Monday, July 06, 2009

Patton Oswalt Vid EVERY BUDDING COMIC MUST WATCH

Taken from Beth Lapides' page (more on her significance here) is this annotated video of Patton Oswalt at Un-Cabaret. The annotations dissect how, when asked questions about his anecdote, Oswalt's responses are not only funny but truthful and within his character. It's not so much that he's on. It's more like he's really present onstage.


In this sense comedy is like reporting: Patton Oswalt is giving the story while Lapides (the hostess who asks questions to elicit further information) is like the editor, demanding even a seasoned vet like Oswalt to give more detail and to answer any lingering questions.

3 comments:

Mo Diggs said...

Thanks Dan!

Abbi Crutchfield said...

I don't like to watch comedy in this form.

Her notes on my act would be:

"mispronounced a word after noticing college student in front row fall asleep"

"pointed at no one in the back of the room"

"smiled out of nervousness or fear or anger"

"still addressing an imaginary person with enthusiastic gestures"

"intent on making an audience care about Punky Brewster"

Mo Diggs said...

Haha

"Watch how Mo Diggs says 'Uh..you know...what else.' It's all about delivery."