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Unlocking the Secrets of Sketch Comedy: Tips from Sam Brown's 20+ Years of Experience
Sketch comedy expert Sam Brown joins us to share all the goods on how to use sketch writing to level up your content game. His decades of experience with the Whitest Kids U Know sketch group and Almost Friday TV make him one of the thought leaders on this topic. This is definitely an episode to share with your comedy friends.
Takeaways:
- In sketch comedy, identifying a strong premise allows for more effective humor development.
- Writing sketches involves brainstorming and then refining ideas through collaboration and feedback.
- Comedy is about finding a balance between humor and the impact of social commentary.
- Creating a supportive environment encourages artists to express their ideas without fear of judgment.
- Understanding the structure of a sketch is crucial for effective comedic delivery.
- Don't just aim for shock value; focus on crafting jokes that resonate with audiences.
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Transcript
What's goody?
Joel Byers:Hot breath averse.
Joel Byers:Welcome back to Hot Breath Live, your weekly comedy tune up.
Joel Byers:I am your host, comedian Joel Byers.
Joel Byers:My coach, Yoshi so is on family vacation.
Joel Byers:But fear not, we have the perfect co host today.
Joel Byers:His sketch comedy group, Whitest Kid.
Joel Byers:You know, probably the pioneers of Internet sketch comedy.
Joel Byers:They were doing this before YouTube and then turned to friends hanging out, writing sketches into TV shows, a cult following and much more we're going to get into today.
Joel Byers:So please, hop brethren and sister, and welcome to the Hop Breathiverse.
Joel Byers:The one, the only, Sam Brown, everyone welcome.
Joel Byers:Sam.
Sam Brown:Oh, wow, that's crowded room you got there.
Sam Brown:Hey, thanks for having me.
Joel Byers:Of course.
Joel Byers:Yeah, I love sketch comedy, and it's a topic we don't talk about that much in here.
Joel Byers:And I know before the show we were saying, you know, all comedy, learning all the skills help the other.
Joel Byers:But just to kind of kick it off here.
Joel Byers:When it comes to sketch comedy, how do you kind of know what ideas to pursue?
Joel Byers:It's kind of like with stand up, a lot of the times we're looking for, okay, what's a funny moment in life?
Joel Byers:Or what is something I'm emotionally connected to that angers me or confuses me that I want to find the funny in?
Joel Byers:And in sketch comedy, is there, like, do you find the parallel there?
Joel Byers:Or how have you.
Joel Byers:Because you do it at the highest level.
Joel Byers:So I'm here to learn, basically.
Sam Brown:Well, I mean, like, anything, it is a thing of, like, you're throwing a lot of ideas at the wall and, you know, like, the ideas that succeed are the ideas that succeed, the ideas that make it through all the rounds of, you know, like, you know, you pitch the ideas and then you go through the ideas you pitched and go, like, I like this.
Sam Brown:I don't like this.
Sam Brown:And then you go, all right, like, this is the idea we're going to go with.
Sam Brown:And then you write up the draft, and then you critique that first draft, and then you do the rewrites, and then, you know, hopefully it's funny enough to put on its feet.
Sam Brown:And then, like, after that, because with Whitest Kids, we were a college group and typical, like, hey, we just want to have friends kind of college sketch group.
Sam Brown:And there was like 11 people in it.
Sam Brown:And we did it all throughout college and towards the end of college had this realization that, like, all right, if we want to be, like, serious about this and, like, be committed to this, it needs to be like a more focused thing with a more, like, concise idea of, like, more of a concise voice.
Sam Brown:And so that's.
Sam Brown:We kind of evolved into the smaller group, and for, like, five months, we were, like, just, like, doing, like, standup shows.
Sam Brown:We were the assholes being like, all right, that was a great sketch comedian or great standup comedian.
Sam Brown:Now you guys all have to watch our little plays.
Sam Brown:I know what you guys.
Sam Brown:I know what everyone wants to do is change gears in the middle of this show.
Sam Brown:And then we had this opportunity to do a weekly show in the Lower east side, and they.
Sam Brown:We were like.
Sam Brown:We gave them a tape of ours with all these sketches, and the people at this bar were, like.
Sam Brown:Looked at the tape, and they were like, I don't fucking care if this is good or not.
Sam Brown:I just want to know, can you fill the room every week?
Sam Brown:And we were like, yeah.
Sam Brown:Which is like the.
Sam Brown:What I consider the smartest, dumbest thing we ever said in the whitest kid's career.
Sam Brown:Because, you know, like, it was a huge opportunity for us to do that much work, but we did not realize how much work it would be.
Sam Brown:And so we were like, every week, you know, like, if you're a standup, you can, like, go up every week and be like, well, this is kind of a funny idea.
Sam Brown:Let me, like, say this for the three minutes in between these two comedians and talk about it and hear it and think about if that's something I connect to and use that as a opportunity for me to do.
Sam Brown:And that's like, just, you know, that's the rhythm of it.
Sam Brown:But if you're a sketch comedian doing sketch every week, you're like, you do your sketches and you want people to come back, and you realize you have to do new sketches, and so you have to write new sketches every week.
Sam Brown:And we didn't write 100% new sketches, but we would write, like, at least three.
Sam Brown:It'd be like, three would be like a more, like, slow week of new stuff.
Sam Brown:And like, you know, like, eight would be a good week, Great week of new sketches.
Sam Brown:And then, you know, like, if we were, like, kind of tapped out, we would be like, hey, let's just do, like, a greatest hits of, you know, like, favorites from the past, you know, six months or so.
Sam Brown:And.
Sam Brown:But, yeah, for, like, three years before we had a TV show, we were doing live shows in the Lower east side every week.
Sam Brown:And just the ideas that.
Sam Brown:When we wrote the first season of the show, we wrote it in a weekend, and 90% of it was just the stuff that we'd already written for our live show, and it was Just, it was literally like sitting down, making a stack of cue cards, of note cards of the sketches we wanted that we did live, that we thought we could do for the TV show, then going through that and realizing we had too many, and then making the cuts and then being like, all right, first season's done.
Sam Brown:Making a show is easy, but that's because we had years of.
Sam Brown:Of, like, writing these and then performing them and then being like, oh, well, that joke didn't hit.
Sam Brown:Let's, like, cut that out of it the next time we do that sketch and working it out the way a standup would work out, a special or something.
Sam Brown:And, yeah, I think, like, for a sketch group, we were very not sketch, like, because, like, there was.
Sam Brown:There was a couple other sketch groups that we were kind of, you know, like, contemporaries with, like, Old English and Harvard sailing team and, like, that were, like, around, you know, like.
Sam Brown:But for the most part, we were just hanging out with all the standups and pianos was a club where there was no backstage.
Sam Brown:So we would do the show, like an improv show where we would be on the stage the whole time.
Sam Brown:But that, again, is an amazing learning experience, because if you're doing a show where you're, like, changing costumes and all that, you're on stage for your parts, and then when you're done with your parts, you're off stage.
Sam Brown:But, like, we heard.
Sam Brown:We were watching every second of every show we did because we were, like, just on stage for all of it.
Sam Brown:And if we weren't in the sketch, we were just kind of turned away, like, backlining it.
Joel Byers:Were there any epic bombs?
Joel Byers:Because, oh, your worst bombs.
