You Cannot Engineer an Audience to Gasp

[@tested]

Do you agree with Adam's comedy/magic observation? Adam Savage's New Spacesuit Wrist Rings! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXWap3xni9djq80 Some Freaks by David Mamet: amzn.to/4dTasDl Writing in Restaurants by David Mamet: amzn.to/3XyB06X Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks, like asking Adam questions: kzbin.info/door/iDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOAjoin

[@elcorado83]

90 percent right, and 10 percent very wrong Adam, no offense-comedians are not 'vessels' for jokes, they are ALL about the 'mechanics' of performance, in many interviews talk of how tone of voice, body movement, hand gestures, pauses, ALL will make a joke succeed or fall, and if ONE changes or is performed wrong, the joke can fall flat. That's about performance and skill and craft, not getting out of the way of the joke or being a vessel.

[@bluflaam777LSA]

@@elcorado83 I think he included your point. You may have missed it, or you're putting more emphasis on it. Not wrongly btw. You can read a joke. It may or may not be funny for various reasons. A comedian has to perform it, and to convey it, he has to be a part of it. So, the comedian is a vessel with shapes/gestures and costumes/colors, even the stage set and venue itself along with the audience all play a part. It all becomes a vessel for the joke(s).

[@elcorado83]

@@bluflaam777LSA Perhaps I misunderstood? I did take it to mean the opposite-that he thought a successful comedian was about being sincere, and not much about the 'craft' or 'show' or 'performative' aspects. I know he mentioned these, but I thought he was saying that those things only account for a LITTLE & wont get you far. Adam, care to elucidate?

[@watcher1326]

100% Will never forget the time a magician blew my mind, as a grown adult. Hadn't thought about comedians in quite that way and find that aspect of their jobs immediately fascinating.

[@jeanetteswalberg6166]

New level of wisdom achieved: Overcoming Go Fever

[@CasualSpud]

I hear Han Solo say "don't get cocky kid" in my head whenever I try to rush things.

[@gfabasic32]

Family Guy's version was: "Don't get 'penussey'!"

[@tomhorsley6566]

The "go fever" question reminded me of Adam yelling "I don't have all second!" once a few years ago.

[@gfabasic32]

Your story reminded me of a time I did a "big reset". One day, 15 minutes before quitting time, I decided to squeeze in one more installation, trying to please everyone. There was no one around, so, I hurriedly pushed my 200-pound tool cart forward, looked up just in time to stop inches away from a startled pregnant woman having just stepped out from a hidden doorway. I knew instantly I'd had a very lucky break. From then on, I worked at a normal pace and walked in front of my cart pulling it behind me.

[@butchmusial]

But First! You touched on But First Mode! Im going to do that, but first I need to do this. I’ll get back to the original task, but first I need to do this other thing. On and on to the point that the original goal never gets done but you were extremely busy all day but feel unaccomplished because the original goal never got done!!!

[@davidhawthorne9637]

Your ABSLUTLY right!! I might spend 5 days getting 5 things 60-70% done but on the 6th day I can complete those 5 things. Then on day 6 I feel complete. That's not 100% ADHD though part of it is the order of operations, maybe task 1-4 must be completed before the final 5th thing can be done to be able to complete the project. I'm referring to building an automotive harness from scratch. I can spend 4-5 days running wires to where they need to go. Then the 6th day I pull it all back out and loom it and solder on the proper connectors and have a completed harness and reinstall in a few hours. But it took 5 days of what looked like no progress to get to that point.

[@paulbrooks4395]

The other side is the joy of anticipation and the relief of letting go. Filing it away for another time and acknowledging that something will be there and it will happen. That now and completion aren't as important as quality and running a final check before pushing the button. An old boss said: "a single failure is a problem but a series of failures is a catastrophe". That and "an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure". And of course: slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

[@MartianHomebody]

There's something about watching someone you look up to stop for a second... and just think about what they want to say that calms me down so much. Everyone needs to slow down and just think sometimes. It's nice to be reminded.

[@Jorlaan42]

The problem of nearing the end of the day and thinking "oh I can get X tasks done in the remaining time" is one a lot of us face. I have learned to deal with this partly by no longer saying "X" and instead I don't try and think about how much specifically I can get done, I simply tell myself that I'll see how much I can get done. It leaves it more open ended and allows me to finish tasks one at a time without having to worry about the time crunch because I wanted to finish 4 more things but only 1 minute now remains.

