@Keller, I'm happy to share this kind of stuff anytime I'm asked. Most of the people involved are so enmeshed in corporate structures that they are loathe to speak plainly about how the sausage was made. "Oh, I don't want to mention that because if X person gets mad, then I won't be able to sell Y TV pilot, and little Aiden will have to leave Harvard-Westlake."
I'm being snarky, but never underestimate this pressure on people in media. It's such a subjective business, currying favor and maintaining good relations with powerful people is an essential lifeskill. But since all the machines spat me out, I'm happy to tell you what happened. And since I run Bystander, it's unlikely (though not impossible) that I would call *myself* onto the carpet.
The manufacture and distribution of comedy was SO different in the days before social media and the internet. Better in some ways, worse in others. I would give all of Elon's money to be 25 right now, with jokes flowing out of me 24/7 and so many ways to get to an audience. I wonder what business I'd create?
On the other hand though, if you're pushing your own envelope (as a young comedy person should) the risk of being dogpiled is very real, and I think that would inhibit me greatly. Comedy comes from a generous place in me, not an angry one, so offending people--I really do try to avoid that. I think 25-year-old me would end up doing what a lot of people do today, which is adopt standard internet argot and opinions as protective coloring. But 53-year-old me believes very strongly that one must speak from lived experience, no matter what. There's a respectfulness inherent in being funny from one's experience.
That Del Close Documentary was amazing. He really was vastly under appreciated. At least his performance in "The Blob" was memorable and stood far above the rest of the cast.
As for you, Mike, you are a king of Comedy whose influence will be remembered and memorialized in stone. We're just not sure where the stone will be located.
Someone check to see if there's room between Aristophanes and Larry Storch.
Old-time comedy media memories like this are essential! We've seen all the scenes, but what's behind them? New Yorker, Lampoon, SNL, Spy, Bystander. Thank you for being wherever you were and letting us know about it.
Reading this while trying to get a prescription filled at a hideously ugly CVS on 57th street in nyc at this very moment. Probably built over the very graves of some of those dingy showbiz offices you recall. Healthcare is the new comedy, I guess. It certainly breaks your heart one way or another, anyway. Wonderful article. Fwiw maybe this should be what AmBy the Mag should be: raw, refreshing bitterness and truth vs. (imho) too much “this is stuff as good as what somebody else could’ve published if this was still a previous decade, or maybe the New Yorker even.” But what do I know, I never even made it to Yale.
I think you're onto something there, @Xeerox; that's indeed the direction I want to take the mag, but the problem is it's a rarer form than your 750-word New Yorker casual.
Did you ever read Val Breiman's story about Milton Berle's penis? I think it was in issue #7? (Guessing.) It was wonderful and one of my favorites.
I hope CVS wasn't too soul-corroding. I have one right across the street and the entire experience feels vaguely Soviet.
I get what you're saying @Xeerox. A bit more of raw and real narration and elucidation *would* be good. But the last handful of issues seemed to have quite a bit already. M's introduction typically has this element. Issue 23 was predominately this. Veering mainly in this direction would probably alienate somewhat younger demographics, looking more for some bonafide laughs (hopefully intelligent and lasting laughs)... As far as The New Yorker—though I'm an occasional reader—in my humble opinion it seems that the majority of humor writing in the Bystander is of a higher and more enduring (aka, 'evergreen') caliber than in today's (New) New Yorker, which seems to preference topical and throwaway humor. I can scarcely recall one piece I've read there in the last years, and though I've been acquainted with the Bystander for maybe a few years now, already a number from it are tattooed into my psyche.
These inner tattoos I wear proudly :) But good to hear you're diversifying your business model, and I may take you up on your services for the not so salubrious tattoos of some other publications. Hear you're also doing poodle coloring, microblading, psychic readings, fermentation, and rolling out an artisan food truck—all services I'll surely avail myself of.
I once read a book about Del--"GURU"--but I don't think it had the story Garry told me. It involved both drugs AND the theft of priceless relics, which is maybe why?
I wrote monologue jokes for the Late Show with David Letterman with a similar arrangement. Lasted a few years. Harvard Lampoon people ruled and I wasn’t one of them.
I often wondered: does Harvard even teach comedy writing?
@Jeff, when I was at Yale (1987-91) anything that could be directly useful in a career was frowned upon. I'm not kidding. So the idea that comedy writing could or should be something Yale taught was scoffed at. Jon and I helped get Mark O'Donnell a teaching gig at Yale around 1995, a Residential College Seminar--which was so popular and beloved he did it for years. Now, I think there IS a comedy writing course at Yale.
No idea about Harvard, but it is similarly tight-assed, so I suspect it was the same drill.
I hope your experience at Letterman was better than ours. I tip my cap to you; it takes a lot of love to hang in through that. And love is something I really respect.
My experience with Harvard is that they would like to appear tight-assed but very much want to keep the customers satisfied. And the customers want pre-professional experience.
@Keller, I'm happy to share this kind of stuff anytime I'm asked. Most of the people involved are so enmeshed in corporate structures that they are loathe to speak plainly about how the sausage was made. "Oh, I don't want to mention that because if X person gets mad, then I won't be able to sell Y TV pilot, and little Aiden will have to leave Harvard-Westlake."
