Funny How: Letters to a Young Comedian

Funny How: Letters to a Young Comedian is a Substack by comic Matt Ruby offering standup comedy philosophy, advice, and inspirational quotes from well-known comedians. It covers a wide range of topics including the creative process, navigating the comedy industry, audience engagement, and personal anecdotes from established comedians.

Comedy Techniques Creative Process Industry Insights Comedian Interviews Performance Advice Audience Engagement Comedy Writing

Top posts of the year

And their main takeaways

The laughs that teach you the most

235 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
😂 Humor Comedy Voice Lessons
  1. Finding your voice in comedy might be more about letting it come to you.
  2. Pay attention to when people laugh without a punchline, it reveals your natural funny side.
  3. Effortlessness in creativity often leads to the best results.

The math of being Rodney Dangerfield on Johnny Carson

137 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
😂 Humor Comedy
  1. To be as funny as Rodney Dangerfield, you need to write thousands of jokes.
  2. Each Johnny Carson appearance required Rodney to come up with 35 to 40 new jokes.
  3. Repetition is key - keep doing the jokes over and over to refine your material.
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Snoop Dogg’s advice for standup comedians

117 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
😂 Humor
  1. Snoop Dogg advises comedians to have the spirit of great comedians like Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor when performing.
  2. He encourages them to be unique and flamboyant, giving the audience what they want and need.
  3. Snoop Dogg emphasizes the importance of confidence and creativity, urging comedians to 'put some paint where it ain't.'

How Jim Gaffigan won over a crowd of hipsters

98 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Comedy Entertainment
  1. Jim Gaffigan won over a young, hipster crowd by anticipating their criticisms and using them in his act.
  2. Gaffigan shows that clean comedy can still be edgy by using meanness and hostility in his jokes.
  3. To replace the transgressive power of profanity, Gaffigan uses hostility and sarcastic humor to keep his audience engaged and entertained.

What's it like doing standup at the Beacon Theater?

78 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Comedy
  1. The Beacon Theater, with its 2,894 seats, still manages to feel intimate.
  2. Performing stand-up at the Beacon Theater is a wild and exciting experience.
  3. Comedy is a journey that presents opportunities for growth and connection, whether in big or small venues.