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My city is down to 2 mics a week, Monday/Tuesday. Probably the worst days to try and make people laugh, and one of them is an hour's bus ride from my place so I rarely can actually make it. It's super frustrating because if I'm lucky I get 1 night a week of 5-7 minutes so it feels like I am literally making no progress, and the last handful of sets have just been me eating poo poo and questioning life choices afterwards. I actually got legit heckled for the first time 2 weeks ago which was terrible. I've been doing this on and off for about 8 months so I'm honestly surprised it took so long. I had just delivered the punchline to a joke where the setup was giving a handjob to my dealer for weed, but ha ha no not really, I'm not an 18 year (local liberal fine arts college) girl. I had just written it and it went over decent I guess but then this girl near the front was just like "YOU'RE RUDE". If this were stdh.txt I'd probably have had some killer bon mot and left with everyone applauding  but no instead it totally threw me off my game and I stumbled through the rest of my set like an rear end in a top hat and thought of like a million witty retorts the second I set foot off stage. I think i mumbled off some lovely "yeah whatever thanks" variant but a couple of my comic friends said they felt super bad for me so obviously I didn't handle it with grace and poise. Thinking about getting into standup? Do it. It can be fun and you will meet some really interesting people and develop an entirely new perspective on things. Also you will hate yourself and probably start drinking heavily.
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Jan 23, 2014 15:05
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Greek Tragedy posted:Any of you Comedy goons in/near Washington DC? Used to live there and will visit once in a blue moon and its probably one of the best times for comedy that DC has ever seen right now, so you're in luck. There's a few different factions of people who runs shows that you can look up (LYGO, Cool Cow Comedy, and Underground Comedy DC to name a few) and contact who have mics and showcases set up. The Arlington Cinema Drafthouse is a great venue for paid showcases in their Green Room.
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Jan 26, 2014 23:49
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I somehow just managed to force myself to do three open mics, three nights in a row. I hadn't been on a stage since the one time I sheepishly tried my hand at standup in 2012. I feel really, really good about it. My town has some pretty amazing talent. I'm humbled but excited, and surprisingly way less discouraged by lukewarm reception than I thought I'd be. I have yet to straight-up bomb or be heckled though. Looking forward to it in a sick way?
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Jan 30, 2014 15:02
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Tena Twister posted:I somehow just managed to force myself to do three open mics, three nights in a row. that's how we get ya. 
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Jan 31, 2014 01:32
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Tena Twister posted:I have yet to straight-up bomb or be heckled though. Looking forward to it in a sick way? There's something genuinely refreshing about the first time you bomb. For someone that takes this whole comedy thing pretty seriously (as in, I actually devote time to trying to write material and have something to say on stage, as opposed to the poo poo heads that just get up there to see what it's like or impress their buddies), you absolutely KNOW it's going to happen (a lot), so getting that first one over with and being able to see how little it really matters (and how much it can teach you) is kind of freeing. EDIT: I drove a couple hours to a monthly open mic Sunday night. I went last month for the first time and it's a completely different atmosphere than the comedy club I'm used to going up at. It's in the back room of a bar and the crowd is a lot more chatty and loud (and drunk), but they're also there FOR an open mic, as opposed to "there for a show that happens to have an open mic before it that they have to sit through" at the comedy club, so they're a lot more willing to go with you on something and just have fun. Last time there weren't many people there, but this time is was full. They had to pull tables in from the bar and, even then, people were still just having to stand. My set was definitely one of my strongest to date and I had a great time. So, that basically ensures that I'll bomb aggressively at the next mic here in town. XIII fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Jan 31, 2014 |
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Jan 31, 2014 03:56
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Is consider myself a funny guy but I'm terrified that I'm completely unable to separate jokes that are funny to my friends or co-workers and things that a room full of complete strangers would laugh at.
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Mar 29, 2014 12:00
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Dr_Amazing posted:Is consider myself a funny guy but I'm terrified that I'm completely unable to separate jokes that are funny to my friends or co-workers and things that a room full of complete strangers would laugh at. There's only one way to find out. The more you do it the better you'll get. I still tell jokes that suck, but based on audience reaction I can either fix the joke, or know that it's not one to keep in my set. Just keep writing, and doing open mics, and the funny stuff will come organically.
