The Worst Thing in Stand Up - And How to Fix It

The cutaway is the bane of recorded stand up. False, forced and inauthentic it can derail an otherwise great experience. But can we fix it? Yes... I think we can.
For educational purposes only. You can donate or support the channel at:
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Nick Helm, Live at the Apollo article:
www.chortle.co.uk/news/2015/1...
Laugh Track Article:
www.chortle.co.uk/news/2020/0...
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[@thegrinderman1090]

The parody cutaways in the Eric Andre Show are fantastic too.

[@levimcglinchey5843]

It's twice as irritating when it's a celebrity in the crowd, happens a lot here in the UK. 'famous people enjoy it and they're famous, so their opinion matters!'

[@thefaminewolf7989]

I notice that a lot at the Apollo shows. I’m not here to see if they like it, I’m here for the comedian!

[@levimcglinchey5843]

Worst example I can think of was Andy Murray during a Mock The Week episode. After every. fucking. gag.

[@WildMike1234]

Spot on. I've been saying this exactly for years.

[@BarryNorton]

Sad that this missed Richard Herring's easter egg, mocking the practice: in every live DVD there's a cut to himself in the audience.

[@OnChords]

Richard herring is such great comedian.

[@trevorfeelgood]

That's Tim Vine

[@kenlieck7756]

@@trevorfeelgood Hmmm... It does sound more like a Vine gag. No reason they both couldn’t have done it though.

[@stephenhall2980]

The absolute worst is when a comedian makes a racially sensitive joke and immediately cut to a minority audience member laughing.'it's ok,look,see the black/Asian person is laughing so it's not racist... honestly'

[@hectormugwump5530]

Aaah mate. I was looking for this comment before posting it myself. The insincerity of it turns my stomach. You get edits featuring cuts to all manner of different types of people with this one. Whether it's "single mum," "person of colour," "celebrity," "chav" or whatever it's always really uncomfortable to watch.

[@nadya6295]

-And especially bad if the person wasn't actually laughing at that joke in the clip they used.

[@ewanmcfadyen]

Tim Vine has a belter in his "So I Said To This Bloke..." stand up DVD where he cuts away to himself asleep in the audience

[@PatrickMcF]

"Your two stamps short of a coffee!" That's my new line to replace, "The lights are on but there's nobody home!" Provided not by a comedian, but an audience member, unrehearsed and 'off the cuff' . True ❤️ classic.

[@AA-hg5fk]

"As far as I'm concerned..."

[@PedroMata]

Hey man. I'm a Stand-Up comedian, I just discoved this channel through your James Acaster videos due to it being your most watched. However, all your other videos are just as fantastic. They are really well layed out and researched. As huge a Stand-Up fan I have consumed thousands of hours of material and yet you still managed to insutfully teach me about topics which alter the way I see. Thank you very much and I hope this comment helps the algorithm.

[@anthonyholroyd5359]

Well I'll give it to you straight, like a pear cider that's made from 100% pears . . . That was a pretty thorough and well done video :P

[@adampowers6423]

Nice ref

[@sir-twix-a-lot9461]

I don't really think it was aimed at me, so I disliked it to the max

[@jameslang7722]

This comments section has really let itself go

[@Wheeelie402]

Hello from a couple of years in the future! While watching Midnight Porridge I was absolutely transported into the room where you were doing your seated set. It’s the one location without any other people in frame and it’s also at the most intimate point. It’s beautiful, and I hurt the way I think I should when I am there with you. You are so immensely talented.

[@iMbenjee]

Bo was ahead of the game

[@jf3130]

I never found anything wrong with the cutaways. Never knew they were filmed at random. So, some ignorance is bliss

[@kenlieck7756]

I think that applies to most viewers. I’m an insider and it doesn’t even bother me in most cases.

[@jimrustle270]

They always annoyed me a bit, but I never really gave them any more thought that that.

[@thomassweeney1877]

Another really great quality video! Your channel feels like it should be a lot bigger than it is, because your writing, editing, and voice over are spot on. Keep it up!

