Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon

Mortley posted:

I got to talking with one of my friends about the venue that fills with the nicest crowds in town pretty much every time. My friend says (truthfully) that he kills there every time, and that he's almost starting to wonder if he ought to start skipping it and focus on the places that challenge him in order to improve.
Do y'all have a policy on this? Only hitting the "easy" mic when you're feeling down, or when you want to work out new material, or NOT when you want to work out new material...?

I didn't get to go while I was there because the sheet fills up pretty fast, but in Portland, Helium is the club that has the reputation as being the nicest, but it's also their A-room, so I was definitely interested there. I think it'd be great to be able to run a new set in front of a "nice" crowd, a "tough" crowd, and a couple of places in the middle.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Obliterati
Nov 13, 2012

Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional.
Thunderdome is forever.
Doing my first set ever in about three hours. It should be okay because it's a new acts night and presumably people don't expect you to be sidesplittingly funny, but we'll see.

the escape goat
Apr 16, 2008

Shovelbearer posted:

I didn't get to go while I was there because the sheet fills up pretty fast, but in Portland, Helium is the club that has the reputation as being the nicest, but it's also their A-room, so I was definitely interested there. I think it'd be great to be able to run a new set in front of a "nice" crowd, a "tough" crowd, and a couple of places in the middle.

Helium is the best-known open mic in town, so average folks will go check it out for fun and be nice about things. Boiler Room is an interesting open mic location because half the time folks will go there expecting there to be karaoke but stick around for kicks when they find out it's an open mic. bad part about Boiler Room is that most of the people who perform leave immediately after their set so they can try to get on at the Brody Theatre which is the most depressing open mic in the world because it's all comics, they're all judging each other, and nobody seems to be enjoying themselves there.
Dante's open mic is where happiness and hope go to die.

I'm not a comedian but I'm starting to really get into the scene in Portland. maybe I'll try a set soon enough, but the whole "thinking before speaking" thing doesn't appeal to me.

Obliterati
Nov 13, 2012

Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional.
Thunderdome is forever.
So set was not a disaster. Should have recorded myself though say the other comics. If anyone is in the Scottish scene do Yesbar it is fantastic.

Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon

the escape goat posted:

Helium is the best-known open mic in town, so average folks will go check it out for fun and be nice about things. Boiler Room is an interesting open mic location because half the time folks will go there expecting there to be karaoke but stick around for kicks when they find out it's an open mic. bad part about Boiler Room is that most of the people who perform leave immediately after their set so they can try to get on at the Brody Theatre which is the most depressing open mic in the world because it's all comics, they're all judging each other, and nobody seems to be enjoying themselves there.
Dante's open mic is where happiness and hope go to die.

I'm not a comedian but I'm starting to really get into the scene in Portland. maybe I'll try a set soon enough, but the whole "thinking before speaking" thing doesn't appeal to me.

Well I'll tell you, I had a really good time at the Real Comedy Spot 2.0, which is on like 82nd street or so. It was only like a 20-person room maybe but it felt like a party, and Hyjinx is a great host. Saw a good variety of styles and it was fun performing in front of them. The opposite end of the spectrum was the Sweet Basil Thai restaurant open mic, which was griiim, even though I like Aaron who was hosting it. Even Nathan Brannon, who I consider super hilarious, was getting polite chuckles at most. And honestly, I watched a few sets at Dante's and it didn't seem that bad. Guys were getting decent reaction as long as they were doing premise/setup/punchline.

RandomPauI
Nov 24, 2006


Grimey Drawer
This is a long shot, but is anyone here familiar with the scene in Ventura county? I know we have more open mics than the glory hole on weds.

Asterios
Apr 17, 2008

So long, Skorpex!

https://www.presidentbaby.com

RandomPauI posted:

This is a long shot, but is anyone here familiar with the scene in Ventura county? I know we have more open mics than the glory hole on weds.

