On Friday Jan 15, 2009, I got the opportunity to interview comedian Ritch Shydner, the host and narrator  for the new stand-up comedy documentary “I Am Comic” (directed by Jordan Brady) which will be premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival later this month.

The recording of the almost 19 minute interview is provided below. And I will tell you this—you will be hard pressed to find another comedian on the planet who is as passionate about the art of stand-up comedy as Ritch Shydner.  Click here for a short list of the all-star comedians featured in I Am Comic.

So that you are able to put a face to the voice in the interview, here’s a clip from stand-up comedy documentary I Am Comic that features Ritch in the very first scene, talking about the Internet:

Probably one of the most important parts of this interview comes when I asked Ritch how stand-up comedy had changed, since he interviewed and talked with dozens of comedians at all levels in the business.

And that important part is about the need for comedians to actively market themselves because of the competitive nature of stand-up comedy.

But also keep this in mind as you listen to the interview…

Ritch’s viewpoint is influenced from his years in LA, both as a great stand-up comedian, but also as an accomplished comedy writer in Hollywood who has worked with countless comedians over the course of his career.

NOTE: There are plenty of lucrative opportunities for comedians outside the Los Angeles or New York City areas in markets outside the comedy club market. But the need for marketing is a constant for any comedy performer no matter where they live.

Here’s my interview with Ritch Shydner, host and narrator of the new stand-up documentry I Am Comic:

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Run Time:
19 Minutes

I think you will find my interview with Ritch Shydner fast paced, interesting and revealing. And we do talk a little bit about my Comedy Evaluator Pro software, since it is featured in I Am Comic.

Ritch gives an honest assessment of the software and talks about one application of the software that he does not think would be favorable – having comedy clubs or booking entities select comedians solely on their PAR Score.

I would have to agree 100%. The software is a tool that can only be used to measure and quantify laughter generation — nothing more. Comedians will always need to be reviewed for content and showmanship for booking purposes.

I think you will really like my interview with Ritch Shydner, host and narrator of I Am Comic, which premieres on Jan 27 at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, UT. Thanks a TON to Ritch Shydner for the great interview!

Please leave your comments on my blog below once you have listened to the interview. If you have questions that you would like me to ask Ritch in a future interview about stand-up comedy or I Am Comic, include those as well.

Cheers,
Steve Roye
The Professor of Funny for Money

About the Author/Founder of The Stand-up Comedy Professional

Steve Roye is the author of the Killer Stand-up Comedy System and author of the content made available in the Comedy Pro Membership Program available on this site.

Over the past decade, Steve has established himself as a leading, globally recognized expert in the field of stand-up comedy material development, delivery and entertainment business strategies for comedy entertainers as well as speaking professionals.

For more information about Steve, please check out the About The Author section on this site.