Q+A: Steven Wright's History of Humor

Steve Ciccarelli: How long does it take to refine a joke after it comes to your head?

Steven Wright: When the idea comes, the wording comes within, like, five seconds later. My mind just says, okay, this is how it will be said, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang — like that.

SC: So you basically have a comedy assembly line in your head.

SW: There's really only one way, for me, to say it. So I guess I figured that out pretty quickly. There's not, Well, I could say it like this, or I could say it like that. There is none of that.

SC: Has it always been that way? Has your process changed?

SW: I'm not trying to write jokes. I've been doing it for so long that that part of my brain is, like, exercised to know that things could be jokes, even though I'm not doing it consciously. You know what I mean?

SC: Like muscle memory.

SW: It's like I walk into a Sears or something, and this thing is on display, and my brain will go, Wait a minute — look at this. That could be a joke. But I didn't go into Sears. I can't believe I'm talking about Sears. I have nothing against Sears.

SC: Steven Wright has no opinion on Sears.

SW: No, nothing against. I don't go into Sears thinking there might be a joke in Sears. But if I'm in there — you know, you just notice something.

SC: So you're filtering out.

SW: I'm a filter, but in a very laidback, casual way. I don't get up, get dressed, go out, and think, Okay, I gotta find eight jokes.

Q+A: Steven Wright's History of Humor / By Steve Ciccarelli / Esquire / April 30, 2012