[@timreimer5451]

Adam I have Saying I use all the time when I'm working. Never work any faster than you can think. It really slows you down to the appropriate pace.

[@margaretbear]

Oh man that inner pressure to finish can be so destructive

[@steadfasttherenowned2460]

Finishing is the best part for sure. Nothing worse than when finishing gets postponed for longer than necessary.

[@TheNudeBrewer]

That moment at @8:50 where Adam stops to think (and yes, read for a split second) ... the exhale of introspection, that time to allow actual thought ... is more meaningful than anything on all of TikTok. Music is the space between the notes.

[@Destroyah5000]

I've become so used to the editor's choice to cut out that breath inbetween sentences that words lose impact. I keep coming back to this channel as a refresher from that. Without saying it verbally you can tell that there is loads of things on his mind, and still he takes the necessary time to refine those thoughts before saying them.

[@fergusontea]

Mooning over an object I've made! YES!! I was worried that there was something wrong with me. I will moon over individual completed pieces of a project, to admire them at length.

[@steadfasttherenowned2460]

Yeah. Me too. Especially when blood sweat and tears are involved, and the piece comes out better than I could have imagined.

[@marksworkshop8724]

Absolutely! I’ll just sit and look at it for a while. The feeling of pride and accomplishment is nice to relish for a bit.

[@dhruveparoda9498]

Sometimes I even moon over the audience; it always gets a gasp

[@ArtCOOL777]

I can give advice. Imagine the end result of what you want to do. Ideas on how to do it will come to your mind. Statement of experience Nikolai Tesla

[@TheChipMcDonald]

I've heard an audience gasp. 1987, the Metro night club in Atlanta. An English fusion guitar player Allan Holdsworth was to play: obscure, niche genius player. Known for 10 fret stretch chord voicings, Allan had gargantuan hands combined with unparalleled dexterity. He had audience of 100% guitar players. Eddie Van Halen had recently said in an interview Allan was his favorite player, and the crowd (unaware of Allan's skill) was probably mostly ignorant, unprepared for what they would hear and see. Showing up about 3 hours late, Allan casually walks on stage. The audience is respectfully silent, for Eddie had proclaimed "Allan is the man"... Allan proceeds to reel off, volume turned off, almost silent, some warm up runs and chord changes: instantly quick 4 finger chords, spanning 8 or more frets, all over the neck. Chords most of the crowd had never seen or heard before, would not have imagined possible to play, much less rip off so fast and effortlessly. Imagine watching Michael Jordan in front of you, having only watched kids play basketball on the street with a 6' high hoop. Literally, not hyperbole. *The audience gasped*. A couple hundred guys all at once (loud inhale). Then herd laughter. A very unique thing. R.I.P. Allan Holdsworth.

[@guthrieonthetube]

I remember it well my friend!

[@TheChipMcDonald]

@@guthrieonthetube Geoff, what a curious location on the internet to intersect! Hope all is well...

[@Hexon66]

Yes, I'm sure we've all been in audiences which have gasped. But that's not what he's talking about here. In fact, your story just reinforced Adam's point. Unless this story was being told sarcastically.

[@TheChipMcDonald]

@@Hexon66 Does the Internet Police pay well, nice pension program?

[@ssatva]

@@Hexon66 People react to comments like yours with hostility because it comes off as such from you, but I don't think that always is the case or always helps. I'd rather describe what I'm seeing and see if it's helpful. There is nothing in the original post that indicates it's an argument against Adam's point. It's an example of an earned gasp. I didn't think of the other reading until I heard your comment, and I don't see evidence to support that reading, so I think if you re-read it as a supporting or at least 'inspired by' example, that might be helpful.

[@jn3559]

I don't know why, but Adam felt particularly human in this video. Love it!

[@TheTweedler]

As an artist, I find built-in procrastination to be incredibly helpful for avoiding go-fever. I'll draw for an hour then take a half hour break over and over. This allows me to see my work with fresh eyes multiple times a day which allows me to catch things in the moment I wouldn't have if I had kept drawing nonstop.

[@iabervon]

I think that depends on how you react to noticing that you have a break scheduled in a couple minutes. Adam would probably try to get as much done as possible before the break, which is the problem. I think an important strategy is having soft deadlines: if I finish something and it's close to the deadline, I take a break. On the other hand, the deadline is half an hour before I actually have to stop, so there's no urgency when the deadline is approaching. I'd guess this is how you're treating your breaks (rather than having an alarm go off and you have to stop), and I think the optionality in stopping on schedule is important in not rushing.

