I don't do the mirror thing; maybe once or twice when I first started out. Ted Alexandro More Quotes by Ted Alexandro More Quotes From Ted Alexandro Comics definitely embody the importance of practicing free speech. Ted Alexandro free-speechimportancespeech Comedians can articulate some important and profound ideas that address a lot of the hypocrisy we're inundated with (in the media). Ted Alexandro mediahypocrisyideas A crowd is the only way to know if something works. Telling a friend or two doesn't matter. A crowd is what tells you what works or doesn't, so I'd rather go in front of them cold and see. Ted Alexandro crowdsmattertwo After twenty plus years of performing hundreds of shows a year, I prefer to try things out on stage rather than for friends. I don't see the benefit in that, really. Ted Alexandro twentiestryingyears Comedians have varying levels of training. It can range from classically trained actors (like Robin Williams) to people who took comedy classes to folks who just started doing it. That's the beauty of comedy: it's close to a pure meritocracy. Ted Alexandro trainingclasspeople If you're funny, you can find a stage to get on. If you're good, you'll start to get work and eventually get paid. Ted Alexandro paidstageifs Comedians are thinkers. The best ones are akin to philosophers, in my opinion. Ted Alexandro philosophercomedianopinion Not that that's the goal, but sometimes these funny insights can also be deeply profound. Ted Alexandro goalsometimesprofound I think the more you hone your voice, take risks and talk about things that matter, the better chance you have of getting into the realm of the philosophers of stand up. But you have to be funny. Ted Alexandro riskvoicethinking People don't come to a comedy club simply to hear someone's thoughts, no matter how profound. Ted Alexandro clubsprofoundpeople I don't know that I have a single comedy philosophy. But talking about things that matter to you is a good place to start. Listening is a big part of it, too. Ted Alexandro listeningtalkingphilosophy Listening to your own sets and listening to the audience as you perform. It's a conversation of sorts. There is an exchange. Ted Alexandro audiencelisteningconversation The more you perform, the more adept you get at the nuances of navigating that communal conversation. Ted Alexandro adeptnuanceconversation It's a constant process of bouncing ideas off of one another and intuitively arriving at the right decision in the moment. Ted Alexandro arrivingdecisionideas With a project like 'Teachers Lounge,' you're wearing a lot of hats, so it demands hard work and focus if you want to do it right. Ted Alexandro focushard-workteacher I don't think comics necessarily think in literary terms. There is an element of developing your stage persona and your comedic voice, but I don't think comics see it like a character in a novel. Ted Alexandro voicecharacterthinking I'll sit down for an hour or two a few days a week in a quiet place and brainstorm. The earlier in the day, the better, before the parade of distractions starts. Ted Alexandro distractionquiettwo I also do a certain amount of talking through material on stage, to see what happens and allow interesting ideas to manifest. Ted Alexandro talkingideasinteresting That heightened dynamic can produce interesting, funny ideas that are phrased in ways that surprise even you, as the performer. Ted Alexandro wayideasinteresting Like once we picked Jim Norton as the head of security, the writing flows pretty easily. Ted Alexandro securityflowwriting
