NPR

'You Get Paid For Doing Therapy': Stand-Up Comedians On Anger

For centuries, people have turned to jesters for relief from the miseries of life. As it turns out, some stand-up performers turn pain and rage into their own coping and catharsis.
Comedian Mo Amer, seen here in his Netflix special <em>The Vagabond</em>, says that stand-up has been a significant part of his "coping process" with an itinerant childhood.

Veteran comedians know all about the funny side of anger.

The late George Carlin wrote an entire bit called "Free-Floating Hostility." Jerry Seinfeld once declared in the Los Angeles Times that "All comedy starts with anger."

The rant is often a comedian's sharpest tool, whether it's the screams of the late Sam Kinison or the tirades of Chris Rock — like "Stop telling your kids they're special!"

has plenty to be angry about

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR1 min read
Switzerland's Nemo Wins Eurovision 2024 In A Year Of Protests
The Swiss singer and rapper was one of two nonbinary artists in the finals at this year's event held in Malmo, Sweden. Meanwhile, protesters called for Israel's disqualification from the contest.
NPR4 min read
Israel Expands Evacuation Orders In Rafah As Aid Groups Struggle To Prepare
Israel's military issued new evacuation orders in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, forcing even more Palestinians to relocate on Saturday ahead of a likely expanded ground operation there.
NPR2 min read
Brian Wilson Of The Beach Boys Is Being Placed Under A Legal Conservatorship
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the conservatorship Thursday, noting that Brian Wilson suffers from "a major cognitive disorder." Wilson has agreed to the conservatorship.

Related Books & Audiobooks