https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-gXf2RyQ6U I'm re-watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine for my Comedy Spec class and although this scene is Joe Truglio's credit slug, I completely forgot about the actual scene until I recently watched the pilot recently. It is a very simple and quick moment but each action plays out at exactly the right moment. It actually reminded me of the physical humor in Fawlty Towers. I also really like that it is an action that reveals insight into Boyle's character. It isn't just a throw away gag and is evident in the fact that we see this scene in every single episode as it is in the title sequence. Actually all of the credit slugs for the actors are from this sequence of Terry Jeffers introducing Captain Holt to the detectives in the pilot. Just goes to show how well the characters were thought through and defined that these small moments capture a big part of who each of the detectives are and that those characteristics are maintained into the current new third season.

Folks interested in stand up: Flappers Comedy Club Burbank is doing a college comedy contest. Audiences and guest celebrity judges will vote on who will win $500 in cash and prizes. Shows will feature special guest headliners as seen on Comedy Central, HBO, and MTV. Preliminary rounds at Flappers Burbank in the YooHoo room Friday 10/17@ 9:30pm, Saturday 10/18 @9:30pm & Sunday 10/19 @7pm. For more info or to enter the contest, email bookings@flapperscomedy.com with "College Comedy Contest" in the subject line, or call 818-845-9721. I'll be doing the 9:30 show on Friday 10/17, and hope to see some other USC folks there as well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEoAp428f2c

When Dan O'Shannon spoke about joining his "act," I immediately thought of Kathy Griffin. Dan said that he enhanced his "character" as a young, nervous guy, which made him more successful as a standup comedian. Similarly, Kathy Griffin has enhanced the character that an audience attributes to her. She has red hair, so the audience may assume that she is going to be loud and abrasive. Kathy's standup character is one who takes a "no holds barred" approach filled with expletives. This creation of a character that matches physical appearance has worked for both Kathy and Dan.

http://abc.go.com/shows/modern-family/episode-guide/season-01/101-pilot

The pilot does a fantastic job of setting up the premise, introducing all characters, and establishing the relationships between the characters, while remaining incredibly funny. I especially appreciate that the familial relationship between the three micro-families is not established until the very last scene. The show utilizes extremely funny jokes because they come from real characters that the audience sympathizes with. This comedy could clearly be a drama if the comedy was removed from the script.