The Comedian's Eye is Different

While suffering a short bout with insomnia, I decided to go back and watch the Men in Black films between 1997-2012. These were the films that made Will Smith a star and created a new career path filled with comedies for Tommy Lee Jones. On top of that, it was director Barry Sonnenfeld's first worldwide blockbuster hit after minor hits Get Shorty and the Adams Family films. What I was expecting was a silly collection of films from my high school and college days. Instead, I had one of the biggest Eureka! moments of my life concerning comedy. 

In the first film Jones plays a veteran MIB agent who sees the world the way it is, filled with both wonder and otherworldly threats. When he decides to return to his wife and live a normal life, he becomes domesticated and uninspired. In the second film he gets recruited back to the agency, but it isn't until his memory is returned he starts to notice the aliens around him again. There he is in New York, and regular people are walking around unassuming, but suddenly he sees the bright eyes of creatures from another planet, lizard tales scratching legs, and large headed people we would just ignore. It's as if his eyes could see something now they couldn't see before. 

That's how comedy works. Seeing the unseeable. Noticing the things others can't or don't want to. It is in our comedy eyes we make comedic gold. So let's break down how to tap into the comedy eye like Jones's character K did in the second film. 

What is a Comedy Eye? 
When you're at work or playing a sport, you use your eyes to notice things to be successful. Whether it's a typo in an email or the open man on the field, your vision in those areas determine the success you'll find. The same goes for comedy. A comedy eye sees the weirdness, fear, or stupidity of a situation. It takes nothing for granted or how it seems. 

A comedy eye is suspicious of everything and everyone. A comedy eye looks at the world critically, finding the worst, even in the best situation. It's when you get a raise but think they'll ask you to actually work now. It's getting a beautiful girlfriend and thinking she's going to cheat on you all the time now. It's a sort of optimistic cynicism that knows things are better, but for the worse. 

It's Louis CK calling his kids assholes. It's Paula Poundstone mocking the people saying second hand smoke is worse than smoking actual cigarettes. It's Jim Gaffigan criticizing happy adults at Disneyland. It's taking the "truths" of life and turning them on their heads. 

Most people don't call a baby an asshole. Most people take scientific studies at face value. And while you can mock Disney adults, most people just comment positive things on the social media posts. The comedic eye flips the script, creating tension in the room and actually surprises.

Literalism is the Death of Comedy
Most comics come from a place of literalism and obvious thoughts. It's why many don't do that great in comedy or get to the next level. Yes, bashing Donald Trump is fun, but it's easy. Declaring the importance of feminism, gay rights, and democracy is important in a free country, but it's not funny.

And as a comedian your job is to find the funny. Don't preach to the choir, throw shade at the choir. 
The best bits are when a member of the group makes fun of their own "tribe." It's Jeff Foxworthy making fun of rednecks. It's Iliza Shlesinger breaking down young women hypocrisy. It's Chris Rock going after OJ Simpson's supporters. The easy joke is to make fun of the elites, but making fun of your own group takes you to the next level. 

Often comics find applause at the open mics by going with the flow, instead of using their comic eye to find what's not right about a truth we've all accepted. Bill Burr's take on abortion being murder by using a cake baking metaphor is the prime example of this comedic eye. To stand on stage and say women shouldn't have to second guess their pro-choice stance might get applause but it doesn't get much laughter. 

Pete Holmes making fun of atheists for believing we came from nothing but also believing we die and go to nothing sounds like how Christians believe we come from God and then in death return to God. It is in the challenging of popular beliefs the best comics live. 

How to Develop Your Comedic Eye
I'll be honest and say most people don't feel safe using their comedic eye. They don't want to be "negative" or "mean" and they get enough short sets that they don't have to expand the act. There is time in your comedy where you stop caring how the crowd perceives you, and when you get tired of the easy jokes about Trump's bad hair or how the ice cream machine at McDonald's is always broken.

When you get past that and start to challenge your own worldview you'll start expanding your comedy vision. 

One way is to make a list of topics and write how you truly feel about them. Then make the opposite feeling the punchline. 

Example:

1. Truth: I believe all pet should be treated well and given a good life. 

Comedic Eye: Except that stupid Jack Russell next door that barks all night. I have fantasies about bigger dogs eating him. I thought about joining the NRA to see if they have ways of fixing this problem. Is it illegal to leave a box of See's Candies in their yard? Dogs can have chocolates, right?   

2. Truth: My girlfriend makes the best cupcakes in the world. 

Comedic Eye: But now I have diabetes and heart disease because of her. Couldn't she had made a salad once in a while? I've gained so much weight, it I break up with her I'll never get another one. I think she planned this to get my hundreds of dollars!      

Separating Set Up Truths From Punchlines 
Clearly, I don't want to murder a dog. Nor do I blame a non-existing girlfriend for my health. But if I would have said there's a dog who keeps me up at night and I told the owners about it, it's not that funny. 

Nor is me saying my girlfriend is the best ever and just leaving it at that. 
Comedy has different shades of the dark side of life, and more you tap into that, you'll find your comedic eye getting sharper. Everyone is seeing the good in the situation, but the comic eye sees the other side - the fear and the frustration.   

Final Thoughts 
In this age of roasting and mean spirited comedy, you don't have to go to that level, but you do have to create punchlines that surprise. You have to be willing to address topics others won't. Whether they are personal (your own health, your relationships, etc.) or universal (politics, current events, popular culture, etc.), each topic has to break down the weird feelings you get in your gut and then expand them into jokes. 

Don't be afraid to say strange or unpopular things. See where those instincts take you. I recently followed a movie review YouTuber because he hated a movie I loved. I wanted to see what else he was wrong about. I liked being challenged by his wrongness. 

​The first bit that really made me think I'd figured out a small piece of comedy was when someone asked if I had Down Syndrome. Instead of just getting mad, I wrote four minutes about how maybe I do and no one has told me. It's in the flipping of the script where you find the strength and the comedic eye in the fear - just like Tommy Lee Jones did as K.