Comment is free
Over the weekend I took the unusual step of admitting that I wasn’t entirely happy with the Birmingham show on my tour. Unusual by the standards of most comics, that is – pretty much standard for me on this blog. In keeping with my optimism crusade, I’ve done less and less and this type of thing as I’ve gone on, because I’m trying to be ever more upbeat about shows that don’t seem to go as well. But I still tend to be quite honest about the ups and downs of my career. Many acts, and more pertinently many acts’ agents, would think it unwise to do this, because I might look bad to people who don’t know me that well – look more amateurish than people with slicker, more impersonal blogs.
I was fortunate enough to get quite a lot of nice comments from people at the Birmingham show, which were and are very much appreciated. Today, however, there was a pretty unpleasant one from a punter who didn’t enjoy himself at all. He made some pretty stinging remarks about my preparation levels and professionalism. Although I did think the crowd reaction was a bit lukewarm, and would always be the first to look at what I might have done wrong, I definitely have never been guilty of under-preparing for any show I’ve done in my career. (I do faff about on stage and lurch from one subject to another, but that’s a stylistic thing, really, and most people who come to see me expect it.)
Anyway.
It’s a good example of the fact that if you leave yourself open to criticism by questioning yourself, people will tend to jump into the hole you’ve created and, well, basically piss up the side of it. If a hole has a side. You see what I mean. If you start the ball of self-criticism rolling, someone will give you a kicking bigger than the one you originally thought was warranted. I don’t think I need to keep stacking up the metaphors.
Anyhow – I’m going to consider once more whether I’m doing the right thing by giving running reports on my career like this. I tend to really value the unusually intimate relationship between me and my fans, and those fans far outnumber critics on this site (thankfully, what with it being my site). But even a little bit of public criticism can damage you in the public eye. And much as I may underestimate myself sometimes, I don’t like other people doing it.
Of course, I could have just not published his comment, and nobody would ever have known about it. So perhaps I needn’t change the blog. Just change who’s allowed to write on it. But that seems a bit cowardly. Hmm. Maybe free speech should only be free if you like me? It worked pretty well for Stalin.
Posted by Rach on October 19, 2010
Well…. late as it may be, I’d like to say ‘pfftt’ to anyone who gave negative feedback on the brummy show…. it was brilliant
even if the crowd were a bit miserable :/ and the kangaroo was even there, in fact, it was in the seat next to me and it’s name was Zoe ;D
I’d love to be more reassuring and supportive but i think anything I had to say has been said…. so just assume I said it.
However I will point out that you’re a lovely bloke and I’d like to thank you for your well wishings on my move to oz…. if you want another flag i have several >.<
Posted by Maddie on October 15, 2010
We love you Mark.
Seconding what Phill and Josh said.
Posted by Andrew on October 14, 2010
Gosh, what a lovely bunch you Watsonians are. I have a tear in my eye reading some of these heartfelt comments, and I don’t even like Mark Watson. Oh ok, maybe I do, just a bit. The point is, you delightful people have inspired me to post for the first time, upgrading my ‘casual onlooker’ status to that of ‘interactive, keen observer, with potential for upgrade to Watsonian level, with, say, another ten or twenty posts, not less than half of which should at least make me laugh, if no-one else’. For the record, I used to save up a few blog entries and read them all in one go, like some hungry but humour/knowledge-deprived buffoon, now I will consume them in the bite-sized portions, as Mark duly intended.
P.S. I had a look a while ago to see if I would be the first Andrew, should I post, and I believe I concluded that yes, I would. I wonder if this is still the case?
Posted by Clembear on October 14, 2010
“a little bit of public criticism can damage you in the public eye”
Can you explain a bit more what you mean by this?
Posted by Lydia on October 12, 2010
I think one of the best things about you is that you’re not afraid to be personal with your fans. I think that the way you talk about your career is important too, because it makes you more human. I know my comments are always seriously awkward and boring, but they only even exist because your actually being honest makes me feel like I can comment, even though I cringe at everything I write. I hope that doesn’t sound creepy.
And I guess it isn’t exactly important, but I think that people take advantage of the anonymity the internet provides to be arseholes.
