Voice Impressions

[John Santana]

I enjoy doing voice impressions. I try to work them (the ones I'm very good at) into my act, but try to avoid characters that are "out of date", or ones that 20 somethings might not be familiar with. I do Bullwinkle Mose well and was pleased to find that younger people are familiar with him. I'm trying to avoid dated/older characters, but it's not always easy for a 40 something like myself.

What impressions can you do, and which ones do you think would be popular with stand up comedy audiences now?

[pg13]

Quit comedy. Quit comedy, now.

Every instinct you have is in direct opposition to the comedy that is celebrated in every other section of this message board.

This board celebrates originality and the comedy that comes from a decision to do what is true to you as a person, as opposed to deciding to do a type of comedy merely because you think it would be the best chance at success.

The world doesn't need a new Rich Little. The world doesn't need--although I'm guessing one will soon be found and employed--a new Danny Gans.

Is there a real John Santana? Do you have any comedic thoughts other than trying to emulate every well-worn traditional path? Do you just like the attention of starting threads on a message board and getting people to respond to questions you should have figured out as a pre-requisite to even THINKING about pursuing comedy as a goal?

To answer your questions and give you the attention you desire:

Impressions scratch the audience's itch for being rewarded for recognizing something--which is the same itch that created the "Instead of a joke, I'm just going to remind you of something from your childhood...like specific to your era toys or breakfast cereal"-mode of comedy that was very popular in the mid-80's to early 90's.

The danger in doing impressions is that you can be rewarded with applause for doing something that wasn't funny. The audience cheers the magic trick of you sounding like someone or something else that they recognize--and they might laugh if you have those voices saying something that they're remembered for having said (something, I should point out, that you didn't write...)--but are they laughing at how you used that impression in service of a comedic idea that you came up with?

Just getting a recognition laugh for the ability to sound like someone memorable is a bear trap that allows you to be lazy and yet still think you're awesome.

Comedians (opposed to impressionists) can and do use impressions.

For a COMEDIAN, an impression doesn't even necessarily have to be good or accurate...it just has to convey the idea of the subject into the minds of the audience enough to allow the COMEDIAN to use that idea in a comedic way...a comedic way that the COMEDIAN earns the credit for...

John, your process is exactly opposite of the process of the type of comedy celebrated by the members of this board...comedy that is celebrated PRECISELY for their process.

Do you have something funny to say about Bullwinkle Moose...or are you just able to do the voice and your friends (who share your frame of reference) have always found that funny?

Because, especially to the comedy nerds on this board, the distinction is important.

pg--I'm also forty-something, John...so, it's not about age...it's about attitude, awareness and approach.--seattle

PS--Impressions I can do? I can do a mean Michael Dorn.

Back when I used to do radio ads, I could carry on an entire conversation as all four of the Beatles, as over a dozen former presidents or presidential hopefuls, and at one time I had a list of forty tv and movie stars of various eras that I could reasonably put across. Now, I find that I can do pretty accurate impressions ONCE, when it's funny on the fly...hanging with friends and the opportunity just comes up, I can really nail an unexpected impression...but it's harder to recapture that moment regularly.

Now...how many impressions have I done as a comedian? In over six years of actively pursuing stand-up comedy? None.

Oh, I've done jokes where, in my delivery, I've changed my voice to convey the general idea of then-President Bush, various sportscasters, Shatner as Kirk, etc....but none of them were "impressions".

That's not what I do.

PPS--As far as what impressions do I think would be popular with stand-up comedy audiences now...the honest answer is: Christopher Walken. EVERYONE does a Christopher Walken impression and despite that, when someone does it on a traditional stand-up comedy stage, it almost always kills.

And John, if you start doing a Christopher Walken impression, I will lead an angry mob of AST villagers with pitchforks and torches to find you and kill you... Kill you dead...for the betterment of mankind.

Just because something is popular doesn't mean you should do it. In fact, many on this board would argue that's a reason to NOT do it.

Now, a more helpful answer would be: If you can manage to do an impression of ANYONE currently famous, infamous...that would be popular, because, as I explained, impressions are about reminding people of something they already know.

And you should already know that.

[JayRunner]

This thread went from zero to wonderful in no time flat.

