Name: How Steven Wright Developed His Unique Joke Style
Uploaded: 2023-05-13T18:12:09.000Z
Description: Watch the stand-up comedy video 'How Steven Wright Developed His Unique Joke Style' from PowerfulJRE on Comedy Buff. Published 2023-05-13. Transcript available.

Watch the stand-up comedy video 'How Steven Wright Developed His Unique Joke Style' from PowerfulJRE on Comedy Buff. Published 2023-05-13. Transcript available.

The Joe Rogan Experience.
What year did you start out first of all?
July '79.
Oh, wow.
What was the scene like?
Well, it was the comedy connection.
The little one, downstairs?
No, it was on Warrington Street.
It was street level.
That was the first one.
Before Nick's?
Before Nick's.
So it was the same comedy, or excuse me, the same one that was the Charles Playhouse,
right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
You got straight in.
Yeah.
And it was right in there.
It was an amazing room.
Yeah, little, like...
150 people, probably?
I don't even think that many.
Maybe 100, maybe 90.
Tiny ceiling?
Yeah, low.
That's where I...
I went to see an open mic there.
And then I thought...
What I was doing is I was, you know, into comedy from watching The Tonight Show.
That's when I really got, like, oh, these comedians, you know, Carl and Robert
Klein, all these guys.
I had to watch The Tonight Show because my brother was older than me, and we
had to watch what he wanted.
So, you know, I started watching, and then I started to like it.
And then I heard that there was a club in town, and I thought, I should go out.
You know, I was 16 when I really was into it, but then when I was about 23, I
heard of the club.
And I thought, well, maybe I gotta go try it out.
I mean, I wouldn't have to move to Los Angeles or New York.
And I didn't...
My character then, I couldn't have...
23, I'm not gonna move to Los Angeles.
It was like a...
That was too much for me.
So I went to the Comedy Connection, and I watched a show.
And then I learned that there was a...
The open mic nights was every Wednesday.
So then I thought, I'm gonna go back in two weeks.
Do you remember your first set?
I don't remember.
I remember the first joke was...
But I don't remember the rest of it was...
I said I went into a bookstore, and I started talking to this very French-looking
girl.
She was a bilingual illiterate.
She couldn't read in two different languages.
And then it...
And that's how you started?
Yeah.
I had about three minutes.
So, did you always write in that style?
Like, the sort of non-sequitur, absurdist...
No, see, I didn't even write anything until I went to the open mic...
Watched the show, and when I knew I was going back in two weeks...
During that two weeks, I wrote things, but I had never written comedy at all.
Right, but when you first started writing comedy, it was always that style?
It was about 70% like that.
There was more, like, normal-ish.
And I don't know why it came out like that.
I mean...
You know, I was influenced by Carlin talking about everyday little things.
And that's what I...
I said, "Oh, I'm gonna do that."
And then the structure of a joke was from listening to Woody Allen's stand-up
albums.
Hmm.
But that I had no...
That's just how it came out, with those two influences, plus my own mind.
Your writing process must be...
Like, you...
You have a very difficult style to write for, I would imagine.
What do you mean?
Because your style is...
It's non-sequiturs, and they're very...
Like, a lot of it's very absurd.
Like, is it...
Is it hard to...
Like, when you write, do you sit in front of a computer?
Do you just come up with ideas as you're walking around?
Like, what's your process?
In the beginning, I would sit down and look at the paper.
Like, look for a word to jazz my mind, or look for something.
And I would try to find jokes on purpose in the first six months.
And then, after that...
Like, I had this thing once, I was looking through the paper, and it was an
advertisement for electrolysis.
And I thought, what an interesting word.
Just the sound of the word.
What it means.
Both things...
What the hell?
Right?
So I made a note of that.
And then...
I don't know, my mind...
Because your subconscious is like a factory.
It's working when you don't even know that it is.
You're minding your own business.
You're in line doing something that's...
This just in.
Yeah.
And what my mind did with that was I came up...
I had this thing about living in an apartment building where they allowed pets.
And I had a pony.
I had a Shetland pony named Nicky.
And he was once involved in a bizarre electrolysis accident.
All the hair was removed except for the tail.
Now I rent him out to Hare Krishna family picnics.
And that whole thing came because I saw the word electrolysis.
So I would try to find things on purpose.
But then after a while I didn't...
My mind was...
I would just notice things.
Because I think comedy, all art is based on noticing what's around you.
And I would...
My mind...
Like I drew a lot.
I know that you used to draw too.
And I would draw realistically in high school and stuff.
Like if you were going to draw this cup and this...
This...
