THE SKATEROOM’s Post

Last night, Jo Koy delivered one of the weakest award show monologues in the history of award shows. If you want to start your week being uncomfortable, you can watch it all below. There are a few things that us corporate folks can learn and apply to our own presentations: 1. NEVER BLAME ANYONE BUT YOURSELF. When the jokes weren't working, Koy threw the writers under the bus. The writers are historically, a group of people who write for award shows (among other things). This is what they do. Now, maybe they didn't write jokes that were in his wheelhouse. Maybe they weren't familiar with his style. It doesn't matter. You're the one on stage and you either have to set yourself up for success with some uncomfortable conversations before, or you have to be the pro you're supposed to be and find a way to save it when you're on stage. Trust me, if your slides aren't working, I'd be willing to bet it's your fault, not the crew's. 2. NEVER MAKE EXCUSES. At one point, Koy said that he only got the gig 10 days ago. No one cares. Do improvisers follow a weak scene with, "Hey, we're making this stuff up on the spot people, what do you expect??" No, they do not. A real pro doesn't make excuses for their microphone, lighting, or if they've been asked to cover for someone at the last minute. You do the presentation as if you were always meant to do it. 3. BE YOUR BRAND. I'm tired of people justifying bad comedy with, "People get so offended these days". I don't. I get offended by "not funny". Look, Louis CK can say certain things because he has spent a career building his brand so that you expect it. You know what Chris Rock is going to say. You know where Bill Burr will go. That's why Matt Rife tanked. It's not just that the joke wasn't funny, it was completely inconsistent with what people expected from him. Your on-stage persona isn't a different you, it's just a different version of you. 4. BE THE VOICE OF THE AUDIENCE. One could argue that in a room full of multimillionaires, it's impossible to punch down. But some people still have an identity that is tied to their personality, not their wealth. If you're going to make fun of Taylor Swift (not in the monologue), know that most people love her, respect her business acumen, and have always had a soft spot for her since the Kanye West debacle. You can make fun of her (or her presence in the NFL), but you have to follow it up with the voice of the audience. And THAT voice is thinking, "You're amazing. And it makes us happy to see you happy." I don't know Jo. I haven't really seen much of his stuff. I wish him success. Everyone has an off night. I certainly have had a few. His reputation won't be defined by that performance, it'll be defined by how he responds to it. I for one, am standing by.

Last night, Jo Koy delivered one of the weakest award show monologues in the history of award shows. If you want to start your week being uncomfortable, you can watch it all below. There are a few things that us corporate folks can learn and apply to our own presentations: 1. NEVER BLAME ANYONE BUT YOURSELF. When the jokes weren't working, Koy threw the writers under the bus. The writers are historically, a group of people who write for award shows (among other things). This is what they do. Now, maybe they didn't write jokes that were in his wheelhouse. Maybe they weren't familiar with his style. It doesn't matter. You're the one on stage and you either have to set yourself up for success with some uncomfortable conversations before, or you have to be the pro you're supposed to be and find a way to save it when you're on stage. Trust me, if your slides aren't working, I'd be willing to bet it's your fault, not the crew's. 2. NEVER MAKE EXCUSES. At one point, Koy said that he only got the gig 10 days ago. No one cares. Do improvisers follow a weak scene with, "Hey, we're making this stuff up on the spot people, what do you expect??" No, they do not. A real pro doesn't make excuses for their microphone, lighting, or if they've been asked to cover for someone at the last minute. You do the presentation as if you were always meant to do it. 3. BE YOUR BRAND. I'm tired of people justifying bad comedy with, "People get so offended these days". I don't. I get offended by "not funny". Look, Louis CK can say certain things because he has spent a career building his brand so that you expect it. You know what Chris Rock is going to say. You know where Bill Burr will go. That's why Matt Rife tanked. It's not just that the joke wasn't funny, it was completely inconsistent with what people expected from him. Your on-stage persona isn't a different you, it's just a different version of you. 4. BE THE VOICE OF THE AUDIENCE. One could argue that in a room full of multimillionaires, it's impossible to punch down. But some people still have an identity that is tied to their personality, not their wealth. If you're going to make fun of Taylor Swift (not in the monologue), know that most people love her, respect her business acumen, and have always had a soft spot for her since the Kanye West debacle. You can make fun of her (or her presence in the NFL), but you have to follow it up with the voice of the audience. And THAT voice is thinking, "You're amazing. And it makes us happy to see you happy." I don't know Jo. I haven't really seen much of his stuff. I wish him success. Everyone has an off night. I certainly have had a few. His reputation won't be defined by that performance, it'll be defined by how he responds to it. I for one, am standing by.

Have you ever wondered what it means to live “in-between” two worlds/lives/countries/routines? Here’s a real behind-the-scenes of my life. Thank you for this opportunity Sara Pinotti and for everyone who wants to live in between, follow the newsletter and reach out to Sara if you want to be part of this project! Link in ENG and ITA in the comments 😉

The Buckingham Murders is hansal mehta's second international project (Gandhi is work-in-progress). Had a lovely chat with him soon after its release. Here is the first part of the chat. The second will appear in Janine Stein's ContentAsia. With thanks to Aaron Mistry https://lnkd.in/dkcPadms