I don't know much about the open mic scene, but I know there's a hell of a great comedy show every month at Hypno Comics. Maybe you can go there and ask around?

You might also wanna ask Jake Kroeger -- https://twitter.com/mfjakekroeger

RandomPauI
Nov 24, 2006


Grimey Drawer
I keep missing the Hypno Comics show: a friend has improv at roughly the same time. I suppose I could skip out at the 8pm intermission...

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


Shovelbearer posted:

Well I'll tell you, I had a really good time at the Real Comedy Spot 2.0, which is on like 82nd street or so. It was only like a 20-person room maybe but it felt like a party, and Hyjinx is a great host. Saw a good variety of styles and it was fun performing in front of them. The opposite end of the spectrum was the Sweet Basil Thai restaurant open mic, which was griiim, even though I like Aaron who was hosting it. Even Nathan Brannon, who I consider super hilarious, was getting polite chuckles at most. And honestly, I watched a few sets at Dante's and it didn't seem that bad. Guys were getting decent reaction as long as they were doing premise/setup/punchline.

I don't think I've ever had anything but a bad experience at open mics that are happening in a restaurant. No one goes to Ted's Cheesesteaks expecting to hear dick jokes on a Sunday afternoon, so the chances of it being a pleasant surprise to them is slim, at best. And, yes, that is a real open mic in my city.

Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon

XIII posted:

I don't think I've ever had anything but a bad experience at open mics that are happening in a restaurant. No one goes to Ted's Cheesesteaks expecting to hear dick jokes on a Sunday afternoon, so the chances of it being a pleasant surprise to them is slim, at best. And, yes, that is a real open mic in my city.

For a year or so I ran a monthly open mic at a restaurant/bar and some of the nights were GREAT. Brooks Wheelan even passed through and said it was one of the best open mics he'd ever been to. But yeah, that was mostly because the actual comics were very supportive of each other and eventually the crowd got into it, and also because it's a place that has live music on a regular basis, so they have a stage and people are used to there being loud stuff going on there.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Mortley posted:

I got to talking with one of my friends about the venue that fills with the nicest crowds in town pretty much every time. My friend says (truthfully) that he kills there every time, and that he's almost starting to wonder if he ought to start skipping it and focus on the places that challenge him in order to improve.
Do y'all have a policy on this? Only hitting the "easy" mic when you're feeling down, or when you want to work out new material, or NOT when you want to work out new material...?

I think it is important to try a variety of mics. I'm lucky in that I'm in Chicago, so I have tons of mics to choose from. Just because it is a bunch of comics doesn't mean you can't make them laugh. It just makes it harder. It is very important to have material that can work in a variety of rooms if you want to have any level of success.

But it is also important to get in rooms that have actual audience members, because making comics laugh isn't your goal. Making regular people laugh is what you are trying to accomplish.

I'd also say any venue can be successful, as long as the person running it is putting in the work to make it a good room. If I see a TV on while people are performing, that is usually a room I will avoid unless there are no other rooms running. I'll still take a bad room over no room at all.

Mortley
Jan 18, 2005

aux tep unt rep uni ovi
Thanks for the replies.

Anybody else catch this Atlantic article? The Censorship of Stand-up Comedy on College Campuses.

One of the things I find strange about comedians bitching about not being able to work the college circuit is that, outside of universities, their cultural exposure and influence is at the highest point ever (as far as I've heard; I haven't been alive all that long).
Basically, the comic's complaint at a college campus boils down to, "we get treated there as we got treated most everywhere else by everyone (i.e., as potty-mouthed, offensive losers) for most of the decades-long existence of standup comedy. It's not fair because college kids are younger and should be cooler than that."
Or in simpler terms, "I wish I had more access to easy money." Don't we all.

Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon

Mortley posted:

Thanks for the replies.

Anybody else catch this Atlantic article? The Censorship of Stand-up Comedy on College Campuses.