The two shapes.
And then you noticed...
If you're trying to draw it real.
This shape, this shape.
And then there's the shape that's in between.
That's also a shape.
Which helps you get it accurate.
And but...
So you know...
You don't really notice that shape unless you were trying to draw it.
I think that that exercised my mind of noticing.
Then later on doing the comedy.
I was already noticing.
I think was noticing just...
Some people were very aware of what's around.
And you know like in the tower and the...
At the airport where the radar goes like this.
Like it just goes like this.
And then there's the little beeps of the planes.
Like those are the planes.
So I think my mind got like...
Scanning like that.
Subconscious.
Like I'm not going out.
I don't walk down the street thinking I need another joke.
I'm going to go walk down that street.
I'm just going around my day just doing it.
But the sub...
The thing is going...
Right.
And then it'll see...
It'll see a word.
It's like...
Yeah.
Oh.
Maybe that...
Oh.
Okay.
And then oh.
And then like...
Write it down.
And I think of the joke.
The wording comes pretty fast.
Like very...
Like in a minute.
It's like...
Because in my mind it can only be one way it can be written.
And then I just would write it down.
And then...
And then go on with what I was doing.
But the noticing never stops.
Don't you think what you do is...
You're reacting, right?
You're talking about the world.
But you have to...
Really see the world.
Yeah.
You have to really see the world.
Top quality.
You can't get better than those guys.
You can't get better than those guys.
And really laugh out loud.
I think ever.
I think ever.
Of all my years of comedy.
I mean it's hard now.
Because you...
You go back and watch it now.
It's like...
You got to realize it's a totally different time in the world.
It's not...
It's not...
It doesn't...
It's not our culture.
It's a different culture.
It's the culture of 1980s.
Things were more risque.
They're more like...
When you said things they were more shocking.
And a lot of that stuff's already been said so many times now.
That if you go back and listen to it.
It's like some of it doesn't really hold up the same way.
But for the time.
In those days.
Those guys were the cream of the crop.
And if you had to follow them in Boston.
Like good fucking luck.
Because I don't think anybody ever killed harder than them.
I didn't...
I didn't...
Those guys.
I didn't want to go on after them.
I did.
Because I was proud of the lineup.
But I knew that the...
The sound from the audience.
Of the laughs.
I knew they were gonna...
It was gonna be more than me.
But I just accepted it.
Because it was like wave...
You know when a big wave hits.
Yeah.
All of those guys.
Yeah.
Gavin Sweeney.
Donovan.
Did you feel any pressure to sort of ever...
To change your act in the beginning before you made it?
Was it like...
Were you just committed to that kind of style?
I was...
Well committed is means a decision.
There was no decision.
It was like...
Like I told you.
That's how I wrote it.
And it came out like that.
It meshed with how I speak.
This is how I speak.
And for some reason.
Accidentally.
The abstract jokes went good with my voice.
But the audience.
They weren't thrown off from it.
People ask me.
Well they...
You know.
It was different.
Would the audience take a while to come around?
And they didn't.
Because right from the first three minutes.
They laughed at some of it.
And they didn't laugh at other things.
So then I knew right then.
It wasn't how I was saying it.
Or my voice or anything.
They were...
They don't care about anything.
They don't give a shit.
As long as it's funny.
Yeah.
So they thought some of it was funny.
And some of it wasn't.
And Mike McDonald helped me a lot.
Because he saw me the first time.
And I was naively disappointed.
Because I didn't laugh at everything.
Which is insane.
But that was out of being naive.
And he said.
Look.
Take that material.
He never did it before.
Take that set.
And take out the stuff that didn't work.
And put other stuff in.
That works.
I mean.
To try out.
And when I left.
From him telling me that.
I thought it was a success.
Because they laughed at some of it.
Here I am wanting to.
I was 16.
Wanting to try it.
And then I.
They laughed at a minute and a half.
I.
Oh my god.
They laughed at.
So then he made me leave.
When I left.
I was like.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
I gotta keep changing.
And changing.
And changing.
But I didn't think of.
Changing my style or anything.
Because like I was saying.
Fingerprint before.
It was just.
Just how I.
Just what it was.
Didn't even enter my mind.
To change it.
Yeah.
Some of it worked.
Some of it didn't.
Change it.
Try more.
Try more.
Try more.
And I'm glad there wasn't any show business there.
Because someone might have said.
You can't be mumbling over on the side.
Get a sport jacket and talk loud.
You know.
You know what I mean.
There was no one watching.
Yeah.
From that angle.
Right.
Like a producer.
And all of those guys.
That we were just talking about.