[@OrigamiMarie]

I can attest to Adam bring tuned into the audience. Years ago I went to the stage show, I forget the name, but it was Adam and Jamie on stage. At one point in the middle of the show, an Amber Alert went out, and over the course of a minute, a good chunk of the audience pulled out their phones. Adam immediately noticed, and asked what was going on. Some people in the front row shouted Amber Alert, and he couldn't pick out the words. But then his phone did the thing, and he understood. I remember being impressed at the time, that like 10 seconds after my phone went off, Adam knew that something was happening that required a lot of people to look at their phones.

[@bgtyhnmju7]

A very honest answer, and look at yourself. Though you're always open and honest, this one really felt that way... A great question, and super relevant. I've seem people do the last minute screw up, and wondered Why??? And I can do it too, along the way. I find that focusing on the satisfaction of each step, each process along the way help a lot. Easy to get lost in that too, up against hard deadline. But yup, nice to try and be in that calmer mindset. I wonder, using the gloves as an example, if we couldn't look at these moments as "It'll be a nice treat to come in tomorrow morning and have these here, waiting to be finished."

[@stevenwasson7302]

I am a Respiratory Therapist and work in various ICUs and ER. I frequently deal with emergencies involving airway, breathing, and circulation where unaddressed issues will lead to brain damage or death in minutes. In this environment, "go fever" kills more patients than perhaps any other mistake. The saying goes, "slow is smooth, smooth is fast." Methodology and efficiency produce better results than jumping to step 4 prior to skillfully completing steps 1 through 3.

[@meepmorprobotcaptain]

Paramedic x 15 years, and this is one of the truest comments I've ever read on the Internet.

[@MikeB_UK]

Adam, you have a most amazing talent - you are incredibly "listen-able to" (yes, that's awful English). It is however a thing and indeed a talent. I suspect like most of your viewers I could listen to your stories for hours on end. You make the most mundane thing seem interesting. All I can say is thank you so much. You make the world a little bit more fun.

[@Alex-js5lg]

I'm always afraid to put what I'm holding down because I'm so used to forgetting _where_ I put things down, and that I'll forget what I'm supposed to be doing before I find it.

[@otsogiants]

Adam, I can't thank you enough for your content. Your incredible energy, positivity, knowledge and just listening to your voice has gotten me through a lot of tough times. You're one of the greats! Thank you so much for all that you do, and to the whole tested team. Thank you for all the content.

[@Wesley-Insley-Comedy]

The amount of times I’ve tried to use 53 hands and forgot I only have 2 is palpable

[@scottasin]

I think music, in particular improvisational styles, have these kind of stakes as well. It also brings in a second layer of having to work with and communicate with other performers at the same time.

[@NgaTaeOfficial]

Career musician here, I agree that live music has stakes. You can have the most amazing transcendent night, and you can have a horror gig. Once you’ve had a career of any length, you’ve definitely experienced both a few times!!

[@MFirone]

Excellent stuff! I earnestly wish I’d heard some of Adam’s stories and advice way earlier in life. I’m a classical musician and might be able to say a little about both parts of this video: The stakes segment resonates very closely with musicians. There is very little audience response you can feed off of, so it definitely feels lonely on stage, and it comes with several stakes: people expecting you to sound good and move them emotionally, people having an expectation of what the piece and composer is “supposed” to sound like, and of course, playing all the right notes. Often it feels like walking a tightrope; you want to do service to the music and convey something more than just the notes (who wants to listen to a MIDI file?), but you can’t do too much because suddenly your “interpretation” doesn’t sound right. It’s hard to juggle and leads to many people experiencing stage fright, but when it goes well there’s nothing else like it! For the second part about go-mode, musicians feel this all the time. Performing music isn’t ever really something you can “finish” learning - it ebbs and flows and your ideas change with age and experience. This means that, if you’re performing frequently, you’re always trying to balance many projects: your orchestra might be doing two separate programs this week; your quartet wants to put together a two-hour show next month; you have an audition in three months that has difficult repertoire you’ve never seen before. It makes us want to milk every second of practice, and when you only half-look at something it can be disastrous on stage. Many people have their own way of managing this constant cloud of “you gotta do XYZ right the heck now!!”. A method a friend shared with me that I’ve been using is short interval timing: I have a stopwatch set with 11 and 6 minute increments, and I use those to budget my time between different pieces and projects, more or less depending on their difficulty. I can add time if it’s necessary, but I’ll set the timer for 11 minutes and pick one or two goals I’d like to achieve, then move on so I cover the projects higher on my priority list. I used to do 10 and 5, but I like having the extra minute built in for “orientation” - it helps my brain relax and focus on the task at hand without feeling guilty about maximizing efficiency. It also helps immensely to keep a notepad or sticky notes along with the spots I work on in my music, and jot down things that I want to repeat or address in my next session. I’m sure this kind of method has applications outside of music!