One of the things I find strange about comedians bitching about not being able to work the college circuit is that, outside of universities, their cultural exposure and influence is at the highest point ever (as far as I've heard; I haven't been alive all that long).
Basically, the comic's complaint at a college campus boils down to, "we get treated there as we got treated most everywhere else by everyone (i.e., as potty-mouthed, offensive losers) for most of the decades-long existence of standup comedy. It's not fair because college kids are younger and should be cooler than that."
Or in simpler terms, "I wish I had more access to easy money." Don't we all.

I kind of agree, but I am a bit shocked by it, because even as recently as 9-10 years ago (when I was in college), college kids were into unpopular opinions, controversial art and general lawlessness. Or maybe the University of Tennessee was just way more punk rock than I gave it credit.

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.

Mortley posted:

Thanks for the replies.

Anybody else catch this Atlantic article? The Censorship of Stand-up Comedy on College Campuses.

One of the things I find strange about comedians bitching about not being able to work the college circuit is that, outside of universities, their cultural exposure and influence is at the highest point ever (as far as I've heard; I haven't been alive all that long).
Basically, the comic's complaint at a college campus boils down to, "we get treated there as we got treated most everywhere else by everyone (i.e., as potty-mouthed, offensive losers) for most of the decades-long existence of standup comedy. It's not fair because college kids are younger and should be cooler than that."
Or in simpler terms, "I wish I had more access to easy money." Don't we all.

That's written by Caitlin Flanagan, who does have an agenda. I don't doubt there is some truth in it (particularly if Chris Rock says so), but she is also seeing what fits into her narrative.

Mortley
Jan 18, 2005

aux tep unt rep uni ovi
I didn't know who she is - I assumed she was a standup comic, which she's not - so how does her agenda relate to the message conveyed? Genuine question; not trying to be prickly.

KirbyKhan
Mar 20, 2009



Soiled Meat
The Atlantic has been running a string of articles about the pussification of college campuses. Really thought provoking stuff. The way comics are being treated at college shows is a symptom of infantilization of university students and something something free speach something.

It paints a depressing picture of our nation's higher education system being dominated by tumblr thought fascists and LF graduates.

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.

KirbyKhan posted:

The Atlantic has been running a string of articles about the pussification of college campuses. Really thought provoking stuff. The way comics are being treated at college shows is a symptom of infantilization of university students and something something free speach something.

It paints a depressing picture of our nation's higher education system being dominated by tumblr thought fascists and LF graduates.

Pretty sure it was already happening when I was in college, 10+ years before the creation of tumblr. Actually I distinctly remember early echoes of this trend in 1995. It's just that now it's so much easier for everyone everywhere to hear all about it, and also apparently everyone has lost the ability and/or willingness to distinguish between "you're right, I'm being an rear end in a top hat, I apologize" situations and "I'm sorry you're offended, but you're being ridiculous" situations.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Mortley posted:

Thanks for the replies.

Anybody else catch this Atlantic article? The Censorship of Stand-up Comedy on College Campuses.

One of the things I find strange about comedians bitching about not being able to work the college circuit is that, outside of universities, their cultural exposure and influence is at the highest point ever (as far as I've heard; I haven't been alive all that long).
Basically, the comic's complaint at a college campus boils down to, "we get treated there as we got treated most everywhere else by everyone (i.e., as potty-mouthed, offensive losers) for most of the decades-long existence of standup comedy. It's not fair because college kids are younger and should be cooler than that."
Or in simpler terms, "I wish I had more access to easy money." Don't we all.

I've run into this conversation multiple times, and the comedians complaining about it tend to annoy the poo poo out of me. There is a willful ignorance regarding the business side of this. Colleges are the ones paying you, so they get to dictate what they want performed. If you don't like it, you don't have to perform there. It is your job to as a comedian to make the audience laugh, but also to make sure the guy you are working for is able to get return business. If he gets fired because that flaming midget douche joke didn't amaze a bunch of uptight college kids, that's on you and why should anyone ever want to bring you back?

