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Replies

BEAUTY PILL @beautypill.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

In the world of professional standup comedy, “crowd work” is generally seen as being lower than written jokes. Comedians who just talk to the audience are regarded as hacks. Comedians who perform written material are considered more artistic. I understand this principle, but I don’t agree.

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Airwindows @airwindows.com · 07/10/2026

Improv is a whole discipline. I think your instinct here is good, and it's strange to think of it as 'lower' when it's a whole different thing. I'm guessing the admiration of written stuff is largely people who can't think on their feet as quickly, and aren't the biggest star comedians…

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Pete Fraser @petefrasermusic.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I think the people who can integrate the two so you can’t tell the difference are so amazing. Have you read Stewart Lee’s book How I Escaped My Certain Fate? It’s basically annotated show transcriptions where he points out where he’s gone off script in order to prod the crowd one way or another.

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