Advice from Charlyne Yi

[charlyneyi]

So I've been getting an overwhelming amount of mail (it's unbelievable) and people have been asking me advice like I'm some sort of Champion of the stage.

Now, I'm turning it on to you (the rookie in training), to ask any SERIOUS question about performing that I can maybe help with.

Please no jokey questions. I am very serious. And want to help, any and all rookies.

You can ask me how to do a first open mic, how to handle hecklers, etc. Anything you've been dying to learn how to do.

And I will try my best to answer all questions sincerely and honestly so that I may be able to help you.

Sincerely,
Charlyne

PS. Seriously, don't spam this with jokey questions where you're trying to be funny.

[punkdc]

I know this isn't really advice, but I'm dying to know how you go about writing songs for your music projects. Music or lyrics first? Also, is there a cd or iTunes release in the cards?

[Carradine's_missing_flute]

So I've been getting an overwhelming amount of mail (it's unbelievable) and people have been asking me advice like I'm some sort of Champion of the stage.

Now, I'm turning it on to you (the rookie in training), to ask any SERIOUS question about performing that I can maybe help with.

Please no jokey questions. I am very serious. And want to help, any and all rookies.

You can ask me how to do a first open mic, how to handle hecklers, etc. Anything you've been dying to learn how to do.

And I will try my best to answer all questions sincerely and honestly so that I may be able to help you.

Sincerely,
Charlyne

PS. Seriously, don't spam this with jokey questions where you're trying to be funny.

How do you become a working comic? Is it just doing open mic's or is it more to it?

[Rynunes]

If you were a rookie (now) looking to do your first open mic in the LA area, where would you do it?

[Cupid Stunt]

Did you have any other aspirations/goals other than comedy?

(like a career)

At what point did you decide to....ugh...."quit your day job"

[charlyneyi]

[YOUTUBE]Y49oqJ2D234[/YOUTUBE]

[RubelT]

Could you upload some clips of your stand up for those of us who haven't had the privilege, thanks.

[charlyneyi]

Could you upload some clips of your stand up for those of us who haven't had the privilege, thanks.

No*











*I do not have any.

[RubelT]

No*











*I do not have any.

Well I have only heard good things and its too bad I'm not in LA to see you perform.

[charlyneyi]

Did you have any other aspirations/goals other than comedy?

(like a career)

At what point did you decide to....ugh...."quit your day job"

This one, I will answer by hand.

WARNING: It's a long answer.

When I was a child I wanted to be a dentist. But got grossed out by the blood and plaque. Then I wanted to be an astronaut because I loved learning about planets. Then changed my mind because I was afraid of heights. And then because of my fascination with Egypt & Tomb Raider, I wanted to be an archeologist. But then changed my mind because I'm afraid of curses.

In 5th grade I realized how much I liked performing in front of the class even though I wanted to pee on myself from fear.

I also took drama in high school and wrote a lot.

When graduated from High School I had no idea what I should do. I had desires to become a screenwriter, a musician/composer, and actor. Didn't really think about comedy.

However, most of my friends either went to college and got a crappy day job. Or did a lot of drugs and made no efforts. Or did all the above.

I thought, "Okay, I suppose I'll go to college since I don't have a CLUE how to just jump into any of things I really wish to do. So I signed up for college and needed to get a day job.

I went to the Ontario Mills Mall looking for a job. Saw that the Improv Comedy Club was hiring. And saw a flier, in which said, "You could do comedy too!" - I took this flier and thought, "Oh my god, my life is going to change" - As if my life was a movie.

I did a standup comedy contest doing bad magic. And was dreadful. Somehow I won 2nd place. I won classes. And hated the classes. The teachers were unsupportive of what I was doing. Which made me want to try harder to spite them.

I got a job at Wal-Mart. And continued to perform and go to college.

At a certain point I was banned from performing in Fontana (where I grew up).
So I started to perform in Los Angeles. I started to get tired and pretty depressed. Going to college (felt like I was wasting my time), my job at Wal-Mart (hated it), and performing began to be less fun. I was running out of motivation. I quit my job at Wal-Mart. Ran out of money for school. Began sneaking into Theatre class. And used whatever else money I had saved up while living with my parents for gas to drive to Los Angeles to perform....

I remember the day I wanted to give up.... the audience consisted of 6 male comics and when they announced my name... because I was a girl - they all walked out on me. I performed for one person, the sound guy way over in the lightbooth.

I drove home sad. And lost. Didn't have a clue what I was doing with my life. I felt like an schmuck especially because not only did I drive really far to perform for one person, I was also sneaking into theatre classes in college. And was really really broke and couldn't afford to hang out with my friends who had money. I only used my money on gas. That's it. And sincerely, I dreaded having to go back to work. I just wanted to perform. But no one wanted to watch me. I felt alone. No friends and no audience.

A sad song played in my car. I laughed out loud. I thought "Oh this song scores my life perfectly right now".

The following day, I felt pretty pathetic, I almost didn't sneak into theatre class. I was thinking of never returning. Usually my professor, Eric Barr (UC RIVERSIDE), would talk about movies he had seen over the weekend.... but this time.... for no reason, he said to the whole class, "No one cares if you never perform again".

