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April Contest Winner Scott Shanahan - How to Write One Liners, Finding Your Comedic Voice, + MORE
Scott Shanahan is this month's clean comedy contest winner!
Join next month's contest here: https://cleancomedycontest.com
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Transcript
Officially.
Speaker A:Welcome to Hot Breath, the winner of the April Clean comedy Contest.
Speaker A:Scott Shanahan, a finalist the past three months and now a winner.
Speaker A:How does it feel?
Speaker B:It feels great.
Speaker B:I was.
Speaker B:I was just thinking, it's always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Speaker B:It was, you know.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Story to have won.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's great.
Speaker A:Well, what we'll do is you want a landslide on our live finale.
Speaker A:You know, every month we do this contest, and then we do a live stream finale where the top three finalists show their sets, and then the viewers vote.
Speaker A:And you want a landslide today.
Speaker A:So we should play your set for anyone listening to the podcast who wants a feel for the champ himself, and then we'll talk about it.
Speaker B:Okay, cool.
Speaker C:My daughter's at that age where she gets embarrassed by me when I exist.
Speaker C:She told me it embarrasses her that I flirt with her teacher all the time.
Speaker C:She's home schooled.
Speaker C:She told me my clothes embarrass her.
Speaker C:She wears the same hoodie every day.
Speaker C:That's like if Keith Richards told you you need to get sober or Taylor Swift told you you need to chill out on the relationships.
Speaker C:She told me she gets embarrassed by the way I talk.
Speaker C:Then she said, skibidi, riz, Ohio.
Speaker C:I don't even know what that means.
Speaker C:One time, I embarrassed her by calling her sweetie in front of her friends.
Speaker C:She calls me bruh.
Speaker C:She told me that she gets embarrassed by the fact that I joke around all the time.
Speaker C:I told her these jokes put food on the table.
Speaker C:My wife said, that's the funniest joke you ever told.
Speaker C:My wife gets embarrassed by me, too.
Speaker C:But when we show up at somebody's house and they say, make yourself at home, my pants are coming off.
Speaker C:She told me that it embarrasses her that I talk so much during church.
Speaker C:I'm the preacher.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Well done.
Speaker A:Well done, Scott.
Speaker A:Anyone that wants to compete in next month's contest, you can go to cleancomedycontest.com But, Scott, take us through the set.
Speaker A:I mean, the amount of jokes.
Speaker A:There's a reason you've been a finalist every month this year is because the amount of jokes.
Speaker A:But kind of take us through what.
Speaker A:How do you write such a good set in two weeks?
Speaker A:What's your secret?
Speaker B:Oh, I don't know.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:That's a good question.
Speaker B:You know, you did a.
Speaker B:You did a.
Speaker B:An interview with Earthquake, and it's my favorite Hot Breath interview so far.
Speaker B:I mean, and I love all of them, but that one is really, really good.
Speaker B:And he Said, and this.
Speaker B:I kind of live by this.
Speaker B:He said that comedy is a truth that becomes a lie.
Speaker B:And so I think I just kind of think of things that have happened or could have happened or maybe sort of happened, and then I just sort of, kind of extrapolate them or exaggerate them until they become funny, I guess.
Speaker B:So, you know, my daughter got a little bit irritated with me because she actually likes it when I joke around.
Speaker B:And she didn't really say that it.
Speaker B:That she gets embarrassed by the fact that I joke around all the time.
Speaker B:But one of her friends wasn't kind of like irritated with me for joking around too much.
Speaker B:And so I kind of turned it, the truth into a lie, and then it becomes funny.
Speaker B:So there you go.
Speaker B:And that's one thing.
Speaker B:I just kind of think about those things and try my best to get as many jokes in, as many laughs in the minute as I can.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:So the.
Speaker A:The truth was that it's actually your daughter's friend that gets annoyed, but for the joke.
Speaker A:You made it your daughter.
Speaker B:Yes, exactly.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, I've heard.
Speaker A:Yeah, go for it.
Speaker B:I was gonna say, wouldn't, you know, like, if.
Speaker B:Cause the whole.
Speaker B:The theme was me embarrassing my daughter just by being her dad, you know, and then.
Speaker B:And so like, to.
Speaker B:To say, well, my daughter's friend got embarrassed, but you're, you know, annoyed or whatever.
Speaker B:That really wouldn't be on theme.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, that's.
Speaker A:I was gonna say, like, I've heard Sebastian Maniscalco say he'll.
Speaker A:Sometimes the truth of his joke will be that, like, his neighbor said something to him, but he'll make it his dad just for the sake of the joke because now it's more personal and it ties into other material he has.
Speaker A:So you can always kind of bend life to.
Speaker A:For comedic effect.
Speaker A:A lot of do that.
Speaker A:So you're basically Sebastian Maniscalco, is what I'm saying.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:I am in Italy, so.
Speaker B:And he's.
Speaker B:He's Italian American.
Speaker B:So we.
Speaker B:Maybe we'll meet up someday.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A:Do you.
Speaker A:You do shows out there?
Speaker A:You're in.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:You speak Italian.
Speaker B:I do.
Speaker B:I do shows in.
Speaker B:In English and Italian and it's very challenging in Italian because it doesn't like my English stuff.
Speaker B:Sometimes I can translate it, but sometimes you can't because, like, there's little plays on words and stuff.
Speaker B:And so the.
Speaker B:But, yeah, but.
Speaker B:So I do Italian shows.
Speaker B:I haven't done one in a while.
