As far as I can tell, there are two main camps of comedians that exist. Both are insulated and distant from the audience, but in different ways. The more mainstream of the two is the one where the comedian tells jokes and has observations and they are distant from the audience in that the content itself is impersonal. The subject matter is more universal and not really introspective or reaching into what really matters to the performer. They could be clean or dirty comedians and they were the comedians that seem to dominate the comedy world. These guys would range from Jerry Seinfeld to Brian Regan to Demetri Martin.
However, the other kind is one that has found more of a presence in the internet age after being apart of the alternative comedy movement that slowly came up in the 90's. These are the guys that told more stories and expressed their opinions about society, culture and politics. These would include Bill Hicks, David Cross and Louis CK. They distance themselves from the audience not in their content but in their style. Their comedy is about ridiculing and deconstructing fallacies in their subject matter. They can come off as angry or bitter or opinated probably because they are. That maybe fine for the stage, but I would be intimidated to go talk to those three.
Arguably, they are much more related to the comedians that were huge in the 70's such as Bill Cosby, George Carlin and Richard Pryor who had a distinct point of view and personal history that they conveyed to the audience as opposed to a casual observation. In many regards, I believe the reason these individuals are considered legends is because of that honesty.
As a side note, Bill Cosby is probably one of the most prolific and popular with the masses because not only can you see him and his honesty, he is a fantastic and welcoming kind of storyteller. He paints you a picture of what it was kind of like to grow up in Philadelphia and there is a sense that you are now one of the guys that grew up with Bill, Old Weird Harold and Fat Albert.
However, as a general rule of thumb, the personal and opinionated style of comedy is not for everyone. It is hard to be around someone who is so negative. I know for myself, I can get like that. I get snarky and dismissive and I really have to watch myself to not fall into a well of cynicism. Look back at some of the posts of the past and it's like Thom Yorke's kid brother is trying his darndest to be melancholy and removed and trying to be a self-involved wiseass through sketches (Mr. Chapel).
I've gone on this quick rundown of how I see the comedy world to say why I appreciate the book. Patton is one of these guys that has an opinion and can get frustrated and it comes out in his subject matter and style. However, unlike Hicks, Cross and CK, you get the distinct feeling that he has hope. That he is trying to fight his cynicism. He even mentions it in his last album, "My Weakness is Strong" where says "I didn't realize until that point in my life how desperately I depend on negativity and cynicism just to communicate to the outside world." He comments how he needs to change his outlook because it's not good for his daughter to grow up around that. Even before this point, you can see that he would be fun to talk to (as long as you weren't an asshole yourself).
In "Zombie Spaceship Wasteland", I started seeing how I am like him. I'm not suggesting I am as funny as he or as talented (because his book is not really about his career or craft anyway) but rather you start to see a little bit past the veil that his style of comedy imposes. He doesn't have to end a chapter on a joke. There are a couple of times where he ends it on a note that seems to state something significant about him or about his view on things.
He shares memories of his youth and Dungeons and Dragons and his Uncle Pete. I could see the parallels. I have a hard time finding people that get it the same vein as me and to read this book is like finding a journal out in the wasteland. It may not save me, but I know that someone else also went through the same kind of thing.
One moment that stood out to me is the chapter where he summarizes his experience with certain kinds of comics that he toured with. One of them he names "Blazer Hacksworth" who as the name implies a bit of a hack. By the end of the chapter the character is no longer doing comedy himself. Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to know when to back down and find something good outside of what I wish. I hope I can have the wisdom of Blazer. From the end of the chapter: "I looked out over the room. In the back, standing trim and happy in his sport-coat-over-T-shirt ensemble, Blazer smiled, lit by the blue light of the bar. The Tonight Show was forever gone, forever receded on his horizon. But he'd expanded his endpoint to take in every second of every day, and he'd honed his life down to pure reward."
"I don't want to hear from those who know
They can buy, but can't put on my clothes
I don't want to limp for them to walk
Never would have known of me before
I don't want to be held in your debt"
- "Corduroy" from the Peal Jam album "Vitalogy"
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