Standup Comedy Versus Medicine
Well into my final year of medicine, I frequently find myself (like many other colleagues) asking what if? Most of my colleagues wonder where they'd be if they had gone into business, while others dream about working in the media .. Myself? I constantly fantasize about going into stand-up! :) But looking at these 2 career choices, I can't help but notice how strikingly opposite they are to eachother. To clarify, I will commence to compare a standup comedy act to your final exam as a med student (damn, June is getting pretty near..) :
Standup: It's a good sign if your audience is laughing.
Medicine: It's a very very bad sign when your audience (examiners) start to laugh!
Standup: Using other people's material is frowned upon.
Medicine: Using other material (from files, etc) is your only shot at passing!
Standup: Laughing at your own jokes is considered a weakness.
Medicine: You shouldn't be making any jokes in the first place!!
Standup: It's more about the delivery rather than the actual material.
Medicine: They don't give a crap about the delivery, they just want a diagnosis!
Standup: As long as it's funny, you don't have to worry if you're not making any sense.
Medicine: You better pray to God what you're saying makes sense!
Standup: Questioning things (a la Jerry Seinfeld) is a good approach
Medicine: You should be more concerned with answering things!
Standup: Throwing on an accent helps
Medicine: Throwing on an accent helps you fail!!
Standup: Improvising is a popular technique
Medicine: Use improvising as a last resort only!!
Standup: It helps if you're a little drunk
Medicine: ... No comment!
Standup: When desperate for laughs make fun of the audience
Medicine: You never never make fun of the audience!
See my predicament?
On another note, whose your favourite standup comedian/s?
Chaos: Crap cinematography, abysmal directing, dodgy acting but one hell of a script!!
posted by 7tenths @ 3:55 AM
66 comments
66 Comments:
Shotgun ;)
I would say Seinfeld.
I saw him.
He was amazing.
It's just day to day stuff and he's never rude.
I don't like it when comedians cuss beyond extent.
But then again, nothing beats Eddie Murphy ;P
Oh, and Robin Williams is BEST.
About a few months ago I went to the Dr. because something had bit me and I had red spots as big as the palm of my hand and I was concerned. So I show him and the first words out of his mouth “that looks scary” then it was “there is nothing I can do” I really didn’t know how to react bss now I make fun of the situation. He also asked me:
Dr. are you on any pills?
Me. No
Dr. vitamins?
Me. No
Dr. supplements?
Me. No
Dr. That’s a first
What do u make of this Dr.Ali?
You crack me up!!! Maybe you should consider Stand up!!
As for Stand up Comedian I do like Richard Pryer....May he rest in piece....
Erzulie, Eddie is a younger version of Richard...he he he!! I would agree on Robin Williams eventhough haven't seen his Stand up....
I love Jerry Seinfeld, he might not be the only one that could put a smile on ma face, but he sure knows how to make me laugh
i wish i could remember his name, but the funniest comedian was a guy that appeared just before chris rock in a comedy club in NY back in 97', he had me laughing so hard that i actually cried, real tears, other than that Murphy in Delirious gets my nod
i like comdedy as much as the next person.. but stand up is too "into ur face".. i like comedy in action not stand up, if u catch my drift ;p
love Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGenerees.. and is 3 kings a stanup? or is a live show? either way.. I like it ;)
first of all nice blog :)
second i think u should do stand up comedy coz your really funny
and i like black commediens there the funniest :D
Gene Wilder cracks me up... I can watch “Young Frankenstein” over and over and over and over and never get bored of it. (I'm not old I'm just a fan :P) I think it's his crazy Einstein look and when he's with Richard Pryor it's just the best!!! (U gotta watch See No Evil, Hear No Evil)... Oh and all the ones u guys mentioned are good too... if hosts count I love David Letterman :)
WOW!! Extremely the opposite!!!
And my favourite standup comedian would be YOU!! ;P
Hey..first-time commenting here but been reading your blog for a while ^_^ ..
I'd say Chris Rock..He never fails to crack me up..
Maybe on your breaks as a future doctor you can go to waiting rooms and put some smiles on the faces of people waiting for endless hours :p
CHRIS ROCK!
