Larry Wilson Discusses "Communication Skills in Entertainment" #152

On this unique show, we slip away from standup comedy per say, and dive deep into the various ways communication is delivered and utilized in entertainment over various forms of media. Entertainer Larry Wilson, successful on stage, radio, and TV, shares his insights on this topic. He has a new podcast called "How to Talk to Humans" in which he discusses the importance of quality communication. So, for this show, he is the expert I am sharing with you....Enjoy!

Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards

Podcast "How to Talk to Humans" link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2133353

Transcript

Announcer: 0:04

This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee, celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business, stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and MC. Scott Edwards.

Scott Edwards: 0:21

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the podcast, we have something totally different for you. I happen to be in studio with a terrific friend of mine, you've heard him several times on the podcast. He is a terrific entertainer. He's been working for something like 40 years on stage with some of the biggest names in the business. He was the 2017, comic magician of the year. And he now has his own podcast. It's called How to Talk to humans. Yes, that's right. I'm talking about Larry Wilson. Now, Larry Wilson, also, besides being a terrific comic magician, and being a new podcaster, is also the master behind the Wilson method, where he's teaching the communication skills based on the secrets of Hollywood. And what this podcast is doing, shares those secrets with his audience. So here on my show, we're going to talk about his podcast, and how important communication is in entertainment. So ladies and gentlemen, you've heard him many times before, you'll probably hear many times again, my good friend, Larry Wilson.

Larry Wilson: 1:38

Oh, Please appease everyone sit down.

Scott Edwards: 1:42

Larry, welcome back to the show. I didn't tell my audience, but I need to be up front, I am acting as producer of your new podcast how to talk to humans. For those that are interested in checking it out, it's available on Apple, Spotify, basically all the major platforms. And it is really different from this podcast, I'm really entertainment based, there's some information that can be gleaned from the comedy and from the interviews I do. But I'm just trying to entertain people and dig into stand up comedy is an art form, you as an entertainer have taken your communication skills, not only to a terrific degree of success in show business, but now through your corporate trainings. With the Wilson method, you're sharing it with the business side of the world. How did that transition your knowledge of of quality communication skills? Turn into the Wilson method?

Larry Wilson: 2:53

Well, it's a it's a complicated question, I guess. Because I didn't realize what I was doing. For many, many years, I was sometimes working on instinct, sometimes I was learning by trial and error. But what really caught cause this to come about this Wilson method was I realized after a while, I was working with big stars in entertainment. And I saw that many of them had something in common. The way they communicated was different than the way most people do. And I saw that they really managed to get everything they wanted out of life. So I would ask them, I would see someone in a negotiation, and pull them aside later and say, Hey, what was that? How did you do? Or I would see someone handling an interview or a handling a quarrel with someone. And I would just flat out interrogate them and say, I need to know what, what's going on. Why did how were you able to do this? Or how did you do that? And I think the most astonishing thing was how forthcoming almost everyone was. No one concealed anything. No one hit anything. It was almost like no one had ever asked him about these things before. Now, some of them Scott, I have to tell you. Some of them clearly, were not aware what they were doing. They were working on instinct. And I certainly understand that because I did so much of the time. But others were very conscious of what they were doing. And even really talented people. Were not relying on the talent. They clearly saw that talent. You is a femoral. It's like a flickering candle. You know, maybe there's some people who are so talented that they can just bring it on command. But I knew people and worked with people who had won more than one Academy Award. And they were really relying on technique. And that, to me was an eye opening thing, because I thought, Oh, well, technique, anybody can learn technique. Anyone can learn how to surf a tennis ball, anyone can learn how to grill a steak, you know, all these things. These are just techniques. And when someone who's a master shows you, and helps you and takes you by the hand, and guide you through it, and then you practice doing it. Anyone can get really good at it.

Scott Edwards: 5:57

Well, I just think that's so interesting. And it's so true. And now we should let the audience know that in your 40 plus years in show business, you've really being based out of Los Angeles, you've had a chance to work with some of the biggest names. I know that because I listened to your new podcast as the producer, I get to have a front row seat for your new podcast, I'm aware of the stories but for my audience, you toured regularly with Sammy Davis, Jr. You have a terrific connection with Hugh Hefner in the Playboy Club back in the day, you even share how you learn the right attitude from Cary Grant from after his conversation and his advice to you. I'm just name dropping a few. But these so called Secrets of Hollywood communication, are really the techniques you're talking about. And I think that that's something that as you said you weren't aware of, and maybe most of us aren't aware of how we're communicating. And your podcast, how to talk to humans, is kind of taking some of the knowledge from the Wilson method, which is a paid corporate course, and sharing it for free to help people for business sales, and even in relationships, Claire, excuse me make their communication more clear and concise. Yes. And you learn by interacting with these celebrities. And you were wise enough to ask them these questions as what helped you develop your skills?

