Break a Leg

I am curious about your take on where comedy is headed, as a genre.

There seems to be a shift in what we consider comedic. Take the latest t.v. hits (and shows that would have but...) like Firefly, The Office, or Arrested Development. Gone is the laugh-track which you mock in your sitcom; instead, humour is punctuated by awkward pauses, silent backgrounds, and often some form of interrupted monologue.

If uncomfortable silence is or becomes our primary form of humour, what does that say about who we are?

I wouldn't consider those examples the shift that comedy is making.
American humor is getting more and more mindless and dumb.
Look at Meet the Spartans.
THAT'S where comedy is headed, and I don't like it one bit.

SO J.J.B.

What is your stand on the whole issue of Vodka as a magical cure for all sickness?

Sub Question... IS Whiskey(Whisky) better than Vodka?

Slightly related Question... why is whiskey spelled two ways? I personnally find it very confusining and difficult when ordering it in a bar and the bar tender asks me to specify. I mean does the "e" make it more tasty or give it a higher alcohol content?

Sub sub question... I Like Weasels

SUB SUB SUB question... booT a ni mi

Hannah, I'd actually have to disagree with you. Meet the Spartans is fairly base humor, base humor has been around for a very long time and will continue to be around -- see the successful videos on YouTube. That said, I think with 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Scrubs, The Office and more dramatic (but still funny) shows like Rescue Me, Californication, Studio 60 all have a much more sophisticated, wittier type of humor.

I do think comedy is headed that way. And I think, Femke, that it's a very natural evolution. From more stand-up comedy-esque, Vaudevillian-type schtick (I Love Lucy) it started to become more and more natural, Married with Children really broke some ground (I think) with its racy content and characters and The Office was the beginning of a much more naturalistic approach to comedy. From hitting every joke and punchline and underlining it with a laugh track, shows took out the laugh track and started getting humor out of the little subtletly and nuances of life.

I think it's a pretty interesting evolution and personally, I love it. There's a lot of really good TV out right now and I'm enjoying it.

Whoa whoa whoa! Who's thread is this? Does it say "Ask Break A Leg" No! "Ask Jennifer" Who's Jennifer? ME! Recognize, fool!

But. yeah I pretty much agree with Break A Leg.

Comedy as a genre you say. I think we are definitely moving from the schticky canned laughter sitcom, which is good. You mentioned the awkward pauses. I think this is a trend in comedy writing to make things more natural, because real people tend not to talk in rapid fire dialogues or one liners. Also, deviating fromn the cheesy vauvillian set-up rim shot style comedy, we are evolving more into a ridiculous, bizarre, fantastic, sureal, and intelligent style. The problem with this is that it doesn't play to the lowest common denominator, so show like Arrested Development get canned while shows like American Idol thrive.

What does the awkward pause say about us? I think it says that we are becoming more comfortable in ourselves. Being a "perfect person" by the Hollywood standard is becoming less important than being whoever you really are and really want to be. I think pointing out our insecurities and laughing at them is much healthier than trying to hide them beneath layers of make-up and silicone and false bravado.

Of course...I don't watch TV anymore. There's just too much crap to wade through.

Nate,

Answer: Vodka as a magical cure for all sickness. This is an incomplete thought because vodka can also cure a lot of stuff that isn't even wrong.

Sub answer: You cannot compare whiskey and vodka. They both are awesome. They both have their strengths. You can't make a whiskey martini or a vodka and coke...ok, you could, but you wouldn't want to.

Sub sub answer: Whisk(e)y is spelled two differnt ways because it was invented by the Irish. It's kinda like their folk songs: there's are hundreds of versions of the exact same thing, but as they spread around they got slightly changed along the way. It's just like playing Telephone.

Sub sub sub answer: Weasels are good.

Sub sub sub sub answer: The Whole Big Bag o' Hammers

Femke,

What makes a good fan? Strong emotional support is good. When you're struggling to do something you know is important and you know has worth, it's helpful to know that there are people out there that believe and you and want you to succeed.

Also big boobs are good.

Jennifer, I think it's spelled

B(.)(.)Bs

You're right, RD, that is much more exciting.

Sigh...

Jennifer, I have 4 questions for you.

1. Is it within your supreme powers to switch the reply search bar to the top of the page, so I don't have to scroll down to navigate to the latest reply?
(ooo, I am critical lately...)

2. What is the height of the average Internet sitcom actor?

3. What is the benefit to me to register on your site?

4. What kind of fruit would you like in your basket?

Oooooh. Bad grammar/awkward phrasing right there, Femke. Your third question ("What is the benefit to me to register on your site?") should really be, "How would I benefit by registering on your site?"

Femke,

1. I'll have a word with the boys and see what we can work out. Perhaps have an option where you can choose which way it's listed.

