Full Transcript for Greg Fitzsimmons on the ' Jackie Martling Chair ' on the Howard Stern Show

Manchester, someone will come up to me and say 37 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:28.799 they were one of the guys that jumped on the stag. 38 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.359 Should defend me. I think I've bought about thirty drinks, 39 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:33.480 but I only saw four people get up on stage. 40 00:01:33.640 --> 00:01:37.760 Jeffries rallied and rather than be afraid. He decided to 41 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:39.280 go bigger, and he said, because I was the person 42 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:40.920 who put it up on the internet. What it did 43 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.000 do is it sold out that tour. GQ spoke to 44 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:47.719 Lucas Zelnik about his viral TikTok crowd work. In one clip, 45 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:51.200 which has been viewed six point seven million times, he 46 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.519 takes on a growing number of hecklers, one at a 47 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:55.640 time and his shows, and another he banters with a 48 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:58.879 person integrating back into society after a state a psychiatric facility. 49 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:01.640 In another, he stumbles into a conversation with a drug 50 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:05.159 dealer who winds up delivering a sales pitch. Lucas tells GQ, 51 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:07.879 I grew up in Manhattan, rich kid. Everyone was going 52 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:10.960 into business and being a CEO and consulting in fancy schools. 53 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.439 Zelnik founded at Sesh Comedy, a Lower East Side club 54 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:17.280 that eventually sold so he could tour. He said, year 55 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:19.000 one was about figuring out what the show that I'm 56 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:21.439 giving is. Year two is about making the show better, 57 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:23.360 and now year three I'm looking at his coming into 58 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:25.240 my own as who I want to be as a comedian. 59 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:28.000 He does not identify as a crowd work comedian, but 60 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.360 he's not offended if other people use the term. A 61 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:32.240 lot of people come to the shows, can even be 62 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:34.520 surprised by how little crowd work I do. The length 63 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:36.639 that I set on tour sort of accordions, because I'll 64 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.280 try and build a new chunk of material, which will 65 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:39.680 make it longer, but then if I don't like it, 66 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:41.280 it'll get pulled out, or once I do like it, 67 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.360 I'll pull out something old that I don't like. Longer 68 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:46.319 than shorter, longer than shorter, so hopefully it improves towards 69 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:47.639 the end of the tour. Last year I was writing 70 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:50.560 new material for this upcoming tour. Sometimes the set was 71 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.159 like an hour, ten hour, fifteen, and of that probably 72 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:55.080 fifteen minutes would be crowd work and an hour would 73 00:02:55.080 --> 00:02:57.639 be jokes. GQ was curious, I feel like I don't 74 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:00.360 see much of your traditional stand up on tiktoku work 75 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:02.719 clips just work better, Lucas said, I think the biggest 76 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:04.520 thing is to stay in front of people's faces. You 77 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:07.360 just have to put out so much content. Jokes take 78 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:09.280 so long to ride out. Put out chunks of material, 79 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.879 but very selectively, and frankly, I probably won't put out 80 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:13.960 any more material until I'm ready to release an hour 81 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:15.919 long special, which I think I want to give that 82 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:18.319 a few more years. Stand up has changed so much, 83 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:21.439 and by most definitions, I'm very new. I'm about to 84 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.039 hear my five year anniversary. But I put out ten 85 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:26.199 minutes of material with Don't Tell In another ten with 86 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:28.199 Comedy Central, so I've put out twenty minutes and then 87 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:31.520 the rest has been pretty much CrowdWork. GQ said TikTok, 88 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:33.599 CrowdWork comics are kind of a genre now, or are 89 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:36.360 you resentful of the label? Lucas said, What I feel 90 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:38.800 is overwhelmingly grateful for the fact that I can perform 91 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:40.319 for crowds of people who come to see me. In 92 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:42.120 The notion of sitting in my house resenting who my 93 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:44.479 fan base is or who I'm referred to is pretty insane, 94 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:46.800 given that it's enabled me to do my passion, get 95 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.840 overpaid for it, and be here at twelve thirteen pm 96 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:51.520 on a Thursday talking to you. So I hope when 97 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.240 people watch my comedy, whether it's crowd work and material, 98 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:56.240 I'm able to convey what I'm trying to convey, which 99 00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:58.039 is who I am, and I hope that comes off 100 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:00.680 as someone who's intelligent thawful, not too freequ leading into 101 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:03.319 hackey things, or try ways of making people laugh, subverting 102 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:06.199 the expectations of where people typically make jokes, whether that's 103 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:08.840 in their written material or crowd work. Lucas says, I 104 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:10.960 think in a perfect world, my career could look something 105 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:13.439 like John Mulaney's career, which is to say, involvement as 106