Sam Brown:I mean, we had.
Sam Brown:We.
Sam Brown:We had shows that.
Sam Brown:I mean, like, that's one thing.
Sam Brown:If you're doing sketches every week, you got to learn that, like, hey, sometimes you're going to miss.
Sam Brown:I mean, I read this book called the Power of Habit, and there's something really interesting about it, about, like, habit creation and about, like, the things that it takes to do to, like, create a habit and, like, put something in that, like, habitual part of your brain.
Sam Brown:And I was thinking about the shows we would do, and it was like, oh, this checks off all of that.
Sam Brown:Cause it's like, we would do it every week.
Sam Brown:You know, it, like, wasn't a question of us.
Sam Brown:Like, hey, should we do it this week?
Sam Brown:Should we not do it?
Sam Brown:It was like, no, we're meeting Saturday and Sunday.
Sam Brown:I just don't have to think about it.
Sam Brown:Same place every week.
Sam Brown:And then one of the big things is that if to create a habit, you need some sort of reward system.
Sam Brown:And for us, it was like, if we.
Sam Brown:We did our show on Sunday nights in New York, and we were, you know, a group of five alcoholics who didn't like their nine to five jobs that much.
Sam Brown:So it was like, if we had a good show, people would want to hang out and party and drink.
Sam Brown:If we had a bad show, people would, you know, like, go home early.
Sam Brown:And we.
Sam Brown:Yeah, we definitely had a number of bombs.
Sam Brown:One, the one particular that I think of, and this isn't fair of me because this isn't my bomb, definitely, like, had some huge bombs, but the one I can think of that, like, Trevor and Darren were insistent, like, this is going to be so funny.
Sam Brown:This sort of notorious bomb was.
Sam Brown:They had this sketch idea called Too Many Cats, where it was two people, like a guy hanging out with another guy in an apartment, and every step he took, someone would be on the mic in the background.
Sam Brown:So, like, every movement, it would be as if they were in the house with too many cats.
Sam Brown:And that was the entire sketch.
Sam Brown:But, yeah.
Joel Byers:No response.
Joel Byers:Like, it never.
Sam Brown:No.
Sam Brown:The audience was just like, no, like, what?
Joel Byers:You're stepping on cats.
Joel Byers:What?
Sam Brown:This is very stupid.
Sam Brown:No, but I think in sketch, you kind of have to have that kind of attitude of like, all right, the crowd is either going to love this or they're going to hate this.
Sam Brown:And, you know, like, be prepared for them to hate it and don't be afraid of them hating it.
Sam Brown:But, you know, hopefully they love it.
Sam Brown:Yeah, just have, like, that's.
Sam Brown:You just need something that, you know, that they'll love to put up after that in case it does bomb or something that, you know, the love before that.
Sam Brown:So you go in with enough good favor where they're like, okay, yeah, this is funny.
Sam Brown:They've already told me they're funny.
Sam Brown:I can just give them the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Joel Byers:Yeah, same thing with standup of kind of couching a newer joke in between more established jokes.
Joel Byers:So you kind of get them and then you can experiment and if that doesn't go, you can still bounce back with the next bit.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:Where, you know, the punchlines are.
Sam Brown:You know, the.
Sam Brown:Like, the tent poles in it are.
Joel Byers:There's.
Joel Byers:I hear I'll get questions all the time from comics about wanting to write more and having that daily habit.
Joel Byers:So you read that book and you're a professional writer and you teach sketch comedy as well.
Joel Byers:What kind of tips do you have for people who want to write more and have the best intentions to, but still just aren't overcoming that hurdle.
Sam Brown:Figure out a system to, like, to keep track of ideas.
Sam Brown:Like, I'll say this, is that, like, in the creative industry, in anything creative, like, imposter syndrome is very real.
Sam Brown:Like, we all have it.
Sam Brown:You'd be surprised at, like, what levels people have that.
Sam Brown:And the only real way past that.
Sam Brown:And, you know, like, when I say that, I mean, like, you know, people.
Sam Brown:There's a lot of people out there who are, like, feel embarrassed if they do something because they're like, oh, I'm.
Sam Brown:I'm not that.
Sam Brown:Well, the only way past, you know, like, the only way past not being a comic or a sketch comedian is being a comic or being a sketch comedian.
Sam Brown:I remember back in the day when I was, like, starting out with white as kids, thinking, like, you know, talking to, like, Eugene Merman and being like, oh, what's it like to be a comic?
Sam Brown:And he'd be like, no, you're a comic.
Sam Brown:Oh, okay.
Sam Brown:I was like, well, what's it like to be a paid comic?
Sam Brown:And he goes, you take more cabs.
Joel Byers:Oh, that's great.
Sam Brown:But, yeah, but, like.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:And then, like, getting to that point where I realized that, like, oh, people think of me as this.
Sam Brown:And realizing, like, oh, yeah, there's no, like, moment where you're like, you know, you don't graduate into this thing.
Sam Brown:You just.
Sam Brown:You just are.
Sam Brown:You just have to walk the walk.
Sam Brown:You just have to, like, do it.
Sam Brown:And practically, what that means is, like, what I would say is, figure out your system of keeping track of your ideas.
Sam Brown:Trevor had an album called Drunk Text to Myself, and that's because when he would get drunk, he would text himself ideas.
Sam Brown:That's what his system was.
Sam Brown:He would, you know, like, there was periods where my system was, like, emailing myself with the subject line jokes.
Sam Brown:And then when I would sit down to write, I would search my Gmail for jokes and then see these, you know, documents with, like, crazy ideas.
Sam Brown:Like, you know, and it's like.
Sam Brown:Like, it's not that, like, any of them are good.
Sam Brown:It's that there's something there, though.
Sam Brown:And those are, like, the nuggets that you can take.
Sam Brown:They're like, you know, like the hunks of clay you can take and you can mold into the thing that is the joke.
Sam Brown:And it doesn't matter if that stuff is good.
Sam Brown:It's probably bad.
Sam Brown:It's probably crazy.
Sam Brown:There's always stories that I, you know, hear from people who, like, you know, are sketch writers.
Sam Brown:Like, there's some, like, I would talk about with Trevor about, like, you'd wake up from a dream and you'd have a dream that you wrote the best sketch ever.
Sam Brown:Like, your dream was you wrote the greatest sketch and if you didn't, like, write it down right then you would forget it.
Sam Brown:But there are those times where you'd, like, write it down and you would read it the next day and be like, that's fucking crazy, right?
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:I think both Trevor had a dream that he actually made as a sketch back when he was Doom PAX tv.
Sam Brown:His show where he was doing.
Sam Brown:He was taking Finding Roadkill and doing Hamlet with it.
Sam Brown:And it was funny.
Sam Brown:It was like, later I had a dream where it was Muppets doing Shakespeare.
Sam Brown:And so it's funny that we both were like, in our dreams, had this Shakespeare crazy thing and just like.
Sam Brown:No, it seems.
Sam Brown:But I mean, it is the habit of, like, keeping track of your ideas.
Sam Brown:It's the ha.
Sam Brown:It's that fill books with, like, random things.
Sam Brown:People have good ideas all the time.
Sam Brown:It's just most of the time they're like, oh, that's nothing.
Sam Brown:I'm going to throw that away.
Joel Byers:Or they don't sit down and flesh it out.