Speaker B:I've been Doing more English shows lately, but because I'm coming to the States this summer and I'm going to be doing some shows and so I kind of need to be in practice for English.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker A:We're doing a show together on June 20th.
Speaker B:We are?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:In Atlanta.
Speaker A:In Atlanta.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The theater, they went on sale pre sale this week.
Speaker A:So once they go on public sale, we will be sure to let the hot breath verse know all around the Atlanta area.
Speaker A:They got to come see us in action.
Speaker B:Awesome.
Speaker A:Yeah, Very nice.
Speaker A:It's such.
Speaker A:It's very nice.
Speaker A:I'm very excited about the show.
Speaker A:It's at the Sandy Spring performance Arts Center.
Speaker A:It's the real deal.
Speaker A:So, you know, you win the contest, you may get booked kids.
Speaker A:So you just.
Speaker A:You just never know.
Speaker A:But for your last per minute and how many jokes you're getting in, like how many.
Speaker A:And by the way, you're the wife joke.
Speaker A:My wife laughed.
Speaker A:You know, we always watch all the sets together.
Speaker A:And the wife joke, she laughed at the loudest.
Speaker A:And I was like, oh, is that relatable?
Speaker A:Is that what you're laughing at?
Speaker B:But maybe.
Speaker A:What is up?
Speaker A:What is your favorite joke of this set?
Speaker B:I kind of like the.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I really.
Speaker B:I guess the.
Speaker B:The one that I like the most was I told my daughter these jokes put.
Speaker B:Put food on the table.
Speaker B:And my wife said, that's the funniest joke you've ever told.
Speaker B:I like that.
Speaker B:And then I also like the one about she gets embarrassed that I talk too much during church.
Speaker B:But I'm the preacher and I would like to have, you know, with more than a minute that I would have extrapolated that more.
Speaker B:I like that.
Speaker B:I like that one too.
Speaker B:And that one is not a truth.
Speaker B:That became a lie.
Speaker B:She's never told me.
Speaker B:I talk too much during two.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I mean, yeah, the dinner one is what.
Speaker A:The putting food on the table is the one my laugh at.
Speaker A:My wife laughed at the loudest.
Speaker A:But go.
Speaker A:I cut you off there, Scott.
Speaker A:What do you got?
Speaker B:It's funny.
Speaker B:No, that's no problem.
Speaker B:No, I was just gonna say the funny thing about this set was I actually filmed that.
Speaker B:We were staying in a hotel on Monday night, coming back to our home city here, and I actually had to film that in the hotel bathroom.
Speaker B:And I was really afraid that it would be obvious that I was in a bathroom and that would get me disqualified, But I don't think it did.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:By any means necessary.
Speaker A:So your family is in the hotel room and you're just in the bathroom.
Speaker A:Saying sillies into your phone.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I tried to do it in the hallway, but it was too echoey, and there was, like, people.
Speaker B:I could hear people in their rooms.
Speaker B:And then I tried to do it in the car, but it was too dark, and so I went to the bathroom.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:That's one of my favorite parts about the contest, is just picturing people in their day.
Speaker A:Like, it's like, there's dads or moms that'll be doing this contest.
Speaker A:And I.
Speaker A:I can just imagine if growing up, my mom was just in her bedroom screaming at her phone, these, like, ridiculous jokes, and she's like, all right, dinner time.
Speaker A:And I'm just like, what were you doing in there?
Speaker A:Having a.
Speaker A:Like, a mental breakdown.
Speaker A:And then you come out here in an apron, like, everything's fine.
Speaker A:Like, it's just.
Speaker A:It's funny to see people there.
Speaker A:I picture their daily life versus them doing, like, comedy.
Speaker A:It's just like a.
Speaker A:It's like a Clark Kent and, like, Superman or something.
Speaker B:Yeah, that was a unique experience for me.
Speaker B:This time.
Speaker B:I was gonna try to do it on stage, but I just didn't have shows that lined up right with it.
Speaker B:And then also on stage, I'm a little bit.
Speaker B:One of the contests I did.
Speaker B:I did film the set on stage, but it ended up going kind of way over a minute because there was, you know, pausing and stuff.
Speaker A:So killing so hard.
Speaker A:The laughter was so long that you just.
Speaker A:Too much.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Most people just do, like, a talking head video, but some will, like, submit a stage set.
Speaker A:It doesn't.
Speaker A:It.
Speaker A:I've had people ask me what's better.
Speaker A:It's kind of.
Speaker A:It's personal preference.
Speaker A:We don't.
Speaker A:If it became down to, like, sets, them being on stage wouldn't be, like, the deal breaker or the difference maker.
Speaker A:It comes down to those three grading criteria.
Speaker A:We talked about the beginning of the live stream, so.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Personal preference for people if they want to post one from stage or not.
Speaker A:It's kind of whatever you want to do there.
Speaker A:But, yeah, the timing is different on stage versus when you're doing a talking head.
Speaker A:Things can happen.
Speaker A:You could flub a line or whatever, because I know people will film 50 takes of their sets to get it right and within that time frame.
Speaker B:So, yeah, this one I think I did.
Speaker B:I did fewer this time.
Speaker B:I think I did five or six takes, but usually I'm.
Speaker B:I'm up to 20, 30 takes because I.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:Or something.
Speaker B:Or something will happen.
Speaker B:The phone.
Speaker B:A few times I've, like.
Speaker B:I'LL set the phone up on something.
Speaker B:This time I just held it in my hand, but I'll set the phone up on something and it'll fall.
