I Am Comic

I was suffering from a bout of insomnia a few nights ago and was flipping through some of the cable channels. I landed on Showtime and found this documentary "I Am Comic" and it had me hooked. While I loved Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedian" it was a bit lite on the life of a stand-up comic. However this one is darker but in a good way and even before the aforementioned "Comedian" I've always been intrigued by the mechanics of stand up comedy.

"I Am Comic" definitely digs deep into the world they inhabit and what they put them selves through to make us laugh on a regular basis. I thought the interviews of every kind of comedian were done very well but some faces were obviously missing but if they included every big name comic in the US it would probably be about three hours long. Anyway, if anyone accidentally stumbles across this movie, take sometime out of your day and give it a look.

When you truly think about it, in the world of media, a comedian is one of the most difficult and stressful jobs in today's market. A comedian's start is the hardest part, because when you don't have a name, or have done it before in other respectable places, the manager won't let you perform. You're best off to practice at open mic shows, then see where that takes you.

Not to mention, writing jokes isn't as easy as it seems. Improvisation is not for everyone. And once you start, you better have people on the side or other places that are looking to hire. How do I know all this? I've watched a few other comedian clips online, and sort of have a rough idea of how this sort of thing works. I'm not saying I've done it, and am no way trying to make myself out like a big know it all, this is just what I hear. The road to funny is a hard, rocky road only some can truly master. But there are still a handful of unsung comedians.

I Am Comic not only has a handful of very famous comedians, but some of the comedians that aren't fairly recognized or underrated. Both Carrot Top and, the now late, Greg Giraldo have their fair time at the camera, and they're two of my favorite comedians. Carrot Top is put down because of his prop comedy, but frankly, I see it as a series of one-liners. Some are hilarious, some aren't. But what I think is that Carrot Top is different, and not original. Well... someone that gets on stage, with a trunk full of handmade props he works on just for them to get their five seconds of fame, not getting a lot of applause for each one, but still persistent and hungry for more applause. I admire that in a person. Persistencey, is sometimes, the key to success.

The movie focuses on various comedians, and their road on how they got here. What they needed to do, how they did it, and why they did it. Each story is different, but the movie misses one big element; What is it like in a comic's life when he/she isn't on the stage? The film never seems to touch on the biggest question.

The humor is there, but toned down. We don't get too many clips of actual standup, but we do get in jokes from the documentary. One man says "don't cut this part out" and before we know it, it's a jump cut to the next scene. It's more little jokes than big humor.

The most interesting part of the film came at the end when comics like Roseanne Barr talked about why they stopped doing it for a little while. Roseanne stated it was an annoyance for the crowd to bring up the past, and just the rude remarks from people that made her stop. It's also sad to see the once famous comic Ritch Shydner, the film's narrator, completely flop when doing a comeback show.

I Am Comic definitely feels like an IFC Film, for which it is. It explains the road to comedy is difficult because humor is so subjective. Some people don't find homosexual jokes funny, but some due. You need to find your style, embrace it, and pick up and audience while you're trudging for success. That's what I learned.

Starring: Ritch Shydner, Sarah Silverman, Phyllis Diller, Janeane Garofalo, Lewis Black, Louis C.K., Roseanne Barr, Jim Gaffigan, Tommy Davidson, Dana Gould, Tim Allen, Greg Giraldo, Wayne Federman, Carlos Mencia, Ilisa Shlesinger, Carrot Top, Margaret Cho, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Jeff Foxworthy. Directed by: Jordan Brady.