I hope you’re feeling better now x
Posted by Tom Beasley on October 12, 2010
I admire how personal you are on this blog. As you said, not many comedians (or indeed public figures at all) share so many intimate career details with their fans and blog readers. It is something that helps you stand out from the crowd and I definitely think that you should continue to do this.
However, simply not approving negative comments is not the right thing to do. There is always going to be someone who thinks you’re crap or who doesn’t “get” your humour. Those people (however vitriolic they may be) are entitled to that opinion and should not be prevented from expressing it.
I can see that it gets you down and that’s fine. I know for a fact that it would get me down to if someone criticised my work in such a hateful way. However, comments such as those on this post should be enough of a boost to get your optimism campaign going again.
Keep up the good blogging!
Posted by Ingrid on October 12, 2010
I didn’t have time to read the comment this morning, but now just having read it it made me kinda cross…. ok really cross! You are sweet, nice and never mean. I dont see why anyone would want to hurt you!
It may sound a bit odd, but your kind of like a role model to me. You are kind and funny and your a comedian/author, which is practically my dream job, so its great to have a running commentary of how your career/life is going. I look up to you so much, and it would be such a shame if you stopped this blog. Please dont get down because of this one guy, when there are so many people who love you so much!
Hugs and all that Xx
Posted by splittter on October 12, 2010
I wouldn’t worry about the criticism, no matter if you were the greatest stand up the world has ever seen there would still be people who hated you. But I will say that you’re under no obligation to publish insults to yourself on your own site. Freedom of speech is just that, freedom of speech, it’s not a guarantee to equal access to all media platforms. People can certainly criticise you or anybody else, but that they don’t have a right to have you personally publish them.
Posted by Cat on October 12, 2010
Aww Mark, listen to your fans. Unfortunately in a career like yours you’ll get dipshits who don’t understand (nor try to) your style of humour. These people have mental problems and when I rule the world it will be outlawed for them to converse with nice people such as yourself.
But yes, listen to the people who love you. It makes me really upset to read this blog as to have an entire blog written on this subject I can tell it upsets you and this upsets me ’cause I miss you and want to give you a big hug!
Posted by Laura on October 12, 2010
I was going to write something profoundly supportive but then realised everyone had beaten me to it and been more profound and supportive than me. Oh well. We all love your faffing so don’t fret about a twat with a personality bypass. Big hugs through the ether and all that x
Posted by JontyLarr on October 12, 2010
Come on fella, the internet is full of criticisms of comedians, McIntyre gets called “over the top and obvious”, Stewart Lee “smug and tedious”, Jimmy Carr “wooden”… half the time people are criticising what makes the comedian so funny to other people. Alun Cochrane is one that I would class in your bracket, the whole “stylistic faffing” thing. I saw him at the Lowry, and he was brilliant, though not a whole lot of that particular audience seemed to go with him on a lot of his material. You can’t please all the people all the time, and it sucks and makes you feel a bit rubbish, but it doesn’t mean you should change what you’re doing. Cos the moment you do, someone else is gonna sulk anyway.
Posted by Karen Stevens on October 12, 2010
Hi Mark
I was at your Birmingham show on Friday night and I have to say that we really enjoyed it. I don’t often go to live comedy shows but I was very glad that I went to yours. We tried to see you after and get a book signed but you had run out of books, the security guards had told me to be quick as he wanted to go home and you were surrounded by admirers, so I gave up and my friend that works at Waterstones assured me she would get hold of a signed copy for me as she said it’s an amazing book (and she doesn’t say that about many!).
so, I just wanted to say that to you anyway. keep up the great work.
Karen
Posted by Martin Bellamy on October 12, 2010
Having read your latest blog entry I went back to see what the negative comments had been. To be honest his comments didn’t seem to be bad enough to elicit your reaction – were you just having a lack of confidence type day when you read it?
As one of your older fans (55 today!) perhaps I could offer some constructive advice about life in general.
Unfortunately by the time you reach my age you realise that to try and please everyone is not possible. If your of the mind set that you don’t like upsetting people and want to be liked all the time (which I am) this can be very difficult.
I co-own a business employing 25 people and find not pleasing them all the toughest part of the job but when I came to terms with it, life in general became easier. I still try to keep everyone happy but accept that sometimes it’s not possible.