None of them are like the next guy.
Right.
And it was like a factory.
That only made one car.
And then they made a different car.
Yeah.
You know.
It was like a Mustang.
Then this.
There was no.
Yeah.
Assembly line.
Yeah.
Every one of those guys is completely unique.
Every one.
Yeah.
That's.
One of the interesting things about the documentary.
When stand-up stood out.
Was that.
You were kind of the first guy.
That got discovered.
In Boston.
And then you took off.
And then.
It became a different thing.
Because.
Then people realized.
That that was possible.
And so then.
There was a.
In the documentary.
At least.
There was this attitude.
Where a lot of guys had like.
Hey.
What about me.
Like.
Where's my.
Where's my thing.
How come it's not happening for me.
You know.
I'm a headliner.
I'm a this.
I'm a that.
That came.
Where a lot of guys were trying to make it now.
Do you remember that time.
I knew.
Later.
When.
When I heard about it.
After I had gone.
But.
I mean.
But.
We all wanted to.
Go on the TV.
Like.
I mean.
That.
Everyone wasn't doing it.
Just to.
Be doing it in Boston.
I wanted to.
Someday.
Go on TV.
I had no idea.
How.
I would.
Get there.
And then.
I got a lucky break.
Cause.
Peter LaSalle.
Came to Boston.
And he saw me in the club.
Cause.
There was an article.
About the Ding Ho.
A freelance writer.
Wrote about it.
And went into the.
L.A. Times.
This weird comedy club.
Chinese restaurant.
And then.
He read it.
And then he went.
Back east.
Looking at colleges.
For his kids.
Were getting out of.
High school.
They did a summer trip.
To Boston.
In New York.
To look at schools.
And he remembered the article.
He called up the club.
I'm going to go in.
And you know.
And then.
He saw me.
And then I.
Went.
Went on there.
So I got a very.
Lucky.
Lucky break.
But I know.
You're talking about.
Like.
I mean.
I was just.
Insanely.
Lucky.
But that.
Stan.
Fran's movie.
I mean.
He never even made a movie.
Before.
Right.
He never made a movie.
I know.
And that was a very interesting thing.
Because.
Say we were all rowers.
Like.
A row guy.
Is not going to make a movie.
He's not.
But a comedian.
A creative guy.
He's going to make a movie.
About.
The time.
You don't have a movie.
Of your.
Time in high school.
Or your.
Time in college.
We have a document.
By one of our own guys.
Of the time.
Yeah.
And it's still.
All of us.
One of our favorite times.
In our whole lives.
So it's a precious gift.
That Fran made the movie.
To.
To see.
To see this thing.

How Steven Wright Developed His Unique Joke Style

The Joe Rogan Experience.
What year did you start out first of all?
July '79.
Oh, wow.
What was the scene like?
Well, it was the comedy connection.
The little one, downstairs?
No, it was on Warrington Street.
It was street level.
That was the first one.
Before Nick's?
Before Nick's.
So it was the same comedy, or excuse me, the same one that was the Charles Playhouse,
right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
You got straight in.
Yeah.
And it was right in there.
It was an amazing room.
Yeah, little, like...
150 people, probably?
I don't even think that many.
Maybe 100, maybe 90.
Tiny ceiling?
Yeah, low.
That's where I...
I went to see an open mic there.
And then I thought...
What I was doing is I was, you know, into comedy from watching The Tonight Show.
That's when I really got, like, oh, these comedians, you know, Carl and Robert
Klein, all these guys.
I had to watch The Tonight Show because my brother was older than me, and we
had to watch what he wanted.
So, you know, I started watching, and then I started to like it.
And then I heard that there was a club in town, and I thought, I should go out.
You know, I was 16 when I really was into it, but then when I was about 23, I
heard of the club.
And I thought, well, maybe I gotta go try it out.
I mean, I wouldn't have to move to Los Angeles or New York.
And I didn't...
My character then, I couldn't have...
23, I'm not gonna move to Los Angeles.
It was like a...
That was too much for me.
So I went to the Comedy Connection, and I watched a show.
And then I learned that there was a...
The open mic nights was every Wednesday.
So then I thought, I'm gonna go back in two weeks.
Do you remember your first set?
I don't remember.
I remember the first joke was...
But I don't remember the rest of it was...
I said I went into a bookstore, and I started talking to this very French-looking
girl.
She was a bilingual illiterate.
She couldn't read in two different languages.
And then it...
And that's how you started?
Yeah.
I had about three minutes.
So, did you always write in that style?
Like, the sort of non-sequitur, absurdist...