00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:15.840 an actor in TV while still always doing stand up 107 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.560 and touring. Mulaney is very much primarily still a stand 108 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.680 up but touring's just personally very challenging. Traveling as much 109 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:22.959 as I do, so, I think in the full course 110 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.519 of time, i'd like to have different outlets. My view 111 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:27.319 is everything you should say should be really funny, and 112 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:29.360 you shouldn't be making points to make points. But I 113 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:31.240 have points I want to make. I think I'd just 114 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:33.120 rather make them in TV or film rather than be 115 00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:34.720 on stage and be like, now, let's get real for 116 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:36.519 a second. I don't want to be that guy. Ever. 117 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:38.199 I'm not looking to be staffed in a writer's room 118 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.120 right now. But if the SNL cast decides they want 119 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:42.560 another a mediocre white guy who's decent looking, I'll give 120 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:44.040 you my phone number and you can have them reach 121 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:47.959 out to be. Shane Moss, known for his uncanny description 122 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:52.360 of psychedelic experiences, tapes his next special today at the 123 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:56.079 Perplexiplex in Denver, A great name. The Washington Post spoke 124 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:00.000 to Ben Schwartz about improv He says, audience members asked 125 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:02.560 came the same question and time and time again. Is 126 00:05:02.600 --> 00:05:06.360 it scripted? Schwartz says, literally, not a word of this 127 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:08.600 is written. That's almost the fun part when someone is like, 128 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:10.040 I can't believe you just made that up, or they 129 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:13.199 think it's magic. He explains, it's about balance. If one 130 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:17.319 improviser specializes in broad characters and physical comedy, Schwartz might 131 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:20.519 combine them with more cerebral comics. As The Evening's MC 132 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:23.279 takes it upon himself to facilitate the scenes, play to 133 00:05:23.319 --> 00:05:25.959 his guest strengths, and keep the show moving with savvy edits. 134 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.199 So those are moments when a scene is interrupted or ended, 135 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:30.600 He says. It's like picking a basketball team and finding 136 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:33.199 your point guard, your center, your small forward. On the 137 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:35.519 Ben Schwartz and Friend's Tour, the go to prompt has 138 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:37.519 been tell us about the most exciting day or night 139 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:40.160 of your life. There's three thousand people in these audiences, 140 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:41.639 it's a lot of pressure. Some of the things I 141 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:43.120 do at the beginning of the show are very much 142 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:44.959 to make the audience feel comfortable, to tell them we 143 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.240 got this. I know it's nerve wracking because we don't 144 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:48.879 know what's gonna happen, but it's gonna be good and 145 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.000 it's gonna be a good time. As for the audience, 146 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.800 Schwartz notes and over excited, a patreon is often not 147 00:05:53.879 --> 00:05:57.680 the best choice. As soon as someone starts telling their answer, 148 00:05:57.759 --> 00:05:59.920 Schwartz can tell almost immediately if it's a story worth 149 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.279 falling or if you should gently move on to someone else. 150 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:05.680 Specific characters are great, and intricate narrative is better, but 151 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:08.480 he keeps an eye out for detours, perhaps a detail 152 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:11.160 that the audience member gloss is over, but Schwartz recognizes 153 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.079 is curious enough to pursue whatever they say. I'm listening 154 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:17.120 to every syllable. As the show finds a rhythm, Schwartz 155 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:20.319 monitors the audience's enthusiasm while deciding which gags to double 156 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:22.319 down on. Around the halfway point, they start looking for 157 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:24.399 references from earlier in the show to call back on. 158 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:27.079 As they head towards the hour mark, they work overtimed 159 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:29.319 weaves together of the show's disparate threads, and no matter 160 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:31.800 how wildly delightfully far they may have strayed from the 161 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.560 original premise, Schwartz tell's The Washington Post, I look at 162 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:36.720 the clock, and we're around fifty five minutes. That's around 163 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:38.600 the time where I'll be like, let's start calling everything back. 164 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:41.240 Let's see if we can connect. Sometimes the stuff you've 165 00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:43.480 been building connects perfectly, and you can call back everything 166 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:45.240 and every character and it almost looks like it was 167 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:47.639 perfectly written. The biggest thing for me is to try 168 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:49.879 and make everybody look funny, everybody look good on stage, 169 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:53.160 and to give the audience something great. Francesca Duva is 170 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:55.959 one of vulturous comedians you should and will know. Worst 171 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:58.120 show ever. Very long time ago, I was in college. 172 00:06:58.120 --> 00:06:59.759 I was in a sketch group that I thought was amazing, 173 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:02.040 invited to perform at some kind of parent weekend event 174 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:04.399 with other campus groups. The venue was a cafeteria, which 175 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:06.360 is tough to begin with, and then very few parents 176 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:08.439 actually came. The ones who did were mostly parents of 177 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:10.759 children who were in one of the mostly amazing dance 178 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.319 groups that were also performing. Due to a couple of sketches 179 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.759 we thought our best, and not a single parent laughed. 180 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:17.720 It was silence for ten minutes. It was so hard 181 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:20.480 for me, seriously, because I love parents my whole life. 182 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.720 I love winning the approval of people's parents and making 183 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:25.360 them laugh. And that day they all stared at me 184 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:27.959 with disgust, like I was some weird, random girl. It 185 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:29.839 was just sad, and I learned a tough lesson at 186 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.319 that show, which is should have been a dancer. That's 187 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:34.279 your comedy needs for today. If you enjoy the program 188 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:35.800 and tell a friend about it, they might like it too. 189 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:38.120 If you would like the program without commercial interruption, there's 190 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:39.199 a link of the show notes that to tell you 191 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.000 how that works five bucks a month. It's the short 192 00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:42.279 version there. See tomorrow.