CIC 2008 Keynote Speaker

The Serious Business of Being Funny

Moderator: Geof Wills, Live Nation
Lionel Bea, Bay Area Productions
Mitch Fried, Comedy Central
Robert Harmann, Improv Comedy Clubs
John MacDonald, MacDonald-Murray Management
Nick Nuciforo, CAA
Danny Robinson, APA

John MacDonald, Nick Nuciforo, Geof Wills, Danny Robinson, Mitch Fried and Robert Hartmann

The last time the CIC held a panel about comedy was three years ago titled "Comedy - Live Entertainment's Best Kept 'Secret'" and now that the secret's out, it's become serious, a big business.

Moderator Geof Wills, of Live Nation, who also served as the moderator of 2005's comedy panel, kicked off the session by asking if the business had become bigger.

APA's Danny Robinson said, "I think it's definitely bigger. It's gotten a lot more visible. Back when the boom hit in the '80s, nobody was doing huge halls. Steve Martin was the first one. It was main-ly clubs. ... Since then there's two major networks that do nothing but comedy. CDs and DVD are huge."

John MacDonald, of MacDonald-Murray Management, said, "I don't know. It ebbs and flows. Dane Cook makes it a much bigger business but remember Tim Allen, Seinfeld."

Lionel Bea of Bay Area Productions said, "The business has definitely grown. We're selling more tickets but producing less headliners than 10 years ago - in urban comedy at least."

Bea's answer led to a discussion of urban comedy and its place in the business. "In black comedy, people aren't being as creative as they used to be." Bea said. "When I'm at a panel at the urban comedy festival, I tell them that black comedy, urban comedy, is on life support."

CAA's Nick Nuciforo agreed and said, "I see a lot of young guys that aren't unique or interesting. They're doing the same old schtick or a variation of it. And then what happens is that they grow, and then, in the urban comedy community, the perception of their value goes up and it becomes disproportionate compared to the money they'll be able to command."

Danny Robinson

"Yes," Bea said. "Some of them want more money than they're worth. A lot of them don't do what Chris Rock does - he tours for five months and then goes away for one-and-a-half to two years. It gives people time to miss you and time to put together a new show."

He added that to get urban comedians exposed, they have to learn how to act and write - avenues that bring artists back to standup. He referenced the success of Jamie Foxx and Chris Tucker.

The price of comedy was another topic of interest.

"I like a one-priced house," MacDonald said. "There's something about paying full price to sit in a theatre. If the good tickets are gone, they'll skip the middle seats and go for the cheap seats."

Bea said general admission won't always work in all cities and told a story about a comedy show in Jackson, Miss., where at "8 p.m. people rush forward into the venue like it's the Olympics."

Nuciforo said that artists are very worried about fans' reactions to prices. The point was made that fans often feel a personal connection with comedians and if the ticket prices are too high they'll wonder, "Why is my friend charging me this?"

The Internet is a tool that has increased the popularity of U.S. comedy worldwide. Nuciforo commented that "comedy is hot in Dubai and with the dollar diminishing in value, you can make a lot of money overseas."

>Geof Wills

In response to the question that, "with the difference in culture, do they get it?" Robert Hartman, of Improv Comedy Clubs, replied, "They were raised on U.S. TV. Hollywood is the biggest ambassador."

Wills brought up the point that it seems like political comedy is making a comeback. "Bill Maher is out there doing some pretty good business and Lewis Black is turning out the best stuff he's ever done."

Bea asked, "Wouldn't you say that comedians are having a field day with political comedy because of the president that we had for the last eight years?"

After the laughter and applause, he said, "I'm being serious."

Robinson pointed out that, in addition to there always being more of an interest during an election year, political comedy is always a hot topic because of the Internet and because the Daily Show and comedians like Lewis Black have gotten the youth of America interested in politics again. He added, "And I agree with Lionel; I think having fodder for eight years certainly hasn't hurt."

Bea said, "He's done a bad job and the jokes have just quadrupled."

Robinson agreed. "The jokes have written themselves."