Speaker B:You know, we have this pet bird that is like the loudest thing ever.
Speaker B:And, and I'll be in the middle of a joke and he'll, he'll whistle or something even if I'm so.
Speaker B:It can be challenging.
Speaker A:We need to have people in the, the contest Facebook group share outtakes.
Speaker A:That would be so funny.
Speaker A:Then freaking out or like almost to the end and then they flub a line and they're just like cussing at themselves or whatever.
Speaker A:That would be so funny to see.
Speaker A:Or, or the phone falling.
Speaker A:Oh, that would be funny way.
Speaker A:Rao asked, if you always have smart twists and misdirections, how do you train for that?
Speaker B:Yeah, I don't know that I always do, but that is sort of my preference when I write, I try to like, I try to, you know, do the misdirection.
Speaker B:And basically I kind of always think, like, where would I think this was going?
Speaker B:And now how can I change that?
Speaker B:Um, I don't know.
Speaker B:In this one, I, I guess I don't know that I have that many misdirections in this one.
Speaker B:But yeah, I just kind of like think, well, where, where would my mind naturally go if I were hearing this?
Speaker B:And then, okay, so how can I do the opposite?
Speaker B:Or how can I surprise, you know?
Speaker A:Yeah, so, yeah, you had, yeah, you, your sets are always packed with Mr.
Speaker A:X, you know, and you had the, the church when I'm the pastor and like the homeschool.
Speaker A:So when you come up with, yeah, take us through kind of how you write, how you write one liners.
Speaker A:Because right now it's like, okay, this month's theme was embarrassment.
Speaker A:So now that you have the theme now, where do you start?
Speaker A:And then how do you end up with a tight 60 second set?
Speaker A:Kind of take us through your whole creative process because you've been in the finals every month, so you're doing something right.
Speaker B:Well, so, yeah, I just, I kind of.
Speaker B:On this one, I started thinking and actually a lot of times I start.
Speaker B:And last month I remember starting with one idea and then going in a totally different direction.
Speaker B:This one.
Speaker B:I was just thinking about things that have happened to me in my life that are embarrassing.
Speaker B:And I have one story that it's funny, like at the dinner table.
Speaker B:And I just don't know if it would be that funny on stage, you know, which is that I went into the wrong bathroom at this Movie theater one time.
Speaker B:And that's where I was starting with, because I remember I went in there and I was like, oh, that's weird.
Speaker B:I've never seen a men's room with no urinals in it before.
Speaker B:And then I don't like urinals, so I like.
Speaker B:I hate them anyway, so I was like, oh, this is great.
Speaker B:This is now my favorite men's room on earth.
Speaker B:It turns out it was the women's room, but so that's where I started.
Speaker B:And about, you know, three or four days of working on that, I thought, you know, I just.
Speaker B:I just don't know that I can get it exactly right.
Speaker B:And so then I started thinking about how kids generally get embarrassed by their parents.
Speaker B:And my daughter's pretty good about not getting too embarrassed by me, but she does get.
Speaker B:I do embarrass her kind of a lot with certain rules that I have to follow.
Speaker B:Like at school, drop off and pick up and stuff to.
Speaker B:To not.
Speaker B:You know, I started thinking about.
Speaker B:Along those lines, and then I started thinking about different things that, you know, that have.
Speaker B:Maybe that I've done or that I could have done.
Speaker B:And then with my wife, that stuff was.
Speaker B:I kind of.
Speaker B:I thought about the getting embarrassed by the jokes I tell, and then my wife saying, well, that's the funniest joke, you know, and what are some things that I could say that maybe embarrassed my wife?
Speaker B:And I only came up with two, but I was trying to, like, in months past, I'll do, like, you know, in 60 seconds.
Speaker B:It's kind of crazy that this can happen.
Speaker B:I'll have, like, four different subjects in that 60 seconds.
Speaker B:And I wanted to really stick with one.
Speaker B:Okay, this is one thing that, you know, in this case, my daughter for the whole minute, instead of, like, just jumping from subject to subject, even though I would still stay on theme of embarrassment.
Speaker B:And so I got to about the 42nd mark, and I had a couple other ideas, and I thought, well, maybe I'll just shift to my wife.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker B:And also, I'm always thinking about my other sets and how I can connect them.
Speaker B:And I don't know if you have noticed that, but in these months that I've participated in this, they're generally always about my family.
Speaker B:So one of the good things about this contest is I have, like.
Speaker B:I think I've done four of them, so.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker B:So I have four minutes that I've submitted, but it's all on family.
Speaker B:So, like, if I do that on stage, it's not a one minute bit and then another one minute bit and then another one minutes bit.
Speaker B:I have a four minute bit that can connect, I can connect it all.
Speaker B:And I probably got, probably got about five minutes out of this contest, which is awesome.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Very clever.
Speaker A:Making it all on theme and then each contest can kind of tie into the next.
Speaker A:So you're actually building a set in addition to just like a contest submission, right?
Speaker B:Yeah, because, I mean, that's one of the things I love about this.
Speaker B:And I almost didn't.
Speaker B:I was thinking about not joining this month and I said, well, no, but it really, it makes me write a full minute, you know, and people, if anybody's watching this, that's not a comedian, you wouldn't, you wouldn't believe how hard it is to get a minute.
Speaker B:Like, you know, yeah, it's, you know, there's times where you might write, you know, five minutes and right away, like, you might be able to do it really fast.
Speaker B:But then there's times where, you know, you're lucky if you can get a one liner, you know, in a week.
