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Σ: Greetings, from Exereunitis Blog! We are in Agia Paraskevi
At the tavern-restaurant "Ellinikon"
Together with us, we have George Chatzipavlou… -Thank you for coming
G: Thank you S: Great to have you here.
S: Let's begin by introducing you What is your occupation?
G: What is my occupation...?
This is strange, because on the one hand
I think that my job is to write texts
it just happens that i can present them myself
on the stage or radio.
So i would say that my job is...
...comedian. Even though in Greece it sounds strange!
S: Because we are adreese to an audience that propably hasn't finished high school
and is deciding where to study: Have you studied;
G: I have graduated with a marketing/advertising degree from a privite school
And it has nothing to do with what I do now.
...but i was a copywriter for many years
And that was a good practise (though unintentionally)
to learn well how to blabber
which is very important in comedy
The stand up just happend, it wasn't something that I intened to do
I discovered it one time, I watched a show
and the one led to the other...
I quit my job many years ago, and dedicated myself to S.Up
S: What is the stand up, and how is it actualized?
G: It is a comical monologue
where there is a comedian (not necessarily an actor)
and with his text, a microphone and a light
he speaks directly to the audience.
Video: Those who own dogs, say that dogs are smart animals. Dogs are stupid!
You have a dog,as soon as you get back from work: He's Here, He's Here, He's Here!
You caress him and he calms down! You go to the bathroom for a minute...
As soon as you come out: he's Here, He's Here, He's Here!...
There must be sth wrong with him he doesn't remember!
Even the best comedy in all aspects...
brings a significantly less amount of laughter
from a very good stau up show
S: Because of the contact with the crowd?
Γ: No,No! Because of the amount of the jokes!
The S.U. has many jokes in a row.
Whether sensibly, either associatively...
But in a good s.u., the comedian must bring a laughter every 6-7 sec.
...the crowd surely realizes that, it has grown
the last two years with high rates
...it surely understand the humor, The s.u. just wasn't whidespread ...
There were and still are some issues though...
many comedians, that got involed with s.u. with the logic 48 00:03:12,861 --> 00:03:15,860 ''I present my self infront of the people and make jokes offending them''
which harmed the image of the s.u, because that's not what it is.
And the last few years it is considered a show...
Meaning, different shows in Athens
where someone makes a few imitations, puts on a wig, sings a couple of songs, five jokes
and calls it stand up comedy
S: It's just sth else... G: It's a show...
G: What I'm trying to explain to friends that want to
do stand up comedy ...
is that s.u. isn't a decision you make like: I'm going to put on a show this year!
That's naturely impossible
You cant't go from repertoire to S.U. from one year to another...
Agood comedian needs, quite some time to work on his monologue
You built each moment with your jokes. It's a constant procedure...
In Greece, because there's a constant sloppiness there are a lot of people saying "i'm going to do S.u"
S: Maybe it seems easy to them, becasue they say, there he goes
on the stage and tell a joke or two!
G: yeah...but it's not like this...
G: Yeah but it's not like this...
because they make a fool out of themselves , i believe!
S: Do you have that joyfull feeling, after each show
where, as the actors say: ''The performance is over and I feel
I'm still in the play -I feel great!''
Do you have that?
Γ: I feel great, but I'm not in the play...
because during the performance I'm not playing a character. I'm me.
What happens is that after the so, you release the stress
In my performance, there is the following:
because it is in a theatre -of my choice i want the people to come for the performance
ofcourse they can get a drink...
there is a calm atmosphere, which gives me the opportunity to do exactly what I want to
Ofcourse there is tension, but whoever says that in the s.u. you play a role, he is talking nonsence.
...you go up and be yourself!
S: And ofcourse you put yourself out there! G: Of course, when you go up in the stage...
You just get a satisfaction,because laughter is a great way to communicate
in my opinion, the drama and crying are being directed and emerged 00:05:38,922 --> 00:05:41,920 while laughter is spontaneous!
Video: I don't know! When you ask directions from someone, he's is going to tell them to you twice...
even if you understand them the first time!
Necesserely twice. It is the software!!!
You say: ''Excuse me do you know, how do I get to the Highway? -''Yes, You go straight...''
''...at the second traffic light turn right and then staight and you'll get there...''
-''Ok thak you'' -''Did you understand? '' -''Yes!!!'' -''Straight ahead, Right''
''...at the second traffic lights you turn right and then straight and you'll get there.''