Joel Byers:They just.
Sam Brown:Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Joel Byers:They don't actually just show up to the page, I guess.
Joel Byers:I think a lot of times people maybe overcomplicate and think every time they sit down the right.
Joel Byers:They have to create something amazing.
Joel Byers:But most of it is just nonsense when you sit down to write.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:Just.
Sam Brown:Just make something.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:I mean, and like, you know, I notice, you know, with my sketch classes that, like, a lot of times, A lot of times that I like.
Sam Brown:Like, if I have, like, someone who is, like, green, who's like, never written anything before, one of the things that I really have to get them past is they will, you know, they'll be swinging for the fences and they will be like, I need something that's so funny.
Sam Brown:And instead of trying to think of something that's funny, just something that they find funny.
Sam Brown:Just one thing that they find funny in trying to, like, express that thing, they come in with this idea that starts at one place and it goes to this other thing.
Sam Brown:And then there's this joke out of nowhere and then.
Sam Brown:And all of a sudden they have this piece that's.
Sam Brown:That's nothing because it's.
Sam Brown:It's got too much going on.
Sam Brown:It's all these things because they couldn't, like, commit to an idea and be confident about, like, oh, this is the idea.
Sam Brown:I'M trying to express.
Sam Brown:And so it's.
Sam Brown:It's a lot to, like, you know, like, convince someone, like, you're funny.
Sam Brown:You have found things funny in the past, and you have been correct that those things are funny.
Sam Brown:And for you to be funny in a practical way, it's about, you know, like, finding that thing that you think is funny and then expressing that one thing.
Sam Brown:And it might not be the best thing that's ever been written, but it's something funny, and you can find something else funny.
Sam Brown:And, like, to not.
Sam Brown:It takes.
Sam Brown:It's so much about, like, convincing someone, like, hey, don't try and write something great.
Sam Brown:Try and write something good.
Joel Byers:Mm.
Sam Brown:Because greatness will be decided.
Sam Brown:You know, like, greatness, like brilliance and inspiration, those things will occur and will kind of, like, you'll hit something.
Sam Brown:You'll hit on something, and you'll be like, oh, this is.
Sam Brown:I am really enjoying this.
Sam Brown:And then you'll put that effort that makes that thing great into it that, like, really kind of brings that thing out.
Sam Brown:But, like, before you get there, it's just about doing that good thing and trying to do that good thing as best as you can do it, and.
Joel Byers:Just the singular thing.
Joel Byers:Almost like having a premise and just making it all around this premise, as opposed to trying to bring in the whole kitchen sink.
Joel Byers:You have this singular kernel just building around that world.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:And once you kind of get used to that, too.
Sam Brown:Like, that's the tricky thing is that, like, people, especially, like, in my sketch classes, it's all, like, people think that, you know, I'm giving them rules, and I'm like, no, none of this is rules.
Sam Brown:That's the whole thing with comedy is there are not rules.
Sam Brown:There are guidelines.
Sam Brown:There are things that I have found to work, and I will share that with you, these things that I've found to work.
Sam Brown:But I am by no chance saying, like, this is something you can do.
Sam Brown:This is something you can't do.
Joel Byers:Mm.
Joel Byers:And that you saying Shakespeare made me think of the Abraham Lincoln sketch that y'all did.
Joel Byers:So that.
Joel Byers:That sketch, for people who haven't seen it, they.
Joel Byers:You gotta go watch it on YouTube.
Joel Byers:But that has a premise, basically, around the premise, basically around, like, what if Abraham Lincoln died a different way than history told?
Joel Byers:Is that kind of where the idea started?
Joel Byers:And then y'all just kept building out around, what if this?
Joel Byers:Or what if that based on this premise?
Sam Brown:Well, the idea was sort of a novelty idea, I would say.
Sam Brown:That is that.
Sam Brown:That was.
Sam Brown:There were two sketches we wrote around that Time.
Sam Brown:Abraham Lincoln being one of them and the other one being the line leader sketch.
Sam Brown:I remember, like, we, like, kind of brainstorm those ideas, I think, on the same night.
Sam Brown:But the thing, like, the big kind of novelty with the ideas was that we would do something, you know, like, with Abraham Lincoln, we do it.
Sam Brown:Something that would start as a play on stage, mind you.
Sam Brown:You know, we're on.
Sam Brown:We're in a small, you know, live room in the back of a bar, and we're doing it on stage.
Sam Brown:And then the sketch would spill out into the audience, and you'd hear someone heckling the play from the back of the room.
Sam Brown:And so that was like.
Sam Brown:The whole thing was that, like, the tech booth for this room was in the very back of it.
Sam Brown:And so we would, like.
Sam Brown:We'll have Zach in the tech booth doing something.
Sam Brown:And so we're like, all right, what's something that we can have going on stage?
Sam Brown:I don't know.
Sam Brown:A play.
Sam Brown:What's a play?
Sam Brown:Shakespeare.
Sam Brown:Okay.
Sam Brown:What's going on in Shakespeare?
Sam Brown:Who the fuck cares?
Sam Brown:Vampires?
Sam Brown:I don't know.
Sam Brown:Othello and Hamlet or doing some bullshit.
Joel Byers:I don't know.
Sam Brown:That's funny.
Sam Brown:And then, like, who interrupts it?
Sam Brown:You know, just someone who's, like a loud talker in the theater, and it's funny.
Sam Brown:We have before.
Sam Brown:The conversation about this sketch having a sort of racial connotation has come up before, huh?
Sam Brown:Because of the sort of the stereotype of like.
Sam Brown:Like the black theater goer talking in the movie theater.
Sam Brown:But the funny thing.
Sam Brown:I gave it a lot of thought.
Sam Brown:And the funny thing about that is, mind you, we were all living in New York at the time, and the movie theater experience, that's what it was in New York, was like movie theaters.
Sam Brown:People would talk in the theater, and that's just like, the way it was.
Sam Brown:And it wasn't like you'd be like, oh, like, shut up.
Sam Brown:It was just like, all right.
Sam Brown:That's just like, this is.
Sam Brown:I'm in a very talkative theater tonight, you know?
Sam Brown:And so I.
Sam Brown:I think, you know, like, when someone brought that up, it was like kind of this thing of like, oh, yeah, I guess that is a thing.
Joel Byers:But, yeah, it's just more of who's a funny heckler?
Joel Byers:And then Abraham Lincoln.
Sam Brown:And then like, yeah, yeah, Abraham Lincoln.
Sam Brown:It was like, what if someone was heckling the play?
Sam Brown:All right, well, who'd be funny?
Sam Brown:Abraham Lincoln, famously, in the theater.
Sam Brown:Okay.
Sam Brown:And what if we had someone who was, like, getting in a fight with them to, like, that's Like, a natural thing to that.
Sam Brown:All right, well, who would that be?
Sam Brown:Oh, well, what if that turns out to be John Wilkes Booth?
Sam Brown:And that turns out to be how that whole thing.
Sam Brown:And so it's like the sketch really presented itself from there.
Sam Brown:Like, if you take it from that route of like, hey, let's do a sketch that takes place in a theater and use the whole, like, theater audience setting as the stage, it kind of naturally presents itself organically.
Joel Byers:Yeah.
Joel Byers:And that really.
Joel Byers:That really connects with me, with you saying, you know, try to write something good, and then you may end up being great.
