices or to finding someone else who's got more experience in that area.
By the way, I don't think you need to specifically rush to the punchline for the goal of making things short. What I suggested in my earlier message is that if you have some jokes that are weaker, even after you've gotten them as good as you can get them, you might want to consider omitting them from your routine altogether. If you've got a strong joke that takes a while to tell, that's OK -- as long as your audience feels that the joke was worth the time it took you to tell it.