DAVID CHAPPELLE!
there's no time to hover when ur desperate for the loo and watching those two ! lol ;)
3alawiiiiiiiiiiiiiii my blog is finally back and running now.. u were useless tho, but someone else showed me how 2 fix my prob.. sucker ;pp just kidding.. and ali,
DOOH PABLO FRANSISCO !!!! he is the best whether u guys like it or not.. ;p
Alright, let's get the list started:
1- Dane Cook (my future husband)
2- you (u betta beluve i')
3- PABLO!
4- Demetri Martin (calm but straight to the punch line)
5- Gabriel Iglesias (Fluffy!!)
6- Stephen Lynch (guitar playing dude.. luff him)
7- Brian Regan (only the standup concerning his childhood)
8- Nick Swardson
9- Ellen Degeneres
10- Jerry Seinfeld
11- Bill Cosby
the list is lined up depending on who i remember :D
and why can't u make ur patients laugh? :/ isn't that a good thing?
i'd like it if i went to the doc and he tried to make me feel better with common jokes so i'd forget my pain or illness :D
Haha!!!!!!
Looooooooooooooooooooved in!
You made me tear from the laughter!
I always make jokes, they never laugh. They always give me the we-see-right-thru-you-look.
My delivery is always excellent, my diagnosis pretty good. My something else is always SH**! They always eem to care about the something else! Geeeeez
God, you brought back memories.
Fashion design? Business? Things would have been so easier, *sigh*
Oh, and i would have to say Seinfeld!
He roooocks!
HAHA's
Great post. But you missed something thats common to both professions.
If you are sincere to your profession (whether being a doctor or a comedian), in the end of the day you're guaranteed to put a SMILE on another person's face :)
love the comparison...you would make a great stand up comedian...how about you and I team up??..:)...
I love:
Eddie Murphy, Richard Prior, Gene Wilder...Whoopy Goldberg...and alot more I can't remember..
do you count? you crack me up!
if not then eddie murphy (old school stuff), ahmed ahmed, billy connoly and chris rock
I know who isn't my favorite stand up comedian :P And that's you :P
*Me trying to be cruel, is it working? *
Heheh Actually I love Jim Carrey, Robbin Williams, Chris Rock, Dane Cook, and I am not sure if there are others but those are the ones I find hilarious truly.
Chris Rock ROCKS!!!
mine is Pablo Francisco and Richard Pryor
ooh yeah i forgot! my cover is not yet blown ;p.. who is jiji?!!! just forget her ;p
You know, in general I liked the guys of the Blue Collar Comedy tour: Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy. I'm especially crazy about Ron White: Any man that can stand on a stage with a scotch in one hand and a cigarette in the other and crank out HILARIOUS material can have my vote.
But recently, I made a discovery: Larry the Cable guy is NOT from the south!
Larry the Cable Guy
Charges: The absolute nadir of the American South’s baffling cultural hegemony. A middle-class Nebraskan, raised in Palm Beach, whose parents sent him to private school, masquerading as an Appalachian mutant and making millions off the nine-toed Cyclopes in his audience by calling his material "blue collar," when it’s really just a celebration of proud ignorance. The latest in a long line of "entertainers" propagating the lie that real talent is elitist. The South has risen again—just long enough to grab the rest of the nation by the legs and pull it back down to its Lovecraftian depths. Isn’t even "bad funny." Makes Jeff Foxworthy look like Chris Rock.
Can you believe that? NOT cool. Those darn carpetbaggers. They dunn fooled us uh-gain!
bo7sain look at it this way
a doctor in kuwait is a joke already
Sweet post! You should side-line as a stand-up comedian... oh wait.. you already do that!! :P
I loved the blue collar comedy tour as well, Ron White is hilarious!!
I also love Pablo (I saw him twice in NYC, he is da bomb!), Russel Peters (Somebody gonna get-a hurt reaaaal bad!) annnnnnnnnd..... hmmmm..... this is humiliating to admit, but I think Jimmy Fallon does hilarious impersonations and his parodies on SNL were classic!
I say 4get about med school and go 4stand-up comedy!! U're so good at it :) Not that I doubt ur expertise in the medical field :P
But u're hillarious....
Well since Krispyo dragged me to see Pablo, 7ady yaneyt 3aley..."Let go of my arm Tommy, u're hurrrtin me..."