No, see, I didn't even write anything until I went to the open mic...
Watched the show, and when I knew I was going back in two weeks...
During that two weeks, I wrote things, but I had never written comedy at all.
Right, but when you first started writing comedy, it was always that style?
It was about 70% like that.
There was more, like, normal-ish.
And I don't know why it came out like that.
I mean...
You know, I was influenced by Carlin talking about everyday little things.
And that's what I...
I said, "Oh, I'm gonna do that."
And then the structure of a joke was from listening to Woody Allen's stand-up
albums.
Hmm.
But that I had no...
That's just how it came out, with those two influences, plus my own mind.
Your writing process must be...
Like, you...
You have a very difficult style to write for, I would imagine.
What do you mean?
Because your style is...
It's non-sequiturs, and they're very...
Like, a lot of it's very absurd.
Like, is it...
Is it hard to...
Like, when you write, do you sit in front of a computer?
Do you just come up with ideas as you're walking around?
Like, what's your process?
In the beginning, I would sit down and look at the paper.
Like, look for a word to jazz my mind, or look for something.
And I would try to find jokes on purpose in the first six months.
And then, after that...
Like, I had this thing once, I was looking through the paper, and it was an
advertisement for electrolysis.
And I thought, what an interesting word.
Just the sound of the word.
What it means.
Both things...
What the hell?
Right?
So I made a note of that.
And then...
I don't know, my mind...
Because your subconscious is like a factory.
It's working when you don't even know that it is.
You're minding your own business.
You're in line doing something that's...
This just in.
Yeah.
And what my mind did with that was I came up...
I had this thing about living in an apartment building where they allowed pets.
And I had a pony.
I had a Shetland pony named Nicky.
And he was once involved in a bizarre electrolysis accident.
All the hair was removed except for the tail.
Now I rent him out to Hare Krishna family picnics.
And that whole thing came because I saw the word electrolysis.
So I would try to find things on purpose.
But then after a while I didn't...
My mind was...
I would just notice things.
Because I think comedy, all art is based on noticing what's around you.
And I would...
My mind...
Like I drew a lot.
I know that you used to draw too.
And I would draw realistically in high school and stuff.
Like if you were going to draw this cup and this...
This...
The two shapes.
And then you noticed...
If you're trying to draw it real.
This shape, this shape.
And then there's the shape that's in between.
That's also a shape.
Which helps you get it accurate.
And but...
So you know...
You don't really notice that shape unless you were trying to draw it.
I think that that exercised my mind of noticing.
Then later on doing the comedy.
I was already noticing.
I think was noticing just...
Some people were very aware of what's around.
And you know like in the tower and the...
At the airport where the radar goes like this.
Like it just goes like this.
And then there's the little beeps of the planes.
Like those are the planes.
So I think my mind got like...
Scanning like that.
Subconscious.
Like I'm not going out.
I don't walk down the street thinking I need another joke.
I'm going to go walk down that street.
I'm just going around my day just doing it.
But the sub...
The thing is going...
Right.
And then it'll see...
It'll see a word.
It's like...
Yeah.
Oh.
Maybe that...
Oh.
Okay.
And then oh.
And then like...
Write it down.
And I think of the joke.
The wording comes pretty fast.
Like very...
Like in a minute.
It's like...
Because in my mind it can only be one way it can be written.
And then I just would write it down.
And then...
And then go on with what I was doing.
But the noticing never stops.
Don't you think what you do is...
You're reacting, right?
You're talking about the world.
But you have to...
Really see the world.
Yeah.
You have to really see the world.
Top quality.
You can't get better than those guys.
You can't get better than those guys.
And really laugh out loud.
I think ever.
I think ever.
Of all my years of comedy.
I mean it's hard now.
Because you...
You go back and watch it now.
It's like...
You got to realize it's a totally different time in the world.
It's not...
It's not...
It doesn't...
It's not our culture.
It's a different culture.
It's the culture of 1980s.
Things were more risque.
They're more like...
When you said things they were more shocking.
And a lot of that stuff's already been said so many times now.
That if you go back and listen to it.
It's like some of it doesn't really hold up the same way.
But for the time.
In those days.
Those guys were the cream of the crop.
And if you had to follow them in Boston.
Like good fucking luck.
Because I don't think anybody ever killed harder than them.
I didn't...
I didn't...
Those guys.
I didn't want to go on after them.
I did.
Because I was proud of the lineup.
But I knew that the...
The sound from the audience.
Of the laughs.
I knew they were gonna...
It was gonna be more than me.
But I just accepted it.
Because it was like wave...
You know when a big wave hits.