Your job as a comedian is to make people laugh and spend money at whatever establishment you are at. If there are things you aren't willing to compromise in your performance, that is admirable. But you don't get to complain when it closes doors for you. That is being just as entitled as the kids these guys are complaining about.

For $1000 a show, I'd gladly wipe college kids asses and tell them their farts smell like the sweetest of perfumes. That is a lot of money for an hours worth of work. And all that is really being asked of you is to stay within a certain level of social guidelines with your jokes. I get why it would annoy guys like Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld, but they have the option of performing wherever they want. They also have the ability to dictate what and how they are performing. For us, you have to figure out where you want to perform and what it takes to get there. Sometimes it means not swearing or using sexual innuendo. In this case, it requires really stripping your comedy down to the bare bones. It is your choice. You are not obligated to do every show there is.

I've already rambled on too long, but you have to cater the material to the venue, not the other way around. That is the most important part about being a comic. What is the point of upsetting someone, if it is going to make everyone uncomfortable.

KirbyKhan
Mar 20, 2009



Soiled Meat
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I completely agree with the mercenary approach to college gigs and personally don't give a gently caress.


Because I am on the internet I do have to say something. Colleges, specifically, restricting the kinds of speech that is allowed just rubs me the wrong way. First it is protests over comics being too racy and holding The Wrong Views, then it's public speakers being protested and turned away because they hold The Wrong Views, then you get law classes being restricted from being able to teach about Rape Law because it talks about the R word. Philosophically I don't like how a dentist is the only people allowed to make dentist jokes. Practically, that's outside of the scope for me as an individual to gently caress around with.

revolther
May 27, 2008
I did my first two open mics last week with a day in-between. "Get laughs, and off stage without dying" was my goal, and I succeeded in that.

The first I went cute and clean pet/pot humor for 5mins at a very progressive, open to everyone, type young bar. After watching two folks bomb, and two others do well, I got good laughs and got told about another mic I could hit across town.

For the second, riding the high a bit, I wrote everything the day before/of. I was aiming to tap that same young college crowd with a dating/pro-women/anti-rape theme, only to discover the place was basically a white trash honky tonk with an average age around 40 and a reputation for rowdiness, and thankfully had the foresight to switch to an 'all guys are cheating horndogs' flair to avoid being stabbed. Still made it through the 9 minutes though only planning 6-7, got laughs and gained a lot of confidence though.

Listening to tapes is rough; hearing myself step all over a joke just because the first hit gets a great laugh and completely sailing passed the other 4 or 5 laugh points to a new topic. :bang::bang::bang:

The difference between nerves the first set and the second was nearly night and day though.

To anyone like myself who was scoping out this thread and nervous to step on stage, I greatly encourage you. That 'the whole the world is B & C students' poo poo is true, most goons are exceptions to that and already here because we can identify what's funny.

revolther fucked around with this message at 03:23 on Aug 16, 2015

RandomPauI
Nov 24, 2006


Grimey Drawer
I wound up skipping watching a comedy show and watching an improv show in favor of working on a page of stand-up. I regret not going. Would I have regretted not working on the bit though? Does this ever happen to anyone else?

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


I usually regret most decisions I make, thinking the other option would have been a better use of my time. As long as you do something with that page of standup, it won't be a waste.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



KirbyKhan posted:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I completely agree with the mercenary approach to college gigs and personally don't give a gently caress.


Because I am on the internet I do have to say something. Colleges, specifically, restricting the kinds of speech that is allowed just rubs me the wrong way. First it is protests over comics being too racy and holding The Wrong Views, then it's public speakers being protested and turned away because they hold The Wrong Views, then you get law classes being restricted from being able to teach about Rape Law because it talks about the R word. Philosophically I don't like how a dentist is the only people allowed to make dentist jokes. Practically, that's outside of the scope for me as an individual to gently caress around with.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I think college kids just have their heads so far up their own asses, they lack perspective. They also lack the ability to have someone have a differing opinion than them. It is quite annoying. People can have different points of view. It doesn't make them monsters.

revolther posted:

I did my first two open mics last week with a day in-between. "Get laughs, and off stage without dying" was my goal, and I succeeded in that.

