aliasstone
Hosted by Ritch Shydner, this is an insightful behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be a stand up comedian. From the highs and successes to the lows and failures, this movie gives the viewer an honest peek at what all is involved in being a performing comic. Apparently only a handful of comics can make a decent living at it, but the ones who do rise to the top can "laugh" their way to the bank. There's a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than we're normally privy to and this movie exposes it all. For any aspiring comic who wants to choose this as a career, this is a must see.WARNING: Lots and lots of foul language (the UNfunny part of the movie. It's not necessary)
Steve Pulaski
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.
David de la Fuente
Interviews with dozens of different comics offer lots of perspectives on what's funny and how hard comedians have to work to write good material and keep the audience at a high level of entertainment and laughter. Everyone thinks it's so easy because they can make people laugh on occasion, but this documentary shows how angst-ridden, frenetic and intense these people's minds are.Spoiler below, if that's even possible with a documentary that has no plot:Easily the most painful and curious part of this bittersweet documentary is watching the film's co-writer, Ritch Shydner, a writer trying to return to standup after more than a dozen years away, bomb on stage. Watching him struggle is like seeing a pitcher who's lost his fastball and relentlessly trying to search for something, anything that works. It's interesting because I'm sure Shydner had the right to include his stuff or not, so knowing he included this somewhat agonizing material personalizes the onstage struggle greatly. It's effective conveying that scrambling to find something that'll spark the audience; hearing a bunch of people talk about how hard it is to connect just wouldn't have the same effect.Well worth watching.
