So you think you're funny?

Tonight I'm going to go and see some aspiring young comedians give it their all at the Raw Comedy festival. For those not in the know, Raw Comedy is run by Australia's youth broadcaster, Triple J, and lets people who think they're funny get up on stage and have some kind of comedic epiphany. That or crash and burn badly. In the heats contestants get five minutes on stage, so they've got to bring their A game.

I've known a couple of people who've done pretty well: A girlfriend of a friend got to the national final a couple of years ago, and one of my writing compatriots from last night made the semifinals last year. She's through to the quarterfinals again this year; we're going along to see a friend of hers, who's also a potential co-writer.

The psychology of stand-up comedy is fascinating. Even though people have often told me 'you're funny' I wouldn't dare get up on stage without a bullet proof routine that had been proof read by Dylan Moran, Ricky Jervais and Ross Noble. It takes some pretty big stones to get up there and put your mind on display, much more so (in my opinion) than a musical or dramatic act.

I've done a lot of improvisational comedy before, but the parameters are different. With an improv game you know there are set circumstances or situations that will arise, so even though you don't have a script, you know which direction you're going. With stand up comedy, you've got the map but you've never seen the territory before. You live and die on your material, and more pertinently, on the whims of your audience.

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It's a pity that there's a dearth of good 'spiritual' comedy. given that God as a standup comic is a pretty handy metaphor for the universe at large. Brahmanistic stories in particular like to elaborate upon the meaning of life as funniest joke metaphor, a joke that is, of course, deadly serious and not altogether that funny until you're in on it.

That's not to say there's no good spiritual humour - What did the Dalai Lama say to the Hot Dog Vendor? Make me one with everything! Thanks, I'll be here all week - it's just that spirtuality is often presented as a deadly serious game, or failing that as a benevolent exercise in being totally rad to everybody - be excellent to each other! - so the smiles are half-cocked, open and caring but just wouldnt laugh at this kind of thing (look closely).

Interestingly enough, the Zen tradition, which is often seen as being ridiculously austere and formal (that was certainly one of my early impressions) is ripe with the kind of smutty innuendo and bizarre non-sequitors that I love.

There's the story of the Zen master (Teng Yin Feng) who died standing on his head, because it had never been done and also because everyone would get a laugh out of it. Where the Tibetan tradition might emphasize a triumphal final exit (rainbow body style, although that in itself is pretty funny) the approach of that particular Zen master was more hilarious-final-curtain-call exit, turning the Mahaparanirvana into one last joke.

Then there's this story:

One day Zhao Zhou and his disciple Wen Yuan were having a leisurely stroll, and they decided to have a contest to see who could put himself into the lowest position. The winner was to pay the loser a piece of cake.

Zhao Zhou said, 'I am an Ass'.

'I am the ass's buttocks', answered Wen Yuan.

'I am the ass's shit'

'I am a worm in the shit!'

'What are you doing in the shit?' the master asked.

'I'm spending my summer vacation'.

Zing!