The comedian who changed my life

The Comedian WCML Archives - The Interrobang

"The Comedian Who Changed My Life is a new series where comics talk about, you guessed it, the comedian who changed their life."

I'd like to turn this into something a bit more than limited to just which comedians influenced another.

Did you have a comedian who influenced your life? Which one? What bit?

I watched Rowan & Martin's Laugh In and all the different variety shows that were in they 70s. Flip Wilson, Red Foxx, gave me some good chuckles.

I grew up with the Not Ready For Prime Time Players, the original cast of Saturday Night Live. They had some impact on my life. Steve Martin and Dan Ackroyd for sure did their bits and skits and I copied them and did them with friends.

George Carlin's Seven Words that changed my life and got me interested in critical thinking.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyBH5oNQOS0


It was Frank DeLima a relatively unknown comedian on the mainland but well known in Hawaii that really moved the needle. His album made me really get into some parody music. It also allowed me to understand I could laugh at both the Hawaiian/Filipino and American connections.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tix4XDL1vyM

 

George Carlin
Eddie Murphy
Sam Kinison (The ABCs)
Robin Williams
Elaine Boosler
Richard Jeni
Andrew Dice Clay (the poems)
Richard Pryor
Abbott & Costello
Mel Brooks

That's what I remember for now

 

How did those comedians change your life?

 

@cynthetiq -All of these overlap and blur together, so I'm focusing on the primary angle...but these were all around when growing up...including into my 20's

George Carlin - for noting the pattern of things...and the absurdity of the truth
Eddie Murphy - for noting how people really act (raw may be uncomfortable, but it's true)
Sam Kinison (The ABCs - come on...that's a game changer...especially for my love of sex and giving women pleasure)
Robin Williams - truly my source for irreverent references and allowing myself to be a goof and silly
Elaine Boosler - wry light hearted sarcasm, describing people.
Richard Jeni - cultural...with what I grew up with on the East Coast
Andrew Dice Clay (the poems - the raw don't give a fuck if I'm offending someone attitude I sometimes have)
Richard Pryor - the ability to describe a situation and make it humorous
Abbott & Costello - watched these guy ad nauseam every Sunday...the rhythm...and especially the banter.
Mel Brooks - tongue in cheek, wink, wink sense of humor

All of them were during my formative years.
There are more like Monty Python...but they came later, when I knew enough to understand their references...they're actually quite intellectual.
And Benny Hill...was funny, but didn't really "influence" me.

Does that answer your question??