comedy jealously

[Bob]

so i've been keeping up the improv thing and it's been going well

BUT

recently the theater i've been taking classes with (and occasionally doing shows at) had auditions to cast people on the various house teams, and pretty much all of my friends that i started with got cast on a team (the same one, at that) and will now be performing regularly and i didn't even get a callback audition (i can explain what that means if people don't know and care to learn, but the short of it is that i did as badly as it is possible to do)


and obviously, you know, i want to be proud of them and happy for them, because that rules for them, and they have every right to be psyched about it, i certainly would be if i got it

BUT

before my brain can get to any of those positive emotions, my heart is all like "ugh, why not me?" and i have to squelch a whole shitload of jealousy before i can be cool and human about it, and then i have to feel bad for being a shit and feeling bad about it too.


so that sucks. i think i'm funny and honestly think i deserve it as much as most of them do (and anyone who knows me will know that i'm rarely confident about things, so that's a big deal), i just had an off day at the worst time, i guess


sucks


at least there's this place to vent about it

[Randetica]

bob, please stop being so human!
k thx

[Heather_D]

Bob. I see you're from Boston. Is that where you're originally from? I am from New Hampshire & the truly funny people come from there: Adam Sandler, Seth Myers, Jimmy Fallon's wife, Sarah Silverman, Mike O'Malley. I would include me, but that would be bragging. Oh. I left out Dick Swett. OK. Not a comedian, but just an ex Congressman with an unfortunate name.

Don't give up on your dream. It's normal to be upset when your friends our chosen & you're not. Make the best of it. Good Luck!

[yeahwho]

I think you are fine. Every comedian I've ever liked was original and would of never been picked by any team. To react the way you are reacting is good because I can relate to that.

Under think your predicament on "not getting picked" and continue open mic nights, writing and working towards your goal. It very well be for the best you are not getting caught up with this team or that mentality of comedy.

[ToucanSpam]

Everyone has bad days on interviews, etc. Just learn from your experience and try to be happy for your pals. It's really all you can do.

[MC Moot]

Eye of the tiger,Bob,eye of the tiger...

[abbott]

Its all political. Take the energy here and chanel it to go further.

[abbott]

Sounds like they are scared of you.

[Guy Incognito]

Just cos you didnt get picked for whatever this is, doesnt mean you arent good. It might mean that whatever it is they are doing isnt very good. But somebody who thinks that they're very good, isnt very good themselves. Understand that? Very good.
I'm fairly aware of the comedians you like(aspire to ) and i dont think something like this is worth being miffed about. You are just on a different path, grasshopper.

[HEIRESS]

That sucks Bob :(

Did I meet most of these specific improv friends of yours when we went to that party together?

[cosmo105]

I'm sure Dandy would have more input on this, but from what I've seen from just the periphery, get used to it. Lots of people around you will get picked and chosen for this and that and it'll be hard not to take it personally. Keep in mind all the happy accidents in conjunction with hard work for a long, long time that leads to success. Just keep trucking.

[Bob]

That sucks Bob :(

Did I meet most of these specific improv friends of yours when we went to that party together?

some of them, yeah! the guy who did the lecture about the sketch shows was one (the guy who you thought said "meta" too much). the guy who did the lecture about beards was another (and he damn well deserves it, he's great at it and i genuinely hope he realizes it and goes far, because he's usually pretty hard on himself so it's nice to see him get recognized)...i can't remember who else.

I'm sure Dandy would have more input on this, but from what I've seen from just the periphery, get used to it. Lots of people around you will get picked and chosen for this and that and it'll be hard not to take it personally. Keep in mind all the happy accidents in conjunction with hard work for a long, long time that leads to success. Just keep trucking.

yeah i considered just sending a message to her instead of making a post tbh but i like attention so i though i'd make a thing out of it instead. we talked about that when i went to LA actually, and now it's all starting to happen to me too :(. but it's especially kind of crushing because so many people got cast in stuff, people i don't even necessarily find that funny (not my friends, just people i know) and we all started at the same time, so for that to happen and me to not even get a callback is just...well whatever i'll try harder next time

but i guess the fact that i'm so disappointed must mean i'm serious about this, which is a good thing, even if i haven't done stand up in like 2 months (work got busy shut up i'll do it again soon)

[Dorothy Wood]

I think you need to keep trying to get stage time somehow. Make your own show if you somehow don't fit with the theater, or even if you do fit, and want to go back and audition...if you've had your own show, you'll be a lot more confident.

I'm not saying you have to do it all on your own. Maybe you could get a group together and ask a bar (preferably with a stage) if you can put on a little comedy night on whatever their slow night is.