[@gearmonix165]

Really glad to see another video from your channel! I didn’t know if you were going to be motivated to do another one after your other video got taken down, so it’s great to see this in my inbox. Keep it up!

[@levimcglinchey5843]

What was the subject matter of said vid?

[@gearmonix165]

Levi McGlinchey “How Bill Burr plays with the Mic” or something like that. It’s still on his channel, but has much less views then the rest of his vids due to how it got taken down multiple times. You should watch it though, it’s one of his best ones imo.

[@levimcglinchey5843]

Ah yeah, seen that. Just thought I was missing out on one.

[@katie631]

These videos are fantastic, really well written and edited, thank you for making them!

[@deferencetodusk]

Netflix is especially known for this, a friend went to a comedian's show that was recorded for netflix. Netflix will book the same locations for a few comics specials. She showed up as a cutaway in a completely different comic's special. This is why they do what you note about halfway through, where you can't really see the audience and the comic at the same time for most of their specials.

[@serena3812]

Loving your channel. Discovered it this morning!

[@thefaminewolf7989]

Great work, as always. Found you because of the bo burnham video, I really appreciate your take! I’d never thought too much about cutaways, since I mainly listen to comedy as I go about my day, but now that you mention it, they do seem inauthentic at best and contrived and cheap at worst.

[@keithknows1809]

The most ironic cutaways were the ads that pop up almost as if on cue in the middle of this video.

[@willloman812]

The most sinister of cut-aways

[@user-uu5of8rd1n]

Good one again mate. Dry cutaways are cringe, but you make a good point saying that removing them altogether and just focusing on a performer on a big stage gets a bit cold. Keep the vids coming!

[@joseraimi]

My god your videos are well done and incredibly useful! Please carry on!

[@SquareWaveHeaven]

It can be so alienating to be in a bunch of people that are laughing along with the pre-recorded laughter and yet you don't find it funny.

[@understandmeplease1757]

Awesome channel! Love hearing analysis of comedy and comparison of different comedians. Its funny how clear your bias is. Always when you tell what comedian should do, I can expect to hear Steward Lee. You inspired me to check him out and seek more unique and experimental styles of stand up.

[@TheTeessideChef]

Great videos mate. Top quality content. Subbed

[@Nymphibious]

Quality analysis, wonderful editing; subscribed without hesitation.

[@Acceptablehandleaheada2.-_]

This IS frustrating. It became obvious to me a while ago when I realized the cut-aways on got talent couldn't have all been happening live.

[@jamesormrod4656]

Really good video and great breakdown of audience relationship, keep up the good videos!

[@TAPgiles]

I wondered if you were going to mention Stewart Lee. When I saw that interview a little lightbulb went on in my head :D

[@MrHEC381991]

THANK You! I f**king hate manipulative editing in stand up specials. If you want to see a hatchet job of manipulative editing, watch two or three episodes of A Little Late with Lilly Singh. They even reuse the same reaction shots and canned laughter (and probably a few stooges in the audience).

[@MillerMooseMan]

Fantastic. Another video of yours that I agree the fuck out of. I'd also like to mention Rory Scovel's Netflix Special "Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up for the First Time" - that was also shot really well

[@michaelkenny95]

Hi thank you for your videos, I really like how your articulate your criticism of stand up. I've noticed your last 2 videos being blocked for copyright. Is there anywhere else we can watch them?

[@ComedyWithoutErrors]

Howdy, they all get blocked then I dispute under fair use haha. They should pop back up in a couple days :)

[@michaelkenny95]

@@ComedyWithoutErrors I see, that's frustrating I hope as your channel grows that's less of an issue. Looking forward to the videos!

[@theolerazzledazzle3852]

I am really enjoying this channel. Keep the great work up! I would love to see a video about the use of irony in Aunty Donna's comedy. it's so layered and its fascinating to me how stupid it is.

[@thegrinderman1090]

The thing that frustrates me about Aunty Donna is they have some hilarious sketches, but every time without fail they make it drag on way too long and end up ruining it. Cut the last minute off of every sketch and it's great.