Larry Wilson: 7:43

Well, he was just curiosity on my part, I'm always interested in things that get results. And I should point out, you know, you, you said this is a corporate training, I do corporate events, I did a thing just recently for Mutual of Omaha for their employees. That was fantastic experience. I worked with a smaller mortgage refinance company, recently also, with their people who they were obviously very high level people very smart. But they saw that they had problems communicating, they had trouble, they could be more effective at what they do with better communication. But truthfully, Scott, I can teach anyone, if you speak English well enough to understand what I'm saying. That's the key because I don't really,

Scott Edwards: 8:44

I don't know if I qualify, but you barely scrape

Larry Wilson: 8:48

by you just getting under the wires. But if you can understand what I'm saying. I found, especially recently, I guess, because the podcast entrepreneurs. And I think of you and I as entrepreneurs, where we don't have gigantic organizations behind us. We frequently have to play all positions on the team.

Scott Edwards: 9:15

Yeah, the term solopreneur

Larry Wilson: 9:17

Yes, I hate that. Oh, but yes, I've heard I've heard. It's a portmanteau where two different words have been jammed together. Okay, like smart entrepreneurs, smoking fog becomes smog. Although I have to say I like the word smog, but solopreneur I hate that word. But but you can be used again, no, no, just because I hate it doesn't mean you can't use it. And I'm conversant enough in some of those popular words that I can use it. But that's a very real situation that many of us find ourselves in. And I suspect that the majority of my work is going To start to move in that direction towards people who are for want of a better word solopreneurs

Scott Edwards: 10:09

that No, no, no, what you're saying is, it doesn't have to be mutual Omaha or some large corporation, there's plenty of mom and pop stores with five, maybe 10 employees, were having the right communication skills not only between themselves and between management and the staff, but also, and I think more important, the customer service skills that we seem to be losing in recent generations, and how to develop them. That enhances not only the individual, but also the business.

Larry Wilson: 10:40

Absolutely. There's no question about it. But but I'd say even, you know, you said mom pop stores with five employees. When I think solopreneurs I think of people who are one man band. And I think the smaller your organization is, the more mission critical your communication skills are, you know, I told you that I learned a lot of this from huge stars of entertainment. I think of them as solopreneurs, or they

Scott Edwards: 11:12

are actually I mean, all entertainers are really self employed. Everything their whole product is themselves. And I've tried to teach this to young comics is that you're not just the entertainer, you're the creative writer, you're the performer, you're the manager, you're the financial CFO, you're the marketing and promotion person, you wear all those hats, right? When you become a stand up comic, or any sort of entertainer, you have to find the skills and the tools and the techniques for all those if you're going to succeed.

Larry Wilson: 11:48

Thank you, that was the button that I wanted you to put on. You don't have to do all these things. It's only if you want to be successful, right. And I can't tell you how many people I've met in my career, who were really good at the entertaining but not the other things, and did not have success. And they were puzzled by it. And sometimes I was puzzled, I didn't understand that as well. Then I see people who maybe are not the greatest at whatever their particular entertainment skills, but they're doing all these things you just refer to, and the ones who have good communication skills have been enormously successful.

Scott Edwards: 12:33

Well, what I'd like to do on this particular podcast, and that I think would be interesting to me, and hopefully, entertaining and interesting for the listening audience. Is you are it for let's just accept the fact for this podcast, you're a master of communication and that you have this long history. in show business. Let's compare a little bit. So what can you describe to the audience as a stage performer live performance? Where the value of strong communication really lies? Now, it may seem obvious, but mineral no could pinpoint

Larry Wilson: 13:14

to know you bring up a good point. It seems obvious, but let me tell you, in 2017, I was voted a comedy magician of the year, I would be the first to tell you that I am not the greatest magician in the world. But I think I was recognized with that very flattering title. Because of my communication skills. I didn't understand this when I was younger. But after doing this for years and years, I see that I'm able to do certain things on stage that other magicians can't do. And it does not have to do with some tricky sleight of hand. I can do some very good sleight of hand. Yes, I've seen you. But that's not the important thing. The important thing is my ability to connect with an audience. And it doesn't matter if you're a magician. If you're a singer. If you're a comic, if you're a juggler, if you're a ventriloquist, it doesn't matter. They all have that in common, your ability to connect with people.

Scott Edwards: 14:37

And I'm going to interject and say connecting we mean through communication. If you cannot engage with the audience, which has been said many times on this podcast, you are not going to be able to entertain them.