Joel Byers:Because watching that sketch, I'm like, oh, I bet they thought, oh, it would be funny if Abraham Lincoln died a different way.
Joel Byers:But it's fun to hear the actual kernel and premise was around, oh, a heckler at a play.
Joel Byers:And then from that premise, you then heightened it to exaggerate and see what you could do with this.
Joel Byers:And that's more of a fun idea to me as well.
Joel Byers:Like, oh, there's a heckler.
Joel Byers:Okay, what's the setting?
Joel Byers:Who's doing it?
Joel Byers:What happens that.
Joel Byers:I like that organic route to heightening to Abraham Lincoln.
Joel Byers:But it didn't start there.
Joel Byers:It had to start with, okay, here's a good idea about a heckler in the room.
Joel Byers:Now let's try to build on that.
Joel Byers:And it's just kind of building from that strong foundation.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:It's funny because, like, you know, we.
Sam Brown:That's where, like, pianos was, where we learned how to write sketch.
Sam Brown:I mean, we were writing sketch in college and we were doing it, and some of the stuff we made in college made it to the TV show.
Sam Brown:But for the most part, I would say, like, pianos, that practice of, like, doing it in the room was where we, like.
Sam Brown:And you don't actively be like, oh, I've learned this lesson.
Sam Brown:Oh, I'm going to put this in my pocket.
Sam Brown:You just kind of naturally kind of pick up on this stuff.
Sam Brown:And that's where we developed our style and sort of.
Sam Brown:You know, it's funny because you're also like, as you go, like, creating terminology for things.
Sam Brown:You know, we used to, like, you know, like, constantly talk about tent pole sketches of, like, needing them per show, of, like, being like, all right, yeah, we're going to need this.
Sam Brown:And then, like, you know, but that concept is something that exists everywhere.
Sam Brown:Like, we were.
Sam Brown:When we were doing, like, when we were starting out, a big part of our style of, like, creating was, like, just doing brainstorms in meetings.
Sam Brown:It was just like, hey, let's sit and, like, let's brainstorm ideas for a while, write stuff down on paper, and then let's, like, you know, like, tape writers room style, like, go around and read out our ideas.
Sam Brown:And when we first started doing that, it was not productive at all because someone would read an idea and someone else would be sitting there and go, no, that's not funny.
Sam Brown:And after a while, we were like, hey, all right, here's the rule.
Sam Brown:Don't say anything about the sketch unless you're adding to it.
Sam Brown:And instantly we were, like, writing stuff.
Sam Brown:We were hitting stuff.
Sam Brown:We were getting, like, someone would say something, and it would be a not funny idea.
Sam Brown:An idea that, like, just, like, wouldn't work.
Sam Brown:And then someone would be like, what if that was this?
Sam Brown:And then someone else would be like, oh, yes, that is funny.
Sam Brown:And then that would develop into this.
Sam Brown:This bigger idea.
Sam Brown:And we all of a sudden would do these brainstorming sessions and we would get these great ideas that, like, three people would kind of have a major part.
Sam Brown:And we were like, oh, this is great.
Sam Brown:This is such a good way to come up with comedy.
Sam Brown:We were brilliant for thinking of this idea of looking at someone else's idea and just instead of saying no, we just say yes.
Sam Brown:And we did it, guys.
Sam Brown:We embedded groundbreaking.
Sam Brown:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Joel Byers:But it's getting out of your own head, and that's a great way to get out of your own way.
Joel Byers:Just like, people not writing more because they're.
Joel Byers:They're negating any possibility to find something funny just by the sheer mentality they're approaching the creative process with totally.
Sam Brown:Or, like, you know, you could be negating someone else's.
Joel Byers:Right, exactly like that.
Sam Brown:Like, you could be like, I don't see it.
Sam Brown:And just by saying that, there could be someone who's, like, just about to say a great idea, and then it's just like, oh, no, I guess my idea is stupid.
Sam Brown:And I think that's the thing that, like, it's, like, tough for people to learn is that, like, the way you feel about a great idea is often shame.
Sam Brown:Like, I don't know.
Sam Brown:Like, I feel like the best ideas I've come up with, I've pitched in a way where I've been like, people are gonna hate this.
Sam Brown:People are gonna be upset that I said this, and they're gonna make me leave the room.
Sam Brown:And I just think there's something funny about, like, the way we approach things, where I honestly think it has to do with if we genuinely find something funny, we're afraid people are going to reject It.
Sam Brown:Because then people will be rejecting us, and if we don't.
Sam Brown:If, you know, we don't think something's funny, if you're like, hey, give me an idea, and I'm like, space dragons that got boobs.
Sam Brown:And you don't like that, I'm like, oh, yeah, that's because space dragons that have boobs is a dumb idea that I just came up with right now.
Sam Brown:But if I, like, spent all this time on an idea and I brought it into you and it was like this, like, idea I really liked, I'd probably be like, yeah, this thing.
Sam Brown:This is stupid.
Sam Brown:Let's not read my idea.
Sam Brown:It's stupid.
Sam Brown:So good ideas feel bad, and often we need.
Sam Brown:We need a helpful creative environment to help us feel safe enough to present those.
Sam Brown:And that's.
Sam Brown:I think one of the strong things that I had with, you know, like, with Whitest kids was, like, just a place where I knew I could say something and people would not assume I'm, you know, just a horrible person who, you know, is just very stupid and worthless.
Sam Brown:And, you know, because, like, there's plenty of me thinking that right.
Sam Brown:Right now that, like, yeah, yeah, I should just, you know, just kind of just go sit in a corner somewhere and let life happen and be like, all right, I've done enough.
Sam Brown:I'm out.
Sam Brown:But, you know, so I think that, like, that's the great thing about Sketch is that it does sort of provide those rooms for people and those places for people to, like, see potential in these things and to help bring it out of each other because, you know, sorry, I am rambling on and on about this.
Sam Brown:No, you're not.
Joel Byers:Learning from you, Sam.
Joel Byers:This is all relevant.
Sam Brown:Don't worry.
Joel Byers:Ever since you said dragons with boobs, you're like, oh, I shouldn't have done that.
Joel Byers:We should start over.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:Can we cut this out?
Sam Brown:Wait, this is live?
Sam Brown:Oh, no, it was live.
Joel Byers:I had to end it because you said that it's over now, but YouTube's got involved.
Sam Brown:Aw.
Joel Byers:No, this is all relevant.
Joel Byers:You're being very helpful, Sam.
Joel Byers:It's all.
Joel Byers:Yeah, you're right on point here, buddy.
Sam Brown:Yeah, but, yeah, I mean, like.
Sam Brown:Like that thing, like, I feel like with Whitest kids, I mean, you know, like, not to say anything about, like, the successes that anyone had, but I truly do think it was a thing where, you know, we were a Voltron.
Sam Brown:We were a thing where the.
Sam Brown:The hole was greater than the parts and.
Sam Brown:Or at least there was something special about the whole.
Sam Brown:And something special about those five Voices coming together and making the stuff that they made.
Sam Brown: et, like, some version of the: Sam Brown:And, you know, I think you could.
Sam Brown:You could look at white as kids and be like, you know, like, oh, yeah, like, Trevor did all the work.