[@mnchls]

I honestly cringe whenever there's audience laughter cutaways. So forced, so awkward, so obviously manipulated. Completely ruins the entire experience for me. It's like the visual equivalent to an obnoxious laugh track on a TV sitcom, as you nicely pointed out at the end here. Incredible video, mate! Instantly subscribed, and I'm super eager to see what other stuff you have in the works.

[@alessandrogiovannone3742]

I like to think i watch a lot of comedy and have a strong interest in film editing, but this phenomenon is something that has completely eluded me so far. I look forward to adding this to my overanalysis toolbox for use in the future. Digs at tbbt never go amiss either.

[@EvanWisheropp]

What was that last clip from?

[@kingus.overman]

Finally somebody says this! Its incredibly annoying I completely agree. The cutaways are just so unnatural because in a live show you wouldn't be looking around for audience reactions. Cutaways are just editors telegraphing the joke for stupid people.

[@irotinmyskin]

on a Greg Giraldo special, a guy from the crowd is falling asleep, Greg addresses this and we get to see him roasting this guy and his reaction. that was gold

[@nastropc]

My metropolitan liberal elite nightmare is going to a stand up filming and then it being edited to show me laughing at a problematic joke.

[@KittenBasher69]

Excellent!!

[@alittlebitoflight]

What, no Rory Scovel? His 2016 stand up special is something to behold, particularly vis this subject.

[@viviandres8778]

On a low stage, I would put a mirror at the back that reflects the audience. Saludos de Argentina

[@matatmat]

can you do a video on reggie watts? I'm such a big fan of your videos

[@kenlieck7756]

Even the most sincere comic can be guilty of this sort of thing. The reason the original version of “Sane Man” looked and sounded so muddy is that Bill Hicks was embarrassed by the poor audience reaction and had a laugh track and cutaways added, even though Sacred Cow didn’t have adequate facilities for doing all that. Fortunately all the master elements were saved and the posthumously-released uncut “raw” version looks and sounds great.

[@miked1869]

"If a joke is funny, shows some people laughing at it..." Cuts away to a shot of James Acaster, who I'm almost convinced hasn't told a funny joke in his entire career.

[@THATOVOKID]

I remember watching Charlie Murphy talk about the Rick James and Prince without much of a laugh track and realizing that's what a true laugh feels like. It was my own laugh.

[@alittlebitoflight]

Also, love your ENG-NZ(?) accent.

[@roelvinckens5553]

When Stuart Lee hates it, I hate it. Not that I jump because he said so. It's just a recurring observation. And when he's loving it... You catch my drift.

[@bryantadair1430]

This is not Happening the Comedy Central story telling web series is another great example of getting the live reaction of the crowd without cut-always

[@syedwasimahmed28]

This video exists: People who watched James Acaster's Netflix special Repertoire: Left the chat

[@samarpanbose3171]

Dave Attell's roadwork is also a great example of audience reaction done right

[@jaspberg]

Road Work is an incredible special all around

[@RisingRecluse]

Its interesting that the video closes out with a Big Bang Theory clip because I was think the cutaway was a visual version of the laugh track.

[@BinarySecond]

Have you seen BBT with the laugh track removed?

[@RisingRecluse]

@@BinarySecond yea that writers room must be a hoot.

[@alanwyman4041]

Great now I can’t unsee it

[@Anna133199]

I can decide for myself when to laugh. I don't need the audience to tell me what's deemed funny, thank you very much.

[@thomasgilby4597]

Prior and Murphy did great wide shots that included the audience

[@pdjhh]

I hate the audience cutaway too. Never the right laugh for the right joke either!

[@ninguneduardo]

Cutaways bother the most when you can tell it's an obvious edit point.

[@BoruffAdventures]

Most comedy specials are shot over multiple shows wearing the exact same outfit. The cut-away might be for landing a joke, but is probably used to cover the jump between two different shows and laughter helps mask any differences in recording levels that might happen between evenings.

