Gig 31- so you think you're funny.

Saturday night was the Glasgow competition heat. It went pretty well all considered, I didn't get the best reception of the night - unlike Al in Leeds - but I think I may still be in with a chance. I'm hoping they'll go for stuff that stands out as being different, and the focus for most comics still seems to be personal, where they're from, relationships, drunken stories etc. and more than a few had a couple of old or reworked jokes in their set. Hopefully my stuff about Isombard Kingdom Brunel in primary school might stick in the judges' memories. Having said that, I'm not as original as I'd like, I've drifted into a set full of references to old TV shows -(Remember the 70's -hilarious!)

Most of the other comics were Scotts and most mentioned a few place names that got laughs for some reason. You're from XXXX? Well don't worry this is 'electricity'. etc. I got to thinking that the familiarity makes these really funny to those that know the places concerned. A lot of comedy is pointing out a detail that everyone knows, but no one's noticed. (Oh yeah, we do do that don't we.)

I heard victoria wood's song 'Lets do it.' about a middle aged couple, the woman fancies a bit of fun and tires to talk her husband into it. It's the details that are funny. It's not that she wants to be 'beaten on the bottom' that's funny, it's the fact that she suggests using a 'Woman's weekly'. It's the little details of hum-drum surburban life that make it great - hostess trollies, avocados, flame proof nighties.

And maybe if you stay local this is at once easier, and funnier, because you can be even more specific. But it means the humour doesn't travel. Some of the material that got the biggest laughs in Glasgow probably won't work elsewhere, and if one of these guys wins the trip to Montreal (part of the prize) they'll have to write a new set the canadians understand.

Having said that though, so would I. I used to take a pride in not being regional, but I'm just using different crutches instead. In Montreal they wouldn't know about Michael Parkinson, Terry Wogan, Ballamorey, Isombard Kingdom Brunel, the Big Issue, Australia adverts - in fact most of my set would be down the pan. Still, if you write without presuming any shared cultural heritage what DO you talk about?


NEXT GIG;

TUESDAY 13TH OF JUNE. SHOW STARTS 9.00 -
'LONG LIVE COMEDY'
THE DOG AND PARROT (UPSTAIRS)
-OPPOSITE THE CENTRE FOR LIFE, 2 MINS FROM CENTRAL STATION.
ONLY £2.