In comedy, honesty’s best. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s true.
Time and time again, what’s truthful is what’s relatable, and what’s relatable is what makes people laugh. Any piece you produce that makes people say “I do that” or “I know someone just like that” or “Oh my God, that’s exactly it!” will blow up. Not cause it’s the most avant garde or smart or savvy, but because it evokes a visceral reaction and that, above all else, is the key to generating views and building followers in any medium, web or not.
So, to be funny and successful, all you have to do is make something that people relate to. Awesome. So go do it. Oh, what’s that? You’re having a bit of trouble? Yeah, we figured you might, and it’s not cause you’re not talented! It’s just…hard.
While you might be able to hatch a great, true-to-life concept, the tricky part comes in writing the damn thing. Every single beat has to be mapped perfectly to real life scenarios. Any deviation from what the majority of people recognize as “the way it is” detracts from your joke. The stakes are high. If you fail to capture what’s widely perceived more than once or twice, viewers lose interest and you’re dead in the water.
Because we know the challenges facing “the people’s funnymen,” it’s all the more impressive when someone debuts a video like I’m 24, the most recent installment from viral comedy up-and-comer, Pat Stansik.
Stansik’s Lonely Island-style rap about the travails and triumphs of turning 24-years-old doesn’t miss a step (as someone who’s just turned 24, I can say this with absolute, pathetic certainty) and that artful precision is what makes it one to look out for on the 20-million+ view meter. Hats off, Mr. Stansik. You’ve really done it now.
Here are three reasons to watch, people.
1. Music
There’s nothing like a strong melody to get a joke stuck in someone’s head and, by default, all the heads of that someone’s friends.
2. Specificity
If this video had been about turning 21 and getting drunk, it would’ve been a dud. The magic lies in Stansik’s concentration on an age that seemed to be inconsequential…until we really thought about it.
3. Ample visuals
You always want to pair strong visuals with strong writing. The fact that we see Stansik reading a book by Malcolm Gladwell and foaming up his back with shaving cream keeps viewers engaged and makes this concept all the more sticky.
