A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting the fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy. A female comedian may be known as a comedienne although this usage has been deprecated in recent years. A comedian who stands and addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comedian.

Since the mid-1980s, a new wave of comedy, called alternative comedy, has been gaining popularity and delighting audiences with its offbeat style. This normally involves more experiential, or observational, reporting to get a laugh. Famous comedians often overstep the mark of what the public perceive as acceptable, such as the remarks made by Billy Connolly about the killing of Ken Bigley.

Formats of a comedian's show are flexible and often depend on the type of comedy. Some comedians such as Brian Figarol speak about their own day to day lives, while others like Frank Skinner sing humorous songs.

As far as content is concerned, comedians such as Tommy Tiernan draw on their background to poke fun at themselves, while others such as Bill Hicks have strong political and cultural undertones.

Many comics achieve a cult following while touring famous comedy hubs such as Montreal in Canada, Edinburgh in Scotland and Melbourne in Australia. Often a comic's career is made when they win a notable comedy prize, such as Perrier Award. Comics survive by continuous touring and foray into other areas of entertainment, when they have become famous. These include television (such as with Rowan Atkinson), films (such as with Chris Rock) and the usual release of DVDs of live shows.

Two common illnesses among comics are ADHD and depression (often bipolar depression which encompasses extreme mood swings), which can explain a comic's desire to be noticed and accepted. Famous comedian Jim Carrey went public about his bouts with depression in a 60 Minutes interview.

See also

• Comedy genres
• List of comedians
• Humor
• Comedy
• Stand-up comedy
• Humorist
• Banned list
• List of musical comedians

External links

• http://onetrickpony.ws/interviews - A collection of interviews with standup comedians.

Entertainment occupations Comedy

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