History of Coach Says newsletter

Jim Richardson's Flash animation movies

1) Flash animations require the free Flash Player plug-in which your probably already have on your computer along with 440 million other Internet users. Hint: if you can access animated electronic greeting cards, then you are likely good-to-go.
   However, if you have any problems playing Jim's animations, just get the Flash Player 6 (or a later version) plug-in which only takes 1 minute to download, even on slow connections.
   The plugin will either install itself or you may need to drag it into your browser's plug-in folder; then, quit and relaunch your web browser, and you will be all set.
   Here is a link to the simple and very user-friendly instructions for getting your free Flash Player plugin:

2) For best viewing, please maximize your browser window to full height and width.

3) MS Windows users: as PC's ship with audio turned halfway down, please make sure your volume is up to full:
   A - The path will be something like:
        Start>Programs>Accessories, Entertainment, Volume Control
   B - Turn all sliders up to full.
   C - Close volume control window.
      Then, control volume by clicking on your taskbar speaker icon, and adjusting the slider

Clicking this cartoon figure will launch a Flash web page containing 6 fun Flash animations which debuted on Tuesday, June 4, 2002.

For an update on the continued relevance of these 6 multi-media animations,
please read their descriptions below.

To return to this web page so you can access the navigation bar at the top and bottom of this page, just click your web browser's Back Button.

Now, let the fun begin:

Click me to play "Career Moves" game

6 animation descriptions you can read BEFORE clicking the little guy's head —
1) Game: "Career Moves" is designed to visually and interactively demonstrate why comics in particular tend to make bad career choices in spite of the clear indications that such moves are non-starters.
To get the biggest kick out of losing this game, please be sure your audio speakers are turned up LOUD.

2) "Canadian $ converter" was a currency converter which is now outdated = disregard this converter.

These four (4) audio clips are from the Q&A session following Jim's "The Future of Stand-Up Comedy" speech at College of Marin, Kentfield, California on November 2, 1995:
Jim's predictions for "Job Openings" and "Teach product!" are still good today.
However, David Letterman's opening monologues have improved markedly:

3) "Forced laughter" asks, "When are you compelled to do the impossible?"

4) "Job openings" there are now more than just these 15 jobs which go wanting. Why do so few folks know how to do these seemingly simple jobs . . . which are still perfectly suited for . . . advanced stand-up comics?
To explore the required skill set, review this check list of techniques (aka principles).
Once mastered, these writing and performing techniques can go a long way toward your nailing down such a job for big bucks.
Interested?
First, apply yourself to mastering all these techniques.
Then, apply for those jobs!

5) "Time Limit" correction: when you first think of a joke spontaneously, you only have 20 seconds (not 25 seconds!) before both the wording and delivery will start to get scrambled in your memory.
If you are hanging out with your friends when you think of a great joke, how can you get both the words and delivery recorded before you forget what made that joke so funny?
Yes: now you do not need to carry around with you a relatively heavy tape recorder because all smart phones now come with both an audio recorder like the iOS (iPhone/iPodTouch/iPad) "Voice Memos" and an audio/video recorder like the iOS "Camera."
But if you try to record your new joke in a room full of friends at a party or whatever, your friends may tease you unmercifully.
What do you do? What do you do?
Listen, and find out . . . from a member of the audience!

6) "Teach Product!" why our educational institutions have built-in prejudices that systematically prevent the teaching of stand-up comedy as a core subject, even though mastery is known to improve productivity well beyond expectation.
IMHO: The reasons for this paranoid prejudice are demonstratively idiotic.

Note: if you see the graphics for either the "Career Moves" game or the "Canadian $ converter" but neither works according to the instructions, first try reloading the page.
If that does not work, then please take just one minute out of your day to get the new Flash Player 6 (or later) plugin.

History of Coach Says newsletter