[Harry Bongers]

What is your opinion of funny looking ties or t-shirts that say funny things? Is this something that a Stand Up Comedian should wear? Or does that take away from the actual jokes? I know Howie Mandel used to wear funny clothes. And Bobcat Goldwaith wore two different coloured shoes once on Stand Up Comic Relief. Are they Comedians people find funny?

[MarkAgee]

Geez, PG. You harshed my buzz. John Santana sounds like he's 12. Maybe there's a tee-ball team whose errors you can mock for our amusement?

[TimBuktu]

Here's where I'd do an impression of PG, except I don't feel like typing that much.

[Meen Bellpeppers]

Quit comedy. Quit comedy, now.

Boo.

Every instinct you have is in direct opposition to the comedy that is celebrated in every other section of this message board.

Everything you just wrote is in direct opposition to the spirit of this board.

[Barmy Man]

I don't give a shit what the board believes, this guy can't be real.

[Umlaut]

What board has Meen been posting on?

[Alex Mac]

I don't give a shit what the board believes, this guy can't be real.

Been holding off on saying this for a while. I'm with ya, Barmy. The constant questions are not healthy if this guy truly cares about being behind the mic. Especially when they are questions that anyone remotely interested in the craft could answer themselves with some deductive reasoning. Or at least try out on their own and learn that way.

[Harry Bongers]

I'd like to see a video of John's Stand Up Comedy, or even a couple of written jokes to verify the authenticity of his queries.

[John Santana]

So, I guess most of you guys must think Pablo Francisco is the Anti-Christ then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U

[John Santana]

I don't give a shit what the board believes, this guy can't be real.

Oh shut the fuck up and grow that beard again.

[Umlaut]

So, I guess most of you guys must think Pablo Francisco is the Anti-Christ then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U

Yes.

[pg13]

Quit comedy. Quit comedy, now.

Boo.

Don't be overly sensitive, Meen. I was calling back a previous piece of advice given to John before: http://www.aspecialthing.com/forum/s...&postcount=388

...and it didn't stop him before, so I figured he'd take it in the spirit it was offered here, again.

Everything you just wrote is in direct opposition to the spirit of this board.

You're absolutely right, Meen.

The spirit of this board would have been to say something snarky but leave it unexplained. The "if you don't know, I can't explain it to you" vibe.

I'll explain it. I'm the son of two teachers...it's in my blood to answer questions, express points of view with knowledge and explain techniques and applications.

If you think I'm being too harsh on John Santana, Meen...that just means you haven't been paying attention to all that John is trying to learn...and how helpful I'm actually trying to be.

Sincerely,
peter greyy

[Meen Bellpeppers]

Don't be overly sensitive, Meen. I was calling back a previous piece of advice given to John before: http://www.aspecialthing.com/forum/s...&postcount=388

...and it didn't stop him before, so I figured he'd take it in the spirit it was offered here, again.



You're absolutely right, Meen.

The spirit of this board would have been to say something snarky but leave it unexplained. The "if you don't know, I can't explain it to you" vibe.

I'll explain it. I'm the son of two teachers...it's in my blood to answer questions, express points of view with knowledge and explain techniques and applications.

If you think I'm being too harsh on John Santana, Meen...that just means you haven't been paying attention to all that John is trying to learn...and how helpful I'm actually trying to be.

Sincerely,
peter greyy

<3

[scamboogah]

Geez, PG. You harshed my buzz. John Santana sounds like he's 12. Maybe there's a tee-ball team whose errors you can mock for our amusement?

Except that in his post, he mentions he's in his 40s...

So what if he wants to be Marcus? Dumb people need to laugh too...

[JayP7]

eh, I don't care who this guy is, I'll answer the question.

The only "impression" I've done on stage thus far has been Italian singer Andrea Boccelli. I really just needed to get across a blind character, and it was the easiest (and funniest thus far) way without resorting to sunglasses or a tired Stevie Wonder impression.

[Von Sannity]

So, I guess most of you guys must think Pablo Francisco is the Anti-Christ then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U

THAT shut 'em up!

[scamboogah]

THAT shut 'em up!

Shut up, account that John Santana created to agree with him.