Yeah.
All of those guys.
Yeah.
Gavin Sweeney.
Donovan.
Did you feel any pressure to sort of ever...
To change your act in the beginning before you made it?
Was it like...
Were you just committed to that kind of style?
I was...
Well committed is means a decision.
There was no decision.
It was like...
Like I told you.
That's how I wrote it.
And it came out like that.
It meshed with how I speak.
This is how I speak.
And for some reason.
Accidentally.
The abstract jokes went good with my voice.
But the audience.
They weren't thrown off from it.
People ask me.
Well they...
You know.
It was different.
Would the audience take a while to come around?
And they didn't.
Because right from the first three minutes.
They laughed at some of it.
And they didn't laugh at other things.
So then I knew right then.
It wasn't how I was saying it.
Or my voice or anything.
They were...
They don't care about anything.
They don't give a shit.
As long as it's funny.
Yeah.
So they thought some of it was funny.
And some of it wasn't.
And Mike McDonald helped me a lot.
Because he saw me the first time.
And I was naively disappointed.
Because I didn't laugh at everything.
Which is insane.
But that was out of being naive.
And he said.
Look.
Take that material.
He never did it before.
Take that set.
And take out the stuff that didn't work.
And put other stuff in.
That works.
I mean.
To try out.
And when I left.
From him telling me that.
I thought it was a success.
Because they laughed at some of it.
Here I am wanting to.
I was 16.
Wanting to try it.
And then I.
They laughed at a minute and a half.
I.
Oh my god.
They laughed at.
So then he made me leave.
When I left.
I was like.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
I gotta keep changing.
And changing.
And changing.
But I didn't think of.
Changing my style or anything.
Because like I was saying.
Fingerprint before.
It was just.
Just how I.
Just what it was.
Didn't even enter my mind.
To change it.
Yeah.
Some of it worked.
Some of it didn't.
Change it.
Try more.
Try more.
Try more.
And I'm glad there wasn't any show business there.
Because someone might have said.
You can't be mumbling over on the side.
Get a sport jacket and talk loud.
You know.
You know what I mean.
There was no one watching.
Yeah.
From that angle.
Right.
Like a producer.
And all of those guys.
That we were just talking about.
None of them are like the next guy.
Right.
And it was like a factory.
That only made one car.
And then they made a different car.
Yeah.
You know.
It was like a Mustang.
Then this.
There was no.
Yeah.
Assembly line.
Yeah.
Every one of those guys is completely unique.
Every one.
Yeah.
That's.
One of the interesting things about the documentary.
When stand-up stood out.
Was that.
You were kind of the first guy.
That got discovered.
In Boston.
And then you took off.
And then.
It became a different thing.
Because.
Then people realized.
That that was possible.
And so then.
There was a.
In the documentary.
At least.
There was this attitude.
Where a lot of guys had like.
Hey.
What about me.
Like.
Where's my.
Where's my thing.
How come it's not happening for me.
You know.
I'm a headliner.
I'm a this.
I'm a that.
That came.
Where a lot of guys were trying to make it now.
Do you remember that time.
I knew.
Later.
When.
When I heard about it.
After I had gone.
But.
I mean.
But.
We all wanted to.
Go on the TV.
Like.
I mean.
That.
Everyone wasn't doing it.
Just to.
Be doing it in Boston.
I wanted to.
Someday.
Go on TV.
I had no idea.
How.
I would.
Get there.
And then.
I got a lucky break.
Cause.
Peter LaSalle.
Came to Boston.
And he saw me in the club.
Cause.
There was an article.
About the Ding Ho.
A freelance writer.
Wrote about it.
And went into the.
L.A. Times.
This weird comedy club.
Chinese restaurant.
And then.
He read it.
And then he went.
Back east.
Looking at colleges.
For his kids.
Were getting out of.
High school.
They did a summer trip.
To Boston.
In New York.
To look at schools.
And he remembered the article.
He called up the club.
I'm going to go in.
And you know.
And then.
He saw me.
And then I.
Went.
Went on there.
So I got a very.
Lucky.
Lucky break.
But I know.
You're talking about.
Like.
I mean.
I was just.
Insanely.
Lucky.
But that.
Stan.
Fran's movie.
I mean.
He never even made a movie.
Before.
Right.
He never made a movie.
I know.
And that was a very interesting thing.
Because.
Say we were all rowers.
Like.
A row guy.
Is not going to make a movie.
He's not.
But a comedian.
A creative guy.
He's going to make a movie.
About.
The time.
You don't have a movie.
Of your.
Time in high school.
Or your.
Time in college.
We ha