^didn't know about comics getting other comics to write their jokes, but i guess that does make sense...like you said, if they are too busy touring and dont have enough time to write their own stuff, then i guess that would be a good idea.
as far as youtube and stuff like that goes, i knew that. ive watched some comics on youtube and then when i saw them live, i already knew how the joke was going to end....some comics actually tweak out the jokes by adding to it, or taking away from it, or use the same scenario to make another joke.
for example, doug benson 1st album (professional humoredian) has some similar jokes to his 2nd album (balanced load), but he is able to change the punchline (on both albums he talks about his tivo recording crap when he isnt home but on each album he talks about different shows....or on both albums he talks about how regular tv edits movies, but he uses 2 different examples).
i think the best thing a comic can do is not put out an album or do a special on tv until he has already toured,perfected, and performed his material.
yeah, chappelle ive heard is just able to go up on stage and talk about anything and make it funny...thats why comics like him are able to do 6 hour sets....my favorite comics are improv comics that can come up with funny stuff off the top of their head too, and incoorperate the audience....when i saw jo koy both times, he was able to do that...his show would be about 20-25 minutes of talking to the audience and picking on certain people, and then about a 40-45 minute set.
i was listening to an old school howie mandel album, and he was just doing improv comedy for half an hour by asking people in the audience questions (ex: Howie: what do you do? guy: i sell frozen seafood door to door. howie: so you go door to door and ask people if they want crabs?)