The first I went cute and clean pet/pot humor for 5mins at a very progressive, open to everyone, type young bar. After watching two folks bomb, and two others do well, I got good laughs and got told about another mic I could hit across town.

For the second, riding the high a bit, I wrote everything the day before/of. I was aiming to tap that same young college crowd with a dating/pro-women/anti-rape theme, only to discover the place was basically a white trash honky tonk with an average age around 40 and a reputation for rowdiness, and thankfully had the foresight to switch to an 'all guys are cheating horndogs' flair to avoid being stabbed. Still made it through the 9 minutes though only planning 6-7, got laughs and gained a lot of confidence though.

Listening to tapes is rough; hearing myself step all over a joke just because the first hit gets a great laugh and completely sailing passed the other 4 or 5 laugh points to a new topic. :bang::bang::bang:

The difference between nerves the first set and the second was nearly night and day though.

To anyone like myself who was scoping out this thread and nervous to step on stage, I greatly encourage you. That 'the whole the world is B & C students' poo poo is true, most goons are exceptions to that and already here because we can identify what's funny.

Congrats. Listening to yourself is important. Just make notes and keep working. Make a point of getting out as much as possible. You need stage time to get better.

RandomPauI posted:

I wound up skipping watching a comedy show and watching an improv show in favor of working on a page of stand-up. I regret not going. Would I have regretted not working on the bit though? Does this ever happen to anyone else?

Both are important things to do. One thing that a lot of veteran comics tell me is that it is important to get out and see people who are better than you. (And when you are starting out, everyone is.) I try to watch a comedy showcase at least once every couple of weeks where I have no plans to perform. Watch with a critical eye. See how guys are working their jokes. It also shows that you are supporting your community. That can be important in the future. People like comics who support local shows. It also can lead to opportunities down the road. A producer who sees you at his show might be more likely to give you stage time later on.

Having said that, it is always important to spend time working on your material. If you have something you want to work on, you absolutely have to spend time developing it. (Says the guy who has a bunch of notes he needs to flesh out, but hasn't bothered to find the time to do so. :v: )

Mortley
Jan 18, 2005

aux tep unt rep uni ovi

Sataere posted:

... One thing that a lot of veteran comics tell me is that it is important to get out and see people who are better than you. (And when you are starting out, everyone is.) I try to watch a comedy showcase at least once every couple of weeks where I have no plans to perform. Watch with a critical eye. See how guys are working their jokes. ...
One thing I've been thinking about this week is watching with a critical eye the comics that I don't actually like, but realize have consistently solid joke structures, good stage presence, or something else worthwhile. It's hard for me to do, but I hope useful.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Mortley posted:

One thing I've been thinking about this week is watching with a critical eye the comics that I don't actually like, but realize have consistently solid joke structures, good stage presence, or something else worthwhile. It's hard for me to do, but I hope useful.

Just because you know how to put together a joke doesn't mean a joke is good. I was listening to two veteran comics talking a couple weeks ago and one of them made what I consider to be one of the most insightful observations I have ever heard about comedy. He said there are three types of comics out there. 1) There are guys who are just bad and don't know what they are doing. 2) There are guys who are good, can tell a joke and have stage presence, but I just don't care about what they have to say. 3) There are guys who are good and who have something interesting to say. And he says that he is constantly worried that he is in category number two and just doesn't know it. (He isn't. The guy headlines on a regular basis and just commands attention.

I personally do not think it is enough to tell a good joke. I think you have to tell a good joke and then get people to be thinking about things in a way that they haven't thought of before. I remember hearing someone say that the mark of a great comedian is they say something that you already believe, but hadn't quite realized you believed until they said it.

