The Evolution of Stand-Up Comedy and the Impact of Social Media

Key Points

• Short attention spans of audiences due to social media consumption.
• Social media has revolutionized the reach and popularity of comedians.
• Shift towards more spontaneous and crowd work material for online content.
• Subjectivity in comedy, where what is funny to one person may not be funny to another.

Pros

• Social media has provided a platform for up-and-coming comedians to reach larger audiences.
• Crowd work material allows comedians to engage with audiences and create content for social media without revealing their upcoming specials.
• Spontaneity in comedy can result in more powerful and authentic moments during performances.

Cons

• Attention spans of modern comedy audiences have shortened, impacting the length and style of comedy content.
• Nealon feels that the quality of comedy has deteriorated, with some comedians focusing more on personal grievances than traditional setup-punchline jokes.

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