[@hurricanexanax]

The first (and so far only) time I rebuilt a differential, it took me an embarrassingly long time. I had no experience with such small tolerances, I kept having to go buy more tools and supplies, I was terrified of making a mistake, and I had little free time outside of work. Then, when I finally got to the home stretch, I painted the gears, rotated them a couple times, and saw that I had an almost perfect contact pattern, with 6 hours left in the day. Go Fever hit me like a truck, and instead of taking the time to verify that everything was dialed in, I hurriedly put the car back together, so that I could be done with the project in time for dinner. Of course I hadn't done a proper job - the diff whined like a restless spirit. I drove it for 3 months in a state of denial, then shelled out 2k to have it rebuilt by a professional.

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

I too had such a job, but I got to the point where the input yoke was to be installed, and I could not get it to go in, because I had installed a new crush tube, and needed a BIG tool to turn the nut to crush the tube to final dimension. I had to concede the job to the professionals to finish it.

[@hurricanexanax]

@jeffreyyoung4104 yes, the pros let me know that I hadn't actually crushed the crush tube, but there's no way to tell unless you've seen it done correctly before. They themselves needed three tries to get that bit done. There's actually a kit you can buy that lets you attach the yoke with no crush tube.

[@iamfuturetrunks]

For me I have to do this regularly for work and it's upsetting and adds to the stress I am already dealing with, with a normally stressful job. Especially when there are clearly things that you need to prioritize based on time. Unfortunately others will act like everything is an emergency all the time. And others will neglect common sense and want me to prioritize things that can wait over things that need to be done by the end of the week or will be due by next month. And after a while you just get tired of trying to be smart and being taken for granted that you lose all interest in working your bum off for people who will just end up complaining in the end. So currently I am not going to burn myself out any further trying to rush though things or take on extra work when it clearly isn't worth it in the end.

[@johnedwards2119]

Now, having reached roughly the age you are, Adam, I i find myself saying, "This project is going to take a week," even if it's really two days and change. I've come to enjoy drifting around a worksite of tarps and ladders, casually having a Coke and thinking about what might get done tomorrow. It makes me think of Thomas Jefferson as he was building Monticello, lumber stacked around and rain water dripping through the unfinished roof, with his cup of tea and a book, headed for a comfy chair, perfectly happy in the construction mess.

[@FranciscoAreasGuimaraes]

Adam, I simply live your videos. One of the reasons is that I can see your wheels turning and building the thoughts. I mean this as a complement. It's amazing that you share with us your thought process and your opinions

[@davidcaskie6680]

Go fever… has me redoing the last two days of a build because I was in too much of a hurry to go to dinner that I didn’t double check a couple of key calculations. They were wrong!

[@Ayelmar]

I very much agree about the way comedy training can REALLY hone a performer's skills in other roles; in fact, some of my favorite performances by some of my favorite performers have been "serious" roles in films. Sterling examples include Whoopi Goldberg in "The Color Purple," Steve Martin in "Roxanne," and of course Robin Williams in SO many roles, though "Dead Poets' Society" is perhaps best (though some of his bits in his mid-'80s "Live at the Met" special gave is a sneak preview of his dramatic potential).

[@lisasuhr6433]

Ohhhhhhh, I can so relate to you! I have such a drive to get a project done that I can’t let it go; mentally or physically. I’ve even had to VERBALLY tell myself to put it down, walk away, there’s tomorrow, etc. Now this has taken over 35 years to accomplish (me slowing my pace/walking away), but it’s progress! I was a person that would stay awake all night to finish a project, and I’m a planner, I just had this intense need to finish what I started so I could move on to the next thing. Yes….even as a kid (drove my parents crazy, I’m sure 😂)❤

[@chaoticflanagan]

Your "go fever" answer is just so damn relatable. I have that scarcity mindset with my hobby time and it can feel very conflicting to both love something so much but also feel like these arbitrary "deadlines" that I myself set, introduces stress and frustration. Yet I can't help breaking out of trying to maximize every minute I have. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@adammarshall6854]

Anyone else watched so much MB as a kid and fell asleep... To be honest I use your voice to help me sleep...

