I Am A Comedian and Cannot Figure Out My Type; INTPs seem to be the most accurate typers.

[Obscure Reference]

As a stand-up, I'm very loose and given to leaving what I wrote for odd tangents. A lot of my material is either very dark and personal (I have a routine about my mom pretending to put me up for adoption) or just wantonly silly one-liners (I blow air into the mic for five seconds and then say "That's my impression of blowing up a balloon"). When I do improv, I'm usually the deadpan guy with the one-liner or the person with the most absurd idea; I follow the Upright Citizens Brigade's rules for improv. As a sketch writer, though, I am incredibly perfectionist and will not stop working on a sketch until it is as funny as I can humanly make it.

When I'm doing improv or stand-up, I'm not nervous at all, but when I'm doing something I scripted heavily, I have severe performance anxiety to the point of serious panic before I get on stage or on-camera.

I really enjoy making people angry with me and provoking them, because then maybe I can make them think, or at least get some enjoyment out of how silly their anger is. I do a weekly segment for my school show called Real Talk where I walk around my school asking people silly or dark questions, generally just screwing with them.

My sense of humor on some days is very dark, ironic, and cerebral. Other days my head is completely in the clouds, I am very absurd and surreal, and I cannot keep focused.

I'm a highly critical thinker. I constantly criticize others and myself, because I tend to see flaws rather easily. When I come out of my head into the real world, I tend to fixate on small things that bother me and I will endlessly spin routines out of it, if someone's watching me.

I'm also usually either the silliest, the most reserved, or most aggressive person in the group I'm in, and I make purposely bad jokes just to see others groan, or I will make a sharp, dry, sarcastic, dark comment that will either make someone laugh really hard or want to cry.

When I'm in a group of people, I alternate a lot between being very observant, occasionally saying something dry, or I am constantly talking and generally being charming and funny.

My fixation on things can get to OCD levels; I know far too much about comedy because I spend hours upon hours doing nothing but researching that subject. In school, though, I have ZERO attention span. I also have a serious problem with authority. Teachers either tend to love how goofy and funny I am, or they get annoyed at how little I pay attention and how much I question and show outright disdain for them.

When I was a kid, I was EXACTLY like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, and I still have most of those basic traits.

I'm a very silly person by nature, and I'm always knowingly doing stupid things that could get me killed (ie, throwing myself down stairs for a sketch I was filming). However, I'm very, very aggressive and independent. I do want people's attention-- I am a comedian after all-- but I could care less about your acceptance or help.

I'm a loud, goofy storyteller prone to nonsensical jokes, but I'm also the logical, analytical, rational critical thinker, who can pragmatically find flaws immediately. In other words, I can come up with a perfectly outlined prank in five minutes, or juxtapose absurdism with deadpan wit, or take a surreal idea to its logical conclusion.

I am more of an "independent worker" rather than the "leader--" I hate bossing people around anyway.

I'll switch to devils advocate on a whim but I will still win the argument.

However, even though I always get things done, I'm very, very idiosyncratic. I'm also horribly messy. To curb this, I try to be more detail-obsessed and perfectionist, which manifests itself in the way I write, then re-write, then re-re-write, sketches and scripts.

I trained myself to break down systems logically in my head and to over-analyze things. I have various short-lived obsessions that I typically have moderate-to-deep knowledge about (Dadaism, the Theatre of the Absurd, etc; most of my obsessions seem to fall under the larger obsession of comedy however).

I naturally tend towards abstract thoughts rather than practical, but I force myself to overthink things when I really want to just DO IT. I want to live in the moment, but I'm simultaneously analyzing the moment and storing it in my memory. And I LOVE to daydream and introspect and come up with ideas naturally.

When it comes down to it, though, even when I'm loud and obnoxious, I'm still introspective, a down-to-earth daydreamer, neurotic and socially awkward. I don't cooperate or back down, I challenge and intentionally provoke people. I'm not timid, or quiet, ever. I'm not a "sit with a nice book, some coffee, and look back on my day" kind of guy. I'm not sensitive and I can handle insults very well (usually with a more scathing one right back), but I am immediately angry and argumentative when someone tells me I can't do something, or that I'm not funny.

I can't even listen to music without standing up and walking around; I can't focus on what someone is saying unless I'm playing with a pen or a cap or a rubber band.

I can work with a rough plan but I'm natural at improv.

When I insult people, it's not malicious-- it's more like comedic constructive criticism, just unnaturally sharp.

What do you guys say? Can you type me and find my temperaments?

 

[John_Mann]

ENTP?

 

[Hadoblado]

Do you have any attention disorders?

XNTP.

I'd say ENTP outright, but that sounds a lot (and I mean a LOT) like my school experience prior to depression, and I've been assured there is no chance that I'm ENTP.

I'm also usually either the silliest, the most reserved, or most aggressive person in the group I'm in

I don't think I've ever seen my socialisation style represented quite as succinctly as that.

Welcome to the forum. Stay awhile and listen.

Edit: in reference to the title; I wouldn't say any one type has a discernible edge in typing. I'd be tempted to say INTP's have an edge in that they are more prone to giving justifications for their probabilistically equally wrong assertions, and thus less likely to force you astray.

 

[Obscure Reference]

Do you have any attention disorders?.

I definitely have some form of ADD-- I can't sit still for long and I have a hard time focusing on any one specific thing without exploring everything else that pops into my head.

You mentioned depression-- I test high for cyclothymia.

Does XNTP mean I am an ambivert or does it just mean you're not sure which way I lean?

 

[John_Mann]

ENTP for sure.

MBTI is about natural preferences. Everyone can be I or E (same thing to the other functions) depending on every situation. But you must have a natural preference between them.

 

[just george]

You may be an INTP with mental problems.

Probably because your mother, uh, put you up for adoption.

Either way, I'm onto you - you're here to steal mah jokes

Bit of warning btw - this is a tough crowd. They laugh really loud...inside their heads

 

[Hadoblado]

I definitely have some form of ADD-- I can't sit still for long and I have a hard time focusing on any one specific thing without exploring everything else that pops into my head.

You mentioned depression-- I test high for cyclothymia.

Does XNTP mean I am an ambivert or does it just mean you're not sure which way I lean?

It means I am not sure. You sound more ENTP, but if you had have asked me during school I would have given a very similar description (though with deplorable spelling and grammar). If you're ENTP, I may needa have a word with THD about my own type

It won't be long before the ENTP brigade swoop in and claim you for themselves.

 

[Obscure Reference]

PRETENDED to put me up for adoption. We don't have a completely awful relationship.

I'm rather confused as to the exact reasons you guys are picking the types that you are.

 

[Hadoblado]

Because we're XNTPs and we're all projecting?

 

[just george]

There are at least 10 points in what you wrote that indicate that you're an ENTP.

 

[Cherry Cola]

xNTP def, what you described is a lot more typical ENTP than INTP, so probs ENTP.

"I want to live in the moment, but I'm simultaneously analyzing the moment and storing it in my memory. And I LOVE to daydream and introspect and come up with ideas naturally.

When it comes down to it, though, even when I'm loud and obnoxious, I'm still introspective, a down-to-earth daydreamer, neurotic and socially awkward. I don't cooperate or back down, I challenge and intentionally provoke people. I'm not timid, or quiet, ever. I'm not a "sit with a nice book, some coffee, and look back on my day" kind of guy. I'm not sensitive and I can handle insults very well (usually with a more scathing one right back), but I am immediately angry and argumentative when someone tells me I can't do something, or that I'm not funny."

Soooo extroverted intuition Dom!

 

[just george]

I have a minute, I'll have a go

As a stand-up, I'm very loose and given to leaving what I wrote for odd tangents. "odd tangent" based on your own unique perspective - ENTP trait A lot of my material is either very dark and personal (I have a routine about my mom pretending to put me up for adoption) or just wantonly silly one-liners (I blow air into the mic for five seconds and then say "That's my impression of blowing up a balloon"). When I do improv, I'm usually the deadpan guy with the one-liner or the person with the most absurd idea; I follow the Upright Citizens Brigade's rules for improv. As a sketch writer, though, I am incredibly perfectionist and will not stop working on a sketch until it is as funny as I can humanly make it.

When I'm doing improv or stand-up, I'm not nervous at all, but when I'm doing something I scripted heavily, I have severe performance anxiety to the point of serious panic before I get on stage or on-camera.

I really enjoy making people angry with me and provoking them verbal sparring - ENTP trait, because then maybe I can make them think, or at least get some enjoyment out of how silly their anger is. I do a weekly segment for my school show called Real Talk where I walk around my school asking people silly or dark questions, generally just screwing with them.

My sense of humor on some days is very dark, ironic, and cerebral. Other days my head is completely in the clouds, I am very absurd and surreal, and I cannot keep focused.

I'm a highly critical thinker. I constantly criticize others and myself, because I tend to see flaws rather easily ENTP trait. When I come out of my head into the real world, I tend to fixate on small things that bother me and I will endlessly spin routines out of it, if someone's watching me.

I'm also usually either the silliest, the most reserved, or most aggressive person in the group I'm in, and I make purposely bad jokes just to see others groan, or I will make a sharp, dry, sarcastic, dark comment that will either make someone laugh really hard or want to cry. as above ENTP trait

When I'm in a group of people, I alternate a lot between being very observant, occasionally saying something dry, or I am constantly talking and generally being charming and funny. that extroversion wouldn't be apparent in an INTP. ENTP by elimination

My fixation on things can get to OCD levels; I know far too much about comedy because I spend hours upon hours doing nothing but researching that subject. In school, though, I have ZERO attention span. I also have a serious problem with authority. refusal to be controlled ENTP trait Teachers either tend to love how goofy and funny I am, or they get annoyed at how little I pay attention and how much I question and show outright disdain for them.

When I was a kid, I was EXACTLY like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, and I still have most of those basic traits.

I'm a very silly person by nature, and I'm always knowingly doing stupid things that could get me killed (ie, throwing myself down stairs for a sketch I was filming). However, I'm very, very aggressive and independent ENTP trait more than INTP esp agression. I do want people's attention-- I am a comedian after all-- but I could care less about your acceptance or help.

I'm a loud, goofy storyteller prone to nonsensical jokes, but I'm also the logical, analytical, rational critical thinker, who can pragmatically find flaws immediately. In other words, I can come up with a perfectly outlined prank in five minutes, or juxtapose absurdism with deadpan wit, or take a surreal idea to its logical conclusion. reads like something out of an ENTP profile

I am more of an "independent worker" rather than the "leader--" I hate bossing people around anyway. let me guess - when you do have to lead, you suggest things to people rather than tell them what to do ie "we have to do x and y has to be done - would you like to do that?"

I'll switch to devils advocate ENTP trait on a whim but I will still win the argument.

However, even though I always get things done unusual, ENTPs usually leave things half finished, unless they're super passionate, I'm very, very idiosyncratic. I'm also horribly messy. To curb this, I try to be more detail-obsessed and perfectionist, which manifests itself in the way I write, then re-write, then re-re-write, sketches and scripts.

I trained myself to break down systems logically in my head and to over-analyze things. I have various short-lived obsessions that I typically have moderate-to-deep knowledge about (Dadaism, the Theatre of the Absurd, etc; most of my obsessions seem to fall under the larger obsession of comedy however).

I naturally tend towards abstract thoughts rather than practical, but I force myself to overthink things when I really want to just DO IT. I want to live in the moment, but I'm simultaneously analyzing the moment and storing it in my memory. And I LOVE to daydream and introspect and come up with ideas naturally.

When it comes down to it, though, even when I'm loud and obnoxious, I'm still introspective, a down-to-earth daydreamer, neurotic and socially awkward. I don't cooperate or back down, I challenge and intentionally provoke people ENTP trait. I'm not timid, or quiet, ever. I'm not a "sit with a nice book, some coffee, and look back on my day" kind of guy. I'm not sensitive and I can handle insults very well (usually with a more scathing one right back), but I am immediately angry and argumentative when someone tells me I can't do something, or that I'm not funny.

I can't even listen to music without standing up and walking around; I can't focus on what someone is saying unless I'm playing with a pen or a cap or a rubber band.

I can work with a rough plan but I'm natural at improv. prefer to execute a crude plan than go through every detail - ENTP trait

When I insult people, it's not malicious-- it's more like comedic constructive criticism, just unnaturally sharp. verbal sparring for sparrings sake - ENTP trait

What do you guys say? Can you type me and find my temperaments?

 

[Obscure Reference]

Wow, thanks.

"ENTPs usually leave things half-finished"

Unless it's something like comedy, or I'm required to finish it... Then yeah, I usually do leave it half-finished, if I'm being entirely honest.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Whatcha think bout this infographic? Bill Hicks is another supposed ENTP comedian.

Spoiler

 

[cheese]

This is my impression but I'm not sure how much the evidence (your OP) holds up.

Spoiler

Reading through what you wrote, what jumped out most was the disconnect between your internal and external self. You used a lot of "I am" language-style (self-identifiers) when talking about certain things, and "I do" language-style (behaviour rather than identity) when talking about others. These things seemed quite clearly split into easily-traced cognitive functions.

A lot of your self-identifiers were about who you are alone/inside. There was a me-vs-therestoftheworld quality to it. The things you mentioned about doing on the outside you spoke about from a distance ("these are the things I, a separate person, do to or with other people").

Your internal self is cold, logical, exacting and detached from others. That means your logic and dispassion is introverted. That's Ti. (There was stuff that pointed specifically to Ti, but the internal coldness/detached logic alone made it likely your thinking is introverted.) That alone narrows you down to 8 types, since you'd be on the Ti-Fe axis.

I'd add that since your self-identifying seemed focused on a Separate Self (who you are) vs a Communal Self (who you act as), your Ti is likely higher than your Fe, and also higher than your introverted perception function (Ni/Si). This lowers the likelihood of xxFJ and increases that of xxTP. (Presumably, if Ni/Si were higher, your self-identification would focus more around how you see things rather than your detachment and critical thinking [Ti as identity] and pot-stirring/insults/argumentative/role-based interaction [antagonistic Fe].)

You also see your external role, defined against others, as the 'logical one', the argument-winner, etc. I don't see any internal warmth which might indicate Fi (which would make your external 'logical self' a manifestation of Te). Besides, the way you framed your experience fairly strongly implied viewing a world through an internal self and various roles one plays in opposition to others. That seems a typical Ti-Fe lens.

Of course, we can identify with things we don't necessarily have; this analysis is all assuming you've actually got yourself right (which is probably not the case for many people). (Plus it's rough and possibly bullshit.)

Your external self sounds pretty Ne-y (which combined with the above would place you as an NTP). Being on the Ne-Si axis (which itself would narrow you down to xSFJ or xNTP) seems likely. You made many mentions of your split nature - between living in the moment and analysing/storing it as memory, improvising and perfectionism, silliness and seriousness.

I'd say you're a heavy Ne user who is very open to Si and likes to use it. You swing between these two poles a lot and identify with both (though more with Ne).

However, you can't identify as a group member very well. You can only poke fun at it and try to bring others down. You're apparently much more comfortable with Ti, and using it in service of Ne (destroying Fe bubbles to get people to *see* more, think more) than Fe.

That doesn't necessarily mean you're Ti dom (INTP rather than ENTP) though. People don't develop in a linear pattern, there are just general trends across populations that may or may not apply. Like I mentioned earlier, the only thing which is clear is that you're comfortable identifying your self as internally placed rather than externally so. (Eg you could still be an FJ in denial.)

The tug between heavy and light, silly and serious, is one I'm very familiar with though, and it seems to be a big component of a certain flavour of Ne-Si.



However I wouldn't necessarily rule out the other types (like INFJ maybe). F types aren't necessarily all feewy, just like Ts aren't all cold and hard. Some NFs can be extremely cutting. Perhaps you're an S. Perhaps an NTJ. I dunno, really.

In conclusion, you appear to identify yourself as someone who prefers the qualities (and typical behaviour) of Ti over Fe, and Ne over Si. This is how you currently see yourself (according to the OP at least). However it may not be how you actually operate (though it makes it more likely, I think).

Maybe helpful, maybe not.

 

[Obscure Reference]

I would actually say they're both ENTP... Although now I think that may be biased given how much I admire both, I thought this before I was typed ENTP.

I also think David Cross, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, and in fact most of my favorite comedians are ENTP.

 

[ahugenerd]

They should add "The Comedian" to a lesser, more comprehensive assessment. The Keirsey Temperament sorter or the Big Five, perhaps?

 

[Starswirl]

For a comedian, here's a NTP dividing difference:

INTPs have very funny minds but struggle to deliver jokes; ENTPs are much better with delivery.

Other difference: ENTPs get the girls.