Sam Brown:But, like, I think it was like, there's definitely something about Trevor working with all of us that, like, Trevor definitely was, like, the leader within the group.
Sam Brown:But I.
Sam Brown:There just.
Sam Brown:I think something not to be.
Sam Brown:Be, like, grandiose about this thing that I did, but there was definitely something I thought that was, like, really special about the group of five people that made the thing that we made.
Sam Brown:And, yeah, it's weird and it's beautiful and it's flawed, but, like.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:And that's part of the thing I love about sketch comedy, is that that's what it's a platform for, is, like, a group voice.
Joel Byers:You got to think with social media, it's more accessible than ever now as well.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Joel Byers:Anyone can learn sketch comedy and just pick up a phone and in a month be the next biggest name in comedy.
Joel Byers:You know, if it plays out in a certain way, things.
Joel Byers:If they're creating shareable content and whatnot.
Joel Byers:And I did see you.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Sam Brown:If, you know.
Joel Byers:Yeah.
Sam Brown:If you get a certain president elected.
Sam Brown:Yeah, you could be a big name in comedy.
Joel Byers:You can do a certain impression.
Joel Byers:You could just blow up just on.
Sam Brown:Yeah, yeah.
Joel Byers:Riley.
Joel Byers:Riley Galvin asked in the live chat about your sketch with Almost Friday tv, who was like, younger generation.
Joel Byers:These guys built this whole social media platform, and now they're just huge, and you got to work with them.
Joel Byers:So, like, any cool memories of that experience or.
Sam Brown:What was so funny about that was.
Sam Brown:I got funny to me was like, I got a message from Dan St.
Sam Brown:Germain, who I know from New York, and he was working with Tyler Falbo from Almost Friday, who directs a lot of their stuff.
Sam Brown:And they, like, he mentioned that he knew me, and so he was like, hey, can I, you know, connect you guys?
Sam Brown:And I was like, yeah, sure, go ahead.
Sam Brown:And I.
Sam Brown:And Tyler was like, hey, do you want to do a sketch?
Sam Brown:And I did not know Almost Friday, but I was like, yeah, sure, I'll be in your sketch.
Sam Brown:Yeah, I like Dan.
Sam Brown:And so then, like, it's that thing where I'm, like, not really thinking about it, and it's the day before the shoot, and I get an email, and it's like, all right, hey, here's your call sheet.
Sam Brown:And I was like, oh, cool.
Sam Brown:This is like a real thing.
Sam Brown:They got call sheets.
Sam Brown:Cool.
Sam Brown:Like, I was like, honestly, like, fine with showing up and it being like, all right, this is my roommate's camera, right?
Sam Brown:And I walk in and they were like, the guys all there and they.
Sam Brown:And I was like, so tell me about your group.
Sam Brown:And they were like, yeah, you know, we're all like, we were all like doing stuff on social media and this company found us and they got us all together and like, made us like a group together.
Sam Brown:And I was like, oh, so you're like a boy band?
Sam Brown:Yeah, I guess we're like a.
Sam Brown:I guess like, all right, cool.
Sam Brown:Boy band.
Sam Brown:And I was like.
Sam Brown:And I came in and I was like, so let me tell you a thing or two about like, I remember just like being like, all right, yeah, this is cute, this little thing that you're trying here.
Sam Brown:And but then like, the sketch is like a really funny sketch.
Sam Brown:I really dug the sketch and had a blast doing it.
Sam Brown:And they were like talking about sketch.
Sam Brown:And like they're, you know, it's like that thing where, you know, someone speaks the same language, you know, like they're talking about like the turn and stuff like that.
Sam Brown:And I remember there was this thing where in the sketch, if you haven't seen it, it's like this guy is like, oh, my dad will buy us beer.
Sam Brown:And then the dad buys beer for all the guy and his friends and then just like hangs out with them and is like, makes things real awkward real fast.
Sam Brown:And then at the end of the sketch, the guy's like, oh, sorry about my dad.
Sam Brown:And everyone's like, yeah, that was awesome.
Sam Brown:And the guy's like, what kind of thing?
Joel Byers:Uh huh.
Sam Brown:As you would expect.
Sam Brown:And we shot the end of it and I think it was Liam's sketch.
Sam Brown:Liam Cullah.
Sam Brown:And he was like, oh, why don't like at the end here, Angus, like, why don't you just like, instead of being like, what, do like a.
Sam Brown:Yeah, my dad's pretty cool.
Sam Brown:Do that kind of thing.
Sam Brown:And it was like, yeah, that's how you end the sketch.
Sam Brown:The audience is looking for the character to be embarrassed.
Sam Brown:The audience is.
Sam Brown:And it's like that sort of like talking about the math and the sort of turn and on your toes like realizing like, oh, yeah, this is the natural way this is heading.
Sam Brown:Let's do a 3, 180 on that.
Sam Brown:And it's like, that was great.
Sam Brown:And then all of a sudden the sketch came out and they had, like, you know, like, instantly it was like, you know, like, all, like, my, like, little cousins and stuff were like, hey, I saw you do something finally.
Sam Brown:And I was like, oh, these guys have millions of followers and huge, huge.
Sam Brown:But it's great because, like, it is.
Sam Brown:I love that.
Sam Brown:It's like they're, you know, they're talking the talk.
Sam Brown:You know, you look at their sketches, and there is a kind.
Sam Brown:They're playing with structure and expectation, and that's what I get excited about.
Sam Brown:I'm going to.
Sam Brown:Actually, I was expecting to talk about this, but I'm going to go into it now that we're talking about it, is everyone's been talking about this SNL thing lately is this.
Sam Brown:This.
Sam Brown:They do a monkey sketch that's very similar to a space monkey sketch that we did.
Sam Brown:And everyone's like, oh, SNL ripped you off.
Sam Brown:And it's like, it's not the first time that we've had that conversation.
Sam Brown:Like, that, like, oh, SNL has ripped us off.
Sam Brown:And throughout the years, I've, you know, like, come to grips with the fact that, like, someone's gonna come up with an idea similar to an idea that you've done, and, like, that's just gonna happen, and it's fine.
Sam Brown:They're like, you know, and the bummer, I think, for where we're at is that, like, oh, yeah, SNL is such a whale.
Sam Brown:Like, it is such, like, has so many eyes on it.
Sam Brown:It's like, okay, like.
Sam Brown:And you just at some point have to be like.
Sam Brown:And, like, it's exciting that, like, it brings attention to the original sketch, which I think is really good.
Sam Brown:But I remember watching their version of the sketch, and.
Sam Brown:And, like, no knock to the writer of that sketch, but there was a period, a moment.
Sam Brown:Have you seen the sketch?
Sam Brown:Do you know what I'm talking about?
Joel Byers:No, I haven't seen it.
Sam Brown:So, yeah, it's like this space monkey thing.
Sam Brown:We have a similar space monkey thing.
Sam Brown:And there was a point of their sketch where I was like, hats off.
Sam Brown:They did it better.
Sam Brown:And then it never quite took that structured turn that I wanted it to take, and I got, like, a little, like, frustrated with it.
Sam Brown:And that's.
Sam Brown:I mean, I think I watch snl, and I like, a very, like, the way that, like.
Sam Brown:And not again.
Sam Brown:When I get, like, talking about comedy, I get like.
Sam Brown:I feel like I sound like such an asshole.