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Mar 29, 2014 18:31
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Dr_Amazing posted:Is consider myself a funny guy but I'm terrified that I'm completely unable to separate jokes that are funny to my friends or co-workers and things that a room full of complete strangers would laugh at. Being a 'funny guy' and being a 'comedian' are two different things, and once you meet some you'll find that there are plenty of really good comedians out there who are the dullest, most depressing motherfuckers to ever walk the planet. You write a little, you gig a little, you get a laugh or two, you junk the other 4 minutes and 45 seconds of crap, you gig a little, you write a little, and by the time you've got a viable 30 minute show 5 years and 1000 gigs later your pretty much too emotionally dead inside to care. Congratulations. You're now a professional comedian. Enjoy your early, alcohol fueled death, rear end in a top hat. Also, don't worry about your material. Material means diddly poo poo. Nobody cares about your oh so loving important opinions or the that clever bit of wordplay you came up with. The dumbest bullshit on earth can work if it's presented right. It's the little things that go into the presentation - the pause between words, the expression, the tone, reading and playing with the energy in the room - all of that combines to make a bit of material work. Developing that instinct, modifying a pause, or making that stare a little bit more intense; that's the real craft of Stand up, and you only get that from stage time. Basically, every set you write will be poo poo until you've done it a few dozen times anyway. Just loving nut up and get on with it. Bombing on stage is way more fun than an evening in front of the TV anyway.
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Mar 29, 2014 23:36
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http://youtu.be/rxNlRdKeEY0 A portion of my latest set. This was only my second time on stage so I'd appreciate any feedback people have. I already know I need to try to not look at my notes.
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Apr 24, 2014 16:43
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Karl Ontario posted:http://youtu.be/rxNlRdKeEY0 Just as a random guy I thought it was funny. Loved the first half, especially since I'm totally a jacket guy. The zombie stuff felt a little stale to me though. What was the ending to the twilight joke?
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Apr 25, 2014 04:08
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Dr_Amazing posted:Just as a random guy I thought it was funny. Loved the first half, especially since I'm totally a jacket guy. The zombie stuff felt a little stale to me though. What was the ending to the twilight joke? When they're having sex does the girl have to invite the vampire's dick in?
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Apr 25, 2014 06:19
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So, I've been trying to work on my actual joke writing skills lately, ostensibly in preparation for giving stand-up a try in a few weeks. Been trying to write a joke a day on twitter. Anyone else here use it and want to start a little name exchange? I'm @fotemp
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Apr 28, 2014 04:50
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Barracuda Bang! posted:So, I've been trying to work on my actual joke writing skills lately, ostensibly in preparation for giving stand-up a try in a few weeks. Been trying to write a joke a day on twitter. Anyone else here use it and want to start a little name exchange? Followed. I've been trying (emphasis on try) to step up my Twitter fame. I'm @zacfelts
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Apr 28, 2014 05:25
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Does anyone on here want to have a weekly writing workshop? I've been trying to organize one with the local comics at my scene, but they're pretty unreliable and mostly don't show up. My skype id is zimu.yang if anyone's interested. Also, here's a shameless plug. Me at Laughing Skull a couple weeks ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztoxN_kB2Ug
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Apr 30, 2014 04:38
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Barracuda Bang! posted:So, I've been trying to work on my actual joke writing skills lately, ostensibly in preparation for giving stand-up a try in a few weeks. Been trying to write a joke a day on twitter. Anyone else here use it and want to start a little name exchange? just followed. @freudmayweather i had my best week yet in comedy this week. fitting as it was the last week of my first year in comedy. first, i got a shout-out on the tuesdays with stories podcast by two of my favorite comics in the world, joe list and mark normand. then i got to open for luis j gomez on friday. then last night i showed up for the semi-final round of a lovely contest i'm in at joker's wild in new haven, but no crowd showed up, so all the comics got drunk and ate sally's pizza together while watching WWE Extreme Rules. happy anniversary to me.