I suspect that might be true of some of the guys you are watching. At the open mic I was at last night, that thought about the three types of comics went into my head because I saw some guys deliver jokes well. Good set ups. They got laughs. But I just didn't care.

EDIT:

Also, this is why it is good to go to other shows. When you are at a mic, I think it is counterproductive to worry about what someone else is doing. The only reason I am paying attention to other comics is if they say something I feel I need to comment on in my set. I like referencing something other comics have said or that's been talked about within the last few comics, if I feel I have something funny to add. It is a great way to get an audience on your side immediately.

Sataere fucked around with this message at 16:30 on Aug 18, 2015

Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon
Performing at the Hard Rock Cafe in November. That has the potential to be pretty great, I think. Or a fun disaster, but I'm hoping for just great.

RandomPauI
Nov 24, 2006


Grimey Drawer
How do you find people to workshop jokes with on a regular basis?

I have premises for jokes, rough outlines for them, but they still don't feel like jokes.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



RandomPauI posted:

How do you find people to workshop jokes with on a regular basis?

I have premises for jokes, rough outlines for them, but they still don't feel like jokes.

You just need to make friends with other comics. There are a lot of guys I bounce ideas off of. I know there is a city mic someone is trying to set up that is designed specifically for comics to give feedback after a set. Some mics I know comics will come early and workshop.

Mortley
Jan 18, 2005

aux tep unt rep uni ovi
I'm doing twenty minutes for the first time ever this Saturday. I think I've done maybe 10 or 12 before, but never as part of a tight show with three other (more experienced) comics. The thing I'm the most nervous about is bringing back old jokes that I felt I had figured out and done well with, and thus haven't performed for a while. I love doing new stuff at open mics, but this week I wonder if it's better to make sure I remember how to tell my old stuff. I'd appreciate any advice or input y'all have.

Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon

Mortley posted:

I'm doing twenty minutes for the first time ever this Saturday. I think I've done maybe 10 or 12 before, but never as part of a tight show with three other (more experienced) comics. The thing I'm the most nervous about is bringing back old jokes that I felt I had figured out and done well with, and thus haven't performed for a while. I love doing new stuff at open mics, but this week I wonder if it's better to make sure I remember how to tell my old stuff. I'd appreciate any advice or input y'all have.

I personally love bringing out older jokes as long as they're not ones that I hate now. And I sometimes end up telling them a little differently just because of having more distance from their germinating days, and I find new wrinkles... Open mics make me more nervous than booked shows a lot of the time, because I have a pretty good idea how the stuff in my booked-show set tends to do. Whereas with brand new poo poo at an open mic, I have no idea.

Hydrocodone
Sep 26, 2007

Very brief background: I've been doing comedy of different kinds since college, ten years ago, and stand-up has been an on-and-off part of that for 5. So I usually tell people I have 3 years experience if they ask. And stand-up is my passion, it's just on-and-off because I suck. I live in NYC.

I've been getting back into an "on" period for stand-up the last 3 weeks, doing almost exclusively old jokes I felt good about. Tried out a new story last night and got HUGE response, which was really great. Reaction was good where I thought it would be great and one moment I didn't expect laughs was by far the funniest.

But what amused ME the most was that the story is about moving from Maine, statistically the whitest state in America, to the city and feeling uncomfortable with diversity. And I don't think I specifically dwelt on looking at these two black guys sitting at one side of the room as I was telling it, but I was SUPER conscious of any time I happened to spend looking on them. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to comment on it, like just slip in "I feel like I'm looking at you a lot right now and I'm sorry for that."

It feels so good to be onstage and be talking and be nervous.

Hydrocodone
Sep 26, 2007

I'm so excited to try a new joke out that I don't know what to do with myself until tonight's mics. I think it's a good joke, but it's also a real question I have that I'd be curious if anyone here has opinions on.

If you don't appear to be a straight, white man (whether or not you're actually gay), how much pressure is there to address the way(s) in which you're not in your act?

