For the humor project, we had to create an original performance that was based off the humor we learned in English. Beginning the unit off with various stand-up comedians, reading Rhinoceros and Slaughterhouse Five, we were able to gain a better understanding of the comedic techniques used in humor. Therefore, to apply what we gained we had to create either a stand up, comedic narrative or satire. Yet, we couldn’t just dive right into creating the idea of the project and producing it. We had to first do a humoral proposal where we talk about two comedic influencers, their skits and we admire about their humor, and then propose our project.
Below is the transcript of my humor proposal:
Gabriel Iglesias (fluffy)
Gabriel Iglesias is a well known stand-up comedian who I always watched with my father growing up. In his acts, he often before or after is sincere with the audience showing his love and appreciation. Then during the skit itself, he reveals insights to experiences he has had providing a personal connection with the audience. With the persona he delivers as a normal/average individual, the audience can relate more to him. He also delivers his personal approach by when going on about a skit, he tells the audience that he is essentially letting them all in on a joke; which is personal and lets the audience become comfortable. The interesting thing about Gabriel is as much as he jokes about his experiences, or others, he also jokes a lot about himself. His stand-up comedy is a blend of storytelling, characters, sound effects and parodies that bring the comedian’s personal experiences to life. With one his most famous performances “I am not fat.. I’m fluffy” Gabriel is able to use black humor and Caricature to refer to his massive body weight. He brings light and wit to the matter of his intense weight and makes fun of the different types of fat. ““I used to say that there were Five Levels of Fatness. Reason why I say, ‘Used to say’ is because now there are six! Uh-huh, I met the new one in Las Cruces. The original five levels are Big, Healthy, Husky, Fluffy, and DAMN! People ask, “What could be bigger than DAMN!” The new level’s called “OH HELL NO!” What’s the difference? You’re still willing to work with level five. Example, if you’re on an elevator and you’re with your friend and this really big guy gets on and you and your friend look at each other and you’re like, “DAAAMN!” But you still let the big guy ride your elevator. That’s the difference. Level six, you see walking towards your elevator, [Deep growling noise] [Pretends to be a shocked passenger and starts pushing the “close door” button.] “OH HELL NO!” [Growl] “NO!!” [Growl] “NO!!”[Pretends to kick the fat man out]”
Steve Carrel
Steve Carell is an American actor, comedian, producer, writer and director. I first really discovered Steve Carell’s work when watching the Office. Throughout the various episodes and scenes in the office, there was obviously a script that the actors had to follow. Yet along with the script that Steve Carrel acted out, he would also add some improv to make the scene more interesting. With this method of acting, Steve Was able to add his own comedy to the show to make it more wisecrack, wit, exaggerism and blue humor. Through the seasons of the show, this comedy would help make the character Steve Carell was playing, Michael Scott, come out as he was to be. A scene where this is showcased especially is in episode “the convict” in which Michael Scott, who is played by Steve Carrel, is acting out ‘Prison Mike’ who is a former convict. He attempts to portray this character in order to demonstrate to his employees how prison is not a fun or safe place. During this scene, Steve Carell improvs the character he is portraying through Michael/Prison Mike and is exchanging conversation with his employees through a series of questions they ask. In response he is either making a blue humor comment, being very absurd and exaggerative with his actions and uses wisecrack.
