by “Here and Now”: The Exercise That Makes You a Killer Observational Comic
Why It Works:
It trains you to mine humor from your immediate surroundings—just like the pros.
How to Do It:
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Stand at the mic and comment only on what’s happening right now (e.g., “Dave’s nodding like he gets it—he doesn’t”).
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If you slip into past/future tense (e.g., “I wore this shirt yesterday”), the audience yells “Here and now!” and steals the mic.
Pro Tip:
The best observational comics (like Seinfeld) use this skill to turn mundane details into relatable humor.
Use It For:
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Honing crowd work.
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Writing material about everyday life.
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Staying present during performances.
“Here and Now”: The Exercise That Makes You a Killer Observational Comic
Observational comics like John Mulaney excel at highlighting the unnoticed, and Here and Now sharpens that skill. The rule: You can only discuss what’s happening in the room right now—no anecdotes or hypotheticals. If you say, “This stool wobbles like my ex’s promises,” the audience shouts, “Here and now!” and steals the mic.
This forces you to live in the moment, a vital skill for handling hecklers or adjusting to crowd energy. For example, noticing someone’s phone light up could lead to, “Dave’s texting—probably Googling ‘how to fake laugh.’” The constraint breeds creativity; when you can’t rely on rehearsed material, you mine humor from raw reality.
Practice this at home by narrating your surroundings aloud (“My cat’s judging me like I canceled ‘Birdflix’”). Over time, you’ll develop a comedian’s hyper-awareness, turning grocery lines and subway rides into joke goldmines.
Originally posted 2025-05-22 17:48:05.