Larry Wilson: 14:50

Absolutely. I say in Wilson method training. I frequently refer to three C's that I want you to use as a touchstone. If you get lost at some point, to remember that I want you to be able to connect, convey and create. And that is a process I want you to be able to connect, before you've spoken a word. So that you can convey your message, then maybe your message, or stand up comedy jokes, maybe your messages, a song, maybe your messages, something serious a presentation or the patter of a magician, pattern of magician, maybe there's no pattern, maybe it's a an act of music. That's a message. It's a semiotic, unspoken message, but still, so that you can then create authentic bonds with an audience. Now, I'm talking in terms of audience because we're on this particular podcast of yours. But you can use this in all facets of your life. It can be in business, it can be in marketing, it can be in your personal life and relationships with your family. Every single thing worth having in this life begins with communication.

Scott Edwards: 16:16

Well, and this is what's made so clear with your podcast, how to talk to humans. And I think it's great that you're sharing your knowledge of this aspect of, of life and how important it is. But getting back to show business. So we talked about the stage. Now, what if it's radio?

Larry Wilson: 16:39

Well, this is almost sounds like you and I had prepared this, although we have not I'm, I'm telling the audience truthfully, I had no idea what you were going to throw at me, but something else. Another aphorism I'll present to students, I'll talk about three Ds, because it's easy to remember that idea of 3d, you know, the three Ds are determined, define and deploy, I want you to determine your goal in communication. So that you can really bring your message. And then I want you to define the means of transmission, because every different type of communication requires different tools. And the third D is to deploy the tools you learn in Wilson method. But speaking of defining, you bring up radio, that's a really good question. Because all of these different techniques are used in different ways, depending on what means of transmission, you were talking before about live on stage? Well, there are certain techniques you'd be using on radio, very different. I would say the first thing comes to mind, on radio, it's a good idea to have a larger vocabulary. And, of course, if you're really following my 3d model, then I want you to determine in advance what your goal is on that radio program, it means you're going to do some preparation. Because on radio, we lose the powerful benefit of all the visuals.

Scott Edwards: 18:29

Yeah, and that's what I was alluding to is that onstage, you can use facial expressions in your arms, and in in body movement to accentuate the what's being shared verbally. On radio, you have to really be better with your terminology, a better vocabulary, but also clear and concise in the message, because they only have what they're hearing to go by. Right. Am I oversimplifying?

Larry Wilson: 19:03

Oh, no. Uh, let me just tell you, Scott. Everything I teach in Wilson method is simple. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be able to do it. I mean, it's, I'm always suspect when people come out with these highfalutin complex Byzantine programs that are so complicated and hard to understand. I've never ever seen someone who's a good communicator who could not present an idea clearly and simply. And everything that this program of mine is based on are simple things that anyone can do. They work and they're easy. And what you're saying I think is absolutely true. I would also add Of course, that vocal effect becomes higher in necessity. fee for radio, because it's taking the place of like you say your face, just simplify

Scott Edwards: 20:05

it, you're talking about words you emphasize or getting quieter at some point or getting louder, using your voice inflections to replace what might be actions on state. Absolutely.

Larry Wilson: 20:20

And, and, you know, an effect is anything that has to do with the color or texture of your voice. You know, if you say something sarcastically, we can hear that, you know, if I say, Oh, great idea, Scott.

Scott Edwards: 20:39

Well, if that resonates with a certain tone, yeah,

Larry Wilson: 20:42

right, you can hear that so clearly. You don't need to see a visual to go with it. And in some ways, and now I don't consider myself a skilled a radio broadcaster. I consider myself a Tyro. But, but I'll tell you this. The really skilled people, people who you know, are famous you think of it's funny, the first one who comes to mind is Edgar Bergen.

Scott Edwards: 21:13

Oh, it's so funny. You said that. I was gonna say he was a just a super superstar in radio and share the rest of that story. Well, most of the audience may not remember. No, I'm

Larry Wilson: 21:25

sure they don't. They're thinking you guys are insane. Edgar Bergen was the very first superstar ventriloquist on radio. Now, of course, ventriloquist throws their voice without moving their lips. So if they have a puppet or a figure of some kind, they alternate between making the puppets voice without their lips moving, and then they may speak to the pub. Now, if you stop and think about this for more, why do you need a ventriloquist? On Radio, we can't see their lips, whether they're moving or not. It's really just two voices. It's duvet but I'm told, and I have no idea. But I'm told that

Scott Edwards: 22:10

and he did have a ventriloquist figure. I mean, he used it even on the radio show when nobody could see it.

