Some comedians hate the idea of merch, as it can make the post-show feel like a flea-market and forces you to interact with the crowd whether you’re in the mood to or not. However, comedians often make more from merch than they do from the gig (and merch is what kept me financially solvent duringRead 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
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
This is one might be sensitive – the case against having the word “comedian” (or something similar) in your Facebook name. This post comes from my having three different conversations this week (one with a comic, two with bookers) where they all, unprovoked, disparagingly said something like “some comedian whose facebook name is ‘comedian’” You’veRead more
Here’s a template I’d recommend for an email to a booker. And NEVER email a bunch at once, its insulting. If you want to send a mail merge, get Max Bulk Mailer (Mac) or Group Mail Pro (PC) to send to a list, while personalizing. That way it looks like you took the time toRead more