Speaker B:You know, just, it's so, it's really, really tough.
Speaker B:And so this contest has been really good for me and I really appreciate you doing it.
Speaker A:Yeah, I appreciate you participating and taking it so seriously.
Speaker A:And that is something in like the contest Facebook group, the first week people will be like, I have nothing.
Speaker A:Or what do we like?
Speaker A:Usually it's kind of like pressure makes diamonds and it's kind of like it's an accumulation and there's a compound effect of if you just write a little bit every day.
Speaker A:By middle of the second week, you start to find breakthroughs and stuff will start to come together.
Speaker A:And then maybe the day of submissions, you're still organizing stuff and you're still adding stuff.
Speaker A:And as you do different takes, you kind of think of new ideas or different ways to organize the set.
Speaker A:So it all, it does have that compound effect of you can overthink it and be like, oh, I have nothing in a week.
Speaker A:This is a waste.
Speaker A:Or if you just keep trusting the process, by the end of that second week, you're going to have a great set.
Speaker A:No one really submits sets where my wife and I are like, yee.
Speaker A:Or like I feel bad for them or any, like everyone is taking it seriously.
Speaker A:And that's why I still do it, because people, I'm seeing the results from it and people are taking it seriously.
Speaker A:And that's, that's very rewarding just to see as well.
Speaker A:So I appreciate you taking this contest Seriously.
Speaker B:Well, I love.
Speaker B:So a couple things I was going to say.
Speaker B:First of all, I have never.
Speaker B:I have never not recorded Monday afternoon.
Speaker B:Like, I always think I'll record like Friday and get it done, and it's always Monday afternoon.
Speaker B:I'm like, okay, I've got to get this done.
Speaker B:Let me just settle on my minute, you know?
Speaker B:And then the other thing I was gonna say is I actually love.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I would say, you know, if you had.
Speaker B:You said 30 or so people participate, and I bet 15 or so posts there videos.
Speaker B:About half, maybe, maybe a little more than that.
Speaker B:Post their videos in the Facebook group.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:And I love it.
Speaker B:I love watching them.
Speaker B:I don't know really how you narrowed it down, because I thought this month everybody was really strong, you know, everyone I saw.
Speaker B:And I hope that everybody, if any of the guys, any of the folks are listening that have participated, if it's okay to do it, I think we can.
Speaker B:We can share them in the main group, I think.
Speaker B:And I guess.
Speaker B:I think Bobby said, yeah, you could.
Speaker A:Post them in there too.
Speaker A:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker B:I think the other people who are in the group who aren't participating in the contest, that might motivate them to participate too.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And it is tough to narrow it down.
Speaker A:That's why we have that.
Speaker A:The three criteria we look at is how on theme is it, how unique is the set to this comic.
Speaker A:Like, how unique is it in their voice and their point of view and then just how many jokes are in the set.
Speaker A:And that.
Speaker A:That is like kind of the guiding light.
Speaker A:When we watch 30 sets and then we still have 15 open.
Speaker A:Like, oh, gosh, how do we.
Speaker A:It's like a gradual whittle down and there's like debate.
Speaker A:Like, we.
Speaker A:She's like, I know.
Speaker A:I like this better.
Speaker A:I was like, yeah, but it's.
Speaker A:There were many jokes, as in this one, and that had maybe a few bigger jokes, but there were fewer and they didn't really carry.
Speaker A:They didn't hold up the set or.
Speaker A:The first half was strong, but then the second half kind of faded.
Speaker A:Like, there's.
Speaker A:So those three criteria really help us to stay on task of whittling it down.
Speaker A:Because, yeah, it's not.
Speaker A:It's not easy.
Speaker A:Every month we'll have a handful, and we're just like, oh, gosh, I slept on this one.
Speaker A:Like, we had.
Speaker A:We whittled it down to five, and then I was just like.
Speaker A:I was like, I got to sleep on it and I'll rewatch it in the morning with fresh eyes.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And was able just to kind of look at it through those three criteria and be like, okay, bottom line, this is the.
Speaker A:The three criteria.
Speaker A:These sets fit the best into that.
Speaker A:But the goal is hopefully, like you said, people, if anything, even if they don't win or make it to the finals, they still have new jokes that they can do on stage.
Speaker A:And that's.
Speaker A:That's the big.
Speaker A:The big winner for everyone there.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And if.
Speaker B:And if you stick to that theme.
Speaker B:Not theme, sorry, stick to those criteria, you.
Speaker B:You're gonna have a good set.
Speaker B:Because, I mean, obviously, if you have jokes, that's gonna be good, but if you can make them, especially making them personal and then.
Speaker B:And then making them funny obviously is big, but that making them personal is really, really important.
Speaker B:I actually had a joke stolen here.
Speaker B:There was a guy that stole a joke for me, but it wasn't a big deal.
Speaker B:It was actually more like a tag that I didn't love.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker B:But I heard him doing it, and I was like, man, how are you?
Speaker B:But he kind of.
Speaker B:He changed it just enough that it was like, okay, you know, it could be kind of generic, but how did he love that joke anyway?
Speaker B:So I said, well, he can just have it, so.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And actually used your.
Speaker A:Because some people will sign up for extra feedback on their.
Speaker A:Their sets when they submit their final one for me to give them a set review of.
Speaker A:And actually used for one comic.
Speaker A:Used your set as an example because they were asking about how to add or, like, what would have made this set more likely to be in the finals.
Speaker A:And it came down to, like, jokes per minute.
Speaker A:It's like, they had jokes, but they were too spart.