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May 6, 2014 05:18
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How often do you repeat your own material? Like, if you went to four different places on four different nights in the same month, would you tell mostly the same jokes? Or would you, heaven help me, come up with a new 15-30 minutes of funny every week?
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May 19, 2014 21:52
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Evil Sagan posted:How often do you repeat your own material? Like, if you went to four different places on four different nights in the same month, would you tell mostly the same jokes? Or would you, heaven help me, come up with a new 15-30 minutes of funny every week? you have to repeat the same stuff all the time. fifteen to thirty minutes a week would most likely be awful stuff. i work on new stuff at open mics and sprinkle it into bar shows, and when i work clubs i give them my most polished stuff. the repetition is what takes jokes from good to great. little tweaks you make on stage. knowing your material inside and out helps you work out and play with your timing, your body language, and cadence. everyone writes at their own pace, though. i'd just rather have a really solid 10 minutes than an undercooked half hour. those minutes may be the difference between hosting and feature spots, but it can also be the difference between having a smooth, consistently good set or having to battle the crowd all the time.
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May 21, 2014 03:31
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Evil Sagan posted:How often do you repeat your own material? Like, if you went to four different places on four different nights in the same month, would you tell mostly the same jokes? Or would you, heaven help me, come up with a new 15-30 minutes of funny every week? Seconding what freud mayweather said: you have to do a bit dozens of times to really finesse it and then once it's polished you're going to want to do it all the time for years, but sometimes it can be helpful to space it out. If you go to open mics and the audience is literally all comics or friends of comics that come out every week (this happens more often than anyone would care to admit), you're not going to get much out of trying out a new tag on a bit they've all heard a dozen times over the last three months of open mics and shows, and you might as well try all new material or just riff. With a fresh crowd at an open-mic you attend regularly, a good ratio is somewhere around 70% old stuff, 30% new stuff. Strong polished bits up top, new stuff in the middle, then finish strong with something polished.
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Jun 2, 2014 05:21
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sup comedygoons... just read through this whole thread. I'm 17 gigs in, it's not going horrendously. Are there any other London based acts in this thread? Is anyone heading up to edinburgh?
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Jun 12, 2014 17:07
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London-based comic chiming in. I've been lurking intermittently so I thought I'd jump in. I'm in a 4-man sketch group that's taking a show to the Fringe this year. It will be our 5th (maybe 6th?) show and might well be our last for a while. We've had sellout 5* shows each year but by god it's tiring and expensive. On top of that, we're each doing a half hour solo show on the free Fringe which is terrifying! Me? ALL ON MY OWN??? WHAT? The Fringe is amazing, for those that haven't been. The atmosphere is wonderful and it's incredible fun, but at the same time it can be the most soul-crushing thing in the world, some days. Feel free to ask if anyone wants advice on sketch comedy, I guess.
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Jun 13, 2014 14:40
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You can't just say that and NOT tell us what your show is called so we can go see it!