The show I do is very haphazard and last minute and sometimes embarrassingly bad, but we just keep doing it for some reason. I guess because even if we didn't plan it right, we have decent taste in guests. But with improv is so easy to screw up. I went to a tournament once and saw these two guys do a masterful set, had me in tears. They won that round, so I went back the next week and they were terrible. Obviously still talented, but just couldn't get it together to make people laugh. But they're still out there performing, I think one of the them moved to LA, the other we've booked on our show because he does really weird and tedious one-man shows that some people love and others hate.

Anyway, personally I haven't had to audition for anything yet, but I'm getting used to criticism and spending time on stuff that just ends up falling flat in front of an audience. Your ego really gets a beating in this business. I think it just makes you better if you get past it and keep going and improving. :)

[HEIRESS]

some of them, yeah! the guy who did the lecture about the sketch shows was one (the guy who you thought said "meta" too much). the guy who did the lecture about beards was another (and he damn well deserves it, he's great at it and i genuinely hope he realizes it and goes far, because he's usually pretty hard on himself so it's nice to see him get recognized)...i can't remember who else.



Oh yeah, "beard" dude KILLED it that night, but so did you! From my outsider viewpoint, your friends absolutely ADORE you! Seriously, you are obviously quite the favorite amongst them!
"meta" dude is so meta meta that he'll probably meta his way to the top. But he was really nice to us, so I forgive him! :o

[Bob]

Oh yeah, "beard" dude KILLED it that night, but so did you! From my outsider viewpoint, your friends absolutely ADORE you! Seriously, you are obviously quite the favorite amongst them!
"meta" dude is so meta meta that he'll probably meta his way to the top. But he was really nice to us, so I forgive him! :o

he is a very nice fellow, yeah. he's also actually very good at improv too so i'm as happy for him as i can manage

anyway it's not like i'm getting nothing--i am in a fledgling improv group with people i went to class with. we get stage time here and there and i honestly think we're pretty good for beginners.

but still, if i'd got cast in something, i'd be up there about every week, rubbing elbows with all the local big shots...woulda been nice but oh well next time

[yeahwho]

If they had a comedy tug of war and it was you against that comedy house team they picked, you would win one handed. I heard you were so funny telling jokes you once did a bit for a dog and not only did the dog laugh exactly like a human, so did a cat curled up on a pillow.

I'm just saying.

[yeahwho]

You could make a woodchukle, a giraffe laugh and a macaw guffaw.

You're a pistol, you're really funny. You're really funny.

You're just funny, it's... funny, the way you tell the story and everything.

Just... ya know... you're funny.

Just... you know, how you tell a story, what?

Get the fuck out of here, bob!

[Documad]

I don't know anything about comedy or show business, but I do know that I got a few years behind my contemporaries when I was starting my career. You want to be a good sport about their success without looking like you don't give a shit. You do give a shit and you're disappointed because you're serious about this. Keep in mind that some of the people you start out with could be in a position to hire you or recommend you for a job at some point.

[yeahwho]

I don't know anything about comedy or show business, but I do know that I got a few years behind my contemporaries when I was starting my career. You want to be a good sport about their success without looking like you don't give a shit. You do give a shit and you're disappointed because you're serious about this. Keep in mind that some of the people you start out with could be in a position to hire you or recommend you for a job at some point.
^
Sound advice bob. This is why I truly believe the study and mastering of ventriloquism becomes the comedians ally. You can continue to appear supportive and compassionate about your contemporaries success while your new found friend "little woody bob" spouts out all of the surfacing hatred and jealousy for you!

[abbott]

Ok yeawho is right

[DandyFop]

God, this thing is a daily struggle with comedy. I mean, with anything like this, but obviously that's what I relate it to. It's something that's been hitting very hard lately, but it's really just a huge part of all of it. If you love it, you'll keep going.

I guess maybe that's part of why I stopped doing improv - standup is so much more personal control. You can get up a lot more times (generally) than having to get booked as a team on improv, and you only have to depend on yourself. It also makes you a selfish asshole but, anybody getting into this is a selfish asshole by default, generally.

it's also why I've avoided a lot of acting stuff because it's ALL rejection.

Not going to name names here but a very big girl on twitter just got a writing job that I've been coveting. The only show I've wanted to write for. And I cried and I cried. Why not me. Why does she deserve it. She hasn't worked as hard. etc etc. But after letting all that out all I could do was pick myself back up and say, well you know what, she couldn't have done all these things that I'm doing and that make me who I am. And you have to be happy with that. Create your own scene. If you didn't get on a team, start your own improv show night at a bar somewhere. Do it yourself, it's more satisfying and that way you get to pick all your favorite people to do it with.

[Documad]

I really really want things to work out for Barb and Bob. I admire your courage and talent.

[Adam]

I really really want things to work out for Barb and Bob. I admire your courage and talent.

So you want everyone else here to fail?

