Brian Chippendale at Redrum, Providence, November 2004. Photo by Simon Hegarty.

In a recent podcast, Stand-up comedian Patton Oswalt and ESPN columnist Bill Simmons went into detail about how superstardom can often be the death knell of a comedian’s ability to develop strong material. The problem is that once a comedian has already won over the audience, almost any joke that comes out of his or her mouth will be met with a rapturous response–regardless of its quality. If the audience approaches a performance expecting the funniest night of their lives, they’ll always do their best to ensure that this expectation is met; they are paying good money for it, after all.
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