PIVOTAL POINT in my movie I call life:
He was right. No one cares. You have to. You have to be passionate enough to know in your heart that this is it. You have to be passionate enough to care and push yourself. You can't rely on others and wait around for somebody to motivate you.

I remembered how I had performed one time, and a woman came up to me, drunk and crying. I was so scared she was going to hurt me. But she was happy. With tears gushing, she said to me, "I was having a horrible day... and you made me so happy. You really brightened up my day. Thank you so much."

And with that, I realized I would have to push myself.

I think so often,
we already know what we want to do but are
just afraid or don't know how abouts to get to that goal. No one
teaches you these things: how to become a writer, actor, performer,
director, musician, etc... My conflict: ignorance and fear. Well no more! The fear of failing at trying to get what I want - was far less scary than the fear of never trying at all. And regretting.

So I knew what I wanted to do for that moment. I know I want to do a lot of things in life. I still have other aspirations in my life beside comedy. Compose music, write, perform, become a teacher. And there's time to do all that.

And I mean, as far as quiting my day job... you need some sort of day job to support yourself until you get work doing what you love. And even then, when you do get money from the awesome job, it's not stable. You never know how long people will want to continue to hire you. I haven't had a day job for about a year now. I'm really lucky. But I've had several day jobs. Quit a lot of them too out of annoyance. But who knows, I might have to get another one soon again, if I don't find work.

[Itslikeimsayin]

What a great read. Thanks for posting, Charlyne.

[Cupid Stunt]

Wow.

Thanks so much for the advice.

I've been on AST for only a few weeks and i JUST tried standup for the first time a few weeks ago.

No one cares. You have to. You have to be passionate enough to know in your heart that this is it. You have to be passionate enough to care and push yourself. You can't rely on others and wait around for somebody to motivate you.

^^^advice like this from ppl like u and other ASTers made me just shut up and do it.

Thanks again! (really pumped that you wrote a lot for my question )

[charlyneyi]

I know this isn't really advice, but I'm dying to know how you go about writing songs for your music projects. Music or lyrics first? Also, is there a cd or iTunes release in the cards?

Hi.

I think usually... It's music, then melody, and
I improvise lyrics until I am happily singing
something that feels right. Something with lilt.
Even if the lyrics may not make sense.

A handful of times I took poems that I had
written, now claiming those words lyrics.

Album. I am trying.
I want to have enough music that I am proud of on it.
Maybe next year I will have enough songs that I truly enjoy.

I don't know how to upload music on itunes. I have free music on myspace:
www.myspace.com/oldlumps
www.myspae.com/chandelierteeth

Also, for the film I worked on, Paper Heart I helped co-write the music score. And that soundtrack should come out at some point after the film is released? Michael Cera, Alden Penner, and Zach Condon all wrote music as well.

Char

[thepeople'shellbow]

This one's more open-ended: got any ideas on where to start? Kind of venue? Town? Situations to avoid or attach yourself to?

[charlyneyi]

This one's more open-ended: got any ideas on where to start? Kind of venue? Town? Situations to avoid or attach yourself to?

Today's episode:
[YOUTUBE]GKEZIfMsgR4[/YOUTUBE]

[yumitree]

Album. I am trying.
I want to have enough music that I am proud of on it.
Maybe next year I will have enough songs that I truly enjoy.

...are there any copies of the farewell album left? erik charles nielsen was supposed to give me one at one point, but that never happened.

[Carradine's_missing_flute]

As a comic, which is the best clubs to have one night stand?

[charlyneyi]

As a comic, which is the best clubs to have one night stand?

No. Bad dog.




(Moderators! Kick this pervert out!)

[isoS]

I think he means perform for one night, not have anonymous sex with waitstaff or patron. I apologize in advance if I'm wrong.

[charlyneyi]

This one's more open-ended: got any ideas on where to start? Kind of venue? Town? Situations to avoid or attach yourself to?

Where to start:
I grew up in Fontana, CA. And I didn't know how to find places to perform. But someone introduced me to www.chucklemonkey.com

They have listings of open mics. I would call up the ones that you want to try out to see: 1) if they still exist, 2) when sign up is, 3) how long of a set you are to prepare. I would avoid doing bringer shows - which are shows where you are supposed to bring audience members/friends. That should be the least of your concerns. I look at open mics as just training for combat. Most of them are the scariest thing ever because no one really listens to you and it's hard to get a good grasp of their reaction. But when you do win their attention it's the most rewarding thing ever. - I would keep in mind that just because your material doesn't do well at an open mic, it doesn't mean that it won't work elsewhere or that it's bad. It's important to keep a good attitude I would think, and to stay positive. If possible. Ha.

Venue?
I've performed at all sorts. Bars, coffee shops, brewerys, hookah bars, laundromats, tanning places, AA meeting (Not randomly surprising them, but people actually book or run open mics at places liek this). I would try them out, see if you like performing at any. I sometimes like the challenge of going to a loud busy laundromat and seeing if I can survive the war. But I also like tame places like coffee shops, hoping to be listened to.

Town?
I don't know. Find out what's nearby. Or for me, I found better places away from my hometown. I would commute to Los Angeles almost every night to perform because I liked those shows better (and I got banned from most places nearby ha). Also, this is a typical thing to say, but there a ton of places to perform in NYC.

Hope this helps.