Melissa Parker: Do you believe that comedy can be a natural talent?
Steve Byrne: Of course, yeah. There are people I meet all the time that crack me up. But to have a conversation with just a group of friends … there’s some comfort to that and no real risk in it. It’s separate because when you’re doing standup you don’t have that camaraderie or that relationship already built in. These people know you, they feel comfortable with you and you with them.
Standup is just taking a raw idea and telling it to a bunch of strangers. These people don’t know you at all, but you have to see if you can communicate and elicit that one emotion which is laughter. It’s more difficult than just sitting with your buddies and cracking jokes.
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Melissa Parker: You’re on tour now?
Steve Byrne: I’ve been touring literally for 5 years straight. I think I’ve had 6 weeks off in 5 years. It’s been pretty grueling. You hear bands or musical artists say, “Oh, I’m on tour for 3 months and it’s brutal.” I’ve been on tour for 5 years and have no sympathy for them.
Steve Byrne Interview: Hot Comic on the Premiere of His Comedy Central Special ‘The Byrne Identity’ / Smashing Interviews Magazine / JULY 23, 2010
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Showing posts with label Steve Byrne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve Byrne. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Steve Byrne Interview
Melissa Parker: How long does it take to write a comedy routine for these specials?
Steve Byrne: Well, the first half hour special took me 8 years to write. Happy Hour took me 2 years and this one took me a year and a half, so I’m getting better at the writing (laughs). I’m trying to churn one out every 2 years now so by 2012, I’ll have my third hour.
MP: What makes a routine work?
SB: The secret in it all is that I’ll never know what really works. Night after night I’m taking a blank slate of what I think could possibly be funny and saying it to an audience. They’ll let me know if I’m correct or not which is a very odd way of going about a profession but ultimately, collectively, the audience always will be very honest with you.
The audience will either laugh or they won’t. That’s when I know if something works. It’s very troubling, it’s frustrating, but a lot of fun at the same time and I have a blast doing it.
Steve Byrne Interview: Hot Comic on the Premiere of His Comedy Central Special ‘The Byrne Identity’ / Smashing Interviews Magazine / JULY 23, 2010
Steve Byrne: Well, the first half hour special took me 8 years to write. Happy Hour took me 2 years and this one took me a year and a half, so I’m getting better at the writing (laughs). I’m trying to churn one out every 2 years now so by 2012, I’ll have my third hour.
MP: What makes a routine work?
SB: The secret in it all is that I’ll never know what really works. Night after night I’m taking a blank slate of what I think could possibly be funny and saying it to an audience. They’ll let me know if I’m correct or not which is a very odd way of going about a profession but ultimately, collectively, the audience always will be very honest with you.
The audience will either laugh or they won’t. That’s when I know if something works. It’s very troubling, it’s frustrating, but a lot of fun at the same time and I have a blast doing it.
Steve Byrne Interview: Hot Comic on the Premiere of His Comedy Central Special ‘The Byrne Identity’ / Smashing Interviews Magazine / JULY 23, 2010
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