There is little that can make a fan more greatly appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a stand-up comedy set than seeing comedians casually hang out with each other. Witnessing the banterous back-and-forth (albeit at least somewhat influenced by having documentary cameras pointed at them, but nevertheless) of people who are professionally funny reveals a couple of things.
The first is that the general disposition of probably most comedians, certainly the ones featured in The Comedians of Comedy, is to treat most of what they encounter with a smile, a sarcastic observation, and a burning desire to share those and whatever random thoughts and impressions with the people around them. Off stage, this usually comes out in juvenile and unpolished ways, which I mean in the best possible way.
Then, the second revelation is just how much work is done to turn this disposition into a performance that a crowd of people will enjoy. Sometimes it’s the extensive writing process Brian Posehn describes, or the off-the-cuff improvisational moments Patton Oswalt conjures up, or the spontaneous musical ensemble Zach Galifianakis brings together in a day. The relationship between natural comedic talent and hard, time-consuming work is alluded to in this verité-ish documentary, but not spoon-fed to us. It’s nice.
Then there are wonderful anomalies like Maria Bamford, who sit back and listens to her colleagues and friends and laughs with them, but when it comes to creating, she seems to wander off by herself and sing into a voice recorder. Her brand is completely unique, and equally appreciated in the movie.
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