[@JamieCurrant]

I'd never thought about it before, but now you've mentioned it I guess I'm fucked. Thanks

[@astroboirap]

lee is a legend

[@bugsymcgee3310]

I think one of the reasons they're still used quite prominently with bigger comedians, or on Netflix in particular, is because they've ended up using footage from multiple performances over the course of a stand-ups run, and it's just a quick and easy way to edit while keeping the continuity (hence why you can't see the audience clearly so it's harder to spot that it's different people). Obviously that's not always the case and I think sometimes they just do it in general to maintain the flow of a show that's probably been heavily edited already. But I absolutely agree, if you do have to make edits like that, it should be more creative and aid the joke being told, rather than just prodding the audience to say 'look! this is what you should be doing right now!'

[@pemo2676]

it's a lousy editing job, and mocks the editors who work hard on this stuff. theyre not given enough it's easy to use alternate angles that break the view of whats happening enough to make big edits - this is used so much in intuitively edited films made with 0 budget it's ridiculous. side-long shots, shots from the wings, a behind shot, a shot with lights in the way, etc. even a sweep of the entire audience - or a shot that is in the seated audience perspective all of those options will hide a cut way more seamlessly than a lack-luster audience one.

[@garrett2439]

I think you'll find that a lot of audience shots are used out of necessity rather than creative choice. Sometimes you just need something to cut to other than the subject for a range of different annoying and incidental reasons. Source: I worked as a professional actuality editor for years, during which time I cut a ton of stage performance videos.

[@StaminaMC]

I didn't realise the extent to which this annoyed me until it was laid out so clearly for me here. And I agree wholeheartedly. It's the visual equivalent of/successor to canned laughter, effectively.

[@Alumx]

Oh hell yea new vid! :D

[@What_was_wrong_w_jst_our_names]

This is why I like to listen to comedy. Sometimes it’s hard.

[@ThestuffthatSaralikes]

I hate it too!!! I don't wanna see George and Rita trying to look natural while laughing and sucking in their gut...I just dont like em. It does pull me out of the zone. I don't mind a shot from behind or a full science shot, just not the over edited "date night couple" shot...i don't need to see their reactions to know to laugh.

[@williamevans1708]

You gotta do a video on Maria Bamford. Please.

[@primus223]

Mos def - Mathematics

[@zetetick395]

Ahhh dammit, now I'm going to be hyper conscious of those shots when watching specials! Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhnnooooooo >:/

[@ByteMe619]

I feel like the main reason they do it is to cover a cut in the performance, its main goal isn’t to show off the audience. it’s the same as interviews that cut to the interviewers’ reaction so the cuts in the interviewees’ answers don’t feel so jarring. I think Peter Kay’s cutaways are the most obvious for cutting while on the audience reaction, it seems like they’re putting together jokes that were told minutes apart.

[@SeanConway99]

Bo Burnham laugh track in inside is worth looking at

[@dansaunders1655]

I was wondering when this video would let itself go

[@brownmoney27]

Agreed, at a stand up show I wouldn't look around to see other people's reactions

[@CaptainCalculus]

Predictably Amy Schumer's cutaways are the worst

[@JohannesLabusch]

I agree wholeheartedly with your premise, but I don't agree that what Chelsea did was "a fix". As a rule, it's hard enough to capture the energy of a live appearance, so there shouldn't be anything in a filmed version that didn't happen in that room in that moment. Even if it's a sarcastic comment on manipulative editing, it's just a more sophisticated version of the thing it's pretending to satirize. I few cutaway are okay, as far as I'm concerned, as long as it's clear that they capture the actual moment. As you say, you can always tell when it's spliced in from a different moment.

[@fergusdenoon1255]

When Frankie Boyle cuts to the audience he takes out amused/ bemused from the eqasion and replaces it with, abused.

[@BinarySecond]

The Devolver Digital presentations mock this practice delightfully.

