Who Knows Best? Hack vs. Rookie

Curly Comedy sits down with two performing stereotypes to interview them on their technique.

On Hecklers

Rookie: I'm usually thinking too hard to hear what was said in the first place, but no matter what, I gotta insult the person or he wins. Then I think of the joke I was telling when I was interrupted, and I start it from the beginning, because it's a really good joke. If they don't laugh afterwards I start insulting everyone in the room.

Hack: Well, if the heckle comes from a woman I tell her she should get laid. That kills. Then I tell her how I might help her in that department (chuckles to himself). If it's a man, there are many, many ways I can jokingly get him on my side. The first way is a callback to [a joke about] my drinking buddy Earl. In fact, that whole bit is designed to be able to use against a heckler later.

On When the Check Drops

Rookie: Man, that's the worst! You're guaranteed no one will listen to you, so don't tell your best jokes. In fact don't tell any jokes at all. Just watch the tables and rip into the first person who passes the bill around.

Hack: I don't think about that moment anymore. Let's see...it's right between "Getting Pets High" and "Wife Spends Too Much" so it's not a problem for me.

On Passing out Fliers

Rookie: You have to. There's no other way to get a good audience.

Hack: I don't believe I know what that is. Fliers for what, a restaurant chain? Oh for my show. That's a New York thing. I do the Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee circuit so I don't bother with that.

On Getting Action on The Road

Rookie: What road?

Hack: There's always someone you know is gonna be star struck. I pick her out before the show starts. When I get her attention from the stage, I reference an earlier joke about getting busy in a Camaro. In fact, that whole bit is designed to be able to use on some trim later.

On New Material

Rookie: I do something new every other time on stage because otherwise I get bored. It's about making yourself laugh. If it stops making ME laugh, what's the point of telling it?

Hack: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! If I'm a boxer, my fists are what put food on the table. Could you imagine Mike Tyson using his feet? "This is ludakwis. If I don't get good at this I'm gonna have to go back to biting ears." Hey, that's a pretty good one there. Maybe you got a point.