10. For everyone that turns you down, there is another booker that hasn’t seen you yet. 9. Rejection is part of the process. Losing teaches you how to win. 8. When someone turns you down, figure out why in order to prevent it in the future. 7. You never learn anything from a good show.Read more
Many times, comedians get in their own way by worrying too much about external circumstances. So whether you use these as daily affirmations or just as motivation when you’re feeling doubt, these might help you deal with the sine curve of your career. You are the only thing in your way. The industry is notRead more
Like every other talent-based industry, there is no set pay scale for comedians. Your pay for club work depends largely on your ability to make money for that club. But there are generally accepted industry standards. Sometimes there are outliers – for instance, a small venue won’t have the budget of a bigger club. TheRead more
It happens to all of us. You get booked for something and then plans change. Maybe you get something amazing like television. Maybe you got another gig you just can’t turn down. Maybe your routing changed or you had a family emergency or you’re feeling sick. Whatever the reason, sometimes you need to cancel. Here’sRead more
By the end of this year, I’ll have run over two dozen comedy festivals and performed in several others. And, while lumping them all in one “festival” category is difficult, hopefully this post will take you through everything you need to know about them. (And if you’ve done any festivals that you loved, please postRead more
When I posted a pro-tip about where to move and when as a comic, the questions came flooding about what scenes I recommend. The problem is that every comedian is unique both in life situation and career development. So I thought it might be more helpful to post a massive piece detailing various scenes. TheseRead more
Every comic who has ever seen one of the countless tour documentaries has had the thought of gathering a few friends together and hitting the road. But it’s not nearly that simple. Here’s a few tips on how to do it – and when not to. 1) Successful tours have concepts that appeal to aRead 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
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