New-York tribune., 1912-05-26
HON TO Be AMUSING
Al JOISOn Explains His Msthods
at the Winter Garden.

at the Winter Garden in black face ,vh,.'
face and otherwise, is not an accIder,.,
comedian. on the contrary he has omit.
definite theory OF his own, upon wbIc, -
works and on which he depends for 81.
effects.
This is the only audience Of its kind :,
America" said he after the first mar, =.
the entertainment the other night snesl,t.
Of the habItues Of the Winter Garden. @T,
isn't a vaudeville audience and # IAN,
musical comedy audience. II is even ro,'
intimate than the vaudeville audience I,.'
formal than the musical comedy audisr..
and vet more exacting. You cannot do ~
| rough STUFF here that you can do and MI.
applause at vaudeville house, and yet vo,
can make an even more close and frlensI,
appeal to the people.
"I know that the runway which -,
management put in for the 'Sumurln' nm,
bor has been an invaluable assistance ;,
me. and I hope It will be kept in even 4,
there isn't any 'Sumurun number or anu
thing lust like it next season. II gives ~.
A chance literally 10 get to the heart n, ~.
laudlence, with people behind me as well a,
before; TO become as nearly part OF ,ha
taudfcnce as an entertainer can well hono ..
become while participating in the perform.
Iance. have got 50 that know n, -
pcople who come 10 the Winter Garlen and
some nights whes I leave tho sta,,e an,
walk down the runway + can oven sb,,s
hands with them, and can recognize Io,,
os others who wave to me or call out NJ,
name.
MY idea is 10 get next 70 the peops q,
r-t 70
chuns with them Then they really hao
me and so help 70 amuse themselves. rr
can't feel the audience I simply can't Al
anything n they seem little BIZ far
away at first I make an effort to reach
them, and after once truly reach them 7
know that everything Will be all right
work pretty hard hore-anybody can sea
that by the length OF time I am on ths
stage At every performance-but I don't
know when I have had such enjoyment
myself.
Il haven't any particular system Of work.
ing up my Jokes and some OF them ara
sprung on the inspiration Of the moment.
The one about how the management has
given the girl ushers all light gowns fer
the warm weather and what might happen
~ II got warmer occurred 70 me thres
nights ago while I was walking down the
runway I noticed one OF the grin and 4,
popned right into my head So tried II
! of without any practice.
= Generally, when I got good joke,
E tell X to some Of my friends first so that
can make sure that tell II the best way
But II think a Joke IS funny won't be-
Ileye II isn't funny until the audience has
ela-. hr1t,T IA os
. things that are not funny when you tell
: them TO a friend which will get howl ot
: laughter IL you spring It from the stage.
For instance, one Of the biggest laughs
. 7 get IS when I offer the Duke light with
j my cigar lighter. The lighter works, z
I gaze at It and excIaim, BY God! 4:
= worked" The point in this Joke Is simpl'
that it IS near TO human nature and human
= experionce. Perhaps one man out Of every
e four has a lighter, and he knows how
3 rarely II does what is expected Of It. And
$ half OF the men who haven't them now
a had them once and threw them away be-
cause they wouldn't ever light"
During a pause his interviewer asked Mr..
ToIson what sort Of comedy he was works
ing toward.
Il don't believe I would want 10 spend
all nv life as a black face comedian" he
answered. The cork isn't hard at all to-
wash off, rs most people seem 70 believe,
rur the field Of what you can 90 Is limited.
think that some day shall want to Be &
regular white face comedian in big mu-
slcal show-I mean a regular musical
comedy I would have 10 have certain
kind OF low comedy role, but think !
F-A NfrfT suit
which people would accept ne.
you know, when 1 began in this enter'
tairreut here I had cool reception. Few
Of the critics save me any notice OF
course. q great many things have been
changed and added since the opening, and
h's kind OF entertainment has 20 be de-
y.,0ral Ii can never start complete
Nauy Of the Jokes have been added, and
have dropped some altogether. I enjoy new
material as mu.h as the audience does. As
. matter or fact lt is 30 ,Eageerauon 70,
Sly that uy part .u the entertainment was
never actually written 10" me. ( worked
in black face ana tarrst'fe I was 20 ne
waiter With that as n start we just 'ult
my role uu, and "a very great portion OF
ur dialogue is my own 'stuf'
"TIoual I supply good many OF my
own jokes have never been bitten by the
authorship Iec II IS hard enough work
ID select the SONGS without trying 70 write
them into the bargain. I go over four or
five of them almost every day, because q
good song IS always a good thing TO haVs
IrY ll.d. even II + have uo immediate use
for H." o.,
lir Jo,san IS not given 10 taking himseI'
g- -.aF a q.