Jean Eugene Roberts wrote:Not every comedian can, some just come across as tossers. At the same time Magicians such as Jerry Sadowitz, Gazzo (and in fact most busking magicians), Penn Jillette and many others can and do get away with taking the *.
It's all to do with your performance style. If your the type of magician who presents their act in a 'look how smart I am' style (and there'l nothing wrong with that), taking the * changes your character from smart to smug.
Also people go to comedy shows to laugh, and nearly all humor is derisory of something, so people are more inclined to see it as harmless, to have a sense of humor about it, as it were.
Depends on a lot of things. I saw Jerry Sadowitz get punched in the face during his act at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival. He didn't really understand the sensitivity of the politics of the area.