2. The average height of internet sitcom actors is about 5'7". Most actors aren't very tall. This is so the cameraman doesn't have to life the camera too high. Of course, on this show almost half the cast is over 6', so we're a little against the grain.

3. The benefit for us is that the more registered members we have, the more the powers that be will take notice of us. The benefit for you is that you get regular updates. I'm sure at some point in the future we will be special bonuses for members.

4. I will accept apples, oranges, pineapple, pomegranite, lemons, limes, peaches, tangerines, and grapes. No Grapples until they decide to work with us.

1. Your solution seems very complicated. Choose which way it's listed?! Here's a better idea: the posts should be lined up horizontally across the page in REALLY small font, and then you can click each one individually.

2. Golly, that's tall. I am...nowhere near that height. I would be very intimidated by you in person.

3.You absolutely SHOULD make member benefits.

4. No bananananas?

1. I think that would take up too much room.

2. Nah, I'm a softy.

3. I agree.

4. I just did a show where I played a guy locked in an office for 5 day with nothing to eat but peanuts and bananas. I don't care if I never see another banana again.

1. Obviously it would take up too much room. But wouldn't it look awesome? And/or ridiculous?

2. I'm frightened by people at least 10 inches taller than me. It's instinct.

3. Let's brainstorm... we can add some to the BaL UN treaty.

4. I hate bananas. I also hate mangos, papayas, and all other tropical fruit.

"I'm sure at some point in the future we will be special bonuses for members."

Jennifer, was this typo, a threat, or something Yuri cooked up that I don't know anything about?

That would be AMAZING. That would definitely convince me to be a member...even though I already am one.

Oh, Jenny, isn't it atrocious? And that after ALL the proofreading I did and all the fretting... My reputation as a post-writer (poster?) is ruined!
I have fallen. No more will the Heavenly Screen-Writers bestow their unborn children upon me...

How will I redeem myself?

Oh, right.

Fruit baskets.

Ah! That brings me to the perfect question for you, Jennifer:

What is the difference between recursive and repetitive humour?

(In other words, how often/when can you revisit or revamp a joke before it becomes stale?)

Post-writer implies that you used to be a writer, but now you have a new job. Or that you used to date a writer.
I think poster is the more appropriate term.

Either that or "board-thingy message person"

Member benefits:

It's something we've talked about and something we'd like to organize, yes. We have talked about letting members see the conversation/episodes a day ahead of time and things of that nature. Will it happen? I hope so. We're talking about it.

No, Jenny, 'former writer' would denote that you were a writer but are so no longer. The prefix 'post' (when you're indicating a time) does not attach to a person.

For example, you wouldn't say, "he is a post-convict."
You would say that, post-conviction, he is now...

Therefore, by default (and in context), my usage of the word 'post' becomes an adjective. A post-writer then remains a writer of posts, just as fire-fighter remains a fighter of fires.

Post is an interesting little homonym, that way.

Of course, I think I agree with you in that I'd rather be a poster.

Unless you referred to your ex as just "writer"

For instance, if you dated Yuri, but then he broke up with you to have my children, you would be so furious at him that you would just call him "writer."

You would then say, "My life is just SO much better post-writer."

However, I do admit that my first example was incorrect.

I LOVE IT!!!

I was trying to wrap my head around that scenario but couldn't articulate it. Well done! *bows down*

I'll see you in the Jello tub.

BRING IT ON!

Ok, and back to the string all about ME.

Duane, it was just an idea. I don't make threats.

As for recursive and repetitive: It's hard to quantify that one. The same joke over and over becomes droll. People need constantly to be surprised by new things, or by old things seen a new way. Or for something new to wait to be forgotten so it becomes new again. There is a hugeness in comedy that makes it difficult to determine. Some things are funny, other things are not. Some things that are funny to some people aren't funny to other people. Look at the cultural comedic value and say, the French or the Germans. We as groups of people find completely different things funny. Of course, no matter who you are, you will always be slightly tittlized by dick and fart jokes.

I quess what I'm trying to say is that there are times when it's ok to repeat something, and it's when it's not ok. Generally it's safe to stick to the rule of three, or find a main funny point that you can relate to different bits to tie the whole act together. One of my favorite things to see is a comic successfully start with one comedic bit, then go of on tangent after meandering tangent in a seemingly random matter, and then as they say "bring it back around", or tie the whole story together with one point at both ends.

*hugs Jennifer*

We haven't forgotten about you! Would you like me to start a tub-o'-jellow war for you, too?

O.k. next question. You seem creative enough to try to pull off something really neat, but you seem to be a redhead (?) and they often have tough hair to deal with. What is the funkiest hairstyle you've ever had?

p.s. here's to having the biggest thread on the board!

Thanks, Femke.

