There’s a reason why he’s considered the comedian’s comedian. His deadpan delivery is a perfect blend of subverting joke structure and just perfect timing.
I’m on board with that fully. I think the best thing I’ve ever seen of his is the moth joke.
And, I think part of my view of him was “too flat” was because he works best when he’s playing off of someone that gets it. Working just for a camera, or a crowd, he doesn’t have the same delivery as he does when it’s smaller scale. He’s still deadpan, but it’s “alive” in a way I’m not sure how to describe.
Obviously, since this came up, I’ve been casually watching stuff again. And that’s the impression I get, that when he’s able to play to people rather than a camera or generic crowd, there’s something in the way he moves that changes. The stuff that has me laughing like a loon is when he’s connected to someone, or a small group, like when he was reading jokes at the roast.
I agree with the other comment, he was the natural successor to the kind of thing Kaufman was so good at. I really just wish I’d seen more of that side of him as a viewer as opposed to the SNL stuff which is a totally different vibe.
There’s a reason why he’s considered the comedian’s comedian. His deadpan delivery is a perfect blend of subverting joke structure and just perfect timing.
Norm gets how comedy and jokes work in a way that anyone who isn’t a comedian or isn’t a student of comedy wouldn’t understand.
In the end, Norm was Kaufmans heir. He understood that all comedy is based on subversion, but that even that has to fold in on itself.
I’m on board with that fully. I think the best thing I’ve ever seen of his is the moth joke.
And, I think part of my view of him was “too flat” was because he works best when he’s playing off of someone that gets it. Working just for a camera, or a crowd, he doesn’t have the same delivery as he does when it’s smaller scale. He’s still deadpan, but it’s “alive” in a way I’m not sure how to describe.
Obviously, since this came up, I’ve been casually watching stuff again. And that’s the impression I get, that when he’s able to play to people rather than a camera or generic crowd, there’s something in the way he moves that changes. The stuff that has me laughing like a loon is when he’s connected to someone, or a small group, like when he was reading jokes at the roast.
I agree with the other comment, he was the natural successor to the kind of thing Kaufman was so good at. I really just wish I’d seen more of that side of him as a viewer as opposed to the SNL stuff which is a totally different vibe.