The Observational Comic
“Did you ever notice …?” or “What's the deal with …?” are the stereotypical lines of the observational comic, but there is much more to this style.
The observational comic picks up on all the quirks and minute details of everyday life.
This is probably the most common and popular form of stand-up comedy, and for good reason. It is the easiest for the audience to connect with — but that doesn't mean it's easy to perform. This style is much more than just making things that everyone notices funny. It's all about making the audiences see these commonplace things from a fresh perspective — yours.
Observational comedians communicate the inconsistencies of everyday life to the audience. When they ask, “Did you ever notice …?”, the audience answers “Yes!” with their laughter. It's as if the comic is inside the audience members' heads, commenting on some of the basic truths of life — and hey, the truth is funny.
For a great example of the observational style, check out Jerry Seinfeld's 1998 CD I'm Telling You For the Last Time. This album is a recording of shows where Seinfeld retired the routines that made him famous. The names of the cuts sound like every other comedian's set list, but in the master's hands they are still original and fresh.
This style was popularized in the 1960s with groundbreaking comedians like Bill Cosby, who could tell a story so vividly that you were sure it was happening to you; George Carlin, who spoke truth to power and was a critic of hypocrisy wherever he found it; and Richard Pryor, who dared talk about society's ills and made people laugh at themselves.
Other comics who are known for advancing this style are Jay Leno, David Letterman, Brian Regan, Patton Oswalt, and the ultimate observational comic, Jerry Seinfeld, who became one of the most successful comedians ever by talking about — nothing.
With observational comedy it's hard to feel that you're bringing something new to the table, because so much ground has already been covered. You know the topics — dating, airline travel, dogs and cats, the differences between men and women — but don't despair. You can breathe life into even the most common topics with your unique perspective. You'll see something no one has ever seen before, a fresh take on an old subject. There's a reason this type of comedy is so successful — it works.