Last updated March 26, 2008 Click to go back to Schedule Page


	The Serious Business of Being Funny Moderator: Geof Wills, Live Nation Lionel Bea, Bay Area Productions Mitch Fried, Comedy Central Robert Harmann, Improv Comedy Clubs John MacDonald, MacDonald-Murray Management Nick Nuciforo, CAA Danny Robinson, APA John MacDonald, Nick Nuciforo, Geof Wills, Danny Robinson, Mitch Fried and Robert Hartmann The last time the CIC held a panel about comedy was three years ago titled "Comedy - Live Entertainment's Best Kept 'Secret'" and now that the secret's out, it's become serious, a big business. Moderator Geof Wills, of Live Nation, who also served as the moderator of 2005's comedy panel, kicked off the session by asking if the business had become bigger. APA's Danny Robinson said, "I think it's definitely bigger. It's gotten a lot more visible. Back when the boom hit in the '80s, nobody was doing huge halls. Steve Martin was the first one. It was main-ly clubs. ... Since then there's two major networks that do nothing but comedy. CDs and DVD are huge." John MacDonald, of MacDonald-Murray Management, said, "I don't know. It ebbs and flows. Dane Cook makes it a much bigger business but remember Tim Allen, Seinfeld." Lionel Bea of Bay Area Productions said, "The business has definitely grown. We're selling more tickets but producing less headliners than 10 years ago - in urban comedy at least." Bea's answer led to a discussion of urban comedy and its place in the business. "In black comedy, people aren't being as creative as they used to be." Bea said. "When I'm at a panel at the urban comedy festival, I tell them that black comedy, urban comedy, is on life support." CAA's Nick Nuciforo agreed and said, "I see a lot of young guys that aren't unique or interesting. They're doing the same old schtick or a variation of it. And then what happens is that they grow, and then, in the urban comedy community, the perception of their value goes up and it becomes disproportionate compared to the money they'll be able to command." Danny Robinson "Yes," Bea said. "Some of them want more money than they're worth. A lot of them don't do what Chris Rock does - he tours for five months and then goes away for one-and-a-half to two years. It gives people time to miss you and time to put together a new show." He added that to get urban comedians exposed, they have to learn how to act and write - avenues that bring artists back to standup. He referenced the success of Jamie Foxx and Chris Tucker. The price of comedy was another topic of interest. "I like a one-priced house," MacDonald said. "There's something about paying full price to sit in a theatre. If the good tickets are gone, they'll skip the middle seats and go for the cheap seats." Bea said general admission won't always work in all cities and told a story about a comedy show in Jackson, Miss., where at "8 p.m. people rush forward into the venue like it's the Olympics." Nuciforo said that artists are very worried about fans' reactions to prices. The point was made that fans often feel a personal connection with comedians and if the ticket prices are too high they'll wonder, "Why is my friend charging me this?" The Internet is a tool that has increased the popularity of U.S. comedy worldwide. Nuciforo commented that "comedy is hot in Dubai and with the dollar diminishing in value, you can make a lot of money overseas." >Geof Wills In response to the question that, "with the difference in culture, do they get it?" Robert Hartman, of Improv Comedy Clubs, replied, "They were raised on U.S. TV. Hollywood is the biggest ambassador." Wills brought up the point that it seems like political comedy is making a comeback. "Bill Maher is out there doing some pretty good business and Lewis Black is turning out the best stuff he's ever done." Bea asked, "Wouldn't you say that comedians are having a field day with political comedy because of the president that we had for the last eight years?" After the laughter and applause, he said, "I'm being serious." Robinson pointed out that, in addition to there always being more of an interest during an election year, political comedy is always a hot topic because of the Internet and because the Daily Show and comedians like Lewis Black have gotten the youth of America interested in politics again. He added, "And I agree with Lionel; I think having fodder for eight years certainly hasn't hurt." Bea said, "He's done a bad job and the jokes have just quadrupled." Robinson agreed. "The jokes have written themselves." Last updated March 26, 2008 Click to go back to Schedule Page