Speaker A:They were too spaced out.
Speaker A:And I shared your link.
Speaker A:Be like, here's an example of just like, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, joke, like, throughout the 60 seconds.
Speaker A:So how.
Speaker A:How do you feel like a comic looking to pack more punches into their set?
Speaker A:What would you recommend?
Speaker A:Or how are you able to just, like.
Speaker A:It's just like, tight jokes, jokes, jokes.
Speaker A:How are you able to pack so many in?
Speaker B:Well, first of all, thank you.
Speaker B:That's a huge compliment that you did that.
Speaker B:That really.
Speaker B:That makes me.
Speaker B:Actually, I think that's even almost better than winning the contest.
Speaker B:But the.
Speaker B:I mean, that's.
Speaker B:That's huge.
Speaker B:Thanks.
Speaker B:No, you edit.
Speaker B:You've got it.
Speaker B:You've got to just, like, take out anything that doesn't help the joke.
Speaker B:And, you know, when I first started, like, everybody, I would have these long setups, you know, because I just Felt like, well, they need this information in order to get the joke I'm trying to tell.
Speaker B:And it turns out you really don't.
Speaker B:You know, you just, you know, with embarrassment, you should intend.
Speaker B:In that first 10 seconds, you should be able to say something like, you know, you know, I don't embarrass easy.
Speaker B:You know, and then you could say, and this is stupid.
Speaker B:I'm just.
Speaker B:This is off the top of my head.
Speaker B:Okay?
Speaker B:But, like, I don't.
Speaker B:I don't embarrass easy.
Speaker B:I grew up with an Irish Catholic mother.
Speaker B:That's not.
Speaker B:That's not funny.
Speaker B:But it is a setup punchline.
Speaker B:And so, like, if you can just get to.
Speaker B:You can just write as many of those as you can.
Speaker B:I don't embarrass easy.
Speaker B:Why?
Speaker B:Well, because of this, because of this, because of this.
Speaker B:And if you write as many of those as you can, you'll have a joke in four, four or five seconds.
Speaker B:And, you know, let's say you write 20, 19 of them will not be very funny, but you will get to one that will be funny.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker B:And now you do your next.
Speaker B:And it's.
Speaker B:And so for me, with, like, with my daughter, I was thinking, okay, she gets embarrassed by me.
Speaker B:Like, you know, when.
Speaker B:Well, at school.
Speaker B:Drop off at school.
Speaker B:Pickup.
Speaker B:When we're with her friends.
Speaker B:When we're with family.
Speaker B:No, just when I'm alive.
Speaker B:Just being alive embarrasses her, you know.
Speaker A:It kind of came to you as you were brainstorming other examples, right?
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker B:I kind of thought about, like.
Speaker B:I was like, oh, well, this is just everything.
Speaker B:Everyday life, you know, and so.
Speaker B:And then I changed it.
Speaker B:I changed it to.
Speaker B:From being alive, I changed it to existing.
Speaker B:I just thought existing was sort of a funnier, Funnier way to say it.
Speaker B:And then I.
Speaker B:And then again, it's like, you know, anytime, you know, like, I gotta.
Speaker B:I get embarrassed at work.
Speaker B:Okay, now, you know, whatever.
Speaker B:I don't have to say I get embarrassed at work.
Speaker B:I, you know, I'm a house painter.
Speaker B:I've been doing that for 15 years.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And, you know, like.
Speaker B:Or something.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Like, you don't need all that.
Speaker B:Just what is it at work that makes you embarrassed?
Speaker B:And just try to get it whittled down as best as you can.
Speaker B:And that's the goal.
Speaker B:And I know that, you know, when I look at my, like, my very first sets that I ever did, it's like, my goodness, would you just tell a joke?
Speaker A:It's just like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:When you.
Speaker A:When you're writing a one liner, you mentioned.
Speaker A:I'd like to drill down on a little bit more because I think being able to write one liners would really help people in this contest specifically and on stage.
Speaker A:I did one liners for probably the first five to seven years of my career.
Speaker A:Like, I was all one liners.
Speaker A:So when you.
Speaker A:When you do write a one liner.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You said you kind of think about what I would think about, assume about this, and then you misdirect it.
Speaker A:Like, how do you.
Speaker A:Like you have a setup and then how do you get to, like a funny twist?
Speaker B:Yeah, I guess.
Speaker B:I don't know, maybe just the way my mind works.
Speaker B:I actually would like to get into more stories and into more, you know, into longer, Longer bits, because I do.
Speaker B:I do a lot of one liners.
Speaker B:And what happens is I'll write a one liner and then I just tag it and tag it and tag it, and then it's.
Speaker B:It's a longer bit because that's basically like, even this one is basically, you know, it's the one line and then it's just a bunch of tags, you know, until I get to the stuff about my wife.
Speaker B:But anyway, so I would like to actually sort of expand from that.
Speaker B:But writing one liners, you know, one of my.
Speaker B:One.
Speaker B:One of my one liners that does really well is, oh, it's already set up because, you know, people know I'm married.
Speaker B:And so I'll say, you know, I love my wife.
Speaker B:She has one annoying habit, heroin.
Speaker B:And that one.
Speaker B:I generally get a good laugh on it.
Speaker B:And basically what I was thinking about with that was like, okay, well, I'm gonna say I love my wife.
Speaker B:But, you know, everybody, every relationship, no matter how close you are, there's something that drives you crazy.
Speaker B:And I kind of thought about the word.
Speaker B:You know, I was thinking about some things that maybe she really does.
