basilwhite

The stage is my office elevator.

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Told jokes and people got 'em. It feels good to kill somewhere other than in the elevator at work. In the elevator at work, I leave to a chorus of laughter every time, and I never consider whether people are going to get what I say. They laugh anyway.

Last open mic went very well. After my set, I talked to Clay Miles about why I'm funnier offstage than on, and how I change personas when I take the stage. When I'm killing in the elevator at work, I never consider whether people are going to get what I'm saying. On stage (and just before I take the stage), I worry about whether they're gonna get it or not. Clay gave me a breakthrough insight.

He told me when I have fun performing to have fun free of concern about whether they get it or not, I kill. He laughs too, even if he doesn't get it right away, because he's laughing at my delivery and gets the joke later.

He says there is no stage, that the concept that the stage mandates different thoughts and feelings and behavior is an illusion. From now on, when I take the stage, I'll be stepping into my office elevator.

A confession: Just like in the office elevator, I don't know what anything I say means, so I just remember what people laugh at and I say it again. If any of you come to one of my shows and can explain what anything I say means, explain it to me after the show and I'll buy you breakfast.

As always, tell me what you think.

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Basil White

Welcome original_copy, to the Minions of Basil.

Headlining Saturday at Zig's was fun. Great room run by people who are eager to learn how to make comedy work. I want to take the Zig's manager and sound guy on the road to prove to them how many things they're doing right.

marimacc and her beau showed up. I offended several Christians. Several people bought CDs. The trifecta.

The owner wants me to come back as soon as possible. I should send flyers to the Satanists. Apparently those are my people.

Next show: Headlining Del Rio, Leesburg, VA, Sat., Dec. 9 @10pm

Join the Minions of Basil

Auditioning for ABC affiliate Tues nite at HR-57.

http://www.riotactcomedy.com/promos/HR57.html

Aimee isn't going, so first to call me gets in for free as my life partner.

Hey! It worked! Standup Comics as XML/RSS Feed!

Add to your friends list at

http://www.livejournal.com/friends/add.bml?user=standup_comics.

Good code! Biscuit.

http://www.basilwhite.com/media/20060524OpenMicBasilWhite.mp3 - 1.35 MB

RSS - http://www.basilwhite.com/media/basilwhite.rss

Comments and taglines here.

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comics archive

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PLEASE click here to vote for this comic!

comics archive

When we get pizza, I go and pick it up. I don't like to have them deliver it, 'cos stoners drive really slow.

One time Aimee had 'em deliver it, and the delivery guy had bloodshot eyes, big ol' grin on his face, bent over, smellin' the rosebush. I think he baked the pizza on the way to my house. (Inhale; blow in pizza box). Aimee gives him the money, he keeps standin' there. "Thanks. Oh, right, see ya."

Aimee was mad. "Why do you buy pizza from stoners?" Look, I know that tipping a stoner funds illegal drugs and supports terrorism, but stoners make really good pizza. They take their time. They get at eye level with the pizza. They pat the cheese on it really gently with both hands.

Stoners are proud of their pizza, 'cos they get the munchies, then they make the munchies, which help other stoners, and perpetuate the stoner economy. They come to your house with a big smile. "I made this. I took raw ingredients and brought food into the universe for you. Can I have some?" Silly stoner. Get your own! My eyes are watering just from telling you that joke.

basilwhite.com

Writing Credit: Tighe White.

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comics archive

2006 April 19 Open Mic:

You know what's funny? Seriousness. Here's a night of funny seriousness. Enjoy.

http://basilwhite.com/media/20060419OpenMicBasilWhite.mp3

Podcast RSS Feed of Peeing on Stonehenge and everything else at http://basilwhite.com/media/basilwhite.rss

Holy Crap! I made it onto a back cover!

This is the advance text for the next book that has my jokes in it.





Holy Crap!

Basil White

Lessons learned from the Eddie Brill workshop

Lessons learned from the Eddie Brill workshop. Eddie is David Letterman's warmup comic and pics all the comics for the Late Show with David Letterman. Eddie gets all the credit for anything wise below. I'll take the blame for anything foolish.

Basil needs to kill the self-deprecation, on stage and off.
Being honest, sincere and true will put a responsibility on what you say.
Writing exercise: record your act in front of a friend who listens as if you're having a conversation. Record your act again and let your friend interrupt you with who/what/how/when/where/why questions.
Do more open mics more.
Be the shining light and let people come to the light that is you.
The only likeability that counts in art is how much you like it.
The only approval that counts in art is how much you approve of it.
Work on your confidence by exploring meditation and/or spiritual work.
Basil doesn't hate standup comedy. What Basil hates is what the anxiety and failure of standup comedy is doing to Basil.
Give audiences the time to catch up to what you say.
Don't adjust yourself to the mic. Adjust the mic to you.
Explore your premises deeper for more riffs.
You're talented but sloppy. Be talented and tidy.
Share what it's like to be you.
Act from a place of serene, silent power.
When other people's judgments get you down, remember: Most people who judge you are incompetent. Auditions are opportunities for other people to prove their competence.
Reality TV is the opiate of cowards who safely enjoy other people fck up their lives. Get out there and take a chance and fck up your own life.
Hold yourself in high regard so you can hold other people in high regard.
Be succinct.
Laugh at anxiety. Laughter and anxiety come from the same place in the brain.
Listen to yourself talk.
Write.
Write some non-comedy material, maybe from an attempt to write as unfunny as possible about observations about life and what hits your emotions.
You have to be willing to get hurt to get love and laugh at your anxiety and fear and hurt.
Write the smartest material you can.
The only contest is the one in your head.
Destroy facades.
Hold hecklers in high regard. Keep saying that until you believe it. It may take a while.
When you're onstage and people are talking, slow your words and walk to them and bring the focus of the audience to them talking.

2006 March 29 Open Mic:

http://basilwhite.com/media/20060329OpenMicBasilWhite.mp3

RSS Feed of the album and everything at http://basilwhite.com/media/basilwhite.rss

Basil White Open Mic MP3 http://www.basilwhite.com/openmic/20060222OpenMicBasilWhite.mp3

Any advice on how I can sort these as a Podcast?

Used "This I believe" as my mantra for performing.

It seems to work.

http://www.npr.org/thisibelieve/faq.html

Today I am grateful because:

I have more comedy material than I need for my show tonight.

I discovered comedy.

vikingsparrow is not only creative and productive with her creative output, she has taste. Productive creative output minus taste equals Mama's Family.

I own a cool black leather blazer.

I own Tivo.

I get to teach a comedy writing workshop that people want to attend.

My son is smart.

Join the mygratitudelist community and add yours!

I got into the DC Comedy Festival! I'll be doing a 30-minute and 45-minute set and auditioning for Letterman.

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If you wanna come to the shows or get announcements for new events, send yer ZIP code to basilwhite A@t basilwhite doO0t co0m. Thank you.

New video up at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1866766706316939846 ...I would have embedded the video behind an lj-cut, but LJ doesn't display the embedded object.


( Basil White DC Improv November 2005 )

Just chatted with Mo Alexander. He reminded me that it's time to get my Martin Luther King tree.