Because a friend of mine was complaining about how he feels like all the female comedians he's seen recently just do jokes like "I'm a women who enjoys sex and that's weird because" and black comedians just do jokes like "it's hard for me to get a cab in the city." But I feel like audiences expect them to talk about those things and they feel like they have to. (I am a straight, white man making guesses here.)

If his feeling is accurate (I think it's not), another possible explanation I thought of is somewhat different. It's that there could be a percentage of not-straight-white-man comics NOT talking about race, sexuality, etc. And that percentage could be the SAME as it is among straight-white-man comics. But bookers and casting directors might only be selecting the ones talking about those subjects.



Second question, and less annoying: Any of you working in NYC and have favorite open mics? I'd appreciate recommendations and it would be neat to perhaps run into you.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Mortley posted:

I'm doing twenty minutes for the first time ever this Saturday. I think I've done maybe 10 or 12 before, but never as part of a tight show with three other (more experienced) comics. The thing I'm the most nervous about is bringing back old jokes that I felt I had figured out and done well with, and thus haven't performed for a while. I love doing new stuff at open mics, but this week I wonder if it's better to make sure I remember how to tell my old stuff. I'd appreciate any advice or input y'all have.

I think if you haven't done it in a while, it is probably a good idea to bring it out, just to make sure there isn't some rust. My goal for my upcoming showcases is to really hone and create as tight a set as possible, even though I'm not doing nearly as much time as you.


Hydrocodone posted:

I'm so excited to try a new joke out that I don't know what to do with myself until tonight's mics. I think it's a good joke, but it's also a real question I have that I'd be curious if anyone here has opinions on.

If you don't appear to be a straight, white man (whether or not you're actually gay), how much pressure is there to address the way(s) in which you're not in your act?

Because a friend of mine was complaining about how he feels like all the female comedians he's seen recently just do jokes like "I'm a women who enjoys sex and that's weird because" and black comedians just do jokes like "it's hard for me to get a cab in the city." But I feel like audiences expect them to talk about those things and they feel like they have to. (I am a straight, white man making guesses here.)

If his feeling is accurate (I think it's not), another possible explanation I thought of is somewhat different. It's that there could be a percentage of not-straight-white-man comics NOT talking about race, sexuality, etc. And that percentage could be the SAME as it is among straight-white-man comics. But bookers and casting directors might only be selecting the ones talking about those subjects.



Second question, and less annoying: Any of you working in NYC and have favorite open mics? I'd appreciate recommendations and it would be neat to perhaps run into you.

I think one of the most important things about comedy is giving your audience a baseline of who you are right away. I think those female and black comics you see are trying to do just that. But I also think it is important to do it in a way that can set you apart and not categorize you as a certain type of comic.

And I won't be a NYC comic for at least one, probably two more years. Unless I decide to eventually move to LA. I'm in Chicago, which really just has a great comedy scene going for it. I absolutely love it here.

So last week, I just hit my one year comedy anniversary. I'm in the process of reflecting and listening to old sets just to see differences in how I approach comedy. I got a nice little showcase this week, and two more next week. It feels good to be making progress.

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.
If you're talking about working comedians, I've seen plenty of women who don't do the "I'm a woman who enjoys sex" routine. Honestly, I think the only example of that I've seen in person is Nikki Glaser. In terms of open-mic comedians, compare and contrast vs. the many guys who get up and talk about their dicks.

Hydrocodone
Sep 26, 2007

You're definitely right. I only meant to include those premises as examples but I didn't make that clear. Sorry!

Sataere posted:

I think one of the most important things about comedy is giving your audience a baseline of who you are right away.

If you're a jock and you're Asian, and the jokes you want to tell are about sports and beer, do you think there's pressure to address your race in big or small ways? Do people expect you to not just be the jock comic but to be the Asian jock comic?

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.

Hydrocodone posted:

If you're a jock and you're Asian, and the jokes you want to tell are about sports and beer, do you think there's pressure to address your race in big or small ways? Do people expect you to not just be the jock comic but to be the Asian jock comic?