Speaker B:She does not do.
Speaker B:She does not do heroin, by the way, anybody watching this?
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And I was thinking, you know, if I actually said something that she really does, that might hurt her feelings, so I better not say that.
Speaker B:And then I thought of the word habit, and I was like, oh, heroin, a heroin habit that, you know.
Speaker B:And so nobody, nobody in the audience is thinking she has one annoying habit.
Speaker B:It's going to be heroin or crack or meth or something like that.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:And so what's the most surprising thing I can say right now, you know?
Speaker A:Yeah, so you kind of do.
Speaker A:You'll have the setup and be like, and then brainstorm.
Speaker A:What is the audience thinking when I say this?
Speaker A:Then you'll think of, okay, what's the most surprising thing I could say?
Speaker A:Say to, like, almost like misdirect.
Speaker A:Basically, you'll kind of list setups and then punch lines in that way.
Speaker A:I'm trying to, like, if someone's like, how do I write a one liner, I guess, you know.
Speaker B:Yeah, so I'll do.
Speaker B:And this time I did actually use the mind mapping on this one, which I've never.
Speaker B:I've not done a lot of that.
Speaker B:But if, if you know about it, it was actually pretty helpful to me.
Speaker B:But yeah, I'll write, you know.
Speaker B:So again, for this, this set, you know, my daughter says I embarrass her.
Speaker B:What are some things that could embarrass her?
Speaker B:And then what are some reactions I could have to that?
Speaker B:You know, she says she gets embarrassed by the way I dress.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Okay, she wears the same hoodie every day.
Speaker B:Now, in her defense, she goes to a school where they have a uniform and the uniform is a hoodie.
Speaker B:So it's.
Speaker B:You have to wear it.
Speaker B:I mean, until now, but now it's getting warmer, so they won't be wearing that anymore.
Speaker B:But anyway, and I was like, okay, so now you know.
Speaker B:Now let me write down.
Speaker B:So what are these?
Speaker B:You know, what are reactions to that?
Speaker B:And I actually had a bunch of analogies.
Speaker B:I had one that was like, you know, that's like I ended up with Keith Richards and Taylor Swift.
Speaker B:But I had.
Speaker B:That's like if a homeless guy told you you have to get your life together.
Speaker B:That's like, if an illiterate told you you're an idiot, you know, And I had like, I mean, I just wrote.
Speaker B:I mean, I wrote as many of those as I could, and then I settled on those two at the end.
Speaker B:And I'm not sure what made me choose those, but.
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker B:I don't know that I'm explaining the process very well, but the idea is to write as many of them as you can and then choose the one that's going to be the most surprising or that's going to get the strongest reaction.
Speaker B:I have another joke in my set, and this is kind of funny because I actually told this.
Speaker B:I told him.
Speaker B:Wait, it was this.
Speaker B:I'm trying to think if I told.
Speaker B:If I'm going to say the one that I told him.
Speaker B:But my dad.
Speaker B:My father died a couple years ago.
Speaker B:It's actually almost two years ago this month.
Speaker B:And he had a great sense of humor.
Speaker B:And when he was like.
Speaker B:And went while he was dying, not to take a dark turn here, but I was with him the last couple of days, and I told him, I said, I'm going to tell this joke, and he thought it was hilarious.
Speaker B:And so the joke is, my father died recently.
Speaker B:We had him cremated, and we think that's what killed him.
Speaker B:And that was.
Speaker B:And he.
Speaker B:He thought that was hilarious.
Speaker B:And, and, and again, again, it's just not.
Speaker B:Not something you're expecting, you know.
Speaker B:And so, you know what?
Speaker B:Again, it's just always.
Speaker B:What can I say?
Speaker B:Yeah, that they're not going to accept.
Speaker B:And so sometimes what you can do, write the expectation, you know?
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker B:Like, you know, my dad died recently.
Speaker B:I really missed him.
Speaker B:I really miss him, you know, and then what, you know, what can I say that would.
Speaker B:Would change that, you know?
Speaker B:You know, so my dad died recently.
Speaker B:I really miss him.
Speaker B:You know, I loved him a lot because he paid my rent or, you know, something like that, you know, like, just.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:That was one that popped into my head anyway.
Speaker A:It's a good example.
Speaker B:Oh, thank you.
Speaker B:You know, thank you.
Speaker B:So, yeah, just kind of like.
Speaker B:And just think about, like, that's.
Speaker B:That's a good way to do it.
Speaker B:Like, what would be a real thing?
Speaker B:Like.
Speaker B:Like that earthquake interview.
Speaker B:And then what's his.
Speaker B:You know, what's the lie that makes it funny?
Speaker A:You know, and it's a volume game, like you said, you know, you may write 20 and only keep one of them.
Speaker A:It's being willing to put in that extra work to find the jokes.
Speaker B:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:And it's hard, you know, I have a job, so I can't, like, spend four hours a day writing.
Speaker B:But if you can, just anytime you get free time, you know, if you.
Speaker B:If you have.
Speaker B:Even if you're in the car, don't write in the car, but record yourself.
Speaker B:You know, like when you're on your commute, just turn on.
Speaker B:You have a phone, it's got a recorder.
Speaker B:Record yourself and think your way through the things and then listen back to it and then write it down when you can.
Speaker B:You know, I don't know my.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:Thumbs up.
Speaker A:You did Thumbs up.
Speaker A:I wonder if that's a YouTube.
Speaker B:Did you see that?
Speaker A:I saw that, too.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:That was weird.