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Jun 13, 2014 14:41
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Ha! Fair point. The show is The Beta Males in: Happenstance. Link here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/beta-males-happenstance Bit of a change for us as we're used to doing big old narrative genre shows - last year it was superheroes, before that the space race, all that jazz. This year we're going back to a straight sketch show, but hopefully one where every sketch affects the next. Should be fun. We've got lots of London previews, too, if anyone can't make the fringe but fancies seeing the work-in-progress. Preview dates and bumf: JUNE Monday 16th @ Pleasance Theatre 6:45. Tickets: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/beta-males-happenstance Thursday 26th @ Hen and Chickens Theatre 7:30. Tickets: https://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/the-beta-males-happenstance-work-in-progress-tickets/122765 *** 2-4-1 offer with code "ditto" *** JULY Tuesday 1st @Hen and Chickens Theatre 9:30. Tickets: https://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/the-beta-males-happenstance-work-in-progress-tickets/122769 *** 2-4-1 offer with code "ditto" *** Sunday 6th @Hen and Chickens Theatre 7:30. Tickets: https://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/the-beta-males-happenstance-work-in-progress-tickets/122767 *** 2-4-1 offer with code "ditto" *** Saturday 19th @Camden People's Theatre 7:30. Tickets: http://www.cptheatre.co.uk/show/clever_peter3.php#.U5grI_ldW5U ***DOUBLE BILL WITH Clever Peter!!*** Wednesday 23rd in Milton Keynes 9:30. Tickets: http://mkfestivalfringe.com/dt_portfolio/beta-males-happenstance/ Friday 25th @The Harrison 7:30. Tickets: https://www.facebook.com/events/296496867171960/ Here's some words about it: Chortle Award nominees, stars of Radio 4's Sketchorama and five sell-out Edinburgh Fringe runs in four years, the critically-acclaimed sketch storytellers present Happenstance, a show where things happen. The Betas are back with another ‘hilarious sketch show’ (Sunday Times) and brand new characters, as they breathe life into a new world of stories with heart. This year things are going to happen... ‘Genius’ (Sunday Times). ‘Gloriously funny’ **** (Time Out). ‘A furnace of invention’ **** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘A mastery of, and love for their craft that is a delight to behold’ **** (Fest). OKAY I'M DONE WITH THE SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION NOW (Here is the link for my solo show: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/beta-males-sessions-adam-and-guy)
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Jun 13, 2014 15:00
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Hold on, were you the guys acting as the advisors during last year's Knightmare Live show? I definitely recognise the name. Unfortunately my evenings are totally booked up for my time at the Fringe this year seeing shows so I can't check you out.
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Jun 13, 2014 15:17
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Ha! Yes! We were on one night - Five of us (one has hosed off to Australia now) in waistcoats. We won! Paul - the guy playing the goblin - was furious. He'd had "Kill the Betas" in his diary for weeks. We're doing it again, too. Yesssss. (Sack off something else and see us. We're amazing, yo.)
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Jun 13, 2014 15:28
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I'm jealous. Doing Edinburgh is on my goal list (thanks a lot, Comedian's Comedian podcast). Wish I could come see you.
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Jun 13, 2014 15:28
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It really is amazing. If you come up as a punter, come about 7 days in. That way the shows are polished but still fresh. By the last week everyone is praying for death and in a constant state of hungover exhaustion. Coming up as a performer is a dream and a nightmare. It's so expensive. Even getting listed in the brouchure costs hundreds. Then there's rent, flyers, venue fees (if you're not on the Free Fringe) - the list is almost endless. That being said (and this is going to make me sound like a real prick) it feels like you matter for a month. Everyone seems to know everyone else and the vibe is like nothing I've ever experienced. Plus, there are bars that close at 6am. EDIT: I'm also in Go 8 Bit, a videogame themed comedy show at the fringe. IUt's sold out every night in Edinburgh and London and is a right silly laugh: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/mcneil-and-pamphilon-go-8-bit Flint_Paper fucked around with this message at 15:42 on Jun 13, 2014 |
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Jun 13, 2014 15:37
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Yeah, I look at it and think "man, I can't wait to lose a ton of money on that" and mean it. But, it's not something I'm considering at this point in my stand-up career. I am, however, excited to be moving to Denver in two weeks so I can start getting on stage nightly, instead of the current two times a week.
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Jun 13, 2014 15:47
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XIII posted:I'm jealous. Doing Edinburgh is on my goal list (thanks a lot, Comedian's Comedian podcast). Wish I could come see you.
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Jun 13, 2014 16:13
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Question Mark Mound posted:Also for anyone who doesn't already listen to ComComPod, it is the single best podcast around for anybody interested in actual interviews with comedians and isn't just a platform for them to recite some of their routines. Exactly. I really enjoy the fact that I have no idea who 98% of the people on it are. Listening to it really showed me how there is no right or wrong way to go about writing.
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Jun 13, 2014 16:24
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I've been to a few of the live recordings and have discovered people who I had never heard of who have since become some of my favourite comedians and have been to a few of their shows.
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Jun 13, 2014 16:28
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Flint_Paper posted:
I'll definitely come and see your show. I'm hosting a compilation show from 2nd - 24th. I'm trying to decide whether to give it a theme or just leave it wide open. I think I want to challenge myself with a theme but I don't want to end up regretting it 1 week in if it's just not working. Any opinions? jaymeekae fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Jun 15, 2014 |
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Jun 15, 2014 17:21
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Hey Comics, I'm in SF. Taking a sabbatical after surgery. Even after a week, I feel rusty. Anyone else feel the same?
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Jun 15, 2014 23:41
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I haven't done stand-up in about five years, so last week I gave it a shot. Not 100% happy with how it came out, and I totally bungled the second and third jokes, but I'm thrilled with the first bit and there's some salvageable material in the middle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJU-7lh8UO0
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Jul 1, 2014 06:57
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So I just did my first set in about two years and I just can't sleep, even though it was six hours ago. I just feel really amped up. My buddies dad decided to try setting up a show at a local bar. I'd been itching to do a set for the last year and decided to offer my services on a whim, despite only having done this a handful of times. I did this knowing there was no chance in hell he'd take me up on it, since this guy does shows all the time and the people he had up there all do this stuff on a regular basis. Imagine my surprise when he took me up on it. The set wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. I got a lot of positive feedback, which was nice. One of the comics even told me to get in touch with him, because he does some shows, which probably means I wasn't as awful as I feel, but I can't get over all the many mistakes that nobody realized but myself. Even with all my problems, I'm just really glad I got out there. It feels loving good to go up and make people laugh, even if it isn't at every joke.
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Jul 27, 2014 09:15
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Flint_Paper posted:
You're on kind of the same time as my show... but I have the 18th off. If I don't want to spend all day with my head in a bucket or something then I'll come and watch.
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Jul 31, 2014 11:10
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Any of you guys located in the Chicagoland area?
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Aug 3, 2014 20:20
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I know this thread isn't the most active, but I'm looking for some advice. I feel I'm a strong writer, and I've been told as much from some people I know in the area, but I am struggling to get my actual performance to match up with the writing. I'm very laid back on stage and I think it's preventing me from getting more consistent and potentially larger laughs. Any advice to come out of my shell a bit? To become more active on stage? Besides just "do it".
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Aug 7, 2014 21:59
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http://splitsider.com/2014/08/finally-a-video-game-that-lets-you-experience-the-bleak-life-of-a-struggling-comic/quote:There are very few artistic depictions of what it's like to be a standup comedian. Haven't tried it yet myself but the premise made me smile, can't wait to give it a shot.
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Aug 7, 2014 22:36
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Karl Ontario posted:I know this thread isn't the most active, but I'm looking for some advice. I feel I'm a strong writer, and I've been told as much from some people I know in the area, but I am struggling to get my actual performance to match up with the writing. I'm very laid back on stage and I think it's preventing me from getting more consistent and potentially larger laughs. Any advice to come out of my shell a bit? To become more active on stage? Besides just "do it". Use your phone to record yourself. Audio and visual. Do your jokes normally on one recording, and in s very exaggerated way in another. Impersonate am energetic comedian in one recording. Watch them when you're done, compare the audience reaction. Compare your physical movements. If your problem isn't that you don't know what sort of energy to bring, but rather that you feel uncomfortable bringing energy into your act, I find that impersonating wrestling announcers helps me amp up my energy. Also, people get really excited when you holler " let's get ready to ruuuuumble!" Also, of you want to post YouTube videos for critique I will totally critique your performance.
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Aug 8, 2014 15:50
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Serious Cephalopod posted:Use your phone to record yourself. Audio and visual. Do your jokes normally on one recording, and in s very exaggerated way in another. Impersonate am energetic comedian in one recording. Watch them when you're done, compare the audience reaction. Compare your physical movements. Absolutely, I'd love to hear some feedback: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jSN9d68iAI That's my most recent set from this past weekend (my 8th time up on stage).
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Aug 11, 2014 20:53
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