Yaaayyy, Top Chef and The Amazing Race are so much fun. I often wondered how and when people on The Amazing Race go to the toilet. I mean, everything's so stressful, do they even go?
EVERY TIME I watch Amazing Race I think, "Damn, I should have learned how to drive a stick shift." It's too late for me but I'm glad to hear you're raising your kids with the right priorities! (also I would ask to be eliminated as soon as Jeff said GO! and all the teams race for their tiny cars.)
😂 I also have a secret dream to be eliminated early on a reality show but have to just stay hanging out in some other off camera house doing nothing until the rest is over.
Yes! Finally, someone else who thinks their kids need to learn stick! :) My twins are about to turn 15, so this is a hot topic of debate in my house right now.
OMG my middle-schooler just said the same thing about spring break in the Grand Canyon. It's "mid" and "just a bunch of rocks." That's it, kids, prepare to never be impressed for the rest of your lives
Love this kind of post. How often do you do roundups Julie?
The first papyrus sketch with Ryan Gosling is one of the most genius/hilarious SNL shorts I've seen. If I need a good laugh, I come back to it every few months.
Great recommendations! I completely agree about driving a stick shift car - I always think of that scene from "Buffalo '66" : ) So much fun to see you at Erma!
Yes, I think humor writing can be taught. I think having a "class clown" type personality is different than writing humor (and not required for it) and when people say they think humor can't be learned they are sometimes mixing up what they think of as a funny personality with humor writing skills (which are different things) .
Josh Ferris described himself as not very funny in person, but said writing is akin to having infinite takes. I'm usually quick with a one-liner in person, and find my humor writing voice becomes the sharpest possible version of my verbal quips.
It's interesting because I have had students who feel like they struggled when starting out with humor writing because they felt like they are funny in person but it wasn't translating the same way in writing. I think sometimes it can but doesn't always, and I've heard comedians say that people are sometimes suprised that their stage persona isn't their real one.
It's a really interesting "voice" consideration. People often tell me my writing voice sounds like how I talk, which is a fascinating coincidence.
I've not been successful with humor pubs like McSweeeney's though, perhaps because I tend to be funniest when riffing on personal anecdotes. I struggle to generalize pieces for a broader audience sometimes, whereas I find you and Carlos and Eli are masters at that technique.
I think the voice stuff does come into play and there are just a lot of different formats for humor and different voices for the humor pubs. I think I have gotten better at the McSweeney's voice over time but definitely still write pieces that aren't a fit there.
I have not had luck pitching headlines to Reductress but I also think their humor voice is really different than mine so it's probably going to be trickier for me to get something placed there (although I still have it in my plans to try again!)
Ha! Always good to have Bill Shatner in a post.
Yes! Which also just made me think of his SNL skit about Star Trek fans. Maybe I should try to add him as an Easter egg to all posts now.
You could do worse. Iconic clip from when he hosted a British topical news quiz: https://youtu.be/bAqGRcg7XkE?si=lcW-59sdpP_o9vfn
Yaaayyy, Top Chef and The Amazing Race are so much fun. I often wondered how and when people on The Amazing Race go to the toilet. I mean, everything's so stressful, do they even go?
Ha! This is a good question and they are often in spots where it seems like there is not easy access to them? I will now ponder this question too.
Loved Congratulations The Best Is Over! I cried from laughing, and I cried from crying
Oh good to hear! I’m looking forward to reading more. I liked his first collection a lot.
EVERY TIME I watch Amazing Race I think, "Damn, I should have learned how to drive a stick shift." It's too late for me but I'm glad to hear you're raising your kids with the right priorities! (also I would ask to be eliminated as soon as Jeff said GO! and all the teams race for their tiny cars.)
😂 I also have a secret dream to be eliminated early on a reality show but have to just stay hanging out in some other off camera house doing nothing until the rest is over.
Oh yes like the Big Brother jury house! And to be the first one there and be all alone with a stocked fridge and a pool? Yes, please!
Yes! Finally, someone else who thinks their kids need to learn stick! :) My twins are about to turn 15, so this is a hot topic of debate in my house right now.
I am glad we are in agreement on this important point!
OMG my middle-schooler just said the same thing about spring break in the Grand Canyon. It's "mid" and "just a bunch of rocks." That's it, kids, prepare to never be impressed for the rest of your lives
Ha! So true. Now I need to ask my kid more about what is impressive and not just mid.
The sun is down bad (as the kids say... I think).
Ha, I think I have not heard that one yet (but honestly can not keep up!)
The sun is "mid" lololol. That cracked me up.
And man what a fun time! Thanks for sharing these bits of wisdom!
Of course -- thanks for reading!
Love this kind of post. How often do you do roundups Julie?
The first papyrus sketch with Ryan Gosling is one of the most genius/hilarious SNL shorts I've seen. If I need a good laugh, I come back to it every few months.
I just do the roundups once a month.
And I completed missed that they did a 2nd Papyrus skit until just now! Just watched it -- but the first one is still the winner, I think .
Great recommendations! I completely agree about driving a stick shift car - I always think of that scene from "Buffalo '66" : ) So much fun to see you at Erma!
Yes so fun to see you too and I don't know that scene, I will need to look for it :)
Can humor be taught? As my core English teacher told us in tenth grade, "I can teach you to write, but I can't make you interesting." : )
Yes, I think humor writing can be taught. I think having a "class clown" type personality is different than writing humor (and not required for it) and when people say they think humor can't be learned they are sometimes mixing up what they think of as a funny personality with humor writing skills (which are different things) .
I wrote a bit more about this here too: https://julievick.substack.com/p/yes-virginia-there-is-a-way-to-learn
Josh Ferris described himself as not very funny in person, but said writing is akin to having infinite takes. I'm usually quick with a one-liner in person, and find my humor writing voice becomes the sharpest possible version of my verbal quips.
It's interesting because I have had students who feel like they struggled when starting out with humor writing because they felt like they are funny in person but it wasn't translating the same way in writing. I think sometimes it can but doesn't always, and I've heard comedians say that people are sometimes suprised that their stage persona isn't their real one.
It's a really interesting "voice" consideration. People often tell me my writing voice sounds like how I talk, which is a fascinating coincidence.
I've not been successful with humor pubs like McSweeeney's though, perhaps because I tend to be funniest when riffing on personal anecdotes. I struggle to generalize pieces for a broader audience sometimes, whereas I find you and Carlos and Eli are masters at that technique.
I think the voice stuff does come into play and there are just a lot of different formats for humor and different voices for the humor pubs. I think I have gotten better at the McSweeney's voice over time but definitely still write pieces that aren't a fit there.
I have not had luck pitching headlines to Reductress but I also think their humor voice is really different than mine so it's probably going to be trickier for me to get something placed there (although I still have it in my plans to try again!)