About fifteen years ago one of my friends decided he wanted to try his hand at being a stand up comedian. He took me out to lunch and asked me to write a few jokes for him. "You're a funny guy, as far as funny goes," he told me, "and if you weren't a pastor, you'd be even funnier. I think you could write me some good stand up material. Just don't mention Jesus."
Well, I tried. I wrote up three or four little bits about his wife and kids (which were just thinly-veiled truths about my own wife and kids) and told him to give these jokes a try. Somehow, he managed to get on stage at an open mic night at a comedy club where, I'm sorry to say, he was nearly booed off the stage.
One thing's for sure, it wasn't my material. It was his presentation. We still debate the reasons why he isn't now Jeff Foxworthy or Larry the Cable Guy. But with the writers' strike in full swing, its obvious that even the most seasoned stand ups and late night hosts can't do a show without good writing. If these guys can't make people laugh, they'll have to blame themselves . . . not the writers. Just ask my friend, the EX-Stand UP.
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