Speaker A:People on the podcast are loving that.
Speaker A:They're like, wait, what happened on the video that we can't see?
Speaker A:Yeah, okay.
Speaker A:Very cool, though.
Speaker B:Yeah, that was it.
Speaker B:So anyway, so just.
Speaker B:Yeah, so try to find the time and, you know, if you want to get better that's, that's what you'll do, you know, even if you're working.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:When I had a day job, I would write during my lunch break.
Speaker A:Yeah, you just kind of find and carve time when you can.
Speaker A:That's why the Right 10 Club exists in the writing Facebook group at 10am and 10pm just have a nice little 10 minutes just to carve out of your day, to just work on your comedy.
Speaker B:So, you know, I, I love.
Speaker B:That has really helped.
Speaker B:So my writing has improved.
Speaker B:There were.
Speaker B:I stumbled upon you on your podcast.
Speaker B:I don't know how I found it, but I stumbled upon it.
Speaker B:And you had an interview with Jerry the joke, Dr.
Speaker B:Jerry Corley.
Speaker B:That's it.
Speaker B:And so I found that.
Speaker B:And he.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:And I watched his videos and I got his book and that helped me a ton.
Speaker B:And then write 10 really, really helped once I found that and I started really taking it seriously and doing it every day, even though it's in 10 minutes.
Speaker B:And I'll never forget the first game I won.
Speaker B:And I don't remember the joke, but John Molehill wrote, commented and said, this is.
Speaker B:This is stage ready.
Speaker B:And he said, and by the, you know, and he says, I do.
Speaker B:I said, I do this every day.
Speaker B:And I've probably added five minutes in the last year to my act just doing this.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And he's right.
Speaker B:I mean, I've written, I've gotten a lot out of it, and I can, I can take them even if I don't win.
Speaker B:And winning is secondary at this point.
Speaker B:You know, I just want to do the writing and I.
Speaker B:And you can take them and then you can build off of those too, you know, to get more time.
Speaker B:That's what we're all after.
Speaker B:More time.
Speaker A:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's a.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's a great point.
Speaker A:And yeah, people have really enjoyed all the episodes I've done with Jerry and said they've been very helpful.
Speaker A:And I'll link.
Speaker A:Yeah, his book.
Speaker A:His book is a really good one.
Speaker A:I'll link in the show notes for people listening the podcast or on the live stream as well, because it's, it's been a good resource for a lot of people out there just trying to get better.
Speaker B:You know, it's, it's, it's funny.
Speaker B:I was, you know, I mentioned in my set I am a preacher.
Speaker B:That is true.
Speaker B:Over here in Italy and when I was learning to preach, I, you know, I read all these books on it and then.
Speaker B:And none of them were all that helpful.
Speaker B:They all Helped a little.
Speaker B:And then I found this one that really helped a lot because it taught, like, a system for writing sermons, you know?
Speaker B:And then I read a ton of books on comedy.
Speaker B:All of them have helped some, but Jerry Corley's, because he has, like, a system and he talks about.
Speaker B:I think it's like the 11 laugh triggers or the nine laugh triggers.
Speaker B:I can't remember how many there are.
Speaker B:But, you know, if you get that book, if you're serious about comedy, because it's expensive.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker B:It's one of the most expensive books on comedy out there.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:But if you're really serious about.
Speaker B:About comedy, get it, because it will help you a lot.
Speaker B:It helped me.
Speaker B:It changed me.
Speaker B:And your.
Speaker B:Your interviews always.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I mean, they just.
Speaker B:They, they.
Speaker B:They always help me.
Speaker B:They always motivate me, and I.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:I love the Hot Breath channel, and I'm really happy to be part of the Hot Breath fam.
Speaker B:So you're in.
Speaker A:You're in the Hot Breath verse.
Speaker A:You're on the show, the same show as Jerry Corley, and Earth look at you in Earth.
Speaker B:But I'm also curious, do you have.
Speaker B:Maybe you would be.
Speaker B:You wouldn't necessarily want to say, but do you have a favorite that you've done, a favorite interview or one that's been, like, the most helpful to you?
Speaker B:Oh, gosh, I should put you on the spot.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's so hard to.
Speaker A:It's so hard to pick one out of the hundreds.
Speaker A:There's been so many.
Speaker A:It's hard to pick.
Speaker A:I mean, Mark Normand is probably one of my favorites just for.
Speaker A:He's one of the ones that I've.
Speaker A:I've interviewed several times throughout his career.
Speaker A:So, like, when he was struggling to sell out a club to then he was, like, doing.
Speaker A:Selling out everywhere to now, like, doing theaters.
Speaker A:So he's a good one.
Speaker A:And he's a comedy nerd and loves talking game as well.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I really like that his interviews that he's done with you are great.
Speaker B:And I love that you got to, like, you said this to.
Speaker B:I can't remember.
Speaker B:It was a couple weeks ago.
Speaker B:You did one that was another really good one.
Speaker B:But you.
Speaker B:You often get people right before they pop off.
Speaker B:And with Mark Norman, I really think, like, you got to him.
Speaker B:And then, like, within the next year, he was everywhere, you know?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:I think I just said that about Derek Stroop.
Speaker B:Derek Stroop.
Speaker B:That's what it was.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Eric Stroop was the one who yeah, he's.
Speaker A:He's about to be huge, too.
Speaker A:He's killer.
Speaker A:See how there's too many.
Speaker A:I can't pick a favorite.
Speaker A:But, yeah, it's.
