The College Circuit

It seems like it's every comedian's dream to work the college circuit.

Think about it.

You have a captured audience with readily disposable income and time! It's this college demographic every comedian wants in order to create a name.

Adam Sandler¹ and his famous recordings. (I'm surprised Wikipedia doesn't give greater credence to his comedy albums. Because really, on the strength of his soundbytes passed from dorm room to dorm room is how he gained serious interest. I remember every drunk frat boy in the 90s quoting that album. It's the same way the Beastie Boys got firmly planted on commercial terra firma.)

So these recordings catapulted him into the comedy standard and the college circuit. Yes, he was on SNL, but I don't think it was solely SNL that did it.

The formula is as follows:
SNL + some other commercial medium = Comedic stardom

Adam Sandler + Recordings = Adam Sandler as we know him today.
Chris Rock + Bring the Pain = Chris Rock as we know him today.
(I guess you can include, Mike Meyers and Will Ferrell, too. But I don't regard them as standup comedians.)

And now the most recent "comedian" (and I use the term lightly) to conquer the college circuit is Dane Cook².

Dane Cook's people (and perhaps he himself) are marketing geniuses, bypassing the entire SNL formula.

Personally, I don't think Dane Cook's comedy is that good (smart, witty, intellectual, original, etc.) But he really SELLS the joke. I'm talkin' Hulk Hogan / "Macho Man" Randy Savage sells it! Watch these clips and then think of Cook's comedy! Don't they remind seem awfully similar? I believe Cook took a few pointers from WWF/WWE.

Part of Dane Cook's great success can be linked to the guerrilla marketing behind his website. (Talk about pushing it to the Nth Degree.) Through that he garnered his devoted college following. I'm sure viral marketing was involved as well. (Of course, this age group being the perfect demographic-- having time, money, and email accounts.) Plus, he's white and male. I'm sure it's easier to garner the frat audience than say if you're black and female (i.e. Wanda Sykes³, Aisha Tyler.)

¹ Adam Sandler [Official Site | Happy Madison Myspace] Wikipedia [Return To Entry]

² Dane Cook [ Official Site |MySpace | Wikipedia] [Return To Entry]

³ Wanda Sykes [Official Site | Wikipedia
Semi-Official MySpace Page][Return To Entry]

Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a warm cup of joe.