[yeahwho]

quit being funny on this thread there are serious issues about comedy going on

[Bob]

there was another round of auditions today, and i went, and this time i got a callback! i'm not cast or anything yet so this could well turn out to be nothing, but it's a hell of a step up from last time, i'm happy with it

i went in fully expecting to not get anything out of it, so i'm honestly a little impressed with myself for getting one

hopefully something comes out of it but if not, i'm pretty pleased to have been recognized as being not-sucky enough to be worth a second look.

for people who know what this means (maybe 3 of you?) it's for a harold team, which is sort of a little surprising because of my historic hatred for harold but i think that was mostly growing pains, now that i'm better at improv i don't mind it so much. i still haven't done it in a long time though, i should probably look into that before i go in to the callback audition



tl,dr; progress!

[DandyFop]

the further I get, this jealousy displays itself almost daily.

it's about impossible to avoid it this point - there's just so few jobs and SO many comedians. I feel like I'm at a pretty good spot but still really struggling to get myself out there.

It's just like love in any other sense, it could very well break my heart but I love it so much I don't care.

Good luck on the callback Bob

[kll]

I saw this epi on the LA Complex. If you haven't seen it, look it up and watch all epis.

[cj hood]

i did a show with amy schumer about 6 years ago. we were both new. an experienced female comic who was on the show put amy on. 6 years later amy's blowing up and this other female comic is in the same place. today that female comic put on FB how success (for female comics) has more to do with schmoozing and good looks than being funny. sad but true.

[Bob]

uh oh. now i'm in the opposite spot. of the people in my improv group who auditioned, only one girl didn't get a callback, and she clearly feels terrible about it (she didn't get one last time either) but i'm not quite sure what to say about it

she isn't bad at all, she just gets held back by her own lack of confidence, but i'm not quite sure what to say or do that would help

[Dorothy Wood]

i did a show with amy schumer about 6 years ago. we were both new. an experienced female comic who was on the show put amy on. 6 years later amy's blowing up and this other female comic is in the same place. today that female comic put on FB how success (for female comics) has more to do with schmoozing and good looks than being funny. sad but true.


I just watched 10 clips of Amy Schumer's stand up and didn't laugh once.

I don't think it's totally true that success is based on schmoozing and good looks. It's true it helps to be naturally good-looking, but there are ways to present oneself in the best way possible even when one isn't the best looking.

People like to look at pretty people, it's just the truth, so pretty people will always get work...there will always been plenty of terrible dumbasses who are only on TV because he/she has an amazing body. But only people with true talent really make it. and then are expected to get better looking. :)

[Dorothy Wood]

uh oh. now i'm in the opposite spot. of the people in my improv group who auditioned, only one girl didn't get a callback, and she clearly feels terrible about it (she didn't get one last time either) but i'm not quite sure what to say about it

she isn't bad at all, she just gets held back by her own lack of confidence, but i'm not quite sure what to say or do that would help

Maybe they didn't like her outfit or her hair. Or maybe everyone liked her, but not enough.

[yeahwho]

Wow bob I have to admire how tenacious you've become.

Plus it's pretty amazing that after all you've been through you're still compassionate about those left behind. Cry funny.

You better get funny. You know what would be funny is if you started wearing cheap ass cologne. A different hideous odor everyday.

Smell funny. Walk funny. Laugh funny. Pee funny. Sex funny.

[cj hood]

But only people with true talent really make it.

i wish this was true...

the experienced comic who brought amy to that show is very funny, but also not pleasing to the eye....

nyc's top comics norton, attell, etc look amy under their wing...i'm sure her looks helped her get the attention...

we need more female comics who's schtick isn't rape & abortion....

[yeahwho]

Ben Hur funny.

[Dorothy Wood]

i wish this was true...

the experienced comic who brought amy to that show is very funny, but also not pleasing to the eye....

nyc's top comics norton, attell, etc look amy under their wing...i'm sure her looks helped her get the attention...

we need more female comics who's schtick isn't rape & abortion....


who is the comic? just say it in pig latin!

Anyway, I guess I don't think Amy is particularly good-looking. She's not A-list hot.

[Dorothy Wood]

Reading back that seems harsh, what I mean to say is she lacks charisma. She will be successful but not a legend.

Plenty of normal-looking ladies have made it in comedy show biz. Brett butler, Roseanne, Bette milder, lily tomlin, mo'nique.

[Bob]

i thought the callback went pretty well, but i didn't get cast. oh well, i was ready for that to happen. i did better than last time, all i can do is better next time. or worse, i guess, but i'll shoot for better

[nodanaonlyzuul]

There is a lot to look up to, between yourself and Babs. You two are going after something you love. It certainly sounds like it gets tough, but neither of you have given up and that is something incredibly admirable. Not everyone has that kind of drive.

If you love something, don't give it up. (y)