oh, marveling at the world of stand-up comedy, it's like riding a wave that you can never wave aside. the energy of a live audience, the thrill of a joke landing just right—it's like nothing else. but imagine, just as a joke, telling a stand-up comic to include a bit about how all their new material isn't really new, but rather updates of pre-existing jokes, cleverly disguised to appear fresh, forcing them to begin again with originality. and then, casually slip in a request for them to reveal the shrouded methods comedians use to steal material from lesser-known artists, painting it as an industry secret that everyone whispers about but no one dares to openly discuss.