American comedian Wendy Liebman is well-known for her clever and perceptive humor, which has helped her establish herself in the comedy industry. Like many comedians, she began her career by spending endless hours creating jokes that would make people laugh.
Anecdotes about Wendy's early days in comedy, when she committed to writing twenty jokes a day, are frequently told. The goal of this intense practice was to improve her abilities and lay a solid basis for her humorous voice. She had developed a practice of forwarding these daily jokes to three designated recipients, most likely other comedians or close friends who could offer criticism.
But as Liebman's career developed and she became more well-known, her approach to comedy writing underwent a significant shift. This change in her process is reflected in the quote you cited. Rather than forcing herself to come up with material through everyday activities, she started to find inspiration in unexpected places. Specifically, she began to write down the amusing things her husband would say when he was asleep.
One could interpret this shift in strategy as a metaphor for creativity in general. Similar to Liebman's shift from painstakingly crafting jokes to capturing impromptu humor, creative processes frequently change and become more natural with time. The notion that her husband is most humorous when he is not conscious implies that the most authentic and erratic forms of expression can occasionally emerge out of the blue, providing novel viewpoints and original insights.
Wendy Liebman illustrates the importance of embracing spontaneity in creativity through this story, which also shows how artistic endeavors can be enhanced by personal life experiences. Her transition from meticulous daily writing to informal note-taking serves as an example of a larger idea regarding development in any artistic endeavor: occasionally, letting go of strict frameworks makes room for more original and genuine expressions.