Please just shut up and watch the show
First off, we’re back on Substack! Revue, the service I previously used, has been sending the newsletter to spam (and also is kind of shutting down lol). So, here we are! If you’re one of the people who lost editions to spam purgatory, why not read the last two editions: I'm gonna be real with you all for a second and The Headliner: Korey Washington.
Crowdwork Clips Are Lying To You: Standup Is Not a Conversation
The hottest thing in the comedy scene right now is crowd work clips, aka short videos of that time in standup sets when the comedian picks out audience members and essentially has conversations with them. Crowd work clips are all generally stylized in the same way: “15 to 90 seconds in length, framed in portrait mode for optimal mobile viewing, captioned with big block letters, and overlaid with eye-catching title cards to encourage clicks,” according to Vulture.
These clips are the thing on social media right now because of their ability to catch a lot of eyes and start trending, meaning the comics who post them are garnering a fair amount of attention through them — both online and in person. Comedian Nimesh Patel, for example, told Vulture that posting crowd work clips “is how he went from having zero shows booked in March 2021 to selling out Washington, D.C.’s 1,960-seat Warner Theatre in November 2022.”
The thing is, though, that while these clips may help some comics, they’re actually somewhat detrimental to the structure of standup shows as a whole. As more and more people, who are potential comedy show attendees, grow accustomed to the idea of audience interruption, that kind of behavior at comedy shows is on the rise. Since they’re everywhere, typically show a positive (or at least funny) interaction, and seemingly aren’t widely discouraged by comics themselves, crowd work clips are shifting the general perception of what should happen at a standup show, causing average audience members to believe that shows are more interactive than they actually are.
The fact that crowd work clips are everywhere — Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, etc. — means that it’s hard to escape them (if you’re someone who sees that kind of content on your recommended pages). But the popularity of crowd work clips isn’t because everyone in comedy loves them (in fact, they’re a highly debated trend ATM); instead, their abundance is due to social media algorithms.
At the extreme base level, algorithms work like this: They use machine learning to sort content based on different ranking signals, including personal interaction and what’s popular on the platform overall. With trending content specifically, these algorithms create a never-ending loop of content, and because so many people are seeing and interacting with that specific stuff — as it’s what’s shown to them on their For You Pages/timelines/etc. — the algorithm continues to demand more of the same. As I mentioned before, there are multiple factors that affect what the algorithm favors, but popular content doesn’t just stop being popular.
And, of course, when people see specific kinds of content over and over again, you start to get used to it. This is the psychological process of habituation. “Habituation is a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations,” wrote Verywell Mind. “As the American Psychological Association defines it, habituation involves ‘growing accustomed to a situation or stimulus,’ thereby diminishing its effectiveness.” Basically, that thing becomes normalized. The same thing is happening with the prevalence of crowd work clips; as more and more people see them more and more, they’re growing used to what’s happening in the clips and normalizing interrupting comedians during standup sets — either with heckles or other non-derisive comments.
It also doesn’t help that these clips make interacting with the performer look fun and ultimately helpful to the situation. They almost always end on or play up a solidly funny line or moment (because, duh, of course they do), making the interactions appear positive and good for the comedian, as they’re able to use the interruption as material to get more laughs. For the average viewer, repeatedly seeing these kinds of positive-leaning clips makes it seem like they add way more to standup shows than they take away. It’s clear to audiences that these moments — initiated by an audience member, either prompted or unprompted, and seemingly enjoyed by the rest of the audience and the comedian on stage — means more laughs and a good clip for the comedian to post later. With such positive outcomes seemingly being the norm, why wouldn’t an audience member try to start a conversation in the middle of a set?
The other problem here is that, to average comedy audiences, it almost seems as if standups are encouraging interactive behavior at shows because they’re posting crowd work clips so much. Comedy audiences on social media aren’t stupid; it’s clear these clips can be posted by comedians after the show to help their digital reach. People see them online and begin to think that causing interruptions at a show can actually be a good thing, rather than something to shy away from, as it leads to more attention for the comedian in the end.
I can’t, in good conscience, sit here and write that this is the fault of comedians. I mean, posting crowd work clips is one of the strongest ways to grab attention on social media right now, and comedy is an industry that makes or breaks careers depending on the amount of eyes on content. But I think a good way to combat this effect on audiences is for comedians to be more conscious of what types of crowd work they’re displaying and how often they’re doing it. If they’re always showing crowd work that ends on a positive note, they’re going to continue encouraging that behavior. If they post a clip that ends in roasting a heckler or otherwise picking interrupters out from the crowd for being annoying, it can create a nice contrast that says, “This is funny, sure, but it’s also very much bad.” Also, think about how often you’re relying on crowd work on social media. I understand these platforms are one of the strongest tools for self-promotion, but comics should vary the kind of content they’re posting for views. All crowd work clips makes me think two things: that you want that behavior at your shows, and that that’s all you do. Neither are good things for people to think of a standup comedian.
On the flip side, though, audiences also need to learn standup show etiquette. They should know that interrupting a comedian completely messes with their flow, steals focus, and can often ruin the actual prepared humor. There are some major differences between seeing standup in real life and seeing it through short clips online — one of the most relevant here is you’re not a singular person watching a recorded video. Instead, you’re simply one of many in a crowd, and you have to behave like you would at a stage show or even a movie. No one wants to hear your inner monologue. If they did, they would have bought a ticket to your show.
Oh, you don’t have one?
Exactly.
Saturday Night Dead?
Thanksgiving doesn’t get a lot of content, from movies to songs, but what it does get is Saturday Night Live sketches — and a lot of them. Turkey Day has been rife with things to make fun of forever, including family dynamics, bad food, and traditions.
Because I think Thanksgiving doesn’t get enough spotlight in pop culture, I’d like to extend the holiday by one more day and share some of my favorite SNL Thanksgiving sketches with you. Enjoy!
This year, I’m thankful for all my readers. Thanks for being here!
The Comedy Showcase
Roy Wood Jr. released his new Comedy Central special Father Figure, and you can watch it for free on YouTube.
The Hollywood Reporter released its Annual Comedy Survey.
Eric Idle Says Audiences Get to Decide What’s Not Funny on Intelligencer