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Last Amateur Comic Standing?
No.
Where did everyone get this notion that LCS was for amateurs only? And that the show’s integrity, it’s purity, was somehow compromised by the presence of “ringers” or pros or people who already had some amount of television exposure?
We’ve been reading here and there– a forum or two, a newsgroup– that some folks are disgruntled that folks like Bil Dwyer or Doug Benson are spoiling it for the up and comers that rightfully deserve the fame and fortune conferred upon the eventual winners of Last Comic Standing. This is hogwash.
Doesn’t anyone remember that Ralphie May, Rich Vos, Cory Kahaney, et al, were featured in the first season? These folks all had several years of club experience under their belts. They were not, by any definition, amateurs. In all the publicity, NBC continues to call it a search for “the funniest person in America,” and they make no mention of amateur. Perhaps people confuse this contest with American Idol.
NBC knows that salting the competition with too many amateurs would be a disaster. The contestants (some, not all) are required to do too much time in order to progress on the show. It would be excruciating for the audiences– at home and in the theater– to witness a gaggle of amateurs try to do standup. It’s best left to the Dwyers and the Bensons of the world.
NBC admitted as much in their opening Tuesday night when they boasted about the standup success of their winners… and conspicuously left off the name of Dat Phan. Bodden and Heffron have gone on to represent the show well in live performances subsequent to their victories– because they were experienced to begin with. Part of the success of the show comes when the people that win actually go out there and tour Standup America and kick ass– just as a dozen or so have done in the past two years.
This notion that the show is for amateurs may derive from the fact that NBC uses the word “undiscovered” a lot. Just because someone has appeared in a Comedy Central’s Premium Blend or on NBC’s Late Friday, doesn’t mean they’ve been discovered. (Ask anyone who has appeared on those shows– they’ll tell you they could always use a little more “discovery.”)
And the mystery of Buck Star may be solved. There is word on the street that he is a production assistant on the show and that he is not a serious participant in the auditions. He’s a plant. This would explain why he is able to be in all the towns where the show holds its cattle calls. Of course, after viewing the moribund interaction between Star and the show’s judges, we’re not sure why it was done more than once… or, why the first time around even saw the light of day.
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You don’t think that NBC is very mucy TRYING to give the impression that the comics on the show are the professional equivalent of the folks who show up to audition for Idol? You don’t think they should disclose that some people have their managment get them a primo audition while some people show up for a cattle call (none of whome will ever be on the show)?And you don’t think maybe there should be more disclosure about the cozy relationship between comics’ management and the executive producers of the show (e.g. Barry Katz)?I personally don’t really care, because I think comedy contests of any stripe are horrible, but I think it’s kinda crappy to give the impression that anyone can get on the show when that couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re trying to have their cake (crappy auditions to make fun of) and eat it, too (carefully chosen competitors go guarantee quality episodes). Which is okay, I guess, if you’re not one of the knuckleheads who think your cattle call is going to get you on TV.I don’t think it would hurt viewership at all if they just said, “We picked 12 awesome comics and now you get to watch them compete.”P.S. Go Bil Dwyer!
The reason that experienced comics end up on the show is the same reason that experienced comics have agents/managers and were able to get scheduled auditions– because they’re good enough to earn it.It’s the same reason that a comic with six months experience who sends a tape to The Tonight Show or Premium Blend doesn’t end up on those shows, either.For that matter it’s the same reason that a fourteen year old isn’t pitching for the Yankees– not good enough yet.I can’t speak for this season but I’m reasonably certain that the last time around a couple of people who showed up for open calls did get call-backs (at which point they competed on equal footing with the pro comics, in front of an audience that didn’t know the difference). Why only a couple? Because nobody else at the open call was able to Wow Bob and Ross the way the experienced comics could (and keep in mind that not all the experienced comics got call-backs either).
Yhere’s something inherently sleazy about a two-tiered audition process, where some people get special treatment and some don’t. Either it’s a contest, or it’s not.
Timmy Mac writes:“There’s something inherently sleazy about a two-tiered audition process, where some people get special treatment and some don’t. Either it’s a contest, or it’s not.”To which we say:If you kick ass in your conference all season in the NFL, you might get what is called a “bye,” which entitles you to stay home on the first weekend of the playoffs and watch two other teams beat each other’s brains out for the privelege of meeting you the next week.Not a perfect analogy, but you get our point.Actually, what we witnessed the other night wasn’t the contest at all, but the <>audition<> portion. So, “fairness” or justice doesn’t enter into it yet. It is still dependent upon ReadMark’s subjective opinion and on a two- or three-tiered process.You’re horrified a the injustice of a <>contest<> on <>television?<> We’re reminded of the best (and, we believe, the last) line from a particular movie: “It’s Chinatown, Jake.”
I don’t even know you guys anymore. It used to be about the music, man.
