What SHOULD LCS be like?

[Krom]

Okay, most of us are unhappy. Scandal. Producers with suspicious picks and fiduciary relationships to contestants. Suspicious editing and spin-control. The illusion that celeb. talent scouts have input stripped away. The illusion that WE have input stripped away too--since we only get to vote at the end.

What SHOULD LCS be? If the show was taken on by new producers and rebuilt from the ground up how should it be run?

Try and be specific if possible. We all know we want generic things like "honesty" or "for the funniest person to win". Also, if possible try and be realistic in scope.

[CashMoneySoviet]

Okay, most of us are unhappy. Scandal. Producers with suspicious picks and fiduciary relationships to contestants. Suspicious editing and spin-control. The illusion that celeb. talent scouts have input stripped away. The illusion that WE have input stripped away too--since we only get to vote at the end.

What SHOULD LCS be? If the show was taken on by new producers and rebuilt from the ground up how should it be run?

Try and be specific if possible. We all know we want generic things like "honesty" or "for the funniest person to win". Also, if possible try and be realistic in scope.

LCS should just be about the fans, I think that the show shoulda been live like American Idol and the fans would watch the stand ups then call in after the show and the winners are presented the next night. Thats my vision of a perfect LCS lol

[toque]

LCS should just be about the fans, I think that the show shoulda been live like American Idol and the fans would watch the stand ups then call in after the show and the winners are presented the next night. Thats my vision of a perfect LCS lol

I think part of the problem with american Idol is the 3 judges (ergo.. the producers) got to pick who was in the final 32. I think that is basically the same problem with LCS.

I think anyone, pro or non, should be allowed to compete. They should have a panel of 8 celebrity judges, some involved with comedy, some not.
After it gets down to the final 10, the process should run the same as it did last year.

[AJane]

You know, my first reaction was, "Well, it should be like AI or Survivor, just an open casting call to whoever wants in". Now that I've given it some thought, I don't know how much different they could have made it.

I still don't like the shady way that Drew Carey, Brett Butler, and Anthony Clark were (apparently) duped (although to be honest, those 3 are veterans of the business plus they have agents, managers, and various staff to guide and advise them, so I'm a little surprised that they seemed so shocked and infuriated at the producers). Anyway, I'm pretty confident that Drew, Brett and Anthony know funny when they see it, and it would have been nice if they had been given the total say in who went to the house.

My point is, a stand-up comic routine is a craft - you can be a hilarious and entertaining person to your friends and family, but that doesn't mean you'll make a great comic. You have to go with the comics that have experience performing, that have a routine, a persona, a schtick, whatever. And when you get people who are performers, of course they have agents and managers and such...and I'm totally guessing since I know nothing about show business, but I would imagine that certain agents would *specialize* in representing comedians, so the fact that some of the contestants may share an agent with an established professional performer is not that odd.

As for the editing, hey, that's reality TV. Spin-control? Some do it better than others, it's not the first reality TV scandal, NBC just did it clumsily and obviously.

It can't be an AI type of show, where you can get some kid who's been singing in front of his mirror with a hairbrush for a microphone who's this great undiscovered talent. It won't work that way for comedy.

That's being realistic, as far as I'm concerned.

[Daddio]

It can't be an AI type of show, where you can get some kid who's been singing in front of his mirror with a hairbrush for a microphone who's this great undiscovered talent. It won't work that way for comedy.

Why do you think that AJ? A lot of people have also echoed that same sentiment and I dont fully understand why.

IMHO i see plenty of parrellels:

* AI contestants sing professionally written songs.
* LCS comics mostly perform professionally written jokes.

* AI contestants work on their body language, their image, the way they phrase a song, use of dramatic pause, facial features to express emotion.
* LCS comics work on their body language, their image, the way they phrase a joke, use of dramatic pause, facial features to express emotion.

* AI contestants are performing solo, in front of a crowd, in front of judges, the spotlight is solely on them.
* LCS comics are performing solo, in front of a crowd, in front of judges, the spotlight is solely on them.

* AI contestants work for years to hone their craft, singing lessons, dancing lessons, acting lessions and often use open mic nights and other live performace opportunities to practice being in front of a crowd.
* LCS comics work for years to hone their craft, vocal lessons, acting lessons, and often use open mic nights and small club performances to practice their material in front of a live crowd.

