You... But Funnier!

I have the secret sauce

Why is it that - comedy is joy! - but getting funnier can feel so awful?

A few reasons.
And I’ll share some helpful ones here.

But here’s the thing.
There are principles that help
In the process of becoming a lot funnier.
But there are no cookie cutter answers.
Because humans are complex.
Creative humans are extremely complex.
Comedically creatives humans are ridiculously and brilliantly complex

So if you are ready
For the super charged level of becoming funnier
You need the full experience
Of being seen/heard/understood.
Untangled.
For the accelerated growth
That happens with personalized help
I’m doing a - now rare*- in person You… But Funnier masterclass.

Being in person lets me diagnose things like…
- should you push harder or lay back a little?
- are your stories too vague or filled with too many unimportant details?
- are you missing the essential comedy in the writing or is the fix in your performance?
-are you running from the vulnerability and pain?
- do you know yourself?

Online… I can help you
- Understand your essential story.
- Pick your next project.
- Get granular about your process.
- Pinpoint your resistance to the growth you so desperately yearn for.
- Diagnose writing issues
- But I can’t ALWAYS tell why something isn’t funny on stage.
- Or if there are other stylistic or material choices that would better serve.

So I’m doing my You… But Funnier Masterclass.
Only once this year.
We start Saturday June 8.
The Lyric Hyperion.
There are a few spots left.
Go grab yours here.
I’ve helped so many standups, authors, storytellers, influencers, podcasters, directors, and I can help you!

So.
Why is it that - comedy is joy! - but getting funnier can feel so freaking awful?

Because of the ‘pain+ time = comedy’ thing.

I teach a finely honed tool kit of comedy skills.
But because we are dealing with your ow
Meaning jealousy, greed, depression, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, heartbreak, grief, confusion, existential dread, anger, frustration etc etc
Maybe one of the most important thing I bring to the party
Is compassionate listening.

Comedy is essentially alchemical.
Converting pain to joy is magical.
Mystical even
But also very earthly.
Rolling up your sleeves and getting into the muck.
We need to have a little fun doing it!

I always know we are getting close to a breakthrough
If a student cries while they are telling a story.
I’ve never had any one cry from the notes btw!
It’s their own truth.

That doesn’t mean I won’t tell you what you need to know.
I will.
But I will do it as kindly as I can.

”You need alt comedy guru, Beth Lapides!” LA Weekly
”This workshop changed my life!” Jamie Bridgers

The way to be sustainably and meaningfully funnier
Is to start with your deep truths, beliefs.
And find the thread that links your stories.
Your own ‘personal sutra’.
And learn to mine that for comedy.
That takes curiosity. Strength. Honesty.
And I have the experience to help you there.

Oh, and yes we do have auditors.
Great way to get a taste if the time pr financial commitment of the whole session is too much.

So if you have been wanting to work with me now is the time!
If you have the urge to be you.
But funnier.
Do it now!
I won’t be offering this again this year.
Because I have a full slate ahead of being me.
But funnier;)

Finally my students have gone on to successful careers
As standups, writers, storytellers, podcasters, authors,
Influencers, directors, solo show people etc!
And lots of my clients have come on as successes in those fields.
But ready to got tp the next level.
Or project.

Reach out of you have questions.

Infinitely Yours,
Beth

PS
When I say *now rare… (the context!)
Only for the very interested in how I developed my teaching style and wisdom.
And of course mainly through my own career and he stellar careers of the people I work with at UnCabaret and beyond,

*I’ve taught for decades, almost as long as I’ve been creating. Starting with photography, dance and printmaking while I was at Brown.

Took a break for my early professional years then as UnCab was taking off comedians wanted somewhere to try/learn this style. So we launched the UnCab Lab.

As the people in the UnCab Lab started to do other things like wrote scripts, and do storytelling and might not be UnCabaret preferential we grew into The Comdian’s Way.

Along the way we did that workshop at places like The Skirball Center, UCLA Extension, Mbar, IOWest, and Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

Then my partner and I split and I wanted to reframe and I simplified it to The Beth Lapides Workshop. Hi!

Eventually landed at The Actors Comedy Studio and they wanted a title that helped students know what the class was beyond with me. So The Infinite Writer. Referring to he page to stage and back to the page process. (Actors this work is so good for you!)

Then I was headed to Chicago for a wedding - and I always like to work when I travel, so I connected with Second City in Chicago. And as a way to explain what I teach I called it You… But Funnier. The exactly perfect title. Where had it been my whole life? Haha.

Alan the way I was also aching privately n longer projects and career building. So when we went into lockdown I started working with folks on zoom. And dd some You…But Funnier workshops there. But I felt called to expand beyond even a broad definition of comedy workshops. And developed a yearly program of creative transformation. The Infinite Creator. Which this subtack is part of.

Then recently I did a keynote at The Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop and they asked of I’d also do a workshop. Sure. You… But Funnier. And I remembered how working with folks IRL a really help accelerate that part pf their work. And decided to re-integrate this into my coaching/teaching. Partly to I can help my comedy based LA clients, partly to meet new folks. Partly becuase it’s part of the full expression of my calling. And the world needs as much full expression as we can show up with right now. xx