He also does great impressions! I also love Russel Peters, Drew Carrey, Chris Rock, George Lopez...And some of the ones we saw in NY were quite good- don't know their names tho!
Mitch Hedberg, hands down.
erzulie: Exactly what I always say! :) Seinfeld is the kind of guy that can make you laugh without throwing chunks of vulgarity between every 2 sentences, & you just gotta respect that ;) However, Eddie Murphy is still friggin' hilarious! Saw half of Romin Williams' live on broadway; the guy's very very good; but still I kind of prefer him as an actor ;)
laialy: First of all, salamaaaat! Who/what bit you? But more importantly: did you bit back?! :P .. Sorry, shoul learn when to turn that thing off :/ Anyway, I hope you're better now :) I'm pretty shocked at that doc's behavior, very embarassing indeed.. Although I'm on no grounds to make a diagnosis or anything from where I stand, you probably were having an allergic reaction of some sort to the bits (esp if it was itchy) & I guesss that's probably why he askes if you were taking pills/supplements.. & even though he was probably trying to make a joke with the 'that's a first' comment, even I think that was an inapropproate time to be making a joke :/ Again, hope you're 100% A-ok ;)
samboose: Glad I crack you up ;)Personally never saw Richard Pryers, but I do hear the late comedian was pretty great :) I'll look for some of his work, & see if I can "borrow" some stuff ;P
blasha: Can't go wrong with Jerry ;)
homer al-simpson: Hmmm, don't remember any of the guys material/characteristics? I wanna know who he is!! & Eddie Murphy was great in Delerious, but hey Raw was great too :)
jiji: 3 Kings? Wasn't that a movie? Or are you talking about The Original Kings Of Comedy? Anyway, I was just like you.. until I started watching some goooood standup, & now I'm hooked! I suggest you start with something good & (realatively) new: Pablo Francisco! :)
bal8ees: Hey, glad to have you! :) Thanks alot, so I can expect at least 1 person at my first standup act? ;P Hmm, African American comedians are extremely funny, but so are Latin, Asian, & even white ones! I think you should give 'em all a try ;)
diigmaa: See No Evil Hear No Evil was a classic! As for Gene Wilder, best Willy Wonka ever! (step in line Johnny Depp!) :) Hmm, not such a Letterman fan myself, I'm more into Conan O'Brien ;)
nunu: Awww, why thank you! :) You must've seen some really bad standup to resort to me though :P
violet: Hey, nice to see you here :) Chris Rock is a very funny guy, but he's a bit too angry for me :/ But I guess that's just his style :P Hey that's a cool idea! Let's just hope I won't be too busy blogging during those breaks :P
re-incarnated: Hover? Hahahaha! I second that! ;P Dave Chapelle is extremely funny! The 'Rick James' & 'Prince' skits from his show are classssssic! (thanks for the word Krispy!) ;)
dr.lost: Pablo is extremely funny, he's definitely in my top 3, but sorry I still gotta stick up for Jerry :P & no I don't like it! So you can go find somewhere else to advertise your friggin' blog! :P
swair: Now you definitely know your standup! Props for mentioning Demetri, Iglesias, Swardson & Lynch ;) & a huuuuge applause for finally bringing up Cosby! The original Seinfeld in my opinion (calm & clean yet very funny) ;) Again thanks for mentioning me, but I don't deserve to be on that list :P Well maybe not #2 anyway ;P As for making patients laugh, I think they'd rather I find what's wrong with them first ;P But that won't stop me from fishing for smiles though ;)
delicately realistic: Seinfeld, woooooh! :D Glad you enjoyed it, & yeah that 'something else' always has to be brought up! :/ That's where improvising comes in handy ;)
nunu: I'm definitely gona need you at my first act! Someone to initiate (& if necessary, force!) the laughter :)
el-phatboy: Thanks bro ;) As for the quote, that's a similarity not a difference! & we both know that's not necessarily true ;P
