S08.E12: Finals: Top 5 To 4

[Kromm]

I appreciated the hip hop reference.  It's probably closer to what a typical "club set" from him would be like.   To win this show however, you have to be mainstream, which is something Rod Man has been extremely good at adapting his style to, and where comics like Karlous Miller failed.   

Right.  I hardly think a single "My Hitta, my Hitta" joke killed Rod's set, because even if we didn't understand what it meant specifically, we got the sense from the context he wrapped it in that it was something outrageously inappropriate for a "white baby", and that was the most essential thing for the overarching joke the entire set was about.  So it still worked for the set, even if it took being a rap fan to get the extra layer of meaning from it.

[possibilities]

To win this show however, you have to be mainstream, which is something Rod Man has been extremely good at adapting his style to, and where comics like Karlous Miller failed.

I didn't really think Miller's problem was that his act was inaccessible. He was funny as hell in the beginning (he told the joke about sleeves, right? I still find that funny), but he didn't have enough material and just ran out of steam. I think it's more a problem of being new than being "fringe."

[Kromm]

I didn't really think Miller's problem was that his act was inaccessible. He was funny as hell in the beginning (he told the joke about sleeves, right? I still find that funny), but he didn't have enough material and just ran out of steam. I think it's more a problem of being new than being "fringe."

Miller doesn't have a viewer friendly persona, that's the deeper issue.  Rod Man may have a good tank of jokes, but part of the appeal is that to some extent he doesn't even NEED jokes. He can just be on screen acting like himself and that will in large part appeal to people.  

 

That's the difference between Star Quality with comedians and the ordinary ones, I think.  The jokes are there for the Assist--the success is based on being able to carry it off without them. 

I'd argue this even works with Angry Comedians of the right stripe.  Sam KInnison, underneath the Angry was charismatic.  You WANTED to hear what he was yelling about, even if it was a yell.  Ditto for Lewis Black.  Or George Carlin.

Miller simply doesn't have the charisma to pull it off.  You need to charm the audience, and he doesn't even seem to try.

[possibilities]

I had major problems with Miller in the glimpses we saw of his "mentoring" sessions, and behind the scenes, but I never had any problem with his persona on stage. He told a few jokes I didn't like (I considered them sexist), but other than that, I found him to be as charismatic as anyone else. He's a good looking guy, and he brings energy to his act. I wonder if perceptions of charisma and "it factor" are uniform, or if it's one of those things that's all over the map, more of an individual preference. I didn't at all get the sense that he wasn't trying to charm the audience. I thought he was working the crowd a lot, actually, except at the very end when it seemed he'd simply given up and was ready to go home.

Edited August 5, 2014 by possibilities

[bilgistic]

Miller doesn't have a viewer friendly persona, that's the deeper issue. Rod Man may have a good tank of jokes, but part of the appeal is that to some extent he doesn't even NEED jokes. He can just be on screen acting like himself and that will in large part appeal to people.

That's the difference between Star Quality with comedians and the ordinary ones, I think. The jokes are there for the Assist--the success is based on being able to carry it off without them.

I'd argue this even works with Angry Comedians of the right stripe. Sam KInnison, underneath the Angry was charismatic. You WANTED to hear what he was yelling about, even if it was a yell. Ditto for Lewis Black. Or George Carlin.

MMV, of course, because I CANNOT TAKE any of those three, ESPECIALLY Sam Kinison. Jesus, I couldn't stand him.

[Puddy]

I know they have to do those challenges. These were not as bad as some from the past. I like the shit and get off the pot format of this season, too. We got it boiled down to the final people pretty fast.

I was sad to see Rocky go.

If you watch America's Got Talent, did you see Jay London in one backstage clip?

I don't know if he performed. Maybe he was there with a friend that was trying out.

If anyone knows, please post!

Edited August 7, 2014 by Puddy

[Cramps]

Remember, Miller didn't go because the audience didn't find him unlikable. Miller went because the judges, who are comics themselves were unimpressed with his set. Hack jokes, a stoned delivery. They're not always going to judge the same as America. (I think it's safe to say that Dat Phan would not have done well this season ).

Edited August 7, 2014 by Cramps

[aradia22]

Joe had some good jokes but there were no transitions from one joke to the next which kept me from getting into it. It would have been easy to transition from internet criticism to the joke about getting fired from being a telemarketer. Maybe he was trying to fill the time with jokes but I think the transitions are part of building a strong set.

 

I chuckled a few times during Rod Man's set. I liked that it built and that the jokes were connected but his writing isn't as strong as Joe's. I think the character can definitely work (though it could be grating over a really long set) but the jokes aren't really there. You need a strong payoff if you're going to ramble like that.

 

I agreed with Keenan. Rocky started off a little show but there were two or three jokes in there that made it one his better sets for me. I don't think he was as good as Joe but he was better than Rod Man tonight.

 

I still think Nikki's jokes are weak but she made me laugh twice in her set. I don't know if she's getting better or if she just saved up her better material.

 

Lachlan had a really nicely constructed set. All the jokes flowed into each other and there was that nice callback. It wasn't his funniest material for me but there were still some good jokes in there. 

 

For me it would be 1. Joe 2. Lachlan 3. Rocky 4. Nikki 5. Rod Man 

 

Joe had the stronger jokes but Lachlan had the better set.