Franklyn Ajaye Quotes

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I have no desire to be hip to the latest black slang and do the stereotypical black thing. I was a Richard Pryor fan, and I have used profanity in my act. But when it becomes a whole thing that defines blacks, we're limiting ourselves. The enemy is us.

Franklyn Ajaye

Black, Enemy, Desire

7 Copy quote
Moving to Australia was not a career move, but a quality of life issue. It has no guns, no God, and no gangster rap. As an Ethiopian cab driver said to me the other day when I was returning from a gig in Sydney, Australia is a peaceful, democratic place. I like the relatively stress free lifestyle. It's worth the drop in income.

Franklyn Ajaye

Stress, Rap, Moving

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Originality is never embraced as quickly as the commonplace.

Franklyn Ajaye

Originality, Commonplace

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

7 Copy quote
Bombing teaches you how badly you want to become a comedian. Because unless it's a burning desire, you'll quit when the consistent bombing becomes too much to take.

Franklyn Ajaye

Comedian, Desire, Burning

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
Very few blacks will take up golf until the requirement for plaid pants is dropped.

Franklyn Ajaye

Sports, Golf, Requirements

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I don't like the fact that most black people or black comedians have to present themselves in a flamboyant way. It's good if you can do that, but I don't like to think that's the way all black comedians are. I'm not that type.

Franklyn Ajaye

Thinking, People, Black

4 Copy quote
This whole urban rap thing needs to be pulled back some. The ghetto is being glorified, and there's nothing good about the ghetto except getting out of one.

Franklyn Ajaye

Rap, Ghetto, Needs

19 Copy quote
Don't try to give a funny opinion; give your opinion in a way that will be funny.

Franklyn Ajaye

Giving, Trying, Way

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Being black and speaking properly are not mutually exclusive. My father was an African, and he spoke beautifully at home. Nelson Mandela speaks beautifully. Should Mandela put his hat on backwards and say, 'Yo, homey, this is Nelson. Yo, Winnie, yo, this is def'?

Franklyn Ajaye

Father, Home, Black

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Black people drink lots of beer. However, you won't see us skiing down a mountain for one, or see us diving for Frisbees on concrete for one.

Franklyn Ajaye

Beer, People, Alcohol

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An aspiring comedian must be determined to get to his or her true feelings on a subject and convey that to the audience. Figure out what you're feeling or interested in because the goal is to get the audience interested in what you're interested in. Good stand up comedy is drawing people into your head.

Franklyn Ajaye

Drawing, People, Goal

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
You can't wait forever for an audience to get the joke, but you should give them at least two seconds to join in before you go on to the next one.

Franklyn Ajaye

Two, Giving, Waiting

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
When I've mentioned things that I thought only happened to me, or thoughts that I felt had only had crossed my mind, the audience response indicated that they seemed to have happened to, or been thought of by many people.

Franklyn Ajaye

People, Mind, Response

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Walking back and forth also helps by creating the illusion that you are thinking of the routines on the spot, giving your performance a more spontaneous feeling.

Franklyn Ajaye

Thinking, Creating, Giving

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
Ideally, you want to be in a fifty-fifty power-sharing arrangement with the audience - both of you are there for a mutually enjoyable experience.

Franklyn Ajaye

Experience, Fifty, Want

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
Obviously the audience has veto power signified by whether they laugh or not, but you-not them-retain the ultimate power to decide what they're going to get the opportunity to laugh at.

Franklyn Ajaye

Opportunity, Laughing, Veto

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
Evaluate every performance on: stage presence, concentration, delivery, material and lessons learned.

Franklyn Ajaye

Lesson Learned, Lessons, Stage

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A technique I developed quite naturally to help me make smooth transitions was to use a word or phrase from the next routine in the preceding one.

Franklyn Ajaye

Technique, Transition, Routine

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
On a good night, I'm just into the flow and seeing the pictures and words in my mind clearly before I say them. On a bad night, which to be honest are nowhere near as bad as when I was starting out, I just concentrate on performing the routines correctly. I focus on my delivery.

Franklyn Ajaye

Good Night, Focus, Mind

12 Copy quote
Being a professional comedian is doing it right and good, when you don't feel like it.

Franklyn Ajaye

Comedian, Feels

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
If I'm crisp and economical in my delivery, have smooth transitions, movement and animation, and flights of fancy, that would get me an A.

Franklyn Ajaye

Transition, Movement, Fancy

4 Copy quote
When I saw a sign on the freeway that said, "Los Angeles 445 miles," I said to myself, "I've got to get out of this lane."

Franklyn Ajaye

Funny, Humor, Saws

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Taping yourself and making yourself listen to the tape of each performance no matter how bad is really important. There's always a nugget line or a direction pointed out to you in even the worst show.

Franklyn Ajaye

Important, Nuggets, Tape

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You must not be afraid of small bits of silence. To use it well is the height of confidence and skill for a comedian. It increases the tension in a good way and adds contrast like a curveball complements the fastball of a good pitcher.

Franklyn Ajaye

Confidence, Skills, Silence

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote
When you take a pause before delivering your punch line, you will be using silence as a creative entity in itself.

Franklyn Ajaye

Silence, Creative, Lines

Franklyn Ajaye (2002). “Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy”

4 Copy quote

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Born: May 13, 1949
Occupation: Comedian
Cite this Page: Citation

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