Finding Inspiration

I watch stand-up comedy clips on youtube, stand-up comedy specials on TV, listen to podcasts by stand-up comedians, read books by and about stand-up comedians, listen to my old Richard Pryor records, and watch documentaries about stand-up comedy.  All for inspiration.
Last night I watched 'American - The Bill Hicks Story'.  First of all, it was visually spectacular. It won or was nominated for a few awards, including Most Entertaining Doc, and it is entertaining.  But the subject is also entertaining.  I was not a big fan of Bill Hicks, but I think I will be seeking out more of his stuff at a later date.
But the biggest thing I got out of the documentary was a quote by one of his friends.  The quote went something like this, "Being a great comic has to do with your inner voice matching your outer voice."
After the movie, I wrote a new joke.  I wrote it by talking out loud, speaking freely, speaking with my inner voice.  What Joey Coco Diaz would call 'subtext'.  "Don't ignore your subtext.  Pay attention to it."
Lately, when I'm performing my jokes, I've been trying to deliver them in a more conversational style.  It's a tough exercise.  But by using my inner voice, I can write and perform jokes in a more conversational manner because it is more stream of consciousness.  I am finding my voice.
When I wrote this new joke, I felt like I had reached a turning point that I had been reaching for for a long time.  All of my new jokes are going to be written in this manner.  You will hear a new Brian.  Hopefully a funnier Brian.
Another source of inspiration came from the WTF podcast by Marc Maron.  It was a special edition in that Marc, normally the interviewer, was the interviewee, being interviewed by comedian Mike Birbiglia.  Birbigs asked Marc, "What is edgy today?"  And Maron replied, "Being completely honest, about yourself."
Being honest about yourself is nothing new.  Richard Pryor did it.  He laid bare his soul onstage.
But to have the courage to do that is the heart of a real artist.  That is what I aspire to be.
I took both these quotes to heart when I wrote the new joke last night.  All my new material will be written taking these quotes into consideration.  It's exciting.
Be honest.  Find the funny in anything.  In everything.  In the truth.
It's like they say, "It's funny cuz it's true."