Larry Wilson: 22:16

Absolutely. Well, his his main figure was Charlie McCarthy, right, who's sort of dressed in top hat and tails sort of a society swell, yeah, above evil. And. And he had other characters and mortar Mesnard, who was more of a Hayseed kind of character. And there was a woman character, I can't remember her name. She may have been more than Wisner, the girlfriend, I'm not sure. But Bergen really became a superstar of entertainment. And it's because he wasn't the slightest bit concerned that you couldn't see them. That the voices were so clear. And of course, think the material was fantastic. Yeah, you know, but he understood exactly what we're talking about here about connecting with an audience strictly, verbally. Absolutely. Now, I'm also told the story. I don't know if this is true or not, you know, it's one of those showbusiness things you hear but as as Bergen became huge, he was offered some contract, maybe with MGM, but some major studio was going to use him in one of their films, I don't think, you know, they they used to do sometimes they would have these films that had multiple variety acts in and they would write, they would write some kind of thin storyline, like it was at a circus or whatever it was. But on the first day of shooting, there was some concern about because it's not like today, we're all the technology is so advanced, you and I are able to do this podcast effortlessly. But, you know, 7080 90 years ago, the equipment was much more demanding. It took up much bigger space, if you couldn't move it as easily. You couldn't change things or edit things with the facility they do now, and they were worried that Bergen's voice might not carry as well, when he was doing the ventral local stuff. And they shot some tests, or maybe it was the first day of filming. And they said, they came back and said, yeah, when the puppet is, you know, Charlie McCarthy, his voice very faint. And so Bergen tried to really raise the level. And they said, Yeah, very different. They couldn't figure it out till somebody realized that they miking. Well, they were using, boom, you have the right idea. There was a boom operator, who would aim the mic at whoever was speaking. When the puppet was speaking, of course, the guy was a professional boom operator, he aimed the mic at the puppet. So I don't know if it's an apocryphal tale, I don't know if it's true,

Scott Edwards: 25:33

but you could see that happening. The whole point of it, ventriloquist act is you're selling the concept that this ventriloquist figure is real, and is doing the talking. And so for the boom operator to just go along with that plays perfectly into it. So what I was leading when you're opening the door to the next question, yes, because we talked about live stage performance, and then how you have to be careful to articulate for radio, how does communication different when it comes to television and what's really popular now these social media reels, but using Edgar Bergen and finish the story, may I sure this story was that he was this literally world famous ventriloquist on radio, right at the advent of television, he comes out. And of course, they want the world's best ventriloquist on some of these early black and white really early on television shows. And it was immediately obvious. He moved his lips, he was not really a ventriloquist. He was just had a ventriloquist figure would talk in different things. And it was interesting, because it was somewhat shocking to the producers and the people in the TV world at the time, but the audience was so enthralled with his celebrity, and he was such a good comedic writer, that his the fact that he wasn't a good ventriloquist, was totally not important. Right. And he continued to have success. But it was huge. It is such a great point to how the importance of what he was communicating in his act. Without really the tablet of being a ventriloquist carried him

Larry Wilson: 27:30

right now, just to be fair, to the memory of Edgar Bergen. I want to make sure people understand he was a ventriloquist. But his technique was not as sophisticated, maybe as lip control as some people. You know, there's people like Jay Johnson, like Ron Lucas, like Brad Cummings, a Sammy King. These are all ventricles. I know,

Scott Edwards: 28:01

there's been some terrific young talent, America's Got Talent, where their lips don't move, and they're singing and everything.

Larry Wilson: 28:08

I mean, it's like anything else. When the bar is raised high, then people who are coming along who are newcomers have a higher target team that you know.

Scott Edwards: 28:19

So bringing it back to the question, as a communications expert, we've talked about the stage and radio, if you're gonna go on TV, and we should tell the audience that both you and I have had pretty extensive experience on stage on radio and on TV. Yes. And so you and I understand, but let's share with the audience. Now you're going to be doing a TV show, either a comedy magic set or a comedy sad or maybe just as an anchor, but I mean, how is communication may be different on TV than it would have been on radio or stage?

Larry Wilson: 28:57

Well, the most obvious thing, I think, is onstage, you can make eye contact with the audience. On television. Frequently, there is no audience. But it is mission critical that you do everything possible to make the audience feel like you are looking directly at them.

Scott Edwards: 29:23

Well, I think you mentioned in one of your episodes of how to talk to humans, how the camera that what you call the Cyclops, is this unblinking eye that you really have to play to like? It's an audience.