The only difference I can see is that LCS comics just have that much more paying stage experience and insider connections opening doors for them.

I am sure there are scores of funny people waiting to be discovered. NBC chose to simply tap a very small portion of the available comic market for this competition. AI seems more sincere in making their casting calls truly "open".

The AI out-takes we are shown are proof that they have to weed out plenty of people who are no where near ready before they have a contestant pool ready for the next round.

LCS held a handful of auditions - many by invite - and some towns like Chicago, only had one finalist. They knew who they wanted from the beginning. They never even really tried to look for quality undiscovered talent.

[MisterV619]

The way this season has turned out has not only left some of the comics feeling bitter and betrayed, but also the fans watching on TV as well. Half the finalist were not worthy in my opinion and some very good comics were left behind. If the producers felt so strong about the comics they chose to advance, they should have done a better job of editing the show's broadcast to make these comics look stronger. From what was broadcasted, the talent that was chosen to advance looks marginal compared to those not chosen. I think the fans should be allowed to vote. How about AI or survivor type of voting? Or a combination of fan voting and contestant voting ala survivor and big brother.

[totalwreckage]

I think it should be the producers job to get the 20 candidates they would like to see in the house to Vegas, and from that 20 the Celebrity Judges who usually know a great deal about comedy should be responsible for picking the 10 best performances they saw.

[totalwreckage]

and picking Pescatelli over Naturman was ridiculous. I didnt laugh at one of her jokes. Ant with his charity votes as well, he wasnt funny in season one or season 2. I would have much rather seen Monty in there.

[Daddio]

If the producers felt so strongly about the comics they chose to advance, they should have done a better job of editing the show's broadcast to make these comics look stronger. From what was broadcast, the talent that was chosen to advance looks marginal compared to those not chosen.

That was another strange bit of enlightenment we received from the producer last night when he said - "The comics aren't being judged on comedy, we are casting a tv show" that is paraphrasing but that was the gist of his comments. They are basically looking for the person with the best all round combination of looks, charisma, star quality, marketability, how they will play in Peoria and comedy as well. (lookin' good for Gary AJ! )

IMHO, you do that behind the scenes in board rooms and at power meetings and via tele-confrences, via audition reels and scouting. Not on national TV in the guise of a competition. That is how I feel. I know many people feel its enough that a show is entertaining no matter its spirit. And that is cool too.

[AJane]

* AI contestants sing professionally written songs.
* LCS comics mostly perform professionally written jokes.

The AI contestants are very often not songwriters as well as performers, but the comics ARE performing their own material, unless I'm gravely mistaken. If they're not, that D.C. guy better not be paying his writer very much.

* AI contestants work on their body language, their image, the way they phrase a song, use of dramatic pause, facial features to express emotion.
* LCS comics work on their body language, their image, the way they phrase a joke, use of dramatic pause, facial features to express emotion.
* AI contestants work for years to hone their craft, singing lessons, dancing lessons, acting lessions and often use open mic nights and other live performace opportunities to practice being in front of a crowd.
* LCS comics work for years to hone their craft, vocal lessons, acting lessons, and often use open mic nights and small club performances to practice their material in front of a live crowd.

Yes, but I've seen plenty of kids on the Idol shows go in front of the judges, nervous and trembling, and still can belt out a song and prove themselves a huge talent. Stand-up comedy isn't just a matter of a gift from God talent-wise, the comics work hard at their acts, and for a long time. In addition, the LCS contestants are almost all at least aged 30+. You can't compare them to a 16-year-old Diana Degarmo.

* AI contestants are performing solo, in front of a crowd, in front of judges, the spotlight is solely on them.
* LCS comics are performing solo, in front of a crowd, in front of judges, the spotlight is solely on them.

Sure, no argument there, but the act of performing itself isn't an issue. Some are better than others, but as someone said in another thread, different people have different ideas of funny. I'm not a fan of divas, but I can appreciate Fantasia Barrino is an enormously talented singer.

I am sure there are scores of funny people waiting to be discovered. NBC chose to simply tap a very small portion of the available comic market for this competition.

I agree absolutely. However, the network's definition of *undiscovered* talent just seems to be people who aren't well-known to the public.

The AI outtake portions are funny because they're bad...problem is, a comic who's NOT funny is just bad.