In 27 years doing this, I've seen a handful of truly great, masterful standup sets. One was Tig Notaro last night at Largo.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the rarity of exceptional performances in stand-up comedy.
In this quote, Louis C. K. reflects on his extensive experience in the comedy scene and highlights the exceptional talent displayed by Tig Notaro during her stand-up set. It conveys the idea that truly masterful performances are rare and unique, making them all the more memorable for audiences and fellow comedians alike.
In practice
Using this quote in a discussion about standout comedians at an event or festival.
I just always loved comedy and I really wanted to be good at it. And it was heartbreaking, 'cause I started and I wasn't good at it. I was only 17-years-old, so I had a lot to learn about life in general. But I just kept on trying. I was young enough and stupid enough and I had no other choice. I had nothing else I was good at.
It's a positive thing to talk about terrible things and make people laugh about them.
[about being a father] I don't really remember what it was like before. Whatever I had going on, it was bullshit. It wasn't important. It's kind of a nice thing about being a dad. My identity is really about them now, and what I can do for them, so it sort of takes the pressure off of your own life. What am I going to do, who am I? Who cares, you've got to get your kids to school. So I like it that way.
The only time you should look in your neighbor's bowl is to make sure that they have enough. You don't look in your neighbor's bowl to see if you have as much as them.
When you write from your gut and let the stuff stay flawed and don't let anybody tell you to make it better, it can end up looking like nothing else.
People come back from flights and tell you a story like it's a horror story. That's how bad they make it sound. They're like, 'It was the worst day of my life. We didn't board for 20 minutes and they made us sit there on the runway for 40 minutes.' Oh really? What happened next? Did you fly in the air, incredibly, like a bird? Did you partake in the miracle of human flight you non-contributing zero?'
I'm convinced there's a small room in the attic of the Foreign Office where future diplomats are taught to stammer.
Laughter relieves us of superfluous energy, which, if it remained unused, might become negative, that is, poison. Laughter is the antidote.
Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
I am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit is in other men.
Humor is a means of obtaining pleasure in spite of the distressing effects that interface with it.
When satire is aimed at the powerless, it is not only cruel - it's vulgar.
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