By April MacIntyre Sep 6, 2009, 19:08 GMT
Comics, the good ones, are ballsy and smart.
The art of stand up requires nerves of steel and the ability to use intuitive timing while thinking on your feet. If you have ever done any public speaking, you know that feeling.
The greats dine on it.
My best memories of any shows ever seen always circle back to stand up comedy. When I was a little kid, (thanks mom and dad!) I saw Don Rickles in Vegas when it was "The Cooler" Alec Baldwin's character Shelly's beautiful dame, free from strollers, cargo shorts clad-crowds and banana hair clips.
Years later I caught the late Bill Hicks in a small club in Houston, and was lucky to catch Sam Kinison in several venues prior to his death in 1992. John Pinette slayed the night I saw him at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa; Harland Williams killed one night at the Laugh Factory on Sunset and Drew Hastings' "The Business of Living" one-man show at the HBO workspace in the nineties was a stand-out. Shecky Greene was a guest at my wedding. The marriage didn't last but I have the pictures and memories of a raucous reception. My dearest friend Monique Marvez is a stand up comedian.
If you love comics and stand up like I do, Starz Inside: Comics on Screen” (Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 9 p.m. on Starz) is a no miss.
This Starz special explores the hows and whys of some key comedians who transitioned their careers from stand-up to the big screen.
Those interviewed include George Lopez, Cedric the Entertainer, Tim Allen, Dane Cook, Rosie O’Donnell, Andrew Dice Clay, Frank Caliendo, Tom Arnold, Judah Friedlander, and actor/director Harold Ramis.
"What an incredible journey, just from telling jokes on that stage," shares bawdy Mo’nique, whose love of cussing shaped her act in the early ears, until Richard Pryor gave her some sage advice.
Comedy is tough but stand up is even tougher game.
Success stories, early beginnings and touching homages to the greats of yesteryear are celebrated in "Comics on Screen," as the stars dish on how they went from opener, to middle, to headline, growing their careers outside of comedy stages to voice-over work and film.
Martin Lawrence shares his humble start, and how his hilarious family gave him the platform to start telling his jokes, taking them to school where a kind teacher encouraged him to do a stand up at the end of class. An appearance on "Star Search" changed his life forever.
Tim Allen shares he was a behavior problem, which set up his comedy career. Allen shares his influences were especially Don Rickles on Johnny Carson's late night show, and how he hit the stage for the first time on a dare. Allen quips, “It was a diarrhea moment..but I had an ‘in’ bit so I knew it was going to work...”
Director Shawn Levy admits it takes a big swinging pair to do standup.
Levy notes, ”A huge part of the job is recognizing the mojo and what is unique to your star... and how do you build the box around that mojo?" Levy celebrates the comedic genius of Bill Hader and Jonah Hill in his interview.
A very sad beginning in life for George Lopez, no mother or father, raised by extended family. Comedy is tragedy plus time, and Lopez took his pain, polished up, and therapized himself by using humor to deflect his insecurities. Lopez salutes George Carlin, Cheech and Chong, Freddie Prinze and one of his favorite comedy films, "Animal House."
“I was just trying to get comfortable, I wasn’t expecting much, just making a living working in the clubs…” Lopez adds.
A supine Judah Friedlander is interviewed, and he salutes the characters of the WWE, Dice Clay, Kinison while sharing that at age 19, he got a comedy set together, and did a three minutes. Judah said, “It felt like home.”
Andrew Dice Clay laments today’s toilet comedy, “Nothing clever at what is coming out.”
Mo’Nique celebrates the art of cussing and her love of the word motherf*cker, which went over like a lead balloon at an early gig: a church function.
Boston comic Dane Cook was inspired by Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein," a film he studied and cemented his desire to work in comedy. Steve Martin was one of his comedy idols.
Susie Essman, too, loved Mel’s work. She shares great stories of how her film work with Sally Field kicked her to strike out on her own. Essman also goes into detail on the differences between female stand ups and funny comedic actresses, aided by thoughtful film critic Ken Tucker who explains the audience psychology on the "rules" of funny women. Yes, there are rules.
Frank Caliendo discusses his comedic influences and salutes "Caddyshack," and talks about SNL comics who crossed over, comedy geniuses like John Belushi and Chris Farley.
Harold Ramis’ interview is especially interesting. His film "Groundhog Day" affected so many of the featured comedians interviewed by Starz. His recollections of newbie actor Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack are sweet. He goes into detail on why comedies are overlooked by critics, save for award winning "Annie Hall," the exception.
Rosie O’Donnell was a child obsessed with Streisand and the late great Madeline Kahn’s work. She shares a poignant story about when Kahn (who died of cancer) responded to a basket Rosie had sent her.
O'Donnell's recollections are interesting, as she started her early career by doing Seinfeld bits, then ventured out with more of her own material. Her stories on how she snagged her first agent, landed the wonderful film, “A League of their Own, and how it was like working with Penny Marshall and Madonna are especially entertaining.
Marlon Wayans remembers life in the boisterous, happy and poor Wayans house. Richard Pryor was their comedy Rosetta stone. "Pryor was god, Eddie Murphy was the Jesus Christ," shares Marlon, describing the comics stature to him and his funny siblings.
Bud Friedman, Improv club owner, celebrates Robin William’s work, and proffers some anecdotes about the business.
Tom
Also featured is Tom Arnold, who began his career by scrawling the word "diarrhea" on a chalk board, which got laughs from classmates – he took that ball and ran with it to the Hormel plant where he donned skinned (real) hog heads whilst working, and his comedy career flourished.
Arnold speaks well of comedian and actress (and ex wife) Roseanne Barr, and how they met and her influence on his comedy career. He talks about how James Cameron took a chance on him and fought with the studio for his casting on "True Lies," based on early film tests of Arnold with Schwarzenegger that revealed their innate chemistry.
Please make sure to catch this one. On Starz, Tuesday September 8 at 9 PM.
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