Comedy Questions From Beginners For Experienced Comics

[John Bennerman]

No offense, but I doubt you've killed yet.

You may have done well. You may have gotten laughs where you expected to get your laughs with the material you have now. That's not the same as killing.

It's a comedy truism that someone who brags about killing probably hasn't killed yet...and they won't know that until the time that they actually DO kill, and only then will they know...

Concentrate on doing well. Try to consistently do well. Aim for that.

pg--Or was that a confession of something else? I'm watching a Law & Order SVU marathon in my hotel room right now, so I'm temporarily inclined to believe that EVERYONE is capable of horrible, horrible things.--chicago (temporarily)

PG, are you touring? What are your gigs like? I apologize for misplacing the link to your site.
You are probably right about "killing" - the best set I ever did was in a room that I had never been to and it was just the greatest feeling - I felt like a hero and I had one of the guys who organized the open mic, and a couple of other people tell me I was really good. I'd like to get that feeling again.
John

[MarkAgee]

PG, are you touring? What are your gigs like? I apologize for misplacing the link to your site.
You are probably right about "killing" - the best set I ever did was in a room that I had never been to and it was just the greatest feeling - I felt like a hero and I had one of the guys who organized the open mic, and a couple of other people tell me I was really good. I'd like to get that feeling again.
John

http://www.myspace.com/pgseattle

[pg13]

http://www.myspace.com/pgseattle

Thanks Mark!

John, you can also find more about me at www.seattlecomedy.net/petergreyy.html and www.facebook.com/pgreyy


As much as I'm calling what I'm doing "touring" a more accurate word would be "prospecting." I cleared out my schedule to go to towns I've never gone to to hopefully play places I've never played before.

It's been going well so far...although it looks like I've swung and missed when it comes to getting to perform in Chicago, at least on THIS leg of the trip. I'll be in Cleveland tomorrow...with various options on how to get to Boston late this week or early next week. Then, I'm headed to Virginia and North Carolina...before making my way back to Chicago, Minneapolis, some work in Wisconsin...and then, on the way home, I hope to swing by Denver.

That's a lot of miles on the Ford Focus. But, my hope is, it'll mean even more miles on the Ford Focus in the future.

pg--Had to try this now as I'm not getting any younger.--chicago (temporarily)

[MarkAgee]

Look up Jim Tews in Cleveland. The town is a shithole, but he'll get you drunk, or show you where to do it.

http://www.jimtews.com/

[forgetiheardthat]

pg, where in NC? When I lived there, I only knew of one comedy club. It was in Charlotte, and was miserable.

[John Bennerman]

I've gotten to know other comics and open mic'ers and it messes with my head when they say "nice set" after I've bombed. What's up with that? I know that I bombed - I have it on my digital recorder and (as much as I thought my delivery was good) there were very few laughs. It seemed other comics were getting good laughs. Even the club owner said "nice job". It would have been a lot nicer if the crowd were laughing instead of bullshitting and not even looking at me while I was on stage. The true and ultimate gage of how good you are is the laughter from the crowd. I wish other comics would just look the other way when I'm passing rather then saying "nice job" after I got so few laughs.

[Harry B]

I've gotten to know other comics and open mic'ers and it messes with my head when they say "nice set" after I've bombed. What's up with that? I know that I bombed - I have it on my digital recorder and (as much as I thought my delivery was good) there were very few laughs. It seemed other comics were getting good laughs. Even the club owner said "nice job". It would have been a lot nicer if the crowd were laughing instead of bullshitting and not even looking at me while I was on stage. The true and ultimate gage of how good you are is the laughter from the crowd. I wish other comics would just look the other way when I'm passing rather then saying "nice job" after I got so few laughs.

It must be frustrating to be part of a scene populated with so many total fucking assholes.

[John Bennerman]

It must be frustrating to be part of a scene populated with so many total fucking assholes.

I am not sure what you meant by that, but thank you very much for giving me a good laugh.

[pg13]

pg, where in NC? When I lived there, I only knew of one comedy club. It was in Charlotte, and was miserable.

I'm actually going to see a couple of my friends perform at the Laugh Your Asheville Off festival in Asheville and meet up with a couple of the major regional bookers while I'm there... Not sure if I'll actually get a chance to perform on this trip.

My younger brother lives in Norfolk, Virginia...so, it'd be nice to be able to set it up so I can get some work in and visit him every so often. That's part of what this trip is about.

I've heard conflicting reports on comedy clubs in the area...I'll let you know what I find!

pg--currently in rochester, ny

[pg13]

I've gotten to know other comics and open mic'ers and it messes with my head when they say "nice set" after I've bombed. What's up with that? I know that I bombed - I have it on my digital recorder and (as much as I thought my delivery was good) there were very few laughs. It seemed other comics were getting good laughs. Even the club owner said "nice job". It would have been a lot nicer if the crowd were laughing instead of bullshitting and not even looking at me while I was on stage. The true and ultimate gage of how good you are is the laughter from the crowd. I wish other comics would just look the other way when I'm passing rather then saying "nice job" after I got so few laughs.

This is the comedy version of shaking your teammates hand at the free throw line, even if he's missed the free throw. It's just become part of the tradition and not an indication of their actual feelings about what you've done...or even an indication of whether or not they paid attention to what you were doing up there.

It's not only hard to tell someone to their face what you really think...but it isn't like that's what a comic who just came off stage and felt that he/she struggled wants is some guy telling them that they ate it up there.

So, you acknowledge the obvious in a benignly positive way.

Handshake after every free throw attempt, even the misses = "Hey, you just shot a free throw..."

AND

Saying "Hey, good set" = "Hey, I'm aware that you just went on stage at a comedy show"



Only your best comedy buddy whom you deeply trust to know the difference between your need to improve and your need to keep your ego inflated enough to keep trying will ever give you the real scoop.

Well, them AND, of course, some semi-anonymous people on internet message boards who really should just let you figure it out on your own...if you do, great...if you don't, no big deal.

pg--Remember, when you perform at an open mic...that open mic exists because you go there. Where would they be if they told everyone that they actually sucked?--temporarily rochester

[Kon Darp]

Also note that a comic is just saying nice set, not nice crowd reaction.

A comic can appreciate someone's comedy beyond how much an audience laughs.

[scamboogah]

This is the comedy version of shaking your teammates hand at the free throw line, even if he's missed the free throw.

Or just the human being version of not being a complete asshole.

[Kentock]

Nice set = I just walked past you in the bar and had to say something.

Great set = You actually had a nice set.

You killed it = You killed it.

[John Bennerman]

Wow, Rosanne Barr was a house wife who had only been doing stand up comedy for 3-4 years prior to her first performance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and she killed.

[John Bennerman]

Do you have any rituals you normally perform shortly before getting up on stage?

[Kentock]

I wear a hair shirt and codpiece.

[Alex Mac]

I fuck a polar bear.

[Barmy Man]

I dress up in a polar bear suit and get raped.

[Fear my robot head.]

I quietly pee myself and hope the audience doesn't notice.

[MJEH]

Do you have any rituals you normally perform shortly before getting up on stage?

I say a prayer...

"Dear Lord, give me the strength to carry on.
Give me the will to succeed while you look upon.
Give me the hope to dream and to live.
Guide me with peace and love to give.
Know, in my soul, I will always cherish.
Repent for my sins, or I shall perish.
Following through, I shall never yield.
Make me as funny as Dangerfield.
Forgive my thoughts, as they might be,
Or the things I post on "AST".
And oh, dear Lord, wherever you are,
Make my act funny, unlike that asswipe "ASR".