The two scenes acted out by comedians Gabriel Iglesias and Steve Carrel are similar in the way that they both use humor that is either black/blue humor. In Iglesias’s case it is talking about a topic, being fat, through a comedic sense where he finds the humor of being different sizes of fat. The topic of an individual’s weight is often one doesn’t want to discuss on a daily basis/conversation since those are often very insecure about their way. Instead of being insecure about it, Iglesias accepts it and helps people recognize that comedy can be made out of hard situations. It allows his audience to become comfortable with the topics he is making humor out of and him as a humorist. For Steve Carrel, when portraying Prison Mike he is essentially portraying an improved character of an individual who was in prison. Like weight, prison is a dark topic for a lot of individuals or families who have a loved one or someone they know who is in prison. In the instance of the show, the employees are discussing how prison seems better than working in the office. Therefore, it’s a situation not seen much where an individual is attempting to make comedy out of the situation people go through while being in prison. It brings light to a situation that is not seen as the best and allows for being to let loose and laugh. The difference between the two skits is Gabriel Iglesias is performing his as a stand-up and his main part of the performance is he is making fun of himself and relying on the energy of the audience to really carry on the show for himself. He’s unaware of the next line he is gonna say which makes the comedy much more funnier since he has no guidance on what he says, and can just say anything random. For Steve Carrel, as mentioned before his skit was revolved around a script. He can improvise as much as he wants yet it goes to an extent because it needs to follow the guides of the script and direction it is going. He engages with the audience that is set up for him and has lines that will say in response because of the script written. It’s basically aware of what is gonna happen next.
The comedic techniques I find very essential to the work I will produce in this project are banter, joke, repartee, situational humor and wit. I think all these various techniques can help produce a skit that will be acted out by either myself or with another person. I think that during the time that we are experiencing the pandemic, there is a lot of negativity being broadcasted every day. From researching these two humorists and many more, I’ve discovered that making light out of a dark situation whether making fun of someone else through a character or myself helps people get comfortable and be able to laugh since they feel a sense of belonging and personal with the comedy being delivered. Situational humor can help make comedy out of a situation in which is often not talked about through a comedic lense. Wit can help the comedy of the situation be delivered through a more funnier and smoother way. The jokes are one of the main factors since you want to be sure that what is being said is actually funny and not rude or something that the audience/viewer won’t laugh at. If I am enacting a specific character or an interaction I’ve experienced, I think that both repartee and banter will help the comedy be delivered the best since it allows constant statements that can be funny, sarcastic or witty be presented to the audience. Not just presented to the audience in an orderly ‘presentation’ fashion, yet in a way where through the rapid transition through different characters, the audience can essentially vision the interaction and laugh based on that.
Part 2: Description of Proposed Project
My project that I wanna possibly do for the humor unit is 72 questions as VOGUE does with famous celebrities yet instead with my father. All of my friends love my father and think he is very funny. All throughout my life, my father loves to talk especially about himself or about experiences he has endured. I saw Liza Koshy and David Dobrik do a parody of the 72 questions and instead enacted a random character and this was very funny to me. I think with who my father is, his comedic self, the lifestyle he has and his accent will make the video what it is. I will be behind the camera asking all the questions to my father and we will go to various places around the house where he will be answering the questions and doing something random that he loves to do. The questions asked will be about himself but also random things.
- Are you collaborating with others? Yes* or No
Yes I will be collaborating with my father!!
- Which form of humor are you planning to develop?
It will be a mixture of both stand up and comedic narrative since I will be writing the questions being asked and I’ll have my father think about what his answers will be before the video, yet I will also have my father improvise so it can help make the video more authentic.
- What is the subject (or, in the case of satire, the target)? Why did you choose this subject?
As mentioned above, my subject will be my father because he is very funny when he’s not even trying and likes to make a lot of jokes and phrases that are random yet comedic. He is naturally an outgoing person with an interesting life/past so I think that it will help make the video what it will become.
- Why do you think this is the right humor project for you? (If you have a group, can you assure me that everyone is invested in this idea and you won’t have trouble getting everyone to contribute meaningfully?) What makes you excited about this idea? What are some potential pitfalls you wish to avoid?
I think that this is the right humor project for me because I love my dad’s humor and personality and everyone seems to love it too so why not share it. I think what makes me most excited is possibly learning new things about my dad or witnessing his potential of delivering his answers through whatever way he wishes. A potential pitfall is he may not want to answer some of the questions which are being asked to really bring out the comedy of the whole video.
- If you get approval, what’s your next step?