Speaker A:It's a lot of fun to do, for sure.
Speaker A:It's very, very rewarding.
Speaker B:You're over 400 at this point, aren't you?
Speaker B:Like, I mean, 450ish, maybe.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I would need to look at the exact number, but, yeah, I know.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:We've had over 400 episodes.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:That's awesome.
Speaker A:It's fun.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Now you're one of them.
Speaker B:So there we go.
Speaker B:There we go.
Speaker B:I don't know how much time we have, but I have told you this before in a message, but I'll tell the hot breath Averse.
Speaker B:The first open mic I did was in Atlanta at the Laughing Skull Lounge.
Speaker B:It was on a Tuesday night, and I had some friends that were coming, and I was like, well, I want to, like, do it with nobody there that I know in case I, like, just embarrass myself, you know, I'll drop out.
Speaker B:So I went to this open MIC at Cloud 9 in Atlanta, and I signed up.
Speaker B:I was.
Speaker B:I was the first one there.
Speaker B:I was the first one to sign up, and they ended up not putting me on.
Speaker B:But during the open mic, and for, you know, this.
Speaker B:Don't nobody read anything into what I'm about to say, but this is a.
Speaker B:It's a black venue.
Speaker B:Most.
Speaker B:Most everybody there, most everybody on the lineup was black.
Speaker B:But this white boy walks in and starts doing his thing, and it was hilarious.
Speaker B:And I had no idea.
Speaker B:I was like, who was that guy?
Speaker B:And I made the connection several years later, after I'd been in Hawkworth for a while, and it was you.
Speaker B:You were the guy.
Speaker B:I think you dumped me.
Speaker B:I think, like, I could have one.
Speaker A:White guy on the show, my boy Joe.
Speaker B:And it was you.
Speaker B:So, yeah, so I actually saw you many.
Speaker B:It's been like 10 years ago now.
Speaker B:Yeah, I did the next night and it went well, so I ended up doing it again.
Speaker A:So, yeah, Cloud 9 was.
Speaker A:That was a Monday night favorite.
Speaker A:I would go there every Monday.
Speaker A:And, yeah, I mean, those are the type of shows I could all.
Speaker A:Those are the only ones that would put me on for several years was those type of shows.
Speaker A:So I just went where I could get stage time and that there were several shows I sat through.
Speaker A:Like you said, you show up early, you're first on the list, and then they don't put you up.
Speaker A:Or even worse, they'll be like, oh, I got you stay around, I got you in a few.
Speaker A:And then they never put you up or I got you next.
Speaker A:And then they don't put you up and they say, oh, I forgot, hold on, I have to put up so and so.
Speaker A:And then I'll put you up or come back next week and I for sure got you and then come back next week and then still don't get up.
Speaker A:So those are all the fun parts of comedy that a lot of people don't see or talk about or don't want to endure to actually become a professional comedian.
Speaker A:But that's all part of the, the game.
Speaker A:So that's so funny.
Speaker A:You saw me at Cloud nine.
Speaker A:That was so long ago.
Speaker A:I used to go there every Monday and wow, that is so funny.
Speaker A:I'm glad it went.
Speaker B:Yeah, you did great.
Speaker B:Yeah, it was, it was really good.
Speaker B:And you were, I remember you were like walking around you at one point there was like this pole in the middle of the floor and you're like touched it and you were saying something about, I don't know, you did something.
Speaker B:I can't remember.
Speaker A:I used to break the walls and do all sorts of weird stuff.
Speaker B:But it was great.
Speaker B:I loved it.
Speaker B:And it's been a long time ago.
Speaker B:And then here we are now, not face quite face to face, but in face to face and not real life, virtually face to face.
Speaker A:We'll be doing a theater together in June.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, June 20th.
Speaker A:June 20th.
Speaker A:It's gonna be exciting.
Speaker B:So can't wait.
Speaker A:Where, where could people follow you or keep up with you and support you or ask you questions or just say, hey, this is a great episode.
Speaker B:So I have a Facebook page and Instagram page and a threads page.
Speaker B:I don't have X or TikTok.
Speaker B:I've never done them.
Speaker B:I probably should.
Speaker B:And they're all Scott Shanahan comedy.
Speaker B:Although, yeah, Scott Shanahan comedy.
Speaker B:Even on Facebook, I usually, I don't, I need to use that one more and my Instagram more.
Speaker B:I do a lot on threads because the way I write where I write a lot of one liners, it just works really well on that platform.
Speaker B:I don't know if people know, even know about threads.
Speaker B:It's basically the new Instagram text, social media or something like that.
Speaker B:It's, it's, it's gonna.
Speaker B:Eventually it'll be the exact same as everything else.
Speaker B:That's how they always go.
Speaker B:But, but I do a lot there and I do some on Instagram and I do, I post some on Facebook.
Speaker B:All always.
Speaker B:Scott Shanahan.
Speaker B:Comedy.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Well, yeah.
Speaker A:Hot breath averse.
Speaker A:Go follow Scott.
Speaker A:Go tell him you enjoyed this episode and compete in next month's contest.
Speaker A:If you want to join and compete and write new jokes with other comics, you can go to cleancomedycontest.com and maybe you can hear yourself on this show next month.
Speaker B:Maybe.
Speaker A:So, Scott Shanahan, I appreciate your time, buddy, and congratulations.
Speaker B:I appreciate you, man.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Have a good day, my friend.
Speaker B:You, too.
Speaker B:Bye.
Speaker B:Hot breath.
Speaker A:Reverse hot breath.
