The Art of Ending Things
How great entertainment sticks the landing.
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Theres no right way to close a stand-up comedy set.
Some comedians go with what they believe is their strongest bit, while others go for their longest.
In the 80s into the 90s.
I think comics particularly had extremely modular sets full of short jokes and put the strongest one last.
Here are their picks for best closers.
I saw her grow and just become the greatest.
I picked this bit because it really shows the whole scope of the problem with stand-up comedy clubs.
She channels a horrible female comic from that time period.
When I started in comedy, it was so closed and so rigid.
A lot of the comedy was based on a woman who couldnt really say what was going on.
They would be relying on sex or a persona.
Maria goes right to sex and then she goes, Im a husk.
I cant feel my hands!
then Men are from Mars, women want their penis.
I dont feel good!
Then how shed be back at the Comfort Inn, wounding herself.
That voice: Long sleeves, ladies, right?
That would be the way someone who hurt themselves would admit it to a mainstream stand-up comedy crowd.
Youre getting her commenting on her life as shes doing a hack act, having a breakdown onstage.
My style, well, Im guilty of a lot of self-sabotage.
So, I ended up with, Good night, you sons of bitches!
I didnt know this, but I kind of got some street cred for it.
Because thats really kind of how comics can feel:Thanks a lot.
You didnt get me as much as I wanted you to, so go fuck yourself.
All right, folks!
I never could do my act where I have the same closer all the time.
But the thing thats great about Marias: Its such a good, natural ending to any show.
I just love her.
I should know who you are.
So, one of my favorite closers is Joel Kim Boosters joke Pony.
Basically, the punchline is his dad saying, Whats he going to become?
and Joels response is, Is that a profession?
Its such a beautiful moment of queer comedy, where the most powerful part isnt the sadness.
Comedy should be about the resilience of the human spirit, to me.
Its about,Here are all of these hard things, but its okay.
Every time, after you listen to that joke, you know everythings gonna be okay.
Thats one of a comedians jobs.
The initial joke was so funny that the nonverbal act-out he does gets an applause break.
He very well couldve ended it on that, but he keeps going.
Its not the goal, but the fact that this exists organically is proof of mastery.
ChappellesBird Revelationis interesting as a case study.
Hes another master of the art.
I think Neal Brennan called Dave Chappelle the most naturally talented orator hes ever seen.
Hes using it as a parable for show business.
The audience trusts him so much that theyre willing to allow him to do a book report.
He doesnt connect the dots for you, and thats really cool.
I think the best comedy is jokes where the audience makes the connections themselves.
The closer connects to something youve been talking about in your routine.
Its not necessary any joke can be a closer.
you’re able to close on something random, and great stand-up specials do it.
So this is kind of like taking a step further.
Its a spiderweb it goes in 10,000 directions, and every direction has another direction coming off of it.
Im jealous of it, and for comics, thats a sign that its an amazing bit.
Sams is much different.
Hes not dirty as an act, but he was like, This is a little gross, right?
I said, I dont know, man.
Go up there and see what they think.
Your breasts have been somewhat of a comedic blind spot.
The only intention of Sams bit is for it to be funny.
A lot of people are closing on politics or tragedy and all that.
That can work, and some of its really great.
Seans is pretty personal in the OCD thing, even though its lunacy.
I like that Sams is just very, very funny.
The way the audience reacts is truly magical.
People stand up and run around.
It is unexpected, and its so fucking funny.
The whole special is like, Im such a fucking lady, but shes also using profanity.
Its this beautiful juxtaposition aboutWhat are women even supposed to be?
What does it mean to be such a lady?Then she closes with that, and its perfect.
The funniest part of your set has to be like the last two seconds.
You have to end at the top of the fucking mountain.
Because then its just likeYes!and you fucking drop the mic.
If the last thing you say isnt a huge hit, then why is that your closer?
Sometimes people start with a solid opener, and youre like,Oh, lets tuck in.
This is gonna be a real treat.But then they close, and youre like,Huh.
Okay, whatever.Its like you didnt come.
You didnt get fucking fully serviced.
You did a bunch of foreplay, and nobody came.
And Gary, he definitely seemed more observational before.
In one of his specials, hegoes into a bit about cookiesfor, like, ever.
Hes touchy about all the different cookies.
Its really funny, but its not so personal.
Hes become more and more personal, and I connect to that.
Some comics stay observational their whole careers, and if theyre really good writers, thats fine.
I enjoy that too.
But I enjoy personal aspects because I feel more invested in their story.
With Gary, hes got both.
Hes got the really well-crafted jokes, and then he has the stories.
I think the best comedy is when only that person can tell that joke.
You cant make that up at all.
You know that happened.
Sometimes, his voice kind of quivers a little or something feels difficult to say.
You feel like,Oh, this isnt easy for him.
Ending on a sound is so interesting.
Do you know the60 Minutessound?
That feeling that life happens every single day, its just so funny.
It captures how somebody who has battled depression would feel.
What more do you gotta say?
Then the closer wraps up the album perfectly.
When you listen to the whole album, you really recognize how masterful and well-crafted it is.
With the album and this closer, Laurie gives us permission to have all the feelings we have.
Its validating in the way that the best kind of comedy is.
Its brutal and so funny.
Its him and Maria Bamford who are the best.
Theres a conceit:This is art.
Of course, youll want to know what I was thinking.
Of course, youll want to know how I thought of it.
And it is so long.
You have to appreciate when someones closer is 20 minutes long.
Youre like,Are you still talking?
He answers the door and the missionary says, Jesus is the answer.
What is the question?
And theyre like, No.
And he says, Can I guess again?
Finish the damn joke!
It was literally maddening and awesome.
So, how long the closer is the guts of it as well.
Its the audacity and the ability.
Hes testing himself and his audience.
Thats hard to do.
