Stand-Up Comedy
Stand-up comedy is a form of performance in which a comedian addresses a live audience. Common in theaters, comedy festivals, bars, and nightclubs, the performance is based on stories, one-liners, or observations and it may contain music, magic tricks,s or any sort of props to enhance the experience of the crowd.
It began in 1840s minstrel shows. It also influenced the vaudeville burlesque and other humorous performances. Although in the beginning, it was not for good purposes, stand-up had always had social criticism in its roots. However, it is only in the 40s that this performance started to gain popularity occupying mainly nightclubs. It was then that comedians started to be recognized as stand-up comedians. In the’70ss there was a real boom for stand-up and in the ’80s other styles of performances started to show. From now on this way of comedy would only get more popular and innovative. Let’s check out a little bit more about this popular entertainment.
Fun Facts
There is some fun beyond the jokes told during a performance. Here are some fun facts:
Records: The actress and comedian Phyllis Diller won a record for most laughs per minute, with 12 laughs. The “most jokes told in an hour” record is held by Taylor Goodwin, with 550 jokes. According to Guinness Records, the stand-up tour that holds the record for most tickets sold is “Spark of Insanity” by Jeff Dunham with 1,981,720 tickets sold.
Genres: There are genres inside the stand-up comedy model of performance. One of the most famous is observational, which discusses the absurdity of our daily lives. An example of an observational stand-up comedian is Jerry Seinfield. Another genre is the musical one. A self-explanatory model, the musical works with parodies and humorous songs. A musical stand-up comedian is Bo Burnham. Other genres are satire, character, and alternative.
Audience: The audience is co-responsible for the shows as their interaction is essential for the performance to succeed. It is important to establish a connection with the audience while not allowing hecklers to feel too comfortable. Part of the appeal to the audience comes from the social skill of the performer which generates some sympathy in the audience since most people find that fear of public speaking is more intense than the fear of dying.
Canned laughter: In TV shows it is common to use a track of an audience’s laughter. Charles “Charley” Douglas invented this resource around the ‘50s. It attempts to recreate an atmosphere by introducing the sound of laughter and helping break the viewer’s seriousness. It tries to induce that something really funny had happened and it was ok to laugh.
Las Vegas
We know that Vegas is the city of performances. Whether it is a circus performance, a music concert, or a full mermaid show, if there’s any type of performance it will be in Sin City. So when we talk about stand-up comedy, it goes without saying that Vegas is one of the best places to visit if you want to find a huge variety of stand-up shows and the best comedians. But this connection between the city and comedy started a long time ago and has only become stronger.
Vegas has been the house of many comedians to start their journey. Famous people such as Steve Martin and Woody Allen. In 1946 at the opening of the Flamingo, we had one of the first comedy performances. Jimmy Durante was the chosen one to make casino patrons laugh. It was the beginning of a non-ending tradition of comedians performing in Vegas. In 1948, Spike Jones, a song parody artist, performed the same hotel’s pool. And it was in 1966 that Woody Allen debuted at Caesars. Yet Steve Martin would only debut at the Riviera in 1978.
Many famous comedians have performed in the city of lights and a lot of them continue to come back to the glamor of The Strip. In November we will have two major stand-up comedians.
Amy Schumer
The famous actress and stand-up comedian Amy Schumer started her career in the early 2000s but it was only in 2013 that she got real recognition for her series, where she’d write, produce and act the show “Inside Of Amy Schumer”. After her series she has also written and starred in a movie, published a memoir, participated in series and sketches and, of course, toured with several stand-up shows. She even was mentioned by The Guardian as one of the best stand-up comedy shows on streaming.
Being a woman in the industry she gained a lot of recognition as she has won several awards an Emmy for Inside Amy Schumer and several nominations for Grammys, Tonys, and Golden Globes.
On November 5th Amy will be performing at the Resorts World Las Vegas her latest tour show: Amy Schumer: Whore Tour. The tickets cost from $60.00 to $150.00 and this will be a phone-free event where the use of phones, smartwatches, and accessories, will not be permitted in the performance space.
Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart is a famous actor and comedian. He started in Philadelphia with some unsuccessful stand-up shows and only got better when he went to Massachusetts to compete. It was there that he could find his own comedic style. He then started the first of many other tours in the year of 2009. He also starred in many movies and even produced a movie. Hart is also the founder of the Laugh Out Loud project that gives top comedy talent of all ethnicities worldwide opportunity. Kevin has won many awards and was nominated for BET awards, MTV Movie Awards, Billboard Touring Awards, and the Grammy.
The stand-up comedian will perform in Las Vegas on November 18th and 19th. The ticket price costs from $89.00 to $967.00 and the show will be a phone-free event. There will be a special filming session.
If you are a huge fan of comedy, consider traveling to Vegas in order to attend these shows. Remember that you can also rent luxurious ground transportation in advance to make sure you’ll get to your destination without problems and with the most comfort. Get a quote with us and guarantee a night of laughter and fun.