This gives you a kind of release and you start to take more pleasure in the positive responses than the odd negative one.
I’ve got to say that if you are as sensitive about criticism as today’s blog implies then you will find it very hard when one of your novels is panned by the critics (as it surely will be one day because that’s what literary critic often do) – probably more so than someone in Birmingham not enjoying your show.
Advice (such as it was) over. I’m coming to Preston tonight so please spend the day thinking about all the positive vibes from your fans – do you want me to bring a bottle of red as well as a pen?
Posted by Rachael on October 12, 2010
Ditto what Josh said.
Posted by Aphra on October 12, 2010
I’m not quite sure how this thought is going to pan out, but please bear with me.
I’m not going to use this commenty-space to reassure you how fantastic you are live (and how fantastic you are as a person, and so on and so forth), having formed my fandom through the brilliance of the youtubes, and never having had the luck to meet you (I live in Brisbane, but I won’t push the point!), and because you have a supportive family of Watsonians on your blog (which I include myself in) to do that for you.
Clearly, you were upset to some degree by what this man said, and fair enough, because no one likes to hear criticism. However, to refuse this man the right to say what he thought, misguided as he may be in forum or tact (the last line was uncalled for), would be a very pleasing kind of lie, where you choose to deny reality, and substitute your own. It’s not wise to do this – all you’ll end up with is a fake image of yourself, which devalues the relationship you have with your fans, who love your work, and love the honest nature of your interaction with them.
Furthermore, you mentioned having the option to not publish his remarks, so you clearly had read them, so whether or not they were publicly posted is beside the point – your feelings would have been bruised anyway, for which I am very sorry. However, he could have alternatively told you to go fuck yourself, but he didn’t. He gave actual criticism. And really, one or two out of hundreds of comments of love on the blog isn’t a tsunami of hate.
Look at it this way: if everyone liked you, you’d either be lying or dead.
Posted by Corey on October 12, 2010
Lots of comments echoing my sentiments here. I think your style is great and love the way it often comes over as a conversation rather than a scripted piece even though hours and hours of thought will have gone into it.
As many have said you can’t please everyone and everyone is allowed their say…..but be heartened by the fact that everytime somebody does leave a negative comment……your supporters/fans will remind you that we don’t want you to change the way you do things on this blog……at least for the next 9 or so years!
Posted by Anji on October 12, 2010
Somewhere yesterday someone let a whole bunch of bullying idiots out. Uncalled for over negative and childish behaviour, which then gets directed at the wrong people.
I had one at work yesterday too, and personally I could of stood up from behind the reception desk and slapped his face, told him to put his toys bcd in hit cot, and then kindly clear off because I didn’t want to deal with him again.
I’m sorry you had one too Mark, personally I think the comment was left to stir and attention seek. They knew it would stand out among the positives, and any true fan would know the work of this blog and how supportive it is.
You know the real heartfelt comments are meant, and I know it’s hard to ignore the silly ones, but I hope in the light of today it can be swept away and stored in the box you have for nutters and pushed back into a dark dusty place and not remembered for a very long time.
Posted by amycool on October 12, 2010
I just had a little look at the comment mentioned and it just sounds like he isn’t a fan and expected something different. It isn’t pleasant to read as you want to please everyone but by internet standards it’s pretty insignificant.
Having said that, I’m a hyprocrite. I can’t take criticism of any kind.
It goes straight to the pit of my stomach and shame spreads through my body like a virus.
Despite this, I vote no on censorship (I’m aware there isn’t actually a vote). The lovely comments will always far outweigh the negative ones and it’s probably character building.
And I also really like the Dr Seuss quote.
Posted by Wolf2 on October 12, 2010
You’re gonna beat yourself up after one negative comment? Geddoutta here.
One day, you get a bit of negative feedback. The next, you get to legitimately take a pen from a small child. It’s all in The Game.
Oh and geez, reading it, it’s hardly a stinging rebuke of all you hold dear, is it? It’s just one guy seemingly confirming what you already feared, that Birmingham didn’t go well. Alright, if you’re gonna take that on board instead of the more numerous positive comments in the very same comments thread, then you gotta ask yourself why? If I may hypothesize: you’re tired, you know you’re gonna get a whole lot more tired and (really projecting now) you’re at your most alone and vulnerable when you’re involved in touring a stand-up show. You can have everyone you love all around you, and you’re still alone on the stage etc. It’s an old cliché, but hell, that’s why they’re clichés.
