Slanted Analogies
Just like in creative writing, imagery, in my opinion, is one of the most effective tools that stand-ups can use. In Hilarious, Louis gets most of his biggest laughs from describing a hypothetical or surreal situation, and then going one step further and getting really specific with his description. The example I have for you is in the context of Louis talking about how shitty his body is, and comparing it to an old, run-down, Dodge Dart. “It’s not an old Mustang, you don’t have plans to restore that Dart,” jokes Louis. “You don’t even see it when you look out the window. And now, you find out that it’s your only way to work. You need that car now.” Louis could have stopped there, but he continues on and uses his “I’m in an awful situation” voice (a little high with heavy breaths) to get a TON of laughs. He continues, “And you’re like ‘oh shit I... I didn’t take... It’s got bees in it! I didn’t take care of it!” This whole sentence gets laughs, but especially “It’s got bees in it!” The most specific, vivid image, that makes so much sense for a run-down car, but actually strays from having anything real to do with a shitty body. There’s not really an obvious comparison between bees in a car and a bad body, but that’s why it’s so funny. Louis gives the audience an extremely specific and realist example for one side of an analogy, but that realist example equates to a surrealist example on the other side of the analogy, which lets the audience use their imagination to see that side of the joke. The result is, as you will see in many of his jokes, spectacular.