Have a beer with Conan O'Brien or Nelly?

As Jon and I were discussing the future of Play Cole today, it occurred to me that it is much easier to be supportive of friends in comedy than in music. I imagine this applies to theater and similar activities as well.

Music can be a more polarizing element for people. Or rather a sharply distinctful one. The continuing decline of Top 40 radios is emblematic of that. Popular music has divided into several rigid genres, each with its own audience. And beyond the world of popular music, the other genres (country, classical, jazz, soft jazz, world, angry, etc.) each have their own very specific fan bases. While many people my follow more than one genre, they are not likely to be fans of all of it.

The point is that even when someone is good at making music, that music will not be liked by a large number of people; those outside the genre simply won't enjoy it. They may be appreciate the technical proficiency a performer brings to a task, but appreciating technical proficieny is not what want to do after a long day at work.

Thus, when people tell me they are in a band. I think that's great. I may be interested in seeing a performance, but that doesn't necesarily mean I will like what I see, or that it is, in my view, entertaining.

Comedy is different, however. It is easier to go see. And when someone is technically proficient at comedy, it's going to be funny, pretty much by definition. Thus, when seeking entertainment, comedy is more likely to deliver than an associate's music.

So where does theater fall in? Some where in between I imagine. But I'm not going to explore that today.

Appreciating comedy has a lower barrier of entry. It's also easier to laugh. Plus, people tend to get angry when you laugh at their music.