have as much success in mainstream clubs because mainstream clubs had mainstream comedy. they didn't necessarily go for weird. so they started their own rooms with their own crowds. [ laughter ] >> i'm not telling the story for any kind of shock value, anything like that. i'm just telling a story. >> the original standup from the late '70s was setup, punch line, that's all anybody was doing. the alternative comedy scene was all this personal storytelling. >> there's five kids in the family. i'll the oldest. my brother who's the fourth child got lung cancer. hold for laughs. and -- >> you could just be talking about what happened that day. it was like somebody coming up and reading their diary. >> i'm sorry, i didn't study theater for 12 years just so i could go, rambo, no! >> the kind of freeform and more of a stream of consciousness. matt really caught on with audiences. and created its whole new wave of comedians and women