While I was at Chicago Sketchfest, I met Ed Toolis. I noticed him quickly. He was one of the few people to show up alone to Sketchfest early, like me, just hanging around the lobby. And he had a laminated festival pass on a lanyard around his neck (my pass was just a printout).
Well, he spoke to me on the last day. He asked if I was a reviewer. I guess he’d noticed that I’d been around for the entire weekend, too. And I was alone. Anyway, we got to talking and afterwards he sent me a link to his blog:
http://web.mac.com/edtoolis/TheHumorOfEdToolis/On_Humor/On_Humor.html
I suggest y’all take a look at it. Many of his posts relate to the kinds of things I’d like to put on this blog, if I weren’t so lazy. And if I had a better grasp of my thoughts.
It is another blog written from the perspective of someone, like me, who likes some sketch comedy but doesn’t like all sketch comedy, and is exploring why he doesn’t like what he doesn’t like. And he’s sharing his thoughts on how to be better at sketch, particularly writing.
Even though I’m somewhat active in the Seattle sketch community, I haven’t met many people who seem to have given a lot of thought as to what some sketches (or troupes) lack. Do they not detect the poor quality of some of the work around here? Do they not care? Are they just trying to be nice by not saying anything negative? Are they of the (mistaken) belief that you shouldn’t analyze comedy? Do they just not want to talk to me about it?
So it’s refreshing to meet someone who also would like to try to make things better. For himself. And by sharing, for others.
This is not the last you’ll hear me mention Ed Toolis’s blog. I intend to comment here on some of his posts. Stay tuned!