You’re doing something love, and by almost all accounts you’re doing it very well. If that ain’t cause for optimism, you’d better give me that damn glass. Consider yourself pepped, sir.
Posted by Phill on October 12, 2010
Mark, I think I speak for every one of your fans when I say that the reason you are appreciated so much is because of the “intimate” relationship. (Not intimate in THAT way).
I think most of us “Watsonians” feel like we kind of know you, and I don’t mean that in a creepy way – I just mean by making yourself slightly vulnerable like that, and talking about your career ups and downs, you appear a much more ‘real’ person than any of these other comedians with their management-written, impersonal blogs.
So I would say keep writing about your ups and downs and don’t let a tiny minority of negative comments get you down.
Um, also I wanted to second what other people have said about your live act: it’s just a stylistic thing. Some people will appreciate it, some people won’t – I think most people, particularly on here, would appreciate it. Obviously those people who don’t appreciate it are insane or have no taste. Clearly.
Posted by LisaBrunders on October 12, 2010
There have been a lot of great comments already.
You can’t please everyone. If you’d have pleased him, you would have disappointed all the true fans who know what to expect from you, and love it. Then there would have only been a few happy people after the show! The ones that go to lots of comedy shows and expect them all to be the same.
Don’t let one bad comment bother you.
Posted by Ingrid on October 12, 2010
Hey mark
I think you are great as a comedian, and I really think its partly because you seem so real. The blog somehow makes you feel closer, which just makes you so much better to watch.
Honestly there are always going to be people who dont like you, but just try to remember all us watsanians who love you and appreciate your every blog. So dont give up on it because of one negative guy. It would be such a shame to stop now, so please dont. Xx
Posted by This Is A Pseudonym on October 12, 2010
I dont know why i put “second funniest” in the previous post, that isn’t what she said. She said “one of the”. Sorry about that, An error, not an insult!
Posted by This Is A Pseudonym on October 12, 2010
I was at your Birmingham show and i loved it! My sister had seen you live before at the WAC last year and said you were second funniest act she’d seen live, and i myself enjoyed it as well as those immediately surrounding me. Im really sorry to hear it didn’t go as well as you thought, but be assured you provided most people there with a highly enjoyable evening, thanks!
Oh and my sister got her Eleven book signed and said she regretted it, saying it was the most awkward thing ever – she was the one who said “I feel like i should say something witty, but i have nothing” and then panicked when you asked her name, having an Asian name and all haha, and told you put Noddy down for some idiotic reason. I have no idea where “noddy” came from, guess she must have been very awkward.
Otherwise, a great night!
Posted by Catherine aka Cathy on October 12, 2010
I was sorta thinking along the same lines as Josh. Lucky for the punter I live where I can’t get to him. I’ve never even seen your show and feel very maternalistic towards you. Nobody criticizes Mark. If you dare to, you shall incur the wrath of all Watsonians.
Does that sound fierce enough or was it too over the top. Nevertheless, we are all very protective of your feelings. Unfortunately punters, jerks, wankers, twats, etc, have free speech rights, too. Maybe they just should think twice before they open their pie holes or whatever the equivalent to typing is.
Posted by Kathryn on October 11, 2010
I got stuck in a bit of a spiral of self-criticism earlier after my first university supervision class, mostly along the lines of “why did they ever let me in here clearly I don’t know anything how am I going to cope with this course?”, sort of thing. If someone had then said to me that I do indeed suck at this and that I should just go home I might have struggled not to book the first flight out of here. Thankfully I had a friend who was able to reassure me. I’m normally quite positive so it really threw me that I was feeling pretty down. I have new appreciation for your ability to cope with criticism.
Posted by ChrisP on October 11, 2010
I personally quite like the feeling that your show looks a bit improvised. Nothing wrong with that, I hope that it genuinely is in places and each show is slightly different and full of surprises.
It’s a matter of style and taste. You have always taken good money for good shows and will continue if you keep working to the same standard (no doubt you will). I personally don’t like the overly polished same-every-night performances of some comedians.