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Such a great point to reassess what we want out of our shop practice. For me, it's the time and space to express myself creatively. The GO! fever can definitely get in the way of that; when getting the thing done feels more important than the creative act itself.

[@mackalrath]

12:44 "i love the endorphin rush of finishing" i'm sorry i can't help myself i just can't do it i can't not point this out

[@bentbk]

😳

[@leatherelf2078]

That limited time feeling you get is surely a remnant of your days on MB where you would anticipate being able to spend time in your shop. To be away from the stress of filming.

[@POEMS466]

I love your enthusiasm. By the way, I like to think of your work shop not as a cave but as a wondrous trove of invention. Thanks so much for the great videos!

[@HumbleWooper]

I can absolutely relate to the frequent unconscious need to rush. I've been trying to turn my hobby into a small business and eventually (hopefully) a career... some of my components include steps that take a few minutes of work then a MINIMUM of 3-4 days letting it air-cure before I can do the next bit. In the days leading up to a craft show it's incredibly tempting to rush it so I'll have more inventory for the event, and I have to almost physically stop myself. Even though the times I've given in to that itch have usually ended up turning the rushed product un-sellable when it otherwise wouldn't have been.

[@ClaytonHavens]

Having seen you multiple times at ACL I have to agree... the extremely short sight lines makes any performance there special. Makes you feel like you are apart of the action.... Even in the worst seat.

[@opalpersonal]

my desire to make, especially in spaces such as woodworking and home renovation, where i am very much a beginner, versus my rampant ADHD, and impatience, is giving me a HUGE reality check right now. i relate a ton to the latter conversation. especially from trying to fit projects around work and only having a couple days during the week to myself for these things, i find myself making tons of slip-ups or shoddy work that just wouldn't have happened if i'd slowed down, or that could totally be avoided for a better product if i just let myself be more patient and not expected so much of myself. in art, the domain where i am master, i'm able to do things extremely quickly and efficiently with a high amount of precision; learning to let go of those sorts of expectations for the skills that i'm just beginning to build has been giving me some growing pains for sure.

[@JS-TexanJeff]

Wise words. Eloquently shared. ...but also "do as I say, not as I do" :)

[@johnabbottphotography]

I teach improv. Presence is *everything* in comedy, and being vulnerable. Great comedians can be great actors because they've learned how to be vulnerable and affected.

[@Ironwill_Games]

And now I wanna hear the Louis CK story… 😅

[@JasonPokines]

Here are my three things that help keep me from ruining projects: 1. Years and years of ruining projects. You have to build up years of pain before it pays you back. Remembering each F-up builds the army against F-ing up again. There is strength in numbers. 2. Knowing that if I take my time, it'll be easier later. So many times as a kid, I'd be playing a video game into the wee hours, and I'd hit a puzzle or a boss I just couldn't beat no matter how hard I tried. So I'd give up and go to bed. The next morning (ok, afternoon) I'd try it again, and beat it on the first try, with ease. This has happened so many times that I've learned there is value in saving difficult things for a fresh day. 3. This is the most important one, at least for me: showing my work to the people I love, and being proud to share it knowing it's perfect. Knowing that the work I've done is worthy of their attention. And the only way to assure that is by not pushing through when it's not ready to be pushed. Good luck to you. May you find the restraint so you can reveal the best.

[@JasonPokines]

Oh, and one more thing, and a minor homage to something Adam said years ago: know where you can hide your sins. If you're not very good at something yet, make sure it can be covered by something you are good at, or try to only do it poorly on the side you won't see, or what have you. This will afford you leniency from your project.