When I was in high school I grew my hair out to shoulder length, but shaved the sides, as was the trend where I lived. Then, one day for school I put it up in a 12 inch mohawk.

These days there's not a lot left up top, so I mostly just play around with my facial hair.

*grin* I love bad hairstyles. On that note,since theatrical people usually do really dramatic and crazy things, what is the most embarrassing situation you placed yourself in with your acting?

And Jennifer, why do you think Andy Corvell doesn't want you to take a knife into his board room? (Pilot, Act 3)

And could you walk upright with your hair that tall, you being so tall yourself?

I did have to duck.

I think I have to say the most embarrassing thing I've had to do for acting was last summer. I was in a production of "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged). If you don't know the show, it's three guys on stage hitting all the major parts of the Bible at an insane speed. It's friggin hilarious. I was the one who had to play all the girls parts. I'm not to the embarrassing part yet.

At the beginning of the play there's this part where a spot light comes up first on Adam, then on Adam and Eve, then on Adam and Eve and the Snake. Basically the Snake is just a guy holding a rubber snake. We did our production outdoors, so instead of lighting cues we had to sliding doors up center stage that would slide apart to reveal us. What it revealed was eventually three grown men wearing nothing but dance belts with fig leaves glued to them, I with the addition of a skin-colored piece of elastic with two fig leaves glued to it and a long, red wig. I'm not to the embarrassing part yet.

Oh, and if you don't know what a dance belt is, it's a contraption somewhat like underwear with two important distinctions: 1. They are designed to pull your rattle and flute forward so as not to get squished while dancing (hence the name) and 2. in the back there is only this thin piece of material that goes, yes, up your ass.

So like I said earlier this production was outdoors. It was in a park, in fact, on a small stage. There for there was no back stage that wasn't open to the public. In fact, there is a picnic area directly in view of everything we're doing back there. So, at the beginning of the show there were families getting an eye-full without ever buying a ticket. And we had to wait back there for an hour in those costumes. We had robes of course, but once Places was called it was balls to the wall. Literally. I'm not to the embarrassing part yet.

The embarrassing part was the photo shoot we had to do in those costumes for the publicity shots. Hopefully those photos will never see the light of day. It was as close as I will ever come to gay porn.

...so basically, you had to wear a thong?

Femke, here's the plan: We have a Jello war, and the winner gets Yuri, but the loser gets to look at Jennifer with a dance belt on... but CAN'T TOUCH. I think that's a reasonable punishment.
(Don't worry, it's not an insult. It would just be agony to see you but not be able to sex you up)

is it ok if i still watch this show without wanting to sex anyone up?

BLASPHEMY

Yes, Kevin, you can watch the show without wanting to sex me up.

I'm sorry, our lawyers require us to notify you that Jennifer (aka. Chad) does not speak in any official capacity for Break a Leg.

The current official standing of the show, as stated in Paragraph 32 of Section 15A, is that all fans, or anyone stating the title of fan, for the show "Break a Leg" must at all times be prepared to "sex someone up" if it is so deemed by the creators/cast/crew/interns of Break a Leg.

this is of course all within reason.

The lawyers can suck their own noses when I clearly stated, as the record will note! that I allowed Kevin the watching of the show without wanting to sex me up. There's plenty of other people for him to want to sex up. Our lawyers can kiss my artistic bum.

I'm with Kevin.

And, I pose a question to Jennifer: If you ever have a son, will you name him Jennifer as well to carry on the Jennifer line? If not, what names would you consider?

um, excuse me, but last time i checked this was the "Ask Jennifer" thread, not the "Ask Dashiell" one. (don't worry Dash, i won't change our previous arrangements. you're still ok.)

continuing with the questioning about names, does anyone use the nickname "Jenny" when talking to you?

Hey now! Jenny is MY name. I OWN IT.

And it's also awesome that my real name is actually NOT Jennifer. It's just Jenny; it says it on my birth certificate.
So sadly, Jennifer and I don't have that in common.

St. Anna, I don't think I would name a son Jennifer. Not the first one anyway. I might name him after a country, that way I could say stuff like "I change these diapers for Spain!"

Kevin, there is a very small group of people that I will allow to call me any derivative of Jennifer. It's a professional thing.

what about an integral of Jennifer? (oh, calculus...)

so i have a question: where is everyone? there was a time where i could hardly keep up with all of the conversations going on in here, and now nobody is saying anything!

They're all off praying. Praying that we suddenly have a huge influx of fans so that we can grease The Guild. Or others are praying that we suddenly get picked up by somebody so we don't need to worry about the contest. "Let them have their prize!" we'd say, "Let them have their prize! We have cash!"

wow, you guys just rocketed up in votes! it's amazing what prayer can do!

Woo! On your knees people!

ok jennifer: bask in you 200 post glory!