Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books (mostly)

  • Home
  • About
    • My CV
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
  • Tools
You are here: Home / Potpourri / The Magic Of Comedic Confidence

The Magic Of Comedic Confidence

The Magic Of Comedic Confidence

I would assume that comedic confidence is like all other confidence…

Right?

It draws you in, and makes you doubt yourself.

You are listening to a quirky bit and suddenly you find your self thinking:

“I don’t know if that was funny or not. But he seems so sure of himself. Maybe it was funny and I just don’t get it. Maybe the jokes on me? Wait, was that the punchline? He’s not done? Oh, everyone else is laughing. Where is this going? He finished?”

See, all else equal, confidence can make people believe that you have what it takes.

Understand: Few can pull this off.

Another rule was to make the audience believe that I thought I was fantastic, that my confidence could not be shattered. They had to believe that I didn’t care if they laughed at all, and that this act was going on with or without them. I was having trouble ending my show. I thought, “Why not make a virtue of it?” I started closing with extended bowing, as though I heard heavy applause. I kept insisting that I needed to “beg off.” No, nothing, not even this ovation I am imagining, can make me stay. My goal was to make the audience laugh but leave them unable to describe what it was that had made them laugh. In other words, like the helpless state of giddiness experienced by close friends tuned in to each other’s sense of humor, you had to be there. At least that was the theory. And for the next eight years, I rolled it up a hill like Sisyphus.

-Steve Martin, Born Standing Up (Amazon)

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Comedy, #Confidence

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Notifications of all new posts by email.

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search

Top Posts

  • The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
    The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
  • Instabooks 345
    Instabooks 345
  • The Simple Joy Of Elevator Buttons
    The Simple Joy Of Elevator Buttons
  • Wonder Park Pi Song (Watch It Stick In Your Head)
    Wonder Park Pi Song (Watch It Stick In Your Head)
  • Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
    Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
  • God Gives Job Double Everything, Except This?
    God Gives Job Double Everything, Except This?
  • Stayed Up All Night
    Stayed Up All Night
  • The Tragedy Of Gina "Bronco" Bouza (1932-1957)
    The Tragedy Of Gina "Bronco" Bouza (1932-1957)
  • Instabooks 326
    Instabooks 326
  • How To Ask If She Is A Call Girl
    How To Ask If She Is A Call Girl

Supporting = Loving

Buy Me a Coffee

Recent Posts

  • Where Did I Set My iPhone
  • Cold And Limp And All Of The
  • Random Thoughts – 375
  • King Of Love, By: I Am They
  • The Point Of Learning
  • Instabooks 371
  • A Dopamine Hit Just One
  • Random Thoughts – 374
  • A Leaders Necessary Exposure To Risk
  • The Compulsion To Read
  • Instabooks 370
  • With Tea Looking Out Of That
  • Random Thoughts – 373
  • Stayed Up All Night
  • Missed Internet Mania
  • Tenderloin, San Francisco
  • And That All This Is A Pause
  • Random Thoughts – 372
  • 100 Things That Made My Year – 2022
  • On Selling Popcorn
  • Instabooks 369
  • Solemn Week With My Parents
  • Random Thoughts – 371
  • Handle A Serious Interview
  • Instabooks 368

Copyright © 2023 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in