Louis C.K. says that comedy is a spoken art and that the words should come from your speech center, not from writing them down. He explains that when you write jokes down, you're using your hand to write, your eyes to read, and then your mouth to say them, which disrupts the natural flow of the material. He believes that the best comedy comes from the moment, from the interaction between the comedian and the audience.
He also discusses the importance of being present in the moment during a performance. He says that if you're thinking about the size of the audience or how well you're doing, you're not focused on the material. He emphasizes that the comedian should be focused on the material itself, on the ideas and feelings that he or she wants to convey to the audience.
Louis C.K. has a unique process for writing comedy that involves minimal pre-writing and relies heavily on improvisation and audience interaction. Here's a breakdown of his approach:
Minimal Pre-Writing: Louis avoids traditional joke writing, such as sitting down at a computer and crafting material. Instead, he focuses on jotting down single words or short phrases that spark ideas. These serve as triggers for on-stage improvisation. Writing is research/journaling, not preemptive/formal joke writing. Writing jokes offstage comes out “writer”.
On-Stage Development: Louis believes comedy is best developed in front of a live audience. He uses the stage as a laboratory, experimenting with ideas and refining them based on audience reactions. This iterative process allows him to discover what works and what doesn't.
Self-Reflection: Listening to recordings allows Louis to analyze his performance and identify areas where he can improve. He may notice pacing issues, repetitive jokes, or missed opportunities for audience engagement.
Material Development: Sometimes, Louis will listen to recordings in search of material for future performances. He may stumble upon a joke or observation that he forgot about or didn't fully develop at the moment.
Overall, Louis C.K.'s philosophy on comedy is that it's a living, breathing thing that evolves in the moment and never veers from its center as a spoken art (the process is unadulterated). He believes that the best comedy comes from a place of authenticity and connection and that the comedian's job is to be present and responsive to the audience.