If I get approval, then the next step is to talk to my dad and see what ideas he has in mind for the questions being asked. Then, I will write the questions out, review them with my father and set the way I want the video being delivered. For example, what clothes is he gonna wear, where are we gonna go, what is he gonna do while answering these questions
After creating the humor proposal and having it be approved, I had to create a script for my video due to COVID-19. Below is my script:
Humor Script (73 Questions)
*Knock on door*
*Door opens to Miradin*
Bija: Hey Miradin how are you?
- Miradin Answers (very excited)
- Bija: That’s a very interesting name. What’s its background?
- Miradin Answers
- Bija: Oh is that where you are from?
- Miradin Answers
- Bija: What’s the language they speak over there?
- Miradin (Montenegrin)
- Bija: Oh that’s so cool! Can you say something for the viewers?!
- miradin(says a weird/funny sentence)
- Bija: That’s beautiful! Is that the only language you speak?
- Miradin answers no
- Bija: Oh how many languages do you speak?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What is your favorite hobby?
- Miradin Answers
- Bija: If you could choose what fruit would you be?
- Miradin *laughs hard* and answers
- Bija: Are you a cat or dog person?
- Miradin answers with it being dogs
*points camera to two dogs*
- Bija: Oh wow these dogs are huge! How old are they and what are their names?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: Can you describe yourself in 3 words?
- Miradin Answers
*walks outside to the backyard and starts to workout with one of the machines or weights*
- Bija: This is quite a setup! Do you like to workout?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: How often do you workout?
- Miradin answers (way too much)
- Bija: Do you think you’ll ever get as big as the rock?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: I see you have a basketball hoop here?! Do you play?
- Miradin (I mean a little here and there)
- Bija: Are you any good?
- Miradins answers laughing (some people say I’m even better than Lebron James)
- Bija: Oh you must be really good then! Could you shoot a little for us?!
- Miradin(of course!)
*goes to get ball and shoots a shot from a little farther and misses*
*shoots again getting closer and misses*
*shoots right near the hoop and misses*
*shoots a fourth time and finally makes it*
- Bija: wow you are really better than Lebron James!
- Miradin (I mean I try)
- Bija: You are a little out of breath there, do you need some water?
- Miradin responds no that he will grab his bottle
*walks over to where Miradin’s water bottle is and he takes a chug out of his massive jug of water*
- Bija: Woah that water bottle is huge! Why do you drink out of that?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: How have you been doing lately?
- Miradin answers
- What’s most important to you in life?
- Miradin answers (gets a little “emotional” and asks for a tissue)
*bija hands miradin a tissue box and he grabs a tissue*
- Bija: To lighten up the mood, I heard you like to make jokes?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What’s one of the best jokes you have ever heard?
- Miradin answers
*start to go inside*
- Bija: What’s one of the best jokes you like to tell people?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: Is there any other type of joke you would like to tell us?
- *asks alexa to tell a joke* starts dying because of the joke
*hears coffee machine done with making coffee*
- Bija: Oh what was that?
- Miradin all excited answers his coffee is ready
*go and follow miradin to get coffee*
- Bija: what kind of coffee do you like to drink?
- Miradin answers
*gets coffee and goes to table to drink it*
- Bija: what’s the best coffee you have ever had?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: If you could ever meet a celebrity, dead or alive, and have coffee with them who would it be?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: Why?
- Miradin answers
*begins to walk around the house with coffee in hand*
- Bija: what’s your weirdest habit?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What’s your biggest fear?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: There are a lot of these decorations, what do they represent?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: Oh are you very patriotic?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: This is a pretty big t.v.! If you could be in one movie what would it be and why?
- Miradin answers
- I heard you love to watch soccer! What’s your favorite team?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: is there a soccer player you would love to go against one day?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: who would win?
- Miradin answers (me obviously)
- Bija: I also heard that you love scarface! Is that right?
- Miradin answers yes
- Bija: So much that you have a track suit?
- Miradin laughs and says yes
- Bija: Is it too much to ask if we can have a little fashion show?
