You Are Clearly Smart

Someone came up to at a show recently and said that to me. And it’s true. I am. It’s more of a burden than a curse. LOL.

She was impressed with my joke writing and “crowd work”, which was just me responding to someone who dropped a glass and apologized to me. She asked about my background and since it was a show where I did not bring up that I was a lawyer on stage. WhenI told her and immediately her and her daughter who was with her looked at each other, as if they bet on it.

It’s hard for my sense of humor not to be affected by my educational background. As a lawyer, I wrote often and had to condense many briefs to avoid being long-winded or wordy, which judges and their clerks hate. I had a boss tell me to get to the point after I handed him a 3 page letter summarizing a status hearing at court for a client. His edits made the letter 2 paragraphs. 

Comedy is all about cutting the fat and getting to the point. We need laughs and punches every 30 seconds so details that are not necessary get cut. I think my writing does that. As for delivery, I was trained to adjust to anything so if I have to react to something, I will and am able to roll with the punches. 

On a podcast, I recently said (somewhat jokingly) that I am usually the smartest person in the room. It has led to conversations in green rooms and my Why Are You Awake Podcast to talk about ACT/SAT scores with other comedians. And yes, I know that scholastic test scores or degrees don’t properly measure intelligence, but it’s a good start. And I happen to have done really well on my LSAT and have a law degree from what was once a prestigious law school.