😂 Nothing is above the laugh
Here’s an exchange from Marc Maron’s podcast with Jerry Seinfeld which articulates the difference between demand side innovation and supply side innovation.
"I like the laughs but I noticed with you, that there are moments in a bit where they might not be the biggest laugh moments but they are your favorite moments." (Maron)
"Yes, that's fine but I'm very anti-indulgence. My job is to serve the audience. To make them really laugh because that I think is the only relevant currency in the end." (Seinfeld)
"Just a laugh?"
"Yeah."
"I always look for meaning in jokes. That's the reason I got into comedy, because comedians make things understandable and manageable."
"Yeah, but I never put anything above the laugh. Self-revelation, opinion, insight. I would never weigh those the same as the laugh."
Comedy is a beautiful art form because it’s fast. Idea, joke, feedback. It’s the mayfly of the art world. Organization innovation cycles take longer, but it’s crucial to think about how they can serve the customers in the way the customer wants. In comedy, “nothing is above the laugh.”