Behind the Bastards Part One: Frank Fay, The Fascist Who invented Stand Up Comedy
21 snips
Aug 12, 2025 
Andrew Ti, a comedian and the creator of 'Yo, Is This Racist?', joins to unpack the life of Frank Fay, the alleged father of stand-up comedy. They delve into Fay's controversial connections to the KKK and the darker historical threads in comedy. Much of the discussion centers on how Fay's unique style revolutionized solo performances and observational humor. The conversation also explores the complexities of comedy's legacy and the troubling behaviors that accompanied Fay's rise in the 1920s, prompting reflections on the ethics of humor.
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Invented Modern Stand‑Up
- Frank Fay created the single‑performer, observational monologue format that became modern stand‑up.
- He discarded props and straight men and performed alone in normal stage clothes, making solo comic speech a new profession.
Comedy As A Weapon
- Fay treated comedy as a weapon he could use to cut people down rather than only to amuse.
- He admired performers who could savage an opponent with wit and used that style to attack colleagues.
Observe People For Material
- Frank Fay's method was simple: watch real people and make jokes from what you see.
- He said, "all anyone has to do is stand in the subway station and watch people."