Sam Brown:Like, but, like, I feel like I watch snl, like, how like, like, Tony Dungey or someone watches a football game.
Sam Brown:How Tony Romo watches a Football game where I'm like trying to be like, oh, you gotta do this.
Sam Brown:When you're in that position, you gotta do this.
Sam Brown:And just like.
Sam Brown:But part of me is just like, oh, I wish I was in there playing.
Sam Brown:But yeah, I have, you know, no ill feelings to anyone of the that was involved in the SNL sketch or like, and like I'm not like, oh my.
Sam Brown:There's definitely bigger fish to fry than SNL doing a similar sketch to a 10 year old whitest kid sketch.
Sam Brown:Do you think they took the idea?
Sam Brown:No, no, no.
Sam Brown:I think.
Joel Byers:Parallel thought.
Sam Brown:Parallel thought.
Sam Brown:I think, I think one of the things is that, you know, like one of the things that people are like, this is a smoking gun.
Sam Brown:Is that the monkey in their sketch is called Beppo.
Sam Brown:In the monkey in our sketch it's called Bobo.
Sam Brown:Yeah, it's a monkey name.
Sam Brown:Like make a list of monkey names and try and not have a name close to Bobo or Beppo on it.
Sam Brown:You know, you're giving them a lot of credit.
Joel Byers:I'll have to compare and contrast them.
Sam Brown:Yeah, yeah, check it out.
Sam Brown:But like just know you're the originator.
Joel Byers:So you would know more than I would.
Sam Brown:I'm happy that our sketch is our sketch and I think that they, you know, their sketch is great and but there is part of me that while watching it was like, oh, they like, they missed this turn here.
Sam Brown:That would have created more conflict and had more of a direct comedic payoff.
Joel Byers:Uh huh.
Joel Byers:So is that in.
Joel Byers:Alyssa in the live chat was talking about when she took a class with you, you were teaching them about like naming the game of the sketch.
Joel Byers:So are these like phrases within like the structure of a set, like or a sketch the game.
Joel Byers:The turn is these kind of like tent poles you have within a sketch.
Sam Brown:Yeah, I mean like, like the game is like, you know, like we like when the game we kind of picked up from ucb, but we're like playing with it, you know, like before, you know, I talk about like this whole like, like vocabulary of stuff.
Sam Brown:There isn't like a book of terminology that you need to get down.
Sam Brown:It's sort of like the words that sort of, you know, do the job of describing the thing.
Sam Brown:It's not like anyone can be like, hey, use the term of the game wrong, you know, but like, oh yeah.
Joel Byers:Other comedians reference the game as well.
Joel Byers:It's, it's a common term, but it's a very powerful tool.
Sam Brown:But like the game go back to like what we were saying earlier about having that like One thing, and I think that's an important thing with.
Sam Brown:With sketch, is realizing that, like, people are looking for that thing that this thing is about.
Sam Brown:And, you know, you don't have to, like, necessarily play ball.
Sam Brown:You don't necessarily have to, like, cater to that 100%, but you have to accept that people are looking for that.
Sam Brown:And, like, you will put people at ease if you're like, hey, this is what we're doing.
Sam Brown:And if people can see where the joke's coming from, they're more likely to, like, buy into what you're doing because, you know, no one wants to laugh at the wrong thing.
Joel Byers:Mm.
Joel Byers:So as we get ready to land the plane here, I think we would be remiss if you have any closing advice for the next generation of chameleons and creators out there of kind of what you've learned that maybe you could bestow upon the next generation to help us keep comedy getting better and better and just moving the medium forward.
Sam Brown:Say, figure it out.
Sam Brown:You know, like, come on, guys, fucking figure it out.
Sam Brown:Can you guys, like, just, like, fucking get your shit together?
Sam Brown:No, no.
Joel Byers:Get over yourself and just do the work.
Sam Brown:Yeah, figure it out, though.
Sam Brown:Like.
Sam Brown:Like, honestly, figure it out any way you can.
Sam Brown:Like, don't look for the path that's already been paved, and look for that place where you can express yourself.
Sam Brown:And I see people all the time coming up with, like.
Sam Brown:You know, you'll see people being like, oh, like, I'm gonna start.
Sam Brown:You know, no one does this kind of sketch on TikTok.
Sam Brown:Okay, I'm gonna start doing that.
Sam Brown:And, you know, look for those opportunities to, like, be like, all right, this is how I'm going to express a joke.
Sam Brown:And don't wait for someone to establish that.
Sam Brown:Look for just your opportunities to get those eyes on you and to do it and, you know, like, do it and develop it.
Sam Brown:And, you know, you might not initially be rewarded for it, but that's.
Sam Brown:You know, I remember when we were doing it with whitest kids, when we were, like, at the point where we were about to, like, sell our show, we were like, oh, it's crazy if this works out, because, like, you know, like, everyone talks about paying our dues, and we hadn't really paid our dues at all.
Sam Brown:And it's like, thinking back to that, it's like, no.
Sam Brown:We were a, you know, a college sketch group for three years doing live shows and putting that work in without any sort of reward.
Sam Brown:And then we were doing free shows at a bar every week for three Years before that.
Sam Brown:Like, that is what paying your dues is, like.
Sam Brown:And some of those shows were, like, people weren't there and weren't going to them.
Sam Brown:But then eventually we got a crowd and we got people going, and that's, you know, that is that reward.
Sam Brown:And that is what I'm saying.
Sam Brown:Like, figure it out.
Sam Brown:It's like, bet on yourself in that way of, like, I can.
Sam Brown:You know, my work has value, and I can, like, make it good enough.
Sam Brown:I don't have to just.
Sam Brown:There is this thing where when you come up with something funny, you're like, oh, man, that's so funny.
Sam Brown:Because I came up with it.
Sam Brown:Don't.
Sam Brown:No one wants, like, never make comedy from the place that you think people want to laugh at.
Sam Brown:You always make it from that place where you assume everyone hates you.
Sam Brown:Because, look, how many times have you been at a sketch show and been like, if we're all comedy people here, there's like.
Sam Brown:I mean, I guess maybe some people are not.
Sam Brown:But, like, there's so many times that I find myself at a comedy show, and I'm thinking, well, I hope this doesn't take long.
Sam Brown:And that might be a great show.
Sam Brown:That show might be amazing.
Sam Brown:I might laugh at something at that show.
Sam Brown:Like, I've never laughed before, but I'm always going into it with that.
Sam Brown:I hope this doesn't, you know, like.
Sam Brown:And, like, if someone is like, oh, I can't wait for this.
Sam Brown:Let's see what they got.
Sam Brown:Like, great, awesome.
Sam Brown:But chances are they're not that.
Sam Brown:And you got to figure out how to make those people laugh.
Sam Brown:That's what it is.
Sam Brown:And this is.
Sam Brown:Sorry I'm stretching this out so much.
Sam Brown:I'll say this, too.
Sam Brown:It's like, we're known for being sort of offensive and edgy and offensive and edgy has become this sort of, like, divisive, like, place that in comedy lately, you know?
Sam Brown:And I think really the thing is, is that, like, again, if that's who you want to be, don't just be that.
Sam Brown:Figure it out.
Sam Brown:Like, figure out how to do that thing and to get people to laugh.
