The Rorschach Test - Blog

June 8th, 2009 by Dave Musson
This blogger followed events as they happened during the first Twitcom gig.

T(w)itter
Something very interesting is happening in the world of comedy this evening.
For the first time, a gig, of sorts, will be taking place on Twitter.
It begins in little over 10 minutes and information including line up, comedian pages etc can be found here.
The gig will feature Mark Watson and Pappy's Fun Club (who listeners of Jon Richardson's 6Music show will be familiar with) as well as some of the most promising talent in British comedy.
Follow @tweetcomedyclub.
Could be good, could be shit - and probably will be - but still, worth a go.
Enjoy!
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Twitter comedy So far so good.

Tiernandouieb is comparing, delivered some thoroughly rib tickling one liners and first on stage Matt Kirshen has kicked off with a couple of stormers like, "So I was in a limbo competition and the music started "How low, can you go?" I said "I once stole a dialysis machine".

More to follow...
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Twitter comedy

A great set there from Matt Kirshen. Now it's Rob Heeney. Slightly contentious start but banging out the jokes, even if a little dubious on subject matter. Seems a bit more laddish than your average stand up.

Much of the gig so far has been one liners given the limited space for typing. Kirshen tried to tell a story and didn't have time to finish because of the constraints. Still good stuff though.

Heeney's highlights so far, "My mum only sees the positive in people ... which ultimately cost her her job as an HIV tester", "I'm a bit thick. I used to think a mongoose was a swan with special needs .. I thought it had Eider-down syndrome" and, so bad it's good, "I saw a Vampire kettle the other day. Grrr ... that really makes my blood boil!".

However, much of it is falling pretty flat at the moment.

Big problem with how to get across the timing and delivery aspects on here, as well as picking up traces of irony etc.

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Twitter comedy
Carl Donnelly has just started by linking us to a five minute YouTube clip of his stand up material. Inventive, but feel a little cheated.

And has promptly finished his set. Disappointing but does point out the struggles with such an idea.

Following on the hashtag is proving very hard. Delayed and followers bunging it up with rubbish. Best to just watch comedians' pages and keep tapping F5.

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Twitter comedy - Intermission
Half way through the night, largely pretty successful thus far I'd say.

Currently on a 10 minute break.

Few teething problems in terms of how best to keep track of it all. I'm convinced the Hashtags approach isn't working. Especially as @tweckler keeps having a pop at every opportunity and other spammers are clogging it all up. Best to follow comics direct I feel.

Most of the comics have been very good, especially Mitch Benn, who managed to pull off his usually musical approach to comedy with great aplomb. Have a look at his feed to find out how, it's pretty special. Best of the night so far as far as I am concerned.

Much more inventive and amusing than @carldonnelly's attempt, which seems to become more and more arrogant and lazy with every second that I think about it.

More thoughts and reaction on the way.
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Twitter Comedy - Part II

Unrelenting one liners from @GaryDelaney. All real quality so far.

"Jimmy Saville has been receiving hate mail. Apparently one letter was on the start of it."
"If you're dying from an epilectic fit does your life flash in front of your eyes? Because that wouldn't help."
"I used to run the Iranian branch of Madame Taussaud's but it was almost impossible to make a prophet."
I could go on. Top stuff :)

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Twitter Comedy

Second up in the second half is Terry Saunders. A much more conventional stand up affair. Long story about a trip to the doctors with punch line the rewards at the end of a drawn out setting up (if you've ever heard the one about the guy who goes to see a fortune teller at the fair you'll be in for a treat). Separates it up well within the 140 character bursts. Just as if it were a real gig, but with added bonus of pictorial and audio aides via yfrog.com and spotify.
Felt like he was including the audience rather than just hitting them with one liners. Was very well executed in the telling but the punch line was a bit of a squib. Although I'm not sure the punch line that was delivered could ever be funny, the humour was more in the story itself.

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Sketchy one
Pappy's Fun Club up next. A four strong sketch comedy outfit. This should be interesting. Funny guys, I've heard them before, but sketches on Twitter... :s
And with all of them tweeting together this could get confusing.
Seems to be going ok so far. Making use of twitpic and keeping their tweets short. Seems to be keeping to clear.
Excellent work on a pitch for a horror film, "We're pitching for a horror movie. It's called Things That Are Only Scary For A Short Amount Of Time...Here are a few scene ideas! You'll shriek but then instantly recover...Thinking you've seen the ghost of a headless monk in your room when actually it's a dressing gown on a hook...Thinking you've lost your phone when actually you're talking on it...Overhearing a parent telling off a child with the same name as you..."
Great ideas. Only second real laugh out loud of the night so far. MitchBenn being the other.
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Last but not least
TV's Mark Watson. You know, him off the pear cider adverts and that quiz thing with Tim Key off of Charlie Brooker's shows.

Ominous..."My plan is to run through some of most popular old gags, 'greatest hits' if you will. Then a bit of an interlude. Then some experiments."
Third piece of genuine laughter all night, out loud and everything, thanks to Watson's first offering, "I'm amazed they are allowed to promote Yorkie by saying 'IT'S NOT FOR GIRLS'. Imagine if it was 'SNICKERS - NOT FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

"Or: 'NUTRI-GRAIN: JEWS CAN BACK OFF".

It's currently a full on LOLfest.
I'm going to stick my neck out and say that tonight's little venture has been a rousing success (not an arousing success, that'd be weird).
Iron out a few technical difficulties and find a way to stop spammers blocking up the feeds and it should be something to do in the future. Doesn't beat being at a gig in person though. With it being written, as I mentioned earlier, tone, irony etc are hard to detect. Will be important for those following the gig and any future ones to be aware of comedians' style so as to avoid any Sachsgate type incidents.