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MichaelStanford

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Posts posted by MichaelStanford

  6. Posted

    It's not your job to try to make the show funny

     

    It's not your job to police the show, so I guess we're all wearing our volunteer underpants today!

     

    Really, though, it's not necessary to be so condescending toward Don. The show was entertaining. We listen to it for laughs.

     

    If it got you this upset, maybe you shouldn't invest so much emotion into a comedy podcast solving pseudo-important societal issues.

    • Like 8

  9. Posted

    Do it.

     

    Obviously, you're a fan of improv. You might even be in an improv group yourself, or you might just be someone who thinks it's funny.

     

    But you might also be someone who lives in the middle of the country. You might be someone who is interested in performing improv with no idea how to get started.

     

    That was me about 4 months ago when I first got my hands on this book.

     

    I live in a small town with no improv for hundreds of miles. There's nowhere to train anywhere near me. I emailed Matt Besser out of desperation, asking for advice. I say 'out of desperation' because I didn't ever expect him to email me back, but as it turns out he's the greatest person in the world.

     

    Anyways, we exchanged some emails, and he mentioned this book. He told me that if I could get a group together and commit to practicing at least twice a week, then as an experiment they'd send us an early copy of the book and let us perform at the Del Close Marathon in June. This was in March.

     

    Naturally I jumped at the opportunity. I assembled a group of friends (who had no idea what long form improv was) and we practiced twice a week for 2.5 months.

     

    As we went into the DCM, none of my group had ever seen any live long form improv. We had all watched ASSSSCAT together (the DVD), and I had seen a live show once.

     

    But we did it. After two and a half months of practice using only this book, we performed a Harold in front of a live audience at one of the biggest improv festivals in the country.

     

    What I'm saying is the book works. It was written in a way that makes it easy to get started. It lays things out in a very easy way, and it guides you all the way from 'what is improv' to performing a Harold and more.

     

    If you're at all interested in improv, there's no excuse to not own this book.

     

    http://ucbstore.com/books/the-upright-citizens-brigade-comedy-improvisation-manual

    • Like 4

  16. Posted

    They call them 'group games' in the improv world. There are a lot of different ways to do them, but I think on a podcast they kinda have to be overtly presentational like this.

     

    You should totally learn some improv! Your location says LA - why don't you take some classes?

     

    Me and a group of my friends have been teaching ourselves (I live in Southeast Missouri :(), and it's a blast.

  17. Posted

    That statement is idiotic. How could one insult a person's only dance movie without insulting their demonstrated ability to make dance movies?

     

    "I think Freak Dance sucked."

     

    Notice how that's pointed at the movie and takes Matt Besser as a person completely out of it? Let's compare it to...oh...say...

     

    Matt knows almost as much about video games as he knows about making a watchable dance movie.

     

    Here you're insulting a person - not a movie.

     

    You can stick your fingers in your ears and hum all you want, but your point was clear.

     

    Also, if you're going to split hairs like an idiot, I never insulted his abilities I only insulted his knowledge on how to make a watchable dance movie, which doesn't infringe on his character at all.

     

    Oh, you don't know what 'ability' means. Sorry - usually when people defend a point it means they're smart.*

     

    Did you notice how I never called you an idiot? Is it really any better to beat around the bush like that? You still idiotically feel as if I called you an idiot.

     

    *Yeah! Let's hide behind a thin veil of comparatives to insult each other so that we can argue semantics and people will pay attention to us!

     

    I'm beginning to understand your deal now. You're like an idiot with a flapping jaw that has a platform on which to make fun of people and then rescind accountability on the grounds that what-you-said-wasn't-actually-what-you-said-so-I'm-smarter-than-you-omg-please-pay-attention-to-me.

     

    HAHA NOTICE HOW I DIDN'T CALL YOU ALL OF THOSE THINGS I JUST CALLED YOU BUT YOUR FEELINGS ARE STILL HURT?!

     

    Just be a real person and stop trying to show the internet how smart and witty you are.

    • Like 1

  18. Posted

    Just because someone disliked Freak Dance doesn't mean they're not a Besser fan.

     

    You didn't insult Freak Dance. You insulted Matt's ability to make a dance movie. You weren't ripping on the movie, you were disrespecting a person.

     

    I figured you, as a sumptuously accomplished comedian, should be able to take a little ribbing about your old projects in stride. Shall I cite my sources? I only have one and it's wikipedia, but I think it helps my case: http://en.wikipedia..../Roast_(comedy)

     

    Roast comedy isn't synonymous with contempt, nor does it happen in a medium that makes it difficult to detect any level of sarcasm. It also takes place in a relatively 'safe' environment and is performed by people with respect for the person being roasted.

     

    In addition to that, roast comedy isn't a one-way street. The person being roasted gives consent. They agree to it. Without that consent, it's more insult than entertainment.

     

    It's also good to note that in order for 'offensive comedy' to be successful, it has to be funnier than it is offensive.

     

    What you are doing isn't 'roasting'. What you are doing is 'being insulting'.

     

    Does that help you to understand?

     

    What's your thinking on why it's not cool to flippantly insult Freak Dance?

     

    What you think you said: "I don't like Freak Dance."

     

    What you actually said: "Matt doesn't know how to make a watchable dance movie."

     

    Does that clear it up for you? Again, you weren't insulting a movie. You were insulting a person for creating something.

     

    Is it because I know you read the forum and should spare your feelings? Or is it because you've had me on the show and I should consider you a friendly acquaintance?

     

    How about "Is it because as a fan of a person I should respect that person's work enough to express my opinions on the pieces of his work I didn't like in a way that isn't condescending, mean, and disrespectful?"

     

    And now for a shitload of misdirection -

     

    Your body of work isn't like the old testament of the bible, I can pick and choose what I accept in my heart and still expect to be let into improv heaven. So, to someone interested in preventing a torturous eternity, I wouldn't recommend either lying with a man as with a woman or watching Freak Dance.

     

    You know what? You're right. Yeah, I really regret it and would delete it now if I knew that doing so wouldn't make you call me out as a fool and a coward. I'm completely backpedaling, okay? You win sir. Please don't intellectually bully me any farther, I've had enough. Let's talk sports sometime.

     

    tl;dr - Be accountable for the things you say.

    • Like 5

  19. Posted

    I have to say I find it completely fascinates me how some people listen to the show but seem to hate me. Does anyone have a theory? Seriously.

     

    I'd wager that they listen in an attempt to catch you saying something even slightly off-the-mark so they can point out that you're wrong and they're right and nana-nana-boo-boo stick your face in doo-doo my hyper-inflated sense of self importance is central to my worldview.

     

    Also, sorry Amy, but "I Wanna Be The Guy" is the name of a real game, I don't think this guy was a comedian, I think he was just very sad.

     

    She said that he's Canadian, not a comedian. I made the same mistake. They later started making fun of the way he spoke, which is what clued me in.

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