Is there something about being an Asian jock bro that's funnier *to you* than being a jock bro of some other race? I kind of feel like if it doesn't add something to you it's not worth just bringing it in because you think (correctly or otherwise) that it's expected. Sighted members of the audience will notice that you are Asian. The most relevant example I can think of is a woman I've seen a couple of times who does material about being a birthday party clown. She is also black, but she doesn't do material that I can remember about being black. Being a birthday party clown is pretty freaking memorable, though.

Hydrocodone
Sep 26, 2007

Pinky Artichoke posted:

Is there something about being an Asian jock bro that's funnier *to you* than being a jock bro of some other race? I kind of feel like if it doesn't add something to you it's not worth just bringing it in because you think (correctly or otherwise) that it's expected. Sighted members of the audience will notice that you are Asian. The most relevant example I can think of is a woman I've seen a couple of times who does material about being a birthday party clown. She is also black, but she doesn't do material that I can remember about being black. Being a birthday party clown is pretty freaking memorable, though.

There isn't, that I can think of, and I don't think someone should include what they don't want to include. I'm just guessing that people's preconceptions might push someone who's not a heterosexual white man into feeling the need to address that. And I'm curious if I'm generally wrong about that or if it's a slight influence or a strong influence or what.

Coincidentally, most of my jokes right now are about being white, from a very white state, and learning to deal with diversity in the city. But I think the US is so inundated with white men doing all sorts of things in all kinds of media that I feel no NEED to mention my race if I want to do different jokes. I'm guessing that's a unique position because of all the privilege and prejudice, but I certainly don't know what it's like to be a black comic or a gay comic or etc, etc.



edit: Also coincidentally, the joke that sprang from these thoughts bombed. :P I screwed up the delivery and I want to revisit some of my phrasing, but I'm definitely less confident in my guess about the premise after the reaction I didn't get.

Hydrocodone fucked around with this message at 07:50 on Oct 20, 2015

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Now when I say that it is important to give a baseline for who you are, it is important to remember that our ethnic makeup is a very small part of who we are. It is just the most visible. If you are an Asian jock and you think you have something interesting that offers a unique perspective into how you perceive the world, you absolutely have to go with it. But don't go in there talking about how you are a bad driver. It is the difference between defining the inherent ridiculousness of stereotypes and just reinforcing them.

For the longest time, I avoided personal observations in my comedy, because that isn't what I'm trying to do on stage. But I realized about five months ago that in order for my own observations on the world to go over well, I need to introduce the audience to me. The question you need to ask yourself is who you are on stage and how will your audience relate to that. Once you can do that, everything else you do becomes a million times easier, because you've almost become friends with the audience.

You can talk about being black or Asian or a woman, but the important thing is to do so in a way that separates yourself. If you are just rehashing the same forms of a joke that has already been done, then you haven't set yourself apart to the audience.

My goal is to try being relate-able, while still being original, and it is a very fine line to hit. It is easy to make generic jokes that will go over well to the masses. Coming up with a concept that spins an existing trope on its head while still getting the audience on your side. That is the goal with everything I do. (I don't do it often though.)

Also, bear in mind that I'm still a novice and I'm going over my own personal observations.

Shovelbearer
Oct 11, 2003
Paragon of Lexicon
If your perception/experience of whatever you're talking about is affected by the fact that you're Asian/female/left-handed, then by all means, put that in there. Otherwise, I'd say just talk about the thing and don't worry about shoe-horning in a reminder that you're a three-armed diabetic Innuit.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Shovelbearer posted:

If your perception/experience of whatever you're talking about is affected by the fact that you're Asian/female/left-handed, then by all means, put that in there. Otherwise, I'd say just talk about the thing and don't worry about shoe-horning in a reminder that you're a three-armed diabetic Innuit.

To be fair, if you are a three-armed diabetic Innuit, you probably need to address that right away.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply