http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt8b69s3nw No online items Finding Aid to the Bob Smith Stand-up Comedy and Writings Coll2012.004 Finding aid prepared by Kate Dundon ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives 909 West Adams Boulevard Los Angeles, California, 90007 (213) 741-0094 [email protected] © January 2012 Finding Aid to the Bob Smith Coll2012.004 1 Stand-up Comedy and Writings Coll2012.004 Title: Bob Smith Stand-up Comedy and Writings Identifier/Call Number: Coll2012.004 Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 4.0 linear feet.4 records boxes + 1 flat archive box. Date (bulk): Bulk, 1991-2004 Date (inclusive): 1972-2006 Abstract: This collection primarily consists of material relating to Bob Smith’s professional career as a writer and comedian, and includes scripts, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, writing and performance contracts, calendars, research files, correspondence, and recordings of his performances. (1972-2006, bulk: 1991-2004). creator: Smith, Bob, 1958- Arrangement Arranged into three series: Professional files, Personal files, and Audiovisual material. Biography Bob Smith is an American writer and comedian based in New York City. Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1958, he began writing and performing stand-up comedy in 1977, and in 1998, he formed the comedy troupe "Funny Gay Males" with comedians Jaffe Cohen and Danny McWilliams. Smith was the first openly gay comedian to appear on the Tonight Show and to have his own HBO Comedy Half-Hour special. He has written comedy for Amblin Films, the MTV Video Music Awards, Dennis Miller, Roseanne, and MAD-TV. In addition to his autobiographies Openly Bob (1997), which received a Lambda Literary Award, and Way to Go, Smith! (1999), he has published two novels, Selfish and Perverse (2007) and Remembrance of Things I Forgot (2011), and numerous essays. Smith was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2007. Access The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions. Publication Rights Researchers wishing to publish material must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives as the physical owner of the material. Note that permission to publish does not constitute copyright clearance. ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials from the copyright holder(s). Acquisition Information Received from Bob Smith, February, 19, 2008. Preferred Citation Box #, folder #, Bob Smith papers, Coll2012-004, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California Processing Information Collection processed by Kate Dundon, January 2012. Scope and Contents The collection primarily consists of material relating to Smith’s career as a writer and comedian, including scripts of sketches, manuscripts of his published works, newspaper clippings of reviews of his performances or books, writing and performance contracts, calendars, research files, and correspondence. Also included are DVDs, videotapes, and audiocassettes that document his performances throughout his career. A small amount of personal material includes correspondence from friends and relatives. Materials range from 1972-2006, but the bulk of the collection dates from 1991-2004. The collection is separated into three series: (1) Professional files, which consists of material relating to Smith’s professional life, (2) Personal files, which consists primarily of personal correspondence, and (3) Audiovisual material, which includes recordings of Smith's performances. Separated Materials The following materials have been separated from the collection: Cohen, Jaffe and McWilliams, Danny and Smith, Bob. Growing Up Gay: From Left Out to Coming Out. Hyperion: New York, 1995. Out magazine, March 1997. Out magazine, April 1998. Rosen, Michael J. (editor). 101 Damnations: The Humorists' Tour of Personal Hells. St. Martin's Press: New York, 2002. Finding Aid to the Bob Smith Coll2012.004 2 Stand-up Comedy and Writings Coll2012.004 Rosen, Michael J. (editor). Mirth of a Nation: The Best of Contemporary Humor. Perennial: New York, 2000. Smith, Bob. Openly Bob. Rob Weisbach Books: New York, 1997. Smith, Bob. Way to Go, Smith! Rob Weisbach Books: New York, 1999. "Out There" Comedy Central T-shirt, circa 1993. Juneau, Alaska Pride Parade T-shirt, circa 1999. Subjects and Indexing Terms Audiotapes Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Comedians Correspondence Gay men's writings, American Scripts (documents) Stand-up comedy Video tapes Professional files Series 1. Bulk, 1991-2005 1986-2006 Physical Description: 3.0 linear feet. Series Description The Professional Files series consists of material relating to Smith’s career as a writer and comedian. Arrangement note Materials are grouped into two subseries: Publicity and administration, and Writings, and with each arranged alphabetically. Publicity and administration Subseries 1.1. 1972-2006 Physical Description: [33 folders] Subseries Description The Publicity and administration subseries contains materials relating to Smith's professional career, such as newspaper clippings of reviews of Smith's performances and publications, writing and performance contracts, calendars, portfolios, correspondence, and publicity tour schedules. Box 1, Folder 1 Audition scripts 1993-2006 General Physical Description note: Includes 1 photograph: b&w. Box 1, Folder 2 Awards 1995-1998 Box 1, Folder 3-5 Calendars 1986-1999 Box 1, Folder 6-16 Clippings Box 1, Folder 6 Funny Gay Males 1989-2006 Box 1, Folder 7 Openly Bob 1997-1998 Box 1, Folder 8 Out There 1993 Box 5 Oversize clippings and posters 1995-2004 Physical Description: [1 oversized folder] Box 1, Folder 9-15 Reviews and announcements 1988-2005 Box 1, Folder 16 Way to Go Smith! 1999-2000 Box 1, Contracts Folder 17-22 Box 1, Folder 17 Amblin 1993-1994 Box 1, Folder 18 Funny Gay Males 1991-1992 Finding Aid to the Bob Smith Coll2012.004 3 Stand-up Comedy and Writings Coll2012.004 Professional files Series 1.Bulk, 1991-2005 1986-2006 Publicity and administration Subseries 1.1.1972-2006 Box 1, Folder 19 HBO Comedy Half-Hour 1994 Box 1, Folder 20 Openly Bob 1994-1996 Box 1, Folder 21 Other writing contracts 1996-1999 Box 1, Folder 22 Television, film, internet, radio contracts 1994-2003 Box 2, Folder 1 Eighth grade progress report 1972 Box 2, Folder 2 Portfolios 1994-2000 General Physical Description note: Includes 1 photograph: b&w. Box 2, Folder 3 Professional correspondence 1994-2004 Box 2, Folder 2-5 Publicity tours Box 2, Folder 4 Openly Bob 1996-1998 Box 2, Folder 5 Way to Go Smith! 1999-2000 Writings Subseries 1.2. 1981-2002 Physical Description: [22 folders] Subseries Description The Writings subseries consists of material Smith wrote throughout the course of his career, including scripts, manuscripts of his published works, clippings of published articles, and notes for his comedy routines. Some of this material is contained in floppy disks. Also included are research materials he used in writing his novel Selfish and Perverse, including two annotated books: Eskimo Essays and Boundaries and Passages. Box 2, Folder 6-7 Comedy notes 1985-1997, undated Box 3, Item 13-22 Floppy disks 1991, undated General Physical Description note: [12 floppy disks (3 1/2 in.)] Box 3, Item 13 Addresses undated Box 3, Item 14 Back up HD3 undated Box 3, Item 15 Funny Gay Males book, movie section undated Box 3, Item 16 Jokes undated Box 3, Item 17 "My stuff" undated Box 3, Item 18 Out There, Bob Smith undated Box 3, Item 19 Print file undated Box 3, Item 20 Saturday Night Special undated Box 3, Item 21 Stand-up 1991 Box 3, Item 22 Unlabeled floppy disks undated Box 2, Folder 8 In Through the Out Door 1997 Box 2, Folder 9 It's a Fabulous Life undated Box 2, Mad TV Folder 10-12 Box 2, Folder 10 Research, notes, correspondence 1998-2000 Box 2, Folder 11 Sketches 2000 Box 2, Folder 12 Table draft 1999 Box 2, Openly Bob 1997 Folder 13-15 Box 2, Folder 16 Other writings undated Box 2, Folder 17 Out There 1993 Box 2, Folder 18 Published articles 1995-2002 Box 3, Folder 1-5 Selfish and Perverse Box 3, Folder 1-2 Manuscripts 2001, undated Physical Description: 2 folders Box 3, Folder 3-5 Research and notes 1990-2001 Box 3, Folder 6 Snap Judgment circa 1981 Box 3, Folder 7-9 Way to Go Smith! 1999 Finding Aid to the Bob Smith Coll2012.004 4 Stand-up Comedy and Writings Coll2012.004 Personal files Series 2.Bulk, 1992-2004 1972-1995 Personal files Series 2. Bulk, 1992-2004 1972-1995 Physical Description: [3 folders] Series Description The Personal Files series consists of correspondence from friends and relatives, and other personal materials. Arrangement note Materials are arranged alphabetically. Box 3, Folder 10 Correspondence 1992-2004 Box 3, Folder 11 Domestic partner enrollment form 1995 Access RESTRICTED Box 3, Folder 12 The Seven Deadly Sins of Lobe (inscribed to Smith) 1994 Audiovisual material Series 3. Bulk, 1982-2004 1982-2004 Physical Description: 1.0 linear foot. Series Description The Audiovisual Material series consists of recordings of Smith’s performances throughout his career on videocassettes, audiocassettes, and DVDs. Arrangement note Materials are grouped by format, then arranged chronologically. Box 4, Item 1-41 Videocassettes 1990-2004 Physical Description: [41 videocassettes] Box 4, Item 1-2 Bob Smith: The Duplex (Applause Video Productions) June 22, 1990, undated General