Larry Wilson: 29:39

You really have been listening to my stuff. I'm very flattered. Thank you. You're absolutely right. That is what I said. And hearing you say it back reminds me of how brilliant I am. When I heard I think by cod, that's all true. The camera i There are there are a number of things that are funny about it. You may have heard, for example, that there's some famous actors who like to have a friend or someone they know have feel good about who's off camera standing beside the camera when they're performing to it. Well, that's because trying to perform to that unblinking cyclops eye is unnerving. Know, the more you do something, one of my students, woman named Joanie, who's a yoga instructor. After working on a bunch of stuff with her, she said, Oh, yeah, in yoga, we say, the body does well, what the body does often. And that's more succinct than I could ever phrase it. Of course, the more you practice this, the better you get.

Scott Edwards: 30:55

Yeah, everybody's nervous in front of a TV camera the first time I was you were, but with experience, practice and time you overcome that. But I think that you bring up a good point that people have cheated the system a little bit by having their friend or somebody just off camera, so that when they're talking to the so called audience, they're talking to their friend, but is, it's back to kind of the live stage thing. You still have the ability to now be succinct in your verbiage. But you can use your facial expressions and your gestures to exaggerate or any kind of fly it,

Larry Wilson: 31:39

you absolutely have to use that facial effect.

Scott Edwards: 31:42

Is it more important on TV than stage? Or is it the same?

Larry Wilson: 31:46

I think facial FX is probably equal in both places. Okay. But it's different. The way you do it is different, famous story about Jack Lemmon. Oh, when, you know, he really became famous onstage on Broadway. And when he started acting on camera, I can't remember which director was, but he said the first day the actor, the director said that was really good jack up. Let's do it again, just do a little bit, make a little smaller, little bit less. And they did again, the directions fantastic. said let's do one more, just do a little bit less. And he said he did several takes each time the direct one, and finally said you know what Jack said just a little bit less. And they did another take. And Jack said that was perfect. And lemon said I wasn't doing anything. Right?

Scott Edwards: 32:40

Well, and I'm gonna paraphrase and say that when you're on stage, you have to project you have to emote you have you're bringing the audience in by engaging them personally, on TV or film. Or even at one of these social media reels, you have to, as you said, bring it down and bring it into the little box into a little screen. Absolutely. That's a great story, I hadn't heard that the camera

Larry Wilson: 33:08

can get so close to you. You know, it's so interesting the difference between being on camera or being onstage, each of them is able to do certain things that the other one can't do. On camera, the camera can come in so close, we can see your eye, we can see when the beautiful woman walks in the room, we can get close enough to your eye to see your pupils dilate, right? Or conversely, we can see in Spartacus, 10,000 armed soldiers running across the plane, you know, now, we can't do that on stage. But on stage, we can feel human energy coming off you. And we cannot get as close or as epic grand as we can on film. But we can feel things. And unlike film or television, on stage, everything is one continuous experience with no editing with no.

Scott Edwards: 34:24

Right now like a movie. Oh, well take 12 You know, it's funny you brought up something I hadn't thought about that is so true. And I hope the audience finds this as fascinating as I do, because it's been shared in some of the earlier podcast in interviews, that one of the great things, one of the addictive moments in stand up comedy is when you gel with an audience and you connect with him so much that it's not just the audience. It's not just the entertainer, but the whole room. I mean, even the waitresses are caught up in the energy Eat, and the positive feeling of the laughter. And that's when entertainers you know, I'm sure there's several terms, I can't think of one. But they hit that. That zone groove, hit that groove. And there's it's a shared energy, and yet in movie and TV, because even if you have a small audience their way back away from the stage, and you got the cameras in between, you don't get that warmth, that shared experience. And so you have to kind of create it into that unblinking eye. But that's so fascinating to me.

Larry Wilson: 35:39

Yeah, you know, it's weird, because that, of course, I have to tell you, quite frankly, I don't really like any of my television, I've done a few 100 television appearances.

Scott Edwards: 35:51

I don't really you did Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, all those daytime shows Dinah Shore, you've done some late night stuff. You've done a lot of TV,