-''Ok Thank you!'' -''Did you understand?'' -''Yes thank you!!!'' -''Straight...'' -''I got it!!!''
-''Then right'' -''*** you!!!'' -''and you'll get...''
G: Yes, clearly there are parts that you improvise or go on deifferently...
But you always have to keep you feet on a solid ground Text and rehearsal
I never stop writing... I keep notes and ideas all the year
I just give them their final form in the summer
I have some texts that I keep them...
But the last to years i created, the 80%, of two new performances
I never play in the teatre , if I haven't rehearsed somewhere else first...
at home with 12-15 friends...
S: You gather them and present it to them? Γ: Yes as I would do in the teatre!
Also, there are places that I can test the text, before I showcase it on the Theatre
That means, I have monologues i worked for months!
And before I go on the stage , I have checked them I don't go on the main performance to see reactions...
S: I think, those who are involved with shows, they perceive the preparations
...that you describe... the proffesionalism... for which you set youself apart from others...
G: Whether you stand out, I dont examine it ...
It just that everyone has a way of working that works for them...
Like clothes, that you know which feel good on you!
That's how the preparations also are. I can't tell someone: Do it that way!
S: I want you to talk to me about satire and comedy in Greek Television.
How do you see it? A few names: Themos Anastasiadis, Lazopoulos, Radio Arvila
G: Look, to begin with ''OLA'' isn't a satire TV show.
It's an entertaiment Tv show... for fun! a nice company, before you go to sleep...
The RADIO ARVILA althought it has satirical elements it isn't stricly a satire show
And the problem is, that no of them where ever a comedian.
Some of their videos are very interesting and very aptly!
But in general... If I had to put a tag on them...
Watching it from the crowd...
...it is also more entertainment...
Lazopoulos, yes! He is satirical...
S: Do you keep up with the news,with the newspapers? Γ: Yes, Ofcourse!
Σ: What are your feelings about it?
Look... There are sometimes, that I get Honesty crisis...
by being deceived, but also a being a crook! as part of the people...
Because obviously I let them deceive me, but I fell I have deceveid too!
...and myself and...
...I want to say, sometimes to get deceived so much, it takes too...
Obviously the people has responsibilities...
But on the other hand, there are huge responsibilities to those who let the people believe..
that we would never have to ask for reasons, about anything
I won't get into the logic: how and why... I dont think that anyone knows!
And if someone knows... let us know too!
Because I can't stand the examinations... from specialists...
that have become '' AD prophets"
I believe people are having fun with human ways again:
Talking... Taking a walk...
I enjoy seeing young people on the square!
...I haven't seen that in years!
S: Even going for a cup of coffee has changed...
G: Of course! S: we went through a period of time that everything was loose
G: Well, it was when you where sitting relaxed and said : ''I'm dealing with staff...''
Look, these are things of every period...
My optimism comes from the fact that people find
ways to come in contact with eachother and make things together!
Video: Nowadays, the couples don't have taboos over the SEX SHOP topic...
If you see when the couple go into a S.S. how the man moves and the woman...
The man goes straight to the ***-imagination zero! The woman though goes around the shop...and where does she end up??
...at the vibrators...
To check...
Because,she has the boyfriend that told her: ''Mine is 27cm''
And she is shocked, when she sees the sizes... She is starring at one this size(showing)
and says: ''What is this!?'' and loses her words!!!
And they have a tag that reads: ''Exact replica of a ***'' and she gets confused!
She goes to the seller and says: ''Excuse me, this is an exact replica??''
-''Yes, madam. Don't you see it's black'' ...with a cunning look!
Woman: ''Do you have it in white?'' Seller: ''We are expecting arrivals from Monday..haha''
While the other is looking around the ***: ''Darling come take a look-take a look!''
Did you get it? There goes the chick man!!
S: So, before we end... what I always ask is a wish ,for anything you want...
G: I won't say about good health etc.,which goes whithout saying... The wish that I would like to make is
that noone manages to turn , the one person against another
because unfortunately, it happens alot lately! and I wish at the end they won't succeed...
I mean, to make us not stand the one standing next to us!
S: George, Thank you very much! S: Me too, Savva!
S: For Exereunitis.gr at the photograph Christina Stavropoulou
at the camera Manolis Simeonidis, at the microphone Savvas Avramidis
Take care! George Xatzipavlou!