misscosmo: Hellll yeah we should team up! We'll call it the 'Blogger Comedy Tour' or something :P Any other bloggers wanna join in? See if you can coerce anybody at that Ladies Night thing you got goin' on ;P Again you mentioned some greats, & Whoopy is a great pick ;)
ananyah: Aww, how nice of ya! ;) Hmm whose this 'Ahmed Ahmed' dude? I better check him out! ;P
jackie: Hehehe, no! :P .. Okay, maybe a bit :/ Anyway cool pics, Jim Carey is great! ;)
nunu: It's all in the name ;)
maroon: I definitely second Pablo, but again haven't really seen Richard Pryers.. Will put on to-watch list ;)
jiji: Well it's pretty hard when she's one of my biggest fans! ;)
caff: Always researching huh? ;P Have the Blue Collar Comedy Tour but haven't gotten round to watching it yet, but will speed up the delay I got going on ;) As for Ron White, I have the complete oppostie approach: any guy unhealthy & repulsive enough to smoke & drink (2 extreeeemely unhealthy habits) during his standup, has got to be an ass (even if it's just for show! Heck that's even worse!) :P Blame it on med school :/
temetwir: Hahahahahaha, man if that wasn't so funny I would've had to think up a comeback :P Care to assist in writing my material? ;)
krispy dixie: Mucho thanks :D As for your picks, we both know I worship Pablo & Petters ;) As for Jimmy Fallon.. I guess Taxi was funny ;P
fb: Hey welcome back here! Where you been you slacker?! Stop squashin' & start bloggin'! ;P Thanks for the support :D Great picks ;) & I got some George Lopez recently, the guy is funny! ;)
photoflow: Mitch (may he rest in peace) was great!! The king of one-liners without a doubt! Great pick ;) & nice to see you here :)
oooHH woooooWW! i cant believe it!! 7tenths has replied!!! TWICE! and he said he couldnt forget me!!! i must be dreamin!.. somebody better pinch me! ;p (still a fan ;p)
3 kings as in the comedy act.. or was it called comedy kings?! my memory is VEAK ;p
hmm.. how do i get to see Pablo? like does he have DVDs or smt?
afaaa 3alek u just tell me when is your first act and i'll be sitting in the first row :P
and i like all kinds of comedians but th AA really make me laugh :D
Oh btw..Just realized you didn't end this entry with a movie-thingy.. :p
jiji: Hehehe :P Yeah Pablo's got some DVD's but that's not how I got a hold of his material (wink wink)
bal8ees: Great ;) & yeah I get what you mean, alot of them choose 'in-your-face' funny :)
violet: Wow! You actually noticed that? Hehehe :P Yeah, sometimes I add them later on when I see a great movie, or just remember an old one.. I'll put one up now ;)
i dont get winks! heck i dont even know how to wink ;p
so tell me how can i get some of his acts.. dont be NA7ES! tara afish tewayer sayartik!
*does a dance* go JiJi, it's yo birthday.. *hands u the screwdriver*
LOL just starting some friction ;p
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!
*rolls up her sleeves*
wut u chicken now?!!
Swair: 7addi ishta6ait ba3ad ;p but am sick now.. goin to the doc now .. when am back am BACK! back with antibiotics ;p
jiji: 6a3o hathee tabe floos! :P The wink was meant to imply I got it via online means aka 'purchased legally' :P So calm down & save that mob anger for your examiners ;)
swair: Start some friction elsewhere! :P
yeah i want floos! i gave free advic on some blog (they know whoi they r) and they promised me some KaCHiNG.. bs mako shay yet :<
lol tara we commented in the same time ;p lool
U had to mention my Dr.evil :(
i think i should afashish tuwayer sayarta.. hmm... bs tefishishin tuwayer sayartik sounds more fun and less RISKY :P
Oh yeah "Taxi" was hilaaaaarious.... (Note sarcasm dripping off the screen...)
but come on, you gotta admit he was funny on SNL... His Alanis impersonation is classic!! :)
Mitch Hedberg is a riot! George Lopez is funny too... I like when he does the latino accent... Hell! I like it when anybody does the latino accent!! :P I'm a total sucker for it!
Hehehe...u got me there!! Bas squash is incredibly addictive, do u play squash? Coz u'll know what I'm talking bout...7ady I kicked ass yesterday ;) I stand undefeated!!
And I'll try to comment on ur blog even if I don't write new posts coz I know that's the only reason u want me to stop squashin' and start bloggin- so u can get more comments:P
jiji: Say what?! :P
krispy dixie: Laaaa 3eyel I actually laughed quite a bit in 'Taxi', maybe you gotta go with a bunch of idiots to enjoy it (wink, wink) :P I was watchin' Geroge Lopez: Why You Crying elyom, & it was pretty cool; I actually prefer it when he imitates white dudes :P Buenos nauches amiga ;)
fb: 3ad I've been dying to play squash since forever! Looks so invigorating! :P Yaaa intaaaay with the undefeated! Hmm I should learn, & then I can beat you! If not, I can always replenish my self esteem playin' Krispiya ;P Hmm so that makes 4 on my to-do list: become a doctor, write my standup act, learn Spanish & squash!! :) & hehehehe, you've been talkin' too Kispy waaaay too much! & while yeah I want your comments, I'd like to return the favour by writing comments (&possibly claiming shotgun) on your posts! ;) Deray balech 3alla hel pinko gatto! :P
your a good Doc ;)
laialy: You're a great patient :D
You know whats worse that the examiner laughing, when I walk into an exam look at the paper and burst out laughing, coz I have no idea what any of the questions are asking.
Usually people will periodically laugh too when they realize how screwed they are too.
Favorite comedian, robin williams, ellen degeneres.
jiji: i soooo believe u can take on ali.. ill back u up girl.. kick his ass woman !
7tenths: time for a new post foo !
dr.Lost: u think so..? i mean..YEAH! i can take him!! no doubt!
just schedule the time and place.. gather some 3aqad to cheer me up and the war is on!!
no friction allowed? :(
eggotistic: Trust me, in my situation it's muuuuch worse when a 72 year old doc whose face hasn't practiced a smile in a decade bursts out into tears! :P Hmm, not too big on Ellen myself.. I liked her show though :)
dr.lost: Don't you get sick of suckin' up to people just so they can visit your "retarded blog"? ;P & we both know the only reason you want me to post something new is so you can claim shotgun & force people to read your lame attempts at advertising yourself! Selective anger baby!! :P
jiji: Intay naqsech support akther ba3ad?! :P
swair: Fine, 'frict' away! :P
are you in some way suggesting that I am bad at squash!?
Boy.... you have no idea what you've gotten urself into! ;)
I've got a lot of catching up to do. Still not caught up, but gelt al7g o I leave a comment before the next post comes up!
the more the better ;p
when i do something.. I DO IT BIG!! hmm i think i need banners and neon lights too..
krispy dixie: .. Mierda :/
msb: Hahaha, well glad to see you back ;) Welcome back msb!! :)
jiji: How about goin' full out & adding a midget to your entourage? ;)
*boiling and steaming* <- probably from the flu ;p
JUST U WAIT :E
7tenths: what the hell was that? whats with the attack on my blog man? i can call it retarded but u cant !! ;p and i asked u for a new post coz this one was lame :)ooooooooofff!! ;p lol
Jaya ahaddi il nfoos:
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!
NOW WHO's ON MY SIDE PEOPLE?? there's gonna be lots of blood in here.. dont wanna see no one get hurt.. msb, swair u with me?? ;)
*is torn into two*!! i don't know!!
jiji: I'll just hire a wanait dude to secure the perimeter ;P
dr.lost: I actually find it kind of relieveing that my posts don't appeal to your compromised mental state :)
leeno: At this rate you'll never claim shotgun! :P
dr.lost: Didn't you promise people you were gona answer your tag/s?! Or was that another one of your lies to buy yourself some undeserved appreciation? :P
swair: For shaaaaaaame!!!
ali die slow.. :)
*deer in headlights look* ummmm, no habla anglais!!!!! no msb aqui!!!
dr.lost: Die slower :)
msb: Are you loco?! :P
My personal favorite: Eddie Izzard- simply brilliant.
I dont care for david chappelle's sense of humour at all.
Richard Pryer was fabulous also & Eddie Murphy - Raw
Great post :) You're so funny. I love Jerry Seinfeld and he does make me laugh btw.
What a funny comparison...I never looked at it that way. My favorites comedians are: Ellen Degeneres, Dane Cook, Chris Rock, and Aron Kader.
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