Timmy Mac wrote:” I don’t even know you guys anymore. It used to be about the music, man.”and Timmy Mac also wrote…something about a conflict of interest regarding Barry Katz.To which we reply:Go back and read our 2004 coverage of LCS. And then read our 2005 coverage. We’ve made plenty of snarky comments about Barry. (In fact, we made reference to the dysfunctional relationship between Katz and NBC in our January 20, 2006 post, when the network first announced the show’s plans for “casting” Season IV.So, this isn’t something we’re ignoring.(In fact, we were just kicking this very subject around this morning. We speculated that somehow, the producers of LCS have found a way around all those arcane network rules that the FCC created way back during the game show scandal. Otherwise, there’d be another scandal!)We’re well aware of the incestuous relationship, as are our readers. And our readers are aware that we’re aware.<>It used to be about the music<>? Since April 1, 1999, we have never been simply “about the music.” We have been about the business, about the lifestyle, about the creative process, about the agents, the managers, the crowds– it’s been about the big picture– all the things that get in the way of the music, obscure it, shape it, mold it.We’ve tried to provide our readers with context and give comedians an idea of where they are in the long historical line they find themselves standing (up) in. If we all were exclusively “about the music,” none of us would still be standup comics. And, had the magazine been strictly “about the music,” no one would want to read it.
If I’d known you were going to respond to the comment I deleted 5 seconds after posting (after deciding I wasn’t entirely sure of my facts), I would have just left it up there. Do you guys just not like me anymore?Do you want your letter jacket back?
You were correct in your facts, from what I recall…All comments get dumped intoour email inbox, so we see them instantly…We’re keeping it civil, Rev. It’s nice that we have a forum where the conversation is, for the most part, civil and pretty darn informed. A whole lot better than “Who would win in a bar fight: Kinison or Hicks!”Our readers benefit, both the comics and the comedy fans…and who knows, maybe the industry types tuning in can gain some insight.
Does that mean I can keep the jacket?
I’m going to make this quick…I will be honest I didn’t read anybody else’s replies to the original post because personally I have my opinion and that’s the only reason I’m here. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t allow “semi-known” comedians. But most the two that you have mentioned have already been seen on the Tonight Show and/or other late night talk shows. Remember when that was the standard? You get on with Johnny and you’re fame is starting. I think that’s still one of the standards. I don’t remember EVER seeing Ralphie May, Rich Vos, or Cory Kahaney on the Tonight Show. It went downhill for me when Kathleen Madigan was on the show. That was the beginning of the downfall. I love comedians but the purpose of this show isn’t to make you instantly famous…I mean who has heard from Dat Phan in the past 2 years? Or Ralphie May?…his big claim to fame as of recent was Fit Club. This show isn’t for the fame but I WAS under the impression that it was more of an amateur competition. But don’t get me wrong, I don’t want a competition full of Buck Starr’s but hey the kid has made a name for himself through the competition. Anyway back to my point, I like to think of this competition as the American Idol for comedians. A LOT of the competitors on American Idol have had stage time but NONE of them are “famous.” I mean just because you have been out of the spotlight for a few years as a comedian…you still shouldn’t be allowed to try out for LCS, you need to make your own breaks, you’ve done it before, we know who you are…maybe you just need a more up-to-date set. Back to my American Idol reference, the band LFO (yea remember them) their members are probably washing cars somewhere but does that give them a right to come out for American Idol? NO! it doesn’t we still remember them (some of us), if they came out with a good new song, we’d accept them. They wouldn’t need a competition to reinvent themself. So there’s my point, this coming from a wannabe comedian that hasn’t even gotten on stage but supports LIVE comedy every week. Either way, I won’t be supporting LCS and I hope the show flops as bad as when they rushed out the seasons last time. RIP LCS and the pathetic comedians that need this show to boost their old tired career.
..SHECKY MAGAZINE WROTE:”And the mystery of Buck Star may be solved. There is word on the street that he is a production assistant on the show and that he is not a serious participant in the auditions. He’s a plant. This would explain why he is able to be in all the towns where the show holds its cattle calls. Of course, after viewing the moribund interaction between Star and the show’s judges, we’re not sure why it was done more than once… or, why the first time around even saw the light of day………..……………………………..WRONG, YOU DONT KNOW MUCH!BUCK STAR AKA GREG SEITZ, spent over 30 grand of his father’s and his money over the 2 seasons he auditioned, he doesnt and never worked for NBC, he doesnt have a job, he still lives with his father, hes trying to ,finally; get an act, and a job, and sell merchendise about his ‘adventures’!The ‘dislike’ of Bob and Ross for him was real and NBC will never even consider hiring him! he used to work at one of the Imoprovs!And sold cars! never at NBC! Whether you think he is funny or not or whether he will make it or not, thats your prerogative, but its very presumptious for you to throw that notion out there that Buck works for NBC! With no proof or facts to back it up! and you suppose to be a magazine , with potential for the right facts!I know Buck, I know what he’s been through and is not fair to make up stuff like that about him! It doesnt matter how i know him and if I still like him or not after what he did to me after he became ‘famnous’, but at least I know he doesnt work for NBC and he spent his own money(dads too).I dont care for him right now, but i hate comments from people that dont know crap about him!!