The Stand-up Character

Is a stand-up comedian, regardless of style, always playing a character?

Obviously some comedians play explicit character such as Larry the Cable Guy or Carrot Top (two comics that drag along the bottom of the comedy barrel as far as my tastes are concerned). These people are doing a skit onstage more than anything and their personal life certainly doesn't mirror their comedy persona. Others may play characters yet speak from a normal and individual standpoint like Rodney Dangerfield. Someone like that plays the "I get no respect" card as his onstage schtick and character but he doesn't outwardly create a costumed persona or made up person. He is Rodney Dangerfield the comedian instead of Rodney Dangerfield the man. Furthermore, other comedians come off through their routine as their everyday selves as if the act onstage flows smoothly into their behavior offstage. I think someone like Dave Chappelle would fit into this category. He comes onstage and speaks about normal subjects that Dave Chappelle the man has run into throughout his day-to-day activities. While he does imitate other people throughout his acts, it feels like he talks and thinks the same way regardless of a mic in front of him. Perhaps he is putting on this front to make the routine seem more natural or he really does think and experience such things (it would be difficult to tell the difference without his own testimony). 

However, no matter how natural or unnatural a comedian may seem onstage, entering the world of stand-up comedy immediately suggests an onstage character. For example, Chris Rock's material comes off as very personal and true to Rock's offstage behavior. Nevertheless, he is still putting on a character because he is doing the routine night after night. When he says "I'm going to tell you the only time you can use that word and I'm going to tell you one time, here in Johannesburg...", he is obviously not being sincere. Of course he is going to insert the name of the city he is in every night. As honest as he may come off, he is still putting on a character for that specific show. 

Another example is when comedians will say something like "Oh, I told that joke once in Ohio and..." Maybe that's a true story but more than likely it is a made up setup for another joke. Once again, to do stand-up you are admitting to telling a individual story which seems tailored to the audience but is repeated over and over. I guess the stand-up character that each comedian plays is the "personal, dedicated storyteller" who sells himself in such a way to each audience he performs for.