Sadly if you have a blog that anybody can comment on you will get the occasional one of those. Somebody clearly really values their own opinions.
Posted by Someone on October 11, 2010
As much as I, and I’m sure everyone here, hate to hear you feeling down, I think one of the reasons you are so loved is because of your unique ‘stylistics’ as mentioned but also your honesty and genuine interest/caring towards your fans. The fact you take the time to write about your own perceived career ups and downs shows you’re not half-hearted by any means and clearly preparation and afterthought are in supply a plenty. I suppose (if this doesn’t sound too patronising) if you only had nice comments on this blog they’d begin to lose their meaning? You’ve got to know we’re not just placating you for the sake of your soul. And I’d take 17/18 comments being nice as a general win.
I know feeling down is apparantly a necessity of life but I hope this is but a brief dip and you soon look to the sky for a wee while longer. Now do a smile; that gig is a raindrop in relation to your worthy accolades, both past and to come.
(I like that Dr. Seuss quote :])
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on October 11, 2010
Cliche I know, but if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
And you’re allowed to question yourself and perhaps be slightly self-critical (although too much sometimes) but that doesn’t mean others can jump aboard and join in. If I made a negative comment about myself on Twitter and a random stranger jumped in and said ‘Yup, you’re right, you’re crap’ I’d be furious. Its just rude to wade in with your opinion because someone has expressed some self-doubt.
Anyway. Unprepared or unprofessional are two words I would never, ever associate with you. (Even if you didn’t have Powerpoint) xx
Posted by Misha on October 11, 2010
Speech is free as long as you say what we want you to?
It’s certainly an interesting dilemma, but then in showing the massive divide between positive and non is a more honest approach? For anyone approaching from the outside it shows you are an entirely real person because you can’t of course, please everybody. Hiding all negativity might mke the blog seem less real, staged perhaps. I don’t know.
Instead of writing an essay on the subject, I shall leave a quote, by Dr Seuss: Be who you are, and say what you feel. Because those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.
Posted by Josh on October 11, 2010
You don’t need to worry about people like that, all you need to do is tell us where he lives. Then there’s always the possibility he’d have some sort of tragic accident.
Posted by Kate B on October 11, 2010
I really admire you for the way that you talk openly about your career and life in general. I think the fact that you will say if a gig didn’t go as well as it could have isn’t something a lot of people are happy to do and I think you get a lot of respect from doing it. And I don’t think it’s wrong of you for not allowing harsh negative comments to be published, they are only going to cause arguments on the blog, as I think I can comfortably say that pretty much all of us, your loyal readers, are going to stick up for you.
You’re the best comedian out there, please never stop writing this blog. Well, at least not for another nine and bit years.
Posted by Michael King on October 11, 2010
Regarding the ‘unprepared’ thing? Yeah, I thought that was a matter of style rather than actually being unprepared. There’s a big difference. Criticising that is like saying the stage manner of Al Murray The Pub Landlord – his act is based around a character, so it’s a moot point to call him out on that. I don’t know if this is the case with you, Mark, but it seems to me that most comics are playing a character to some degree when they perform – I’m sure people like Peter Kay and Ricky Gervais, to name just two, don’t act like they do on stage in their everyday lives. The faux nervousness is something that is portrayed through your on-stage mannerisms, in my opinion – maybe you are as nervous in everyday life as you might seem to be on stage, I don’t know. Um, where was I? I rambled a bit there.
Oh, right. A comedy act isn’t usually played out exactly as that person is in their day-to-day business, and the degree to which it differs from how one usually is varies from comedian to comedian. I’m sure some of your material would not work in the slightest if it was delivered by a comic who is very confident and self-assured on the stage, e.g. Dara Ó Briain, Jason Manford, just the same as some of their material wouldn’t work if you delivered it in your style. Your style compliments your comedy, so you shouldn’t let those who don’t get it or who just don’t like it bother you.
Posted by Jack on October 11, 2010
Mark is a great comedian, fantastic even, every performer has there ups and downs and i see this blog as a support group we shouldn’t interigate mark we should support him, he’s a great inspiration to a lot of us and i personally find the details given on this blog very valuble, thanks Mark