[@KannikCat]

One thing that's assisted me in fighting those over-committed urges is to try and re-learn to play games the way kids do: make it up and play it full bore with their whole being... while also remembering that they made it up. And that they can change it any time (and often they do). Or stop and do something else at any time (and which they also often do). And once the game is done, it's done. We make up a new game, and play that one. It's been a bit harder to learn than I anticipated (after all, didn't I used to do that too as a kid?) but I'm at least worlds apart from how I used to operate, and the number 'wrecking things' has decreased. :)

[@shawnmayo8210]

I find it interesting that you mention "to be good on stage you have to get over so much of your own garbage..." but some of the greatest comedians have also had the worst garbage in their own minds. I totally agree with you. I tell people all the time it's much easier to be confident when you get over yourself. I just also wonder what makes the Robin Williams, George Carlin, Mitch Hedberg, Lenny Bruce... All people who were seemingly confident but also had serious demons we don't learn about until often after their death. Or in the case of George when he finally wrote an autobiography.

[@jimmyers4890]

For me it's learning to recognize when I'm starting to rush and acknowledging that and then slowing down and knowing that if I don't slow down I may get hurt especially if using a table saw or band saw or any other very dangerous piece of equipment including a utility knife.

[@mattrajotte]

This was a great video. I can really relate.

[@NoVIcE_Source]

13:11 i think this is one of the most important things i've ever heard

[@DanSanderson]

I fully agree with the idea behind this video's title, but a theater moment I will never forget is from a very good production of Sweeney Todd. At the pivotal moment (you know the one), stage action went silent, and there was an audible gasp across the audience that tightened my chest. It wasn't until the next day that I realized that it was the rest of the cast offstage making the gasping noise, amplified just the right way. So, pretty close! 😅 Of course, a critical point is that it was already an excellent production and really all we needed was permission to gasp, if quietly to ourselves.

[@n0bl3hunt3r]

I think comedy, though magic seems more flexible, doesn’t let you miss and still succeed. That is, if I try to write something exciting and the reader thinks it’s funny, they can still be happy about reading it. If the audience expects comedy and doesn’t get it, they won’t be happy with anything you do by accident.

[@BLKCLVR]

I don't make, I play fighting games (along the lines of Street Fighter). And I need to learn to calm my own "go fever," this video is a good reminder. Thank you.

[@VDuro1]

Hey adam, we have the same birthday and from what I know of you a lot in common. That's neat. Stay awesome man!

[@psmirage8584]

As a Lab Technician, I so totally identify with the "don't get emotionally invested in arbitrary deadlines you set yourself." Man, I've ruined whole afternoons because I was so set on completing a specific number of analyses, when in the end, it just didn't matter. Obviously, total average production matters, but not the day by day totals.

[@Games_and_Music]

6:23 Hah, i have it now, i was putting some "finishing touches" to a project that i did, only to find out that i made some mistakes that i have to get rid of. Which means, that i have to go a couple steps back and redo some of those "finishing touches", which could take some hours. And often when that happens, i just kinda stare at the thing, zone out for a while until i get into the "alright, let's get this OVER with". Even though, i never truly feel done, but at the same time i can also rush into "feeling done" sometimes, as Adam says: "it's a process..."

[@MonkeyChessify]

Your brief mention of Louis CK reminded me of seeing him at Oddball comedy. He was doing a bunch of new material and....none of it landed lol. He straight up said welp yall will be the only ones to hear those jokes, thanks 😂

[@AsAMonkeyInAPinata]

I would add and somewhat wrap all of this into the category of “Sensational entertainment” all of what was part of the old circus acts. Anything where the goal is to provoke a specific reaction at a specific time. Whether it’s a magic trick, a joke, or a particularly hard trapeze jump. You need to set up everything to manage expectations, create tension and deliver the biggest gasp or laugh.

[@BrockToews]

I have an excellent and diligent voice in my head telling me things like "if you don't put that down before handling this task, it'll end badly" My problem is that I equally great at ignoring that voice

[@spiercephotography]

You are absolutely spot on! I've gone to see comedian Jeff Dunham a few times live, and phew, is he hilarious! But my first encounter was with an audience that was, shall we say, rather meh (granted our area isn't the best audience, as they're very different politically than a comedian who makes fun of both sides). I was so confused! But on a whim, I bought a ticket for a show about an hour and 20 minutes away from me, and oh my god i've never laughed so hard. The audience absolutely makes or breaks the show, and the chemistry between the comedian/performer and the audience is HUGE and really makes or breaks the performance!

[@billbucktube]

Thanks for sharing.

[@derkaderkawillie]

Now I really want to hear the Louis C.K. story!

