This is my response to peoples posts about how EBW is going downhill.  Or how blog quality is sucking.  So here is my effort to help.

Ok. Not sure if many, or any of you know this.  But I am a comedian.  not the best, and only amateur.  But unlike alot of em, I know what I'm doing. Somewhat.  basically, Iknow enough to give tips to some of you who are flat out unfunny.  Particularly the blog spammers who try really hard.

That is your first mistake. You try to hard.  I believe it was Mel Brooks who said, "Never, ever, ever, TRY to be funny. Only the situation must be absurd."    That is one of the biggest mistakes that I see here.  Too many people trying way too hard.

Rule number 1.  Do NOT try.  Try hard comedy is not comedy.  It's stupid.  Sorry, but thats true.  And those of you who try to force it, just look stupid.  So don't.  Just relax.  Either it's funny or it isnt, if its not, who cares?  Take it from me, if anyone tries their hand at stand up, you WILL tell a joke that people will find unfunny.  Ya gotta learn to relax

Rule number 2.  Know your audience.  Kinda hard if you are on stage at a random comedy club.  Geography helps.  To get the crowd interested, you want them to relate to you, or your situation.  This is why every comedian has an airplane joke.  Cuz everyone has dealt with it.  

Rule number 3.  Random shit isnt funny. But that goes back to the last rule.  For example, when you are on an ebaumsworld media page, and you decide to comment about the item you just watched, I think it would be a bad move to make a joke about beastiality. No one is going to relate to it, and no one is going to really find a need to pay attention to it.

Rule number 4.  Overdoing it.  Alot of people do this.  It drives me crazy   Let the punchline do its job. And leave it alone.  It punches.  Leave the punch open, do NOT come up with a quick follow up.  An example is any joke that you read on this site.  It'll have the punchline, then a stupid remark  immediately afterwards that KILLS it.  Well, you officially made a joke worthless by adding something you thought would be funny, are you happy? 

Rule number 5.  Lines.  Aw yeah, the basis for my shows.  Crossing that line.  It's an art, really.  If you're good, you can get away with dropping the N-bomb in a room full of them.  Kidding.  People here tend to cross the line indiscriminately. Pun accidently intended.  I mean, its usually not funny.  I love this form of comedy, but you have to do it just right.  If you dont know how to do it just right, stay away from it for a while.  Let your comedic abilities evolve, and in time, you will figure it out.

There are more, But I'm not going to write them right now.  I'll post another.  Plus I will post the six origins of comedy.  Sounds boring, but they are definately helpful.  I had a professor in college help me out when I first started.  He knew the ins and outs of comedy.  Not all of us start out being hilarious.  It takes time.  You may be a great conversationalist, but when you are thrown out in front of a crowd, it's a tad bit different. 

We all start somewhere.  But not enough of us start with thought.