Sam Brown:Like, I definitely, as a sketch teacher, have people come in and, like, pitch a sketch, and I go, oh, you know, like, that's kind of sexist or, like, that's kind of racist.
Sam Brown:That's kind of.
Sam Brown:That's probably gonna rub people the wrong way.
Sam Brown:And they're like, what the fuck?
Sam Brown:Why can't I do that?
Sam Brown:And it's like, well, because you can.
Sam Brown:You haven't figured it out.
Sam Brown:Like, you haven't figured out how to say what you're saying without making it come off as racist or come off as offensive to people.
Sam Brown:And that, you know, that is gonna make people not want to laugh.
Joel Byers:So is it just figuring out if it's initially racist or sexist?
Joel Byers:How do you then kind of walk that line where it's still funny?
Sam Brown:You figure out, like, what detail, like, if it something that, like, hopefully its core.
Sam Brown:You're not trying to be racist or sexist.
Sam Brown:And so you have to figure out, like, how to make sure your perspective is clear and how to make sure that people can go, oh, that joke is sort of maybe.
Sam Brown: from an era where, like, the: Sam Brown: I think a huge thing in the: Sam Brown:And the problem is, is that now stuff's not that clearly ironic anymore.
Sam Brown: with being, like, in the mid-: Sam Brown:People were like, at least, you know, like, as far as they were presenting, we're like, hey, guys, we all agree that, like, racists suck, right?
Sam Brown:And people were like, yeah.
Sam Brown:And it's like, well, so I'm going to make this joke.
Sam Brown:Like, I remember David Cross, he said the N word on his album.
Sam Brown:The Shut up, you fucking babies, I think was the album.
Sam Brown:Do you remember?
Sam Brown:Do you remember that?
Sam Brown:But.
Sam Brown:And it was like, he goes in the middle of the album, he goes, you know what I hate?
Sam Brown:And then he just says the N word and he goes, can you imagine?
Sam Brown:Can you imagine if I took that turn at this point?
Sam Brown:Can you imagine if I did that for real?
Sam Brown:Like, that was the point of the joke.
Sam Brown:And.
Sam Brown:Yeah, but.
Sam Brown:And that was like, sort of the thing was like, whoa, he, like, went in there heavy.
Sam Brown:He went in there hard.
Sam Brown:And I think at that time, we could laugh at that.
Sam Brown:But, like, I think now you just.
Sam Brown:People are, like, more emboldened in their prejudices that there isn't as much apparent irony to this stuff.
Sam Brown:So you need to figure out where that.
Sam Brown:Where to, like, make that clear and how to make that clear.
Sam Brown:And.
Sam Brown:And, you know, like, it's not always just, like, doing the thing of, like, oh, there's some guy.
Sam Brown:Like, if you're making a sketch, it's not always just having another person be like, hey, you can't say that.
Sam Brown:It's like, really figuring out what you're trying to say and where you're trying, say the humor is and not just being like, oh, we just did the naughty thing.
Joel Byers:Yeah.
Joel Byers:And having that pure intention, like you said, making sure it's very clear.
Joel Byers:Your intention is not to.
Sam Brown:Yes.
Joel Byers:You believe this, like, crazy thing that people may be trying to misinterpret, you know, it's funny.
Sam Brown:Can I.
Sam Brown:Do we have time for me to keep going?
Joel Byers:Yeah, you know, yeah, we're good.
Joel Byers:Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're good.
Sam Brown:Is I not to, like, talk about.
Sam Brown:I try not to be too specific about anything that's happened in class, but I remember I had someone in class who had something that would, like, came off as homophobic in the sketch.
Sam Brown:It was one of their first sketches, and they said, and it's not.
Sam Brown:I don't get, like, upset that, like, people make a joke and it comes off as homophobic.
Sam Brown:It's.
Sam Brown:What's frustrating is, like, when you're like, hey, that comes off as homophobic.
Sam Brown:And they go, well, it's not.
Sam Brown:It's not what I was trying to do.
Sam Brown:And that's like.
Sam Brown:And they get defensive, and instead of, like, just, like, trying to see what the.
Sam Brown:You know, like.
Sam Brown:Because I'm not.
Sam Brown:Yeah, I do like it if people are not being homophobic.
Sam Brown:But also at the same time, I'm trying.
Sam Brown:Like, the thing I'm trying to stick to is, like, this is what.
Sam Brown:Like, try and say something and be clear about what you're saying.
Sam Brown:And right now, it's a little.
Sam Brown:Not clear for me.
Sam Brown:But so, anyway, so this person did something that was, like, a little, like, homophobic.
Sam Brown:It did not go over well, and it was a big class, and sometimes you never know how the conversations are going.
Sam Brown:Luckily, like, this was a really supportive class that, like, people were like.
Sam Brown:Were like, hey, yeah, it's just not funny.
Sam Brown:It's just, like, it really, like, the joke doesn't play.
Sam Brown:It's kind of tired.
Sam Brown:It's not like, anything that feels new.
Sam Brown:It's just kind of, you know, like, the.
Sam Brown:It just doesn't play.
Sam Brown:And then the next person was a trans woman in my class sitting.
Sam Brown:And I sitting in front of, like, the trans flag, the trans pride flag.
Sam Brown:And she did, like, felt nervous about reading her sketching class.
Sam Brown:And she was like, can we not?
Sam Brown:And I was like, no, no, no.
Sam Brown:We should read your sketch.
Sam Brown:She was like, well, maybe I should.
Sam Brown:Because, like, part of what I was saying was like, no one knows who wrote the sketch, and so they want, like, you know, when you're watching a sketch, you know, you want to, like, you want to invest in that person.
Sam Brown:You want it, like.
Sam Brown:And sometimes if you get the vibe that you're like, oh, I Don't really like this person.
Sam Brown:You might be less likely to laugh at it and less open to laugh at it.
Sam Brown:So this person was like, you know, I was thinking about what you were saying about not knowing who wrote the sketch, and so I feel weird about reading the sketch.
Sam Brown:And then so.
Sam Brown:And I was like, no, no, no, let's read.
Sam Brown:It'll be fine.
Sam Brown:It'll be fine.
Sam Brown:And then they read the sketch, or we had people read the sketch, and it was this sketch about a TSA agent complaining about trans rights in bathrooms and doing that whole thing and, like.
Sam Brown:And a TSA agent while frisking someone and, like, being, like, so over the top.
Sam Brown:Like, all right, spread your butt cheeks.
Sam Brown:Being like, yeah, and I just can't, you know, like, what if those people are in the bat?
Sam Brown:Like this?
Sam Brown:And the class.
Sam Brown:It was great.
Sam Brown:It went over great.
Sam Brown:And it's.
Sam Brown:The perspective was, like, so clear with what they were saying, and the context was there and the.
Sam Brown:And it was, like, night and day from the other sketch.
Sam Brown:And it was a very.
Sam Brown:It was a very nice moment.
Sam Brown:I don't know.
Sam Brown:Like, it was very, like, one of those funny.
Sam Brown:It also.
Sam Brown:It takes it out of you to have these, like, conversations where you're like, all right, like, we're gonna spend half a class talking about this one joke, and, like, some people are going to get so into it, and, like, it'll be, like, such a.
Sam Brown:Like, a whale of a thing.
Sam Brown:And I honestly, like, both ways.
