I think this is the right forum for this.
I've been watching a few interviews with Stewart Lee recently and as he usually does he's made me question the nature of stand up while simultaneously making me think everything I've ever done is shit, which I suppose in the grand scheme of things isn't terrible for the soul.
But what it really made me think was what purpose of the comedian is, is it merely to entertain. If the audience leave thinking it was hilarious and nothing else has the comedian intrinsically failed or succeeded in the most pure sense.
Obviously I realise in like a Jongleurs type setting this analyse is inappropriate but in general what are your thoughts on it? Is a comedian supposed to only be funny? Or if they fail to say what they mean and in doing so impart to the audience some genuine Je ne sais quoi. Anyway thoughts? I'm gonna go rewrite my set...