Two Cents from a Stand-up Comedy Fan

It was just a little over two years ago, I said “I’m not a big fan of stand-up comedy”. Then suddenly you can find me at most of stand up comedy shows in Jadetabek. People outside this circle says I’m crazy about stand-up comedy because I watch so much of it, but if compared with others who might write “stand-up comedy addict” on his/her bio and @Standupindo_[his/her domicile] and comes to open mic night at least once a week, I’m no more than a shy spectator.

 

One Stand-up Night after another, several comics and “people inside the circle” start following me back on twitter, we start to talk and mention/reply/RT on twitter and in person. Suddenly I’m no longer a girl who only comes, enjoys the show, and leaves after it ends. I find myself mingling, talking to them in person without stages and chairs between us. In reality, it is no different than befriending other people, because they’re comics only when they’re on stage. Outside of it, we’re just a bunch of people around the same age, with common conversation topic.

 

I also find out that, mediocre comics sending DM to their female followers and try to sleep with them is not a myth. One thing that has not been confirmed is whether this kind of girl who says okay to whatever comics hitting on them, actually does exist. And although this kind of practice can be classified as a serious sexual harassment and can lead to a major scandal, I don’t take offense. When it comes to comics breaking their hearts, intentionally or not, is another topic for another day. It’s a challenge to be a female in this male-dominated group.

 

Then things inevitably get more complicated. Things are complicated because people are confused. The comics are confused, the fans are confused, people who are newcomers to this industry are confused, even sometimes TVs are confused. We are confused of many different things. Some comics get unprecedented amount of attention, and maybe money and other incentives. I know they love the attention and appreciation, but at the same time they start to draw lines, making boundaries between them and their fans. Consequences of this growing industry (or “art”, whatever), start to take effect for everyone in every aspect.

 

We start to hear terms like “social climber”, which according to them, means “people who think they’re friends with the comics, always around them and get the attention from other people, but have no real works/achievements”. One of the features of a social climber is always around those famous people, likes to mention them on twitter and enjoys the attention. They hate social climbers. Not to mention those who are “sok asik”, and “star syndrome”.

 

I don’t think I am one, but I don’t know if there is someone who thinks I am. I don’t need to clarify those things but sometimes I feel insecure about it. Why? Because people are mean. I care about my reputation. I don’t like being badmouthed for something I don’t do or I am not. And knowing there are many judgmental people or even haters. I can’t deny the insecurity. Every time I finish watching someone (on TV/movie/live), reading their books, funny tweets, or anything, I often feel reluctant to respond. If I tweet “hey, I really enjoyed that, good job”, will they feel motivated and appreciated, or the other way around: so annoyed?

 

Saying nice things to them already makes me nervous. Criticizing them needs extra courage and preparation, just in case it backfires.

 

“[I paid and drove 40 kms just to watch you perform], your set was disappointing.”

 

And get prepared to receive this kind of response, “Do you know how hard it is to write a set? You only sit and watch, you don’t know my effort and struggle.”

 

Clearly you don’t know my effort either. Not to mention my hopes and expectation towards you, my favorite comic.

 

 

As a fan, my homework is to be less insecure about other people's opinion and enjoy this art without worry and hesitation. And allow me to be sharp, I'm not the only one who has homework to do.

 

Comics care so much about originality and the effort to write. I totally agree. I feel angry too if a random instagram page steal their jokes and gets viral. They emphasize the importance of community, open mic, and discipline in writing. But yet, often they are already on their way to a paid gig/taping but they don’t know what to say. One day they preach about idealism and refusal to be whores for television giants, the other day you see them wearing silly costumes on TV.

 

In my opinion, things are starting to be too one-sided. Industry players don’t know, or don’t bother to find out what we want. We become selective, we label those into different categories, by TV, by age, by gender, by origins. In banking industry, there are board of commissioners, audit committee, and regulators to ensure this industry is healthy and beneficial for everybody. I think stand-up comedy needs one too, at least a focus group, consisting of people inside and outside the industry.

 

So complicated, huh? In reality, maybe it’s not that complicated. Or maybe it’s waaaay more complicated than this. I don’t know.

 

It needs big commitment to sustain something big. The bigger it gets, commitment will no longer be enough. It needs hard work to escalate or people will leave.

 

And the root of commitment? Consistency.

 

Be consistent. Once you’re consistent, be committed. Once you’re committed, escalate.

 

Thank you for entertaining us.

 

XOXO,

 

 

Jakarta, 15 February 2016

Cindy Kusuma