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Comment by austinl | Hacker News Reader

I started to appreciate stand-up comedy a lot more after realizing just how much effort goes into delivery. It's almost uncanny to watch a comedian perform the same routine twice, because their timing is so consistent.

Here's a good breakdown of a Louis CK joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufdvYrTeTuU

Jerry Seinfeld also gave an interview with the NYT about the process — I think Jerry is a good example because so much of his comedy depends on the delivery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itWxXyCfW5s

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It's interesting watching comedians in cars getting coffee as obviously they're always telling each other jokes and he'll often pick out bits of the other comedian's joke that he thinks really makes the joke, and it's not always what you'd first think.

Can you give an example?

He talks to Norm Macdonald about his germany bit. Norm has done that bit a lot. IIRC Jerry just talks about how good it is, more appreciation than dissection

It's more the small jokes to each other as they're chatting, he'll point out the bridge or something like that as the bit of the joke that makes it really work.

Can't remember a specific example now, but the two of them often generally discuss how comedy works, etc.

He's a bit OTT about how it can't be taught and it seems a bit contradictory as they'll discuss how they learnt the craft and often find they did the same thing.

It was one of those episodes that made it click for me. I can't remember which episode it was but Jerry and the other guy were discussing what it was like on stage and Jerry mentioned during the periods the audience is laughing he isn't thinking about the laughter or the crowd. Instead he's thinking about how he's going to continue the joke or transition to another one. I have found the whole series to be really insightful into the lives of comedians. I think it was one of the earlier episodes in the latest season.

I recall that episode and believe it's the one with Tracy Morgan.

Check out Pete Holmes' You Made It Weird podcast for more comedians talking about comedy academically

Without requiring analysis, the Bob Einstein episodes are the purest representation of fundamental comedic concepts in the whole series.

In the beforetimes of podcasts, there was a series of CDs under the "...On Comedy" umbrella that were extended interviews about the mechanics of comedy, and they did one with Jerry: https://www.amazon.com/Jerry-Seinfeld-Comedy/dp/B00005LN3K

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