Larry Wilson: 35:59

right? But I don't like it. Because of what you just said. Because I cut my teeth on live performance on stage. And you can feel what's going on with the audience. And you and what you just described getting into that groove. I mean, this is why no matter what genius technologies invented, when they come up with whatever the latest thing is, where they place this screw that they drive into your head, and it transmits the entire story to you, whatever they come up with. It will never replace live entertainment. Because we feel something when there's live entertainment. And that, of course, is the most exciting part of it. I frequently will tell a young, up and coming entertainers will come to me they'll say Oh, would you watch my SAT and tell me to. And I'll say the most important thing is to remember that what happens on stage is like the morning do the once you get off stage, it's gone. It just it's over evaporates, it evaporates into the mist, and it's done. And for some people that's enormously frustrating, like, No, I want to trap that. Well, guess what the magical part is that you can't trap now. Sometimes someone will film. You know, the first stuff that came to mind was Richard Pryor live on the Sunset Strip. That's an amazing record of him performing live on stage to a live audience. But even still, being in the audience have a live theater experience. Whether it's stand up comedy, or whether it's Shakespeare, it doesn't matter. You know, it's it's such an incredible experience to feel I am. I'm also among other things. I'm the executive director of a nonprofit in Northern Nevada. And we're focused on bringing school kids to see live theatrical experience and into libraries to see the resources they have there. And we do an event every year called spellbinders, where we do all this stuff, and it's all free for the entire community. But when we do we do a big show in the performing arts center in Reno, the pioneer center, seats 1500 people. And we do two performances there and it's packed. And every single year, this will be our ninth year doing, but ever Congratulations. Well, thank you. Thank you every every single year, I'm mobbed by parents afterwards, who say my kid is three or four or five. I've never seen them sit still through something like this without looking at their phone. And I'll say that, well. They've never seen any live theater before. And the parents will say, Oh, yeah, they've seen it. You know, on the computers. I go, No, no, no. It's not the same.

Scott Edwards: 39:24

Yeah. And that's so true. In fact, at the end of every one of these shows, our close of our podcast is as much as we try to share comedy entertainment, in great stories in conversation through the interviews, we say at the end of every show. Hey, we hope you enjoyed the comedy but go out and see it live. It really there's no comparison. I have one more question. But before I get to that, in a short, succinct way, they're really popular now. Are these 32nd 92nd reels that the young people are doing and I'm saying that because both Larry and I are are in our early hundreds, who little on the gray side? Any little bit of advice on communicating properly on the short video reels?

Larry Wilson: 40:12

No? Well, you want me to be succinct? Yeah, I, I've seen them. I have mixed feelings about them in many ways. I have mixed feelings about them in the same way. I've mixed feelings about Twitter, where you're limited to very

Scott Edwards: 40:31

trying to communicate, but you're you only got 27 characters or words or

Larry Wilson: 40:35

whatever it is. I understand the appeal of them. Because they the limitation of the medium. I don't know what it is with Twitter 144 characters is that what I don't know what it is, but whatever it is, the appeal is who I don't have to worry about coming up with a bunch of stuff, because I'm limited to the short thing. I think those 32nd reels, same idea. I've seen a few of them that I thought were brilliant. What I'm thinking of the reels, were someone who's really created able

Scott Edwards: 41:13

to communicate it a concept in 30 or 60 seconds,

Larry Wilson: 41:17

right. And they clearly understood that, rather than being a limitation, it was actually a benefit. I only have 30 seconds, so I don't have to worry about and you can check off all these things that you don't have to think about. It's like being shot out of a cannon. Alright. And it takes a very special kind of person to craft that and make it something special. Now, I'm sure everyone listening to this has seen a gazillion of them. Where it's someone who steps on a rake and it hits them in the face. You know, this is fantastic. You know, it's the highest form of comedy. Right? Well, you know, part of the egalitarian nature of social media, where some of these reels appears that anyone can put up anything they want. That's great. Okay, so you don't have to watch. But to see gems to see something really special. That doesn't occur very frequently, you know, in the same way you see on Twitter, where people will make a series of tweets, because 144 characters isn't enough for them to say what they're trying to say. Right? Well, you know, it's a very, very tricky thing. I think, of course, back to the bard Shakespeare, who has Polonius say, remember, brevity, is the soul of wit. Well, there's something to be said for that. Of course, it should be pointed out. It's Polonius, I guess who says this? After like a three page speech?

Scott Edwards: 43:04

Well, that's Shakespeare's humor.

Larry Wilson: 43:06

Absolutely. He knew perfectly well, he, you know, yes. It's true brevity, silhouette. But he's also poking fun at himself. Yeah.

Scott Edwards: 43:14

Well, I think two things have happened. One, we've explained that reels much like the very beginning of MTV, the next one will be good.