[@tomhorsley6566]

The new google lens integration with chrome is fun. It allowed me to discover the WW II era "Gibson Girl" crank powered radio transmitter in the background on the left 🙂

[@Boneman131]

Wow. Hit the nail on the head of what I go through with my projects! Self imposed and made up 'deadlines', many for no reason other than making up a due date. Rushing and not stopping when I should. Yup. Always the struggle.

[@TheMarbo74]

At the end of the day (literally), we are fatigued and our decision making is affected. This is when we cut ourselves or spill things. Tomorrow is always there... Most of our lives.

[@trashwebsite_user01]

Dear Adam ... you are both a brilliant Magician and a brilliant Comedian ... You need not feel jealous. 😊 Source: Mythbusters

[@howwitty]

Well said, Adam.

[@dpsamu2000]

I don't even start a phase of a project when I know I don't have enough time to get it done in the allotted time. I had a duel jet engine mount frame. The bores of the turbine shaft bearings had to be parallel. Simple enough to bore one, move the mill head over the appropriate distance, and bore the other. But to set it up, face both ends, bore it, move to the other bore, face the ends, and get the boring tool installed put me right up to lunch time. It would have taken 15 minutes to do the bore. But the shop manager refused to let me be late for lunch. The lunch tables were right next to the machine. I could have eaten my lunch while it bored. But he said no. Half an hour later the lube had displaced from under the ways, and the mill had to be run back, and forth several times to get the lube built back up. He said good enough, and had me do the bore. The customer sent it back because the bores weren't parallel. We were able to salvage it with a shrink fit sleeve. But I got him to agree that I would set it up but not indicate the good bore to get it center, and parallel with the spindle until after lunch, and take as much time as it took to finish the job in one shot. It satisfied the customer but it still bugs me that there is a jet out there with a wonky turbine shaft bearing.

[@chadwcmichael]

Mr Adam, on the topic of comedy and magic, how do you feel about Penn and Teller? I love that they offer opportunities on Fool Us.

[@TheDarthBobul]

Really hoping you’ll be appearing at New York Comic Con this year. Fingers crossed. 🤞

[@tested]

Sorry! We will not be at NYCC.

[@d0ugparker]

One instance of culture says, simply, blindly _“Do things.”_ A different culture still has the _“Do things”_ edict, but also has an _“Examine the how and they why the_ ‘Do things’ _edict fits, doesn’t fit, or… otherwise.”_ It’s a tricky argument. Regards. -DP

[@dosesandmimoses]

Those gloves are so smart! But more impressive is your acknowledgment that sometimes putting work down and seeing that not all life is a part of the “job or project.” Those methods are marriage, sanity, friendship, etc. killers..

[@smokerjim]

With regards to magicians or comedians creating an audience gasp, look up Duran Duran at Live Aid in Philadelphia, Simon le Bon drops a bum note during their set (during Planet Earth? Not sure), but as you cringe, you can feel everyone doing the same... for a performer, it was the scenario that wakes you up in the middle of the night in a pool of sweat

[@stanger53]

A neighborhood single-screen movie theater, the first week of release of the original Planet of the Apes. Went to the Saturday matinee, a whole 60cents, bought a Coke and some popcorn for not much more, and found an empty seat in a theatre that would soon be packed. Watched the movie, big screen, thunderous sound a spectacle for my 14yo self. Everyone was loving the movie. By today's standards, it is rather weak and corny, but for its time it was a magnificent show. Near the end of the movie comes the big reveal when the couple are walking on the beach and the camera pans slightly to the left and there is the upper portion of the Statue of Liberty rising up at an angle from the barren shoreline. The entire audience, including myself, was surprised and shocked at the visual. Hundreds of us took and let out huge breaths in involuntary response. Some gasped, some made a low sound in their throat, but everyone shared a remarkable experience. And everyone realized what we had all done and reacted a bit even to that recognition. In my all my 70 years I have not had an almost intimate shared experience with a group of strangers again.

[@rantingrodent416]

Most of the time, I really wish that finishing things held any satisfaction for me, because it makes motivation a really hard problem, but I am not jealous of this "go fever" because I would be absolutely powerless against it.

[@heathcliffflowen4134]

I've long wanted to ask you a similar question: Do you ever get so excited to finish a project that you rush and end up ruining it? Has happened to me a lot of times, and honestly you've just got to keep telling yourself "don't be an idiot." Kind of like how you want to just grab a tool and use it without wasting time with safety equipment. You have to say to yourself "How will you feel if you lose an eye just because you didn't want to waste 5 seconds getting your goggles."

