Apr 6, 2012
Phil Hartman’s Extremely Kind and Helpful Critique of a Young Comedian
Toward the end of 1996, a 19-year-old aspiring comedian sent a package to Phil Hartman, including a tape and a letter asking for feedback. Several months later, he received this 4-page handwritten response…
(Transcript below)
Transcript:
Michael, Hi. Thanks for your letter, I listened to your tape, enough of it to hear that you have true natural talent. Your voice is pleasant to the ear. That, I think is your basic talent.
Your humor is like a lot of comedy I hear today…angry, somewhat mean spirited. Okay I guess if that’s what makes your friends laugh. Sure. Go there.
Maybe I’m old. I honestly recognize that a lot of humor (my humor, too) is hostile. But when it’s too on the nail…”I can’t stand Alannis, Nickelodeon, etc.”…to me it lacks craft and subtlety.
Look at Letterman. His humor is hostile, but it holds back, to network standards, and yet still works beautifully. He doesn’t go all the way. You seem to be going more toward a Howard Stern sensibility. And I prefer Letterman. So there you go. “And that’s OKAY,” as Stuart Smalley says. I just have a sense that you could be more than a shock jock. It’s just a hunch.
As artists we all face the same challenge—what is funny about me? Or, more pertinently, who am i?
If you dislike Alannis, and say so bluntly, that’s not funny. If you make a TOP TEN LIST OF OTHER THINGS ALANNIS FINDS “IRONIC,” that can be funny, and still allow you to express your antipathy.
Amateur comedy is too “on the nail.” You need to develop craft. In school, in a radio gig, a theatre group, improv troupe, or standup showcase. Don’t be discouraged. You have talent.
Personally, I like your own voice more than your impressions and character work.
Just work, wherever you can. You’ll grow and refine and be great. Be patient. (I didn’t start acting till I was 27). You’ve got a head start.
Go for it,
Phil Hartman
(via BuzzFeed)
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Good for Phil! I really miss him. His SNL work was outstanding and I love his Lionel Hutz bits on The Simpsons.
How very down to Earth of Mr. Hartman. And may I say, he had beautiful penmanship.
+1 if you struggled reading the whole letter only to scroll down to realize it’s transcribed for you.
@Keith-Ha. I definitely did that.
Me too.
Who is Michael? Did he ever make it in comedy?
Wondered that myself Sara…. might be interesting to know.
The source linked in the top line of the post is the guy who got the letter…
Duh on me. Thanks!
Yup, me too. I would have complained about it, except that I scrolled back up and noticed it does say “transcript below.”
Geez, this makes me miss him even more. A true comedic talent and showman, and a nice guy to boot.
Such a talent, and you can read his kindness and intellect in the above letter.
My favorite scene was when he was dancing with another SNL actress. She was an heiress?, and they get her jewels from her lockbox. It goes back in time when they were young and dancing.
“Michael” seems to be Michael Scott, a comedian who I never heard of before.
From the Alanis discussion I thought this was Ed Byrne, who is famous for his diatribe about “Ironic” (“The only ironic thing about that song is it’s called ‘Ironic’ and it’s written by a woman who doesn’t know what irony is. That’s quite ironic.”). I thank god he didn’t decide to do a TOP TEN LIST OF OTHER THINGS ALANNIS; how inane, jesus.
Truly a great guy. I was so sad when he died too soon – and so tragically! I knew we were all missing out on his future – he would have surely gone on to entertain us for many, many years! I am actually glad I read his handwritten letter – though I did only notice it when I was done. Felt that I could hear him saying the words! Brought him back to us for just a few minutes today! Thx for sharing the letter!
“Hi, I’m Troy McClure. You may remember me from such hits as…”
I miss Phil Hartman so much. The “Soylent Green” bit on SNL still cracks me up.