That Boss is Dope: A Brief Comedy Lesson from the Corporate World

An excerpt from Inc Magazine interview with Robert Sutton, author of “The No Asshole Rule”, which I think applies to Stand-up perfectly.

From your book, it sounds as though being a good boss involves a lot of acting: acting confident, acting like you are in control. That sounds exhausting. And doesn’t it compromise authenticity?

At the time you make a decision, no one knows whether it is right or wrong. But research shows that if you, as the authority figure, act confident about implementing the decision, it increases the odds of success. If you lack confidence, people will be less committed to your decision. They have less faith in you as a leader. So you have to convince them you are in control. Then, if it turns out you are wrong, you say, “I was wrong” and explain what you’re going to do differently. And say that you are really confident that this new approach is right. You start the confidence cycle again. There are many ways in which people show they are authentically confident. Some people are quiet, calm leaders, and some are more inspirational. But for most leaders, there are times you need to fake it. What is the alternative? Do employees want to follow a leader who constantly conveys his doubts that something is going to work out? Still, I do generally believe in authenticity. It is a dilemma.

Read the full interview by Leigh Buchanan at:http://www.inc.com/magazine/20101001/lessons-from-nightmare-bosses.html

In response to Katie Hughes’ status update “Katie Hughes thinks Patton Oswalt is a Genius”

It was also after someone said “is it safe to say, if your[sic] a geek comic they are geniuses? Oswalt,Posehn,Merriman[sic],Galafanikis [sic],Demetri Martin…should i continue or can the prosecution rest?”

Well, on the one hand I’m wary of how the word Genius has been devalued by it’s overuse, comparable only to the words hero and nazi (in the future, everyone will be a Genius-Hero-Nazi). On the other hand I do somewhat buy into the theory of multiple intelligences, and really excellent comedians do often display high level functioning in both Interpersonal and Intrapersonal, Verbal-linguistic, Logical-Mathematical (only the logical part), in some cases musical-rhythmic, and in some cases Bodily-kinesthetic areas. I also think people use the word Genius to make it seem like the person just had the innate ability to accomplish those things, like it couldn’t have happened any other way, which I think devalues the really hard work put in on top of someone who is usually gifted to begin with (basically the whole 2% inspiration and 98% persperation thing).

But in any case I still think if you can name more than 5 Geniuses in your field in a period of say less than 20 years then you need a new word. Incidentally I was just informed that Myq Kaplan won the 2009 New York’s Funniest Stand-Up Contest, among a slew of other contests he’s won this and the past few years. Burgeoning genius? Incredibly hard worker? Both? I’ll leave it up to History to decide.

Analogies Are Not a Fucking Joke

I did a show tonight and it made me think these brain words, and since private thoughts will be outlawed in a couple years anyway, I figured I’d get a head start by sharing these ones with you.

Some audiences go to see live comedy because they want to engage with a performer to create a unique, mutually satisfying comedy interaction. Other audiences want to just sit passively and have comedy “done” to them. And I’ve started to realize that I’m not that comfortable with giggle rape (by Comedy Jocks). Now obviously there’s also a lot to be said for seduction and foreplay (work the bits), and of course KY Jolly, i.e., lube (booze).

I suspect some folks may think this is just a whiny (or, since I’m Jewish, kvetchy) performance-art, overly precious perspective, when your job as a comic is to make people laugh WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT, but all things being equal I prefer my audiences the way I like my partners in all other sexual acts (I’m taking for granted that getting on stage and revealing yourself in front of a group for fun is a sexual act): Willing from the get go - and able. Enthusiastic, even.

Come to think of it I’m not positive that having a good track record with relationships is a good thing for a Comedian (maybe even the opposite is true?), creates too many pointless expectations.

Aparna, Ali, Angel, Katie, Nora I preemptively apologize for such a male-centric view of comedy. I don’t know if this is at all representative of your view of it but I’d be interested to find out. In other news, I just watched Shakira dry hump a sound monitor on SNL, you know, to further her career. So there’s that.

When a pirate and a skeleton warrior meet, who rapes who?

Trick question: They simultaneously rape each other. It’s actually kind of cute.


More on this @
Symbology NY: Skull and Crossbones - Wednesday Oct 28th, 9:30 - The Creek and the Cave.

Ali Wong (SF Weekly’s Best Comedian of 2009)
Phil Murphy (NY Favorite)
Tim Miller (Bentzen Ball Festival)
Micah Sherman (AltCom fest)
Sean Gabbert (DC Improv)