I'm being snarky, but never underestimate this pressure on people in media. It's such a subjective business, currying favor and maintaining good relations with powerful people is an essential lifeskill. But since all the machines spat me out, I'm happy to tell you what happened. And since I run Bystander, it's unlikely (though not impossible) that I would call *myself* onto the carpet.
The manufacture and distribution of comedy was SO different in the days before social media and the internet. Better in some ways, worse in others. I would give all of Elon's money to be 25 right now, with jokes flowing out of me 24/7 and so many ways to get to an audience. I wonder what business I'd create?
On the other hand though, if you're pushing your own envelope (as a young comedy person should) the risk of being dogpiled is very real, and I think that would inhibit me greatly. Comedy comes from a generous place in me, not an angry one, so offending people--I really do try to avoid that. I think 25-year-old me would end up doing what a lot of people do today, which is adopt standard internet argot and opinions as protective coloring. But 53-year-old me believes very strongly that one must speak from lived experience, no matter what. There's a respectfulness inherent in being funny from one's experience.
"There's a respectfulness inherent in being funny from one's experience" = what to write if your doctoral thesis on comedy had to fit on Twitter.
That Del Close Documentary was amazing. He really was vastly under appreciated. At least his performance in "The Blob" was memorable and stood far above the rest of the cast.
As for you, Mike, you are a king of Comedy whose influence will be remembered and memorialized in stone. We're just not sure where the stone will be located.
Someone check to see if there's room between Aristophanes and Larry Storch.
Old-time comedy media memories like this are essential! We've seen all the scenes, but what's behind them? New Yorker, Lampoon, SNL, Spy, Bystander. Thank you for being wherever you were and letting us know about it.
Reading this while trying to get a prescription filled at a hideously ugly CVS on 57th street in nyc at this very moment. Probably built over the very graves of some of those dingy showbiz offices you recall. Healthcare is the new comedy, I guess. It certainly breaks your heart one way or another, anyway. Wonderful article. Fwiw maybe this should be what AmBy the Mag should be: raw, refreshing bitterness and truth vs. (imho) too much “this is stuff as good as what somebody else could’ve published if this was still a previous decade, or maybe the New Yorker even.” But what do I know, I never even made it to Yale.
I think you're onto something there, @Xeerox; that's indeed the direction I want to take the mag, but the problem is it's a rarer form than your 750-word New Yorker casual.
Did you ever read Val Breiman's story about Milton Berle's penis? I think it was in issue #7? (Guessing.) It was wonderful and one of my favorites.
I hope CVS wasn't too soul-corroding. I have one right across the street and the entire experience feels vaguely Soviet.
I get what you're saying @Xeerox. A bit more of raw and real narration and elucidation *would* be good. But the last handful of issues seemed to have quite a bit already. M's introduction typically has this element. Issue 23 was predominately this. Veering mainly in this direction would probably alienate somewhat younger demographics, looking more for some bonafide laughs (hopefully intelligent and lasting laughs)... As far as The New Yorker—though I'm an occasional reader—in my humble opinion it seems that the majority of humor writing in the Bystander is of a higher and more enduring (aka, 'evergreen') caliber than in today's (New) New Yorker, which seems to preference topical and throwaway humor. I can scarcely recall one piece I've read there in the last years, and though I've been acquainted with the Bystander for maybe a few years now, already a number from it are tattooed into my psyche.
We provide tattoo removal at very reasonable rates. :-)
These inner tattoos I wear proudly :) But good to hear you're diversifying your business model, and I may take you up on your services for the not so salubrious tattoos of some other publications. Hear you're also doing poodle coloring, microblading, psychic readings, fermentation, and rolling out an artisan food truck—all services I'll surely avail myself of.
I once read a book about Del--"GURU"--but I don't think it had the story Garry told me. It involved both drugs AND the theft of priceless relics, which is maybe why?
I suggest you use the rectal thermometer for oral (i.e., moral) support.
I wrote monologue jokes for the Late Show with David Letterman with a similar arrangement. Lasted a few years. Harvard Lampoon people ruled and I wasn’t one of them.
I often wondered: does Harvard even teach comedy writing?
@Jeff, when I was at Yale (1987-91) anything that could be directly useful in a career was frowned upon. I'm not kidding. So the idea that comedy writing could or should be something Yale taught was scoffed at. Jon and I helped get Mark O'Donnell a teaching gig at Yale around 1995, a Residential College Seminar--which was so popular and beloved he did it for years. Now, I think there IS a comedy writing course at Yale.
No idea about Harvard, but it is similarly tight-assed, so I suspect it was the same drill.
I hope your experience at Letterman was better than ours. I tip my cap to you; it takes a lot of love to hang in through that. And love is something I really respect.
Seems that Harvard currently has two comedy writingish classes:
TDM 120 What's so Funny?: Introduction to Improvisational Comedy
ENGLISH CTV Writing for Television: Developing the Pilot: Workshop
https://courses.my.harvard.edu/psp/courses/
My experience with Harvard is that they would like to appear tight-assed but very much want to keep the customers satisfied. And the customers want pre-professional experience.