Sam Brown:I'm just trying to, like, come out of it where people just are, like, more kind of aware of themselves, you know?
Sam Brown:But it was such a great moment where the trans woman sketch, like, really showed everyone, like, oh, that's a very clear sketch that talks about a topic that makes a lot of people uncomfortable but has a airtight perspective and is done in a very, like, gettable way.
Sam Brown:And, like, as evidence, the fact that, like, I'm just able to, like, blurt out what their sketch was, and you can instantly see that.
Sam Brown:So.
Sam Brown:So, yeah, just figure it out.
Sam Brown:Like, that was someone who figured out their sketch.
Sam Brown:And if your sketch.
Sam Brown:If people are like, hey, that's fucked up, figure it out.
Joel Byers:And you have hearing that, too, and not be like, oh, they're just being sensitive.
Joel Byers:They don't get comedy.
Joel Byers:You can.
Joel Byers:If you're gonna play that game, you've got to be willing to, you know, accept the consequences of it as well or empathize with people who may get upset about it and work on getting the joke better and not just getting bitter about it.
Sam Brown:Yeah, People think that people getting bitter about something you said is like an affront to their freedom of speech.
Sam Brown:No, it's not an affront of the freedom of speech.
Sam Brown:The freedom of speech means they are free to feel however they feel about what you just said.
Sam Brown:I.
Sam Brown:I really liked what Anthony Jeselnik said on the topic where he.
Sam Brown:In an interview, not the thing that he wrote recently, but like in a separate interview he was like, yeah, all these comics are like, hey, if you don't like it, then get the fuck out.
Sam Brown:And it's like, I'm sorry, dude, but that's not the job.
Sam Brown:The job is to make people laugh.
Sam Brown:If people aren't laughing at your joke, you're not doing the job.
Joel Byers:Uh huh.
Sam Brown:Yep.
Joel Byers:Big facts.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Joel Byers:And Dubs general asked if that sketch would have been considered homophobic if the person wasn't trans that created the joke.
Sam Brown:No, I think the perspective was clear.
Sam Brown:Yeah, right.
Joel Byers:Yeah, I think any.
Joel Byers:Yeah, yeah, I don't think.
Joel Byers:Yeah, yeah, I agree with that.
Joel Byers:It's just it was actually well done in a way.
Joel Byers:Like you said, it had a funny context and a funny game veiled in this more social commentary of someone being transphobic.
Joel Byers:It's just a character in the sketch that wasn't almost the punchline, I guess.
Sam Brown:I mean, I.
Sam Brown:We did the sketch the gay football league and I think that that sketches is.
Sam Brown:We land that joke and none of us are 100% gay and white as kids.
Sam Brown:You know, I think we're probably all 40% gay.
Sam Brown:But you know.
Joel Byers:As a collective or each is it you add up to each other.
Sam Brown:I would say each one of us is 40% gay.
Joel Byers:Oh, okay.
Joel Byers:Okay.
Sam Brown:One of us and white as kids.
Joel Byers:Oh, man.
Joel Byers:Yeah, this was great.
Joel Byers:I feel like there's so much more in the sketch.
Joel Byers:Like you said, the turn and the structure of a sketch and things that I think we can definitely get into.
Joel Byers:And I think people can.
Joel Byers:I'm assuming in your class you probably get into the structural formatting and things.
Sam Brown:Yeah, that's the first three classes now that I teach.
Sam Brown:I have the first class is the main focus is about structure and about like talking about different types of structure.
Sam Brown:And I really think that like structure is the not to this sounds like a mixing but like structure is the foundation of sketch comedy and everything.
Sam Brown:Like once you get structure, you kind of can like play off that.
Sam Brown:And like really what structure is is knowing what people are expecting and writing to that.
Sam Brown:And so it's funny.
Sam Brown:Like actually this week or tonight I have class and what we're Going over is it's like the week seven class of the eight week class.
Sam Brown:And tonight we're doing the outside of the box sketch.
Sam Brown:So basically in all the classes I do structure, structure, structure, structure, structure.
Sam Brown:And then right before the end I go, all right, now let's do like be crazy with it.
Sam Brown:Because all the times I get people who are like, oh, I'm going to be crazy with it from the get go.
Sam Brown:And it's like, no, just like, I know you might hate it, but just play the structure game so that when we get later on into it, you can see what it's like to play.
Joel Byers:With that structure and kind of learning the rules before you break them.
Sam Brown:Exactly, exactly.
Sam Brown:Yeah.
Joel Byers:Well, where can people, if they want to sign up for one of your classes or connect with you, what's the best place to do that?
Joel Byers:And I'll be sure to link it in the show notes as well.
Sam Brown:You can email me@infombrownuniversity.com or you could go to sambrownuniversity.com and sign up for my mailing list there.
Sam Brown:And then I will, you know, when I'm about to offer classes.
Sam Brown:Actually, I'm about to send this out, but now is actually a really great time to sign up for this because I'm about to have some Black Friday deals.
Joel Byers:Oh, nice.
Sam Brown:And yeah, and offering.
Sam Brown: classes is going to start in: Sam Brown:And yeah.
Sam Brown:So sambroun university.com, email me at info at sambarownuniversity.
Sam Brown:Com.
Sam Brown:And you can also get merch.
Sam Brown:I got merch.
Sam Brown:It looks like a real college.
Joel Byers:Very nice.
Joel Byers:And for people who want to dive more into the widest kids, you know, there are clips online and on December 3rd, they're doing like a marathon on Shout TV where you can go dive in to the whole world there.
Sam Brown:December 8th, we're doing the marathon on Shout TV.
Sam Brown:Eight top 10 episodes.
Sam Brown:December 3rd, our box sets being released.
Sam Brown:All five seasons of Whitest Kids, you know, will be released.
Sam Brown:For the first time ever, we're having a box set.
Joel Byers:Congratulations.
Joel Byers:That's so cool, man.
Sam Brown:Thank you.
Sam Brown:On digital video disc.
Sam Brown:It's coming out on digital video disc.
Joel Byers:That's DVD for all you kids out there.
Joel Byers:DVD.
Joel Byers:Yes.
Joel Byers:December 3rd, the box set is coming out.
Joel Byers:And then December 8th there will be a marathon on Shout TV.
Joel Byers:And then of course, go check out Sen's classes.
Joel Byers:This guy, this is one of the best in the biz.
Joel Byers:And I know when I just started posting, you were on here gonna be on here.
Joel Byers:People were elated.
Joel Byers:And you had students in the live chat here talking about how amazing your classes are and just what amazing time it was to even get you on this show.
Joel Byers:Because you really do share that same spirit we have here at Hot Breath of Comics.
Joel Byers:Helping comics and putting in the work as well.
Joel Byers:You know, that's a big part of this as well.
Sam Brown:So this was really fun for me.
Sam Brown:I hope I didn't talk too much.
Joel Byers:No, no.
Joel Byers:You did great.
Joel Byers:And we appreciate everyone for watching live.
Joel Byers:We do these live streams every single Tuesday at 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time.
Joel Byers:So join our email list, linked in the show notes to where I send you weekly updates on these live streams and other hot Breath happenings we have.
Joel Byers:And until next Tuesday.
Joel Byers:We'll see y'all next week.
Joel Byers:Bye.
Sam Brown:Bye.
Joel Byers:Breath.