[@NickGulan]

I’m too distracted by the disco ball😂

[@nathkrupa3463]

Nice work

[@mattmoore1882]

wrong Adam . His name is Charles Douglas, his sons name is Bob. I met Bob and his lovely wife at the Ships Inn, Nantucket in the mid 1990s. Where they stayed one summer for over a month, He had ALOT of great stories and was a great guy.

[@cdorcey1735]

Advice for guitar makers: you're most likely to make a mistake when it's the last glue-up step for the day. (You come back the next morning, and realize that it wasn't aligned or clamped right.) So, never do that last step. Save it for tomorrow.

[@perfumedmanatee6235]

Affect and effect, double noun, baby!

[@biffboffo]

The world’s best chess players recognize critical moments in the game, when it’s time to stop and really think. That’s when you slow down, when the stakes get high.

[@steadfasttherenowned2460]

For me, go fever is delt with by go fever. You learn from making the mistake of letting go fever go. You must remember the consequences and remember them well when that urge starts to ramp up.

[@NickCombs]

I just realized "unmistakable" is kind of a double negative

[@jasonbhunt]

So we should just say... "takable"?

[@NickCombs]

@@jasonbhunt Yeah, doesn't have the same ring does it?

[@PhilForeman]

The only thing I've found to prevent the errors made, minor & major, while suffering from "go fever" is the memory of the pain experienced, when it happens. Sometimes it stops me, sometimes it doesn't. Oh, well. 🙄

[@Merennulli]

I definitely feel that with trying to be "efficient" and making things worse. I just dumped a colander of pasta down the drain the other day because of that.

[@kiwibird0941]

Go Fever is defeated by stopping and taking a break. Step away until you're no longer panicked ("I can't wait to do this, I need to start right this second!" Is a type of creative panic). Step away, calm down, and get back to a rational mind set.

[@gfabasic32]

A similar gaff that makes me both laugh and gasp is seeing someone holding a small piece of sheet metal by hand at the drill press to make a 'quick' hole. The drill bites, the sheet spins and you now have fresh 'idiot scars' to remind yourself of proper clamping and respect for tools. I was 16 and wanting a quick finishing touch of a center hole in my freshly snipped 8 point sheet metal Shuriken. (Like in 'Kung Fu')

[@jasonsullivan2775]

If no one has said that you might have ADHD then, well, first off, I'm shocked, but secondly, you might have ADHD. Talking to a psychiatrist might not be an awful thing. I did at 48 (now 50) and it massively changed my life for the better

[@balsalmalberto8086]

> Mac: "Laughs are cheap, I'm going for gasps!" > Proceeds to get laughed at.

[@mikeythai]

I have been actively trying to slow down when I see a piece getting good.

[@armageddonready4071]

I need my workshop organized. I just have a bunch of stuff with no place to put it. The difference between a hoarder and a prepared person, seems to be organization. Organized stuff is usable, unorganized stuff is garbage.

[@tivoguy3639]

Hey Adam! What was your Alexa notification? I.E., what got from Amazon? 🤣

[@Bjornbroder1]

I guess Amazon and the show, " Ring of Power" thought they could.

[@lotharbeck71]

Anyone who understands good acting knows that comedy is harder than drama.

[@kazoolz]

hello adam

[@helenbaumander3953]

A magician came to my city's buskers festival. I saw something the audience wasn't supposed to see.

[@kathybergeron9410]

I can't stand to have a time crunch. I set my clock ahead 10 or 15 min. Then the end of day actually had 10 or 15 min more when you quit.

[@louisvillaescusa]

There's an episode of Fawlty Towers about an alcoholic chef who falls off the wagon and gets falling down drunk in the kitchen before dinner is finished. John Cleese holds the plate of fish in front of the actor's face and asks him how it needs to be prepared. Then the camera cuts away and there is a loud gasp from the audience. Whatever happened was so gross that they couldn't show it on TV.

[@sub04aru]

Oh great. Just what we needed. Giving these standup comedians a bigger head than they already have. You know there are only 250 of them in the world. More important than doctors. Thank em’.

[@Dillon-117]

Watching you pick up and put down that X-acto knife with the blade out made me concerned. Proper blade safety, Mr. Savage! Blades must not be out unless actively in use.