- Miradin replies and says no not at all he will put it on
*miradin comes out and does a little fashion show for the camera*
- Bija: I love it! How much was it?
- Miradin makes a face and replies (don’t worry about it)
- Bija: Oh ok hahaha what is your favorite scarface moment or line?
- Miradin says it/reenacts it
- Bija: Do you want to keep on the track suit or take some time to change clothes?
- Miradin answers to change
*when miradin comes back he gives bija a scarface button up shirt as a gift*
- Bija: Aw thank you so much! Should I put it on?
- Miradin answers yes put it on over clothes
- Bija: how does it look? I think it’s a little big.
- Miradin answers by hyping bija up and saying in accent (so cute)
- Bija: How many motorcycles do you have?
- Miradin answers excited two and directs to where they are
*walk outside house and sees all plants*
- Bija: Your front yard is beautiful! Do you love plants?
- Miradin replies that he doesn’t know what more than half of these plants are but directs us to the beautiful little lemon tree he planted
*walks into garage*
- Bija: woah! That’s a lot of workout equipment! It’s like your own little gym!
- Miradin replies laughing saying (I like to workout)
- *points camera to meat cutter* What is this?
- Miradin answers that it’s his meat cutter and asks if Bija wants any sliced meat
*Bija replies yes and Miradin gets meat from fridge and begins cutting some meat up*
- Bija: What’s your favorite meat to eat that you cut with this machine?
- Miradin answers
*Miradin finishes cutting the meat up and gives some meat to Bija, the two dogs, and himself*
- Bija: Your motorcycle! When did you start riding?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What was your first bike ever?
- Miradin answers
*Miradin pulls out his motorcycle gang’s vest*
- Bija: Oh what’s that?
- Miradin answers and tells a funny story with they had
- Bija: *sees other bike* When did you get that bike and why?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What’s the longest ride you ever did with a motorcycle?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What’s the craziest experience you ever had with a motorcycle?
- Miradin explains and provides visuals
Bija: I guess it was wheelie crazy!
- Miradin makes a face of disappointment
- Bija: Is that your truck?
- Miradin replies with yes
*start walking towards truck*
- Bija: This is a really nice truck! What are your favorite things about it?
- Miradin answers showing off and the pointing to the conchas
- Bija: What are those? And why are they on your truck?
- Miradin answers making a joke
- Bija: Wow I love the different license plate covers, what’s at the back of your truck window?
- Miradin describes stickers at the window and the purpose of them. Says he was ready to put a Stanford sticker but someone didn’t apply
- Bija: Oh well.. It’s kind of hot outside. Do you mind if we go inside?
- Miradin answers not at all and directs to inside the house
*while going towards the house he tries to cover the address number*
- Bija: Why are you covering the address number?
- Miradin replies that he is famous, especially after this video and doesn’t want people knowing where he lives
*go to into the house*
- Bija: what’s your favorite letter in the alphabet?
- Miradin laughs and answers
- What’s your biggest pet peeve?
- My biggest pet? This dog and points to Sam
Bija: Explains the question again
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What’s your favorite music?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: Who’s your favorite artist?
- Miradin answers
- Bija: What’s your favorite song?
- Miradin asks alexa to play the song
- Bija: I heard you are a phenomenal dancer! Could the viewers and I see some moves?
- Miradin says no he can’t and then he starts dancing
*Miradin asks Alexa to pause music*
- Bija: Ok..Ok.. Who’s your favorite comedian and why?
- Miradin Answers
- Bija: What’s your favorite skit they ever did?
- Miradin Answers
- Bija: Ok last question, what’s-
*miradin interrupts and asks if he can ask Bija to ask him something*
Miradin: Why does your old man have better moves than you? *laughs and asks Alexa to continue playing song and starts showing off his moves*
Bija: Ok..Ok.. Thank you miradin and I really appreciate you doing this interview with me.
*Video Ends with Bija and Miradin dancing to song that is playing*
Final Product: Humor Video