There are two basic types of open-mics: ones with “civilians” in attendance, and ones that only have other comedians. For the purposes of this post, I’m just speaking about the ones with other comedians, as there isn’t much difference between an open mic with civilians and a regular show. The purpose of an open-mic isRead more
Comedy is a Catch-22. You can’t learn to headline without experience headlining. But you can’t get experience headlining until you learn how. So what do you do? You take steps. But how do you know when you’re ready to move up? The truth is, you never know for sure. But this may help. 1) YouRead more
No doesn’t mean never. It means “Not now” or “not this way. Unless YOU make it mean “never”. That’s in your hands, not the booker’s. 1) No one owes you stage time. Say that out loud, over and over again. Stage time is a privilege, not a right. 2) Bookers are looking for any reasonRead more
1) If you’re going to steal a joke, start with a bit that wasn’t on the front page of reddit 2) Don’t recite the bit word for word. Throw in the occasional “Am I right?” and “I’m telling you!” so it sounds as hacky as the rest of your material. Be true to your voice.Read more
The reasons to produce your own show are plentiful. It’s good comedy karma to create stage time. It’s a way to meet a ton of comedians, quickly. It’s a way to learn what energy level is best for what situation. It’s a way to better understand what bookers are looking for. Most importantly, you canRead more
Everyone writes differently. Some people sit down and force themselves to write, while others only write by riffing on stage. Most of us are somewhere in between. However you write, we’ve all had a desire to come up with something new, only to draw a complete blank. Here are a few methods I have heardRead more
Many comedians pitch my clubs that they are local draws. If you are, you absolutely should not be pitching a club on being part of someone else’s show. You should be happy to take your own door, as you’d make WAY more money that way and continue to build your fan base. Here’s the wayRead more
Hi everyone! I’ve been going over a lot of videos lately, and notice some common mistakes. Hope this helps you get the perfect promo video. 1) Start with you. Not someone introducing you, but you. Don’t waste a booker’s time having them wait through an introduction. No need for fancy graphics either, get to theRead more
I thought you would benefit from/enjoy this moment in abject delusion. Makes me wonder if this sort of thing happens in the non-entertainment world. While logged into the Morty’s Facebook profile, here’s a chat I had. Normally, I’d have cut it off sooner, but this was too interesting. HIM i have a hot act -greatRead more
I know it seems obvious. Most comics know that this is the most obvious thing in comedy. But those that do not, well, they REALLY do not. The light tells you when your shift is over, and you NEED to respect that. Running the light is the quickest way to never get booked again. SomeRead more