Larry Wilson: 43:25

You know what? It's funny, you should say that. One of the very first television specials I did. I came up with an idea for Showtime cable to do some comedy magic stuff. And I don't know how I came up with but I said, We should do a thing that's just a comedy magicians and the people's moods, as they said, Are there any beside you? I said, Oh, yeah, yeah, there are. And so I suggested them. And I was trying to be, I didn't realize the time I was actually functioning as a producer. I said, Well, there's this woman, Judy Carter, very funny, and has a zany kind of outlet that's her own. And then there's this. There's this British comedy magician, Martin Lewis, who's very urbane but very dry. And like a British gentleman, but hilarious. And I thought and then you have me and my stage troupe who are sort of almost like sitcom characters, right? And they said, Well, we're gonna go out and, you know, look at a bunch of different so they went out and looked at a bunch of they looked at hundreds of comedy magician, and then they decided to use me, Judy Carter and Martin Lewis. And I think of this because it's, it comes back to this thing. Again, Scott, that there's so many different ways that you can present this stuff, you know, but We want to see things that we really enjoy. Now, we did this show, I'm you can see I'm tiptoeing around, I'm trying to be diplomatic. We did the show. And it was a huge success for Showtime. So I came back to them, and said, Now you should give me my own show. And they said, No, I got a fantastic review in the trade papers. The Hollywood Reporter said something about me that made me sound like a god. Very, very generous of them. And I thought, well, this will be great. They said, No, we want to have a lot of different things. So if somebody doesn't like you, they know that soon, there'll be something different coming up. And that's really what you were just saying that about what MTV in the early days. Now, many of your listeners may not know that MTV used to have music videos. Oh, that's what I was talking about. I know, that's what you meant. But they don't know. Because MTV doesn't have music videos. That's

Scott Edwards: 46:02

right, it was 24/7 music videos, and you would watch over and over and over and there would be all these really badly produced, or songs that weren't that good. And then like some Hip Song, and or a good director, put it all together. And you had this really genius. music video. Yeah, right. You should explain it. And I do have one last question. But I wanted to say that going way back to when I started, could you give a short, succinct advice for reals? And you're correct? The answer was no, no.

Larry Wilson: 46:37

No. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, it's probably its own kind of art form. And there may, you know, there's a funny thing that I see taking place because of technology. And I'm not gonna say it's good or bad. It's just new. It's just different. I see some young, for example, some young magicians who can do some extraordinary things, but they can only do them on camera.

Scott Edwards: 47:09

Oh, they wouldn't have the talent in the patter. It's no or a live show. No, no, it's not talent or pattern. Okay.

Larry Wilson: 47:16

It's what we call angle problems in magic.

Scott Edwards: 47:19

Oh, right. Now using the camera, that's how you assist in the trick.

Larry Wilson: 47:24

That's right. But it's not really a camera vision. It's not well, you can call it whatever you like. But it's not a camera trick, per se. It's just that they have to control the angle that the viewing audience is looking at them. Now, some people I know in magic are very disdainful of this. And they're saying, oh, you know, that's not? Well, I think that's silly. It's just a different kind of way of performing the magic in that same way. Those 32nd reels. That's a very specific kind of thing. And I'm sure there's somebody out there right now, who's doing incredible stuff with just incredible stuff.

Scott Edwards: 48:03

Okay, well, you're being much nicer than I might

Larry Wilson: 48:05

be. But I'm nice. I don't know if you know that. All right, to

Scott Edwards: 48:09

my last question. So I asked you on this guest spot on my podcast, because you have just started a new podcast, how to talk to humans, teaching and really sharing the secrets of Hollywood communication through the three C's and the three Ds and there's many other things that you are willing to share for free through this podcast. And I wanted to end this segment of my podcast, talking about the value of communication and entertainment, that now that you're a podcaster. Do you feel that your gift in techniques and communication? You've already, you know, succeeded onstage you've succeeded on radio? So you've succeeded on TV? How would you relate to the audience, the idea as a podcaster, and using what you're sharing the skills to impact communication?

Larry Wilson: 49:13

To truthfully, this is an extremely exciting endeavor of podcasting. Because you have the benefits of being a broadcaster with your own show. Without the restrictions or restraints of a network, or syndication group or anything like that. Again, it comes back to that II egalitarian idea that anyone who wants to be a podcaster can do so. And so I think the people with the strongest communication skills will probably be the dominant force in podcasting. I hope that that might be me. I hope that Um, I know that I enjoy doing it so much. Because it allows me to do the things that are interesting to me. Without those restrictions of oh, you know, the network says you have to blah, blah, blah, or the sponsor doesn't want you to mention. There's nothing like that. There is a tremendous amount of freedom.

Scott Edwards: 50:25

Yeah. And I think that, for me, and this has been shared, I am enjoying reliving what was a high time in my life with stand up comedy and people and relationships I've built like with you, sir. And being able to keep that going. Now that I'm a little bit older. And I think you're right that podcasting offers a certain amount of freedom to express yourself and share what's important to the host of the show, and is able to put it out literally to the world, right to see if there's an audience that agrees with your meant sentimentality or whatever. Well,

Larry Wilson: 51:13

you know, there's something even saying it wrong. No, you're saying it very accurately. But I think there's something that's so obvious, you're forgetting that when you you're modestly saying, oh, to see if there's not enough course, there's an audience, there's an audience for anything anyone might want to share. But the incredible opportunity here is that it's a self selecting system. That if you have something to share, for instance, all these people who are guests of yours, stand up comics and the archives, you have all this stuff, to people who love that stuff of which I am one are going to be regular listeners to your podcast, that the people who don't care for that, well, they'll never have anything to do with it. For my Wilson method, the training, this podcast of mine, how to talk to humans, I found the people who have the most interest in it. Those are the people I really want to speak to the people who want to learn better communication skills. That's, that's so fantastic. To be able to identify the people who are your tribe.

