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
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
YouTube is a wonderful way to reach new fans and easily monetize your content. My YouTube has grown from a small channel to one that routinely produces 25,000 views a day, and yields over $1,000 a month in revenue. Here are some tips and best practices to help you do the same. 1) Content isRead more
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