[@cat2413]

I'd argue that many comedians have been using the cutaway well for many years (Richard Herring) and most of the bad cutaway is largely production company, particularly in the UK. Round or all encompassing stages have been used by several, arguably not great, comedians that use the same cutaway trick (Jack Whitehall). Michael McIntyre isn't a difficult case when it comes to useful family connections and somewhat limited talent. I don't dispute American comedy because I can't work out the particulars, always, but with English comedians its pretty transparent. Now shall we look at actors 😉😂

[@greengolandscape4373]

Hell yeah

[@Jahu-qs2us]

This video reminds me of the time i played chess with Hitler

[@lilia3944]

Cutaways in stand up don't usually bother me, unless it's the "token minority the comedian just made an insensitive joke about laughing" type, but laugh tracks on TV shows are the worst thing to ever exist. Like, it might be a cultural thing because I've never seen a show from my country that uses those, but that is really a case of "trust that your audience KNOWS when to laugh, or rewrite your show if it sucks too much" (and if they must use laugh tracks, maybe not after every single bad joke, always the same recording?).

[@WildMike1234]

Thought it was just me that thought this. Drives me nuts when I see cut aways of massive overreactions to filler jokes in stand up shows. Particularly irritating when there are celebrity audiences.

[@AndreNGropo]

I tought Judah Friedlander deserved a mention in this.

[@AA-hg5fk]

I hate Live at the Apollo for reasons such as this

[@Ropponmatsu2]

Orson Welles has let himself go.

[@trevorfeelgood]

Peter Kay last show was the worst. So many shots of couples elbowing each other

[@OnChords]

Bare in mind it's maybe not even the reaction to the joke (or moment) but edited together to create the illusion that a certain person laughs at the joke or reacts in a certain way. It might just be that fitting facial expression that was captured at some point. Also I hate most stand up shows because the audience always seems to be over exaggerating their reaction. I don't know if they get told to react like this before the show. It sometimes destroys the joke in my opinion.(especially in some American shows).

[@rabenmacht3396]

5:57 Stephen Dillane?

[@itslittleken]

i think this video is ok but maybe it should be shorter or longer, or maybe have more in about carrots, i found that bit fascinating. i never knew they could be so wide.

[@ZBeansUncut]

Cutaways are laughtracks.

[@jbizz80]

Cutaways add nothing to me as a home viewer. And if you watch older standup films from the 70s and 80s, the cutaways would last for several awkward seconds.

[@GormlyKeep]

The worst thing in stand up is Michael McIntyre

[@mikemikemikemikemikemeup]

This is not happening is cool cus there are people behind them so you see the reaction the whole time.

[@highdownmartin]

Dave chappelles let himself go

[@sameemshameem7980]

Wah Wah

[@willloman812]

Ramy Youssef’s audience-lighted intimate set has to be the most egregious exploitation of a crowd to date. 1/3 of that special is camera angles that ensure the viewer sees how diverse the crowd is. Each audience member in the camera’s view appears to be hand-selected to check a box in diversity. It feels like a contrivance to appeal to woke. The whole special feels like a fake exploitation of woke culture. Ramy will learn the hard way. Ramy’s whole schtick was to preach woke culture(and get laid). Now he’s referred to in past tense because of it.

[@redlady935]

Totally hate the audience cutaway. It's like the visual equivalent of canned laughter. Informing us when to laugh

[@brandonbonds7120]

The cutaways never really bothered me. Sometimes I feel like it enhances it. Like it gives you the sensation of watching comedy in a group even if you're watching alone.

[@thedolphin5428]

Imo, all laugh tracks and reaction cutaways are shit. They are only for morons who need prompting (ie, Americans), and for viewers who need to feel "part of the audience experience". It's all bullshit. The comedy is only ever 100% between the comedian and ME. Who cares what anyone else thinks is funny. I often find myself laughing at things others don't. My appreciation doesn't need any prompting. The Office (UK version) is a great example of letting the comedy (and horror) speak for itself.

[@WoizertheGreat]

true, who gives a fuck issue

[@udayboddeda2154]

Most of Bill burr specials have no cutaways They will be always be focused on the Burr himself. Don’t allow us to change focus from the Artist. I’m a Bill Burr fan.

[@TheGregcawthorne]

Sounds like you got trust issues bro.

[@BinarySecond]

Go watch "Big Bang Theory without the laugh track"

[@TheGregcawthorne]

@@BinarySecond That's an extreme example thats almost an assult. Generally I feel I can decide what funny myself and sometimes a small amount of laughter aint bad.