Scott Edwards: 52:39

That's a good way to put it your community, the people that have a similar interest in what you're sharing. Absolutely. And I found it. I was little awestruck at first, my podcast, which is three years old now. And it'd be about three and a half years old when this launches. But it's being heard in Africa, and Australia and in all around the world. And by decent numbers. And it's like, one of the things that I'm proud of is that I think stand up comedy, I'm always using the term funny, it's funny. And even though I'm sharing a lot of material from the 80s and 90s. It's as funny now as it was then. And then the interviews I do, which are now current. We're sharing so many of the stories and information about this great industry you and I've been a part of for over 40 years. And I just am so happy that there is an audience for that. And of course, that people are, in a sense by listening agreeing with me that there's value to this art form. And I have to say is the producer of your podcast, how to talk to humans, I think we've plugged it a few times available on all platforms, you should go check it out, or go to his website, the Wilson method.com and learn even more, and I think you'll soon be able to find the podcast on your website. There'll be a link

Larry Wilson: 54:03

Yes, you can't you know what, I'm gonna do something I wasn't planning to do. Oh, ladies and gentlemen, pay attention. Well, now settle down. You may, you may have oversold this. I'm just gonna say that on my website. There are a lot of things though. The podcast episodes you can find there. Of course, you can find them anywhere that podcasts are available. I'm just about to roll out online training in Wilson method. And what I'm going to do for your people, I'm going to have my IT person, create a special page with a bunch of extra free stuff. And we'll do more than free stuff. You think how could it be more than free? So are we going to send us money? No. But here's what Larry will do. If you go to the Wilson math dot com slash Scott S C O TT the secret magic word, Scott. That's right. If you go to the Wilson method.com, forward slash Scott. There'll be a lot of stuff there that isn't on the regular main page for Wilson method. And if someone is interested in taking the online training, I'll have that at a 50% discount? No, yes. Wow. Well, you know, I'm saying it just because of what we're just talking about, maybe think of it. If someone listening to this podcast feels like, Yeah, this is something I want to be able to do.

Scott Edwards: 55:50

And again, it could be an entertainer for business for relationships. What you teach in the Wilson method is really universal can be used in just to improve yourself. He mean, for humans out for humans. I'm sorry, we do have to be saved. Well, it will I help the undead?

Larry Wilson: 56:07

No, we will not. And I take great pains to point this out. It will not help the undead werewolves, zombies, extraterrestrials, I can't help you with that. But no, you're exactly right. Anybody who wants more from their life, anyone who feels frustrated? Anyone who has a small business, that they feel like God, I'm spinning my wheels, and I can't get this. The solutions are so simple, and they're within your grasp. They're just better communication skills. That's all.

Scott Edwards: 56:43

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this has been a fun, Episode fun show for me to do. I know we weren't really talking about stand up comedy per se. But I think it is so important to share with I enjoy hearing it and I think the audience can learn something that the value of quality and concise communication is such an important aspect of any form of entertainment, whether you're a singer stand up comic actor, whatever it is. And, Larry, thank you so much for being on the show. And sharing not only a little bit of advice in history on this, but also that your podcast how to talk to humans, is offering so many valuable lessons and advice for free. Thank you for that. All right, pleasure, ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us on this week's show. We'll be back next Sunday with another great show. Larry continued success, my friend. Thank

Larry Wilson: 57:42

you. And I should also point out for those of you who are interested in finding a Podcast Producer, you could do no better than Scott Edwards. I say this with complete and utter sincerity, that Scott's function as a producer has been extraordinary.

Scott Edwards: 58:05

Well, thank you very much. And let's just keep in mind that on the Wilson method.com Use the secret word Scott, and get a 50% discount and loads of free information on how to make your communication skills better. Larry, thank you so much. Ladies and gentlemen. Come back next week, and we'll share even more exciting stand up comedy and information. Bye.

Announcer: 58:31

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Stand Up Comedy your host and emcee. For information on the show merchandise and our sponsors or to send comments to Scott, visit our website at WWW dot stand up your host and mc.com Look for more episodes soon and enjoy the world of stand up comedy. Visit a comedy showroom near you