I live in the Boston area, and Gary Gulman was on a local radio station yesterday. I didn't hear the whole interview, but I did hear one little tidbit that I found interesting. During the head-to-head, he wasn't able to hear Jay London's act at all; he had to stay in the basement of the theater and only heard applause. He assumed Jay was doing great but when they passed in the hall (after London's set, when Gulman was on his way to the stage) he thought Jay looked like death warmed over, and assumed his set had bombed.
Were't ALL the other comics present for the head to head last year? Wonder why they changed that? And I wonder why even the competitors can't hear each others' acts?

Diz

• RE: Gulman Tidbit,EnglProf, 12:26 PM, 07-15-04

LAST EDITED ON 07-15-04 AT 12:28 PM (EST)

All the competing comics were in the audience for the head-to-heads last season. The difference might be because the head to head venue is SO much bigger this year. Last year the other comics all sat on a couch together-- their reactions made for good tv. Here the arena is so big, I think their reactions would get "lost."

I definitely think the voting has changed since people can't see other people's acts-- people tend to vote more on in-house stuff rather than how funny the comics actually turn out to be on stage during the competitions. Meaning that though they *know of* each other's stuff, I don't think Gary or John (for example) would be challenged again once they went to a head to head if the other comics really could see how well they do. This method keeps it interesting.

I also think that in the smaller venue last season, with the comics watching and laughing/not laughing, they influenced the audience unfairly. All they had to do was laugh loudest for who they wanted to see win (thereby influencing the audience's enthusiasm)-- giving that comic an unfair advantage.

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