Comedy Questions From Beginners For Experienced Comics

[myq]

Regarding the Comic Strip's lottery...

I don't believe it's a lottery for open mic spots, but an opportunity to audition for the club. As I understand it, you show up, get a number, and then everyone there gets the chance to audition on some night in the next several months. It doesn't cost anything except your time, so I can't imagine that it would be problematic. I know people who've done it before, and I'm pretty sure some people who've done it have gotten passed at the club through so doing.

So if you think you're ready to be passed at a club and have an audition set that you think can make that happen, go for it.

Unless there are negative factors at play that I'm unaware of. But it seems pretty straightforward.

[pg13]

There you go...

[SeanX3]

Myq & pg, thanks for your replies. Didn't intend to be pushy; I was more worried that I had actually broken some unspoken rule, querying an established club in the open. But I'm just that green, and don't know. Was curious about "negative factors", yes.

The audition may well be beyond me, but I'm keen to try it for the experience. I need a deadline to make me get up and do it the first time. This seemed like a good opening, and I like that club.

A related question comes to mind: I've seen some sniffiness online about open mics that charge for stage time. I'm so green, I'm sure any kind of experience would do me some good. Should I just ignore the sniffiness? Or, if you feel there's good reason to avoid that kind of scene, where in NYC can a brand noo noob get started?

Thanks again.

[pg13]

A related question comes to mind: I've seen some sniffiness online about open mics that charge for stage time. I'm so green, I'm sure any kind of experience would do me some good. Should I just ignore the sniffiness? Or, if you feel there's good reason to avoid that kind of scene, where in NYC can a brand noo noob get started?

Don't do bringer shows.

It's not "sniffiness". Don't let yourself be exploited, don't let yourself be conned. You shouldn't have to pay for stage time...and if performers stopped paying for stage time, people would stop thinking that they can do that--it's that simple.

If you're willing to force ten friends to pay to see you do comedy in a club on a night that caters to comedians who are willing to force ten friends to pay to see them do comedy--what experience are you getting? What experience are you offering your friends? Why would the club ever stop letting you do their promotional work for them?

I'm lucky. For the most part, Seattle isn't a "bringer show" kind of town...but it's starting to creep in here, because there are so many more wannabe comedians than there is an audience willing to watch them.

What is happening isn't that you're getting a chance to showcase your skills--you're merely feeding an inherently exploitative system--that system exists because they believe there are performers so desperate to perform that they'll pay for the opportunity to do so. And they'll milk that. THAT'S their goal--to make money from you...

There are other ways to get stage time. If there aren't, make them. Don't feed the beast.

pg--Others may not feel as strongly about this as I do...and I'm less against those who agree to do some work for the club in exchange for more stage opportunities. Just know that every bringer show you agree to do means there'll be more bringer shows that you'll be asked to do. It's a sucker bet.--pacific northwest

[SeanX3]

Wasn't thinking of bringer shows, which I know to avoid. I'm a graphic designer by day and vehemently opposed to spec work. My sense is that bringer shows are the spec work of the stand-up world, and we use many of the same arguments to educate fledgling/desperate designers.

I was just thinking of paying $5 for stage time—like here—but wondering if those kinds of places suck, or if they're useful for rank newbies.

I was all set to try out for Ochi's Lounge, but it recently closed. Anyone in NYC know anything about the likes of...

http://www.eastvillecomedy.com/openmic.htm

http://newyorkcomedyclub.com/newtalent.htm

If I lived in the city, I'd just bumble along until I found the right fit, but I'm 3hrs north of Manhattan. Driving down a couple of times a week is a commitment I'm happy to make but I figured I would try to stack the odds a little in my favor, in terms of getting started.

Thanks.

[SeanX3]

Found this great open mic list. Looks like I'm all set.

[iantherage]

So I've heard that there are regional trends. I was told East coast is producing a lot of absurdity, and West coast is producing a lot of "sincere, honest story-telling."

Is there truth to this?

If so can anyone break it down even more? Like, what's the difference between LA from San Fran, from Seattle, etc. or the difference between Boston, NYC, and DC? And then where does Chicago sit?

[myq]

So I've heard that there are regional trends. I was told East coast is producing a lot of absurdity, and West coast is producing a lot of "sincere, honest story-telling."

Is there truth to this?

If so can anyone break it down even more? Like, what's the difference between LA from San Fran, from Seattle, etc. or the difference between Boston, NYC, and DC? And then where does Chicago sit?

Where are you from? I think that's where the absurdity is coming from.
(I kid. In an honest but not sincere way. And I'm from the east coast.)

There are tons of sincere, honest folks from the east (Bill Burr, Birbiglia, CK).
And there are lots of absurd folks from the west coast (examples of other people).

I was in Boston for most of my comedy life, and I think historically Boston may have created a lot of joke-tellers, but even still, I think every town you mention has a range of comedians that run the spectrum of types of humor, which might shift over time as well... I'm sure at the height of Hedberg's success, there were more Hedbergian types springing up everywhere, same with Dane Cookites in his heyday, etc.

But also I don't live in all those other cities, so I certainly don't have all the answers. Just the parts that I said, which may or may not be accurate.

[iantherage]

That's good to hear that there's not a limited way to do comedy in any city. I was just curious about trends, and if anyone can tell me what the differences are regionally. Everyone feel that the trends transcend regions?

[ErikNielsen]

And there are lots of absurd folks from the west coast (examples of other people).

I'm wounded, Myq. Wounded.

(Unless you consider me from the East Coast. Which I kind of am.)

But seriously, all trends transcend regions. No matter where you go, you're going to have at least a couple storytelling comics, at least a couple deadpan one-liner comics, at least a couple political acts, etc. -- in part because the clubs probably feel like they need to represent those styles, and in part because these are styles comics are drawn to.

I'm from Boston (for the first year and a half of my career), and I feel like you can draw a line back to my influences -- Boston has a history of shouting comics, comics whose act consists of deliberately absurd mis-applied logic, etc. Of course, I see that tradition because that's what I do and that's where I'm from. Come up in any city with any style, and you can probably latch onto the people who were doing similar things before you.

And then you go to LA, where 90% of the comics are from elsewhere -- or New York, where it's not much less. So if there are "regional" styles, they all blend together eventually. (And then that blend gets televised nationally, influencing comics no matter where they're from... etc.)

[ErikNielsen]

I was just thinking of paying $5 for stage time...

Yeah, that's a bit more of a gray area. Some open mic venues will charge... $5 is relatively steep. I've seen venues with a one-drink minimum for open mic performers. Ultimately, it's a way for the open mic to make sure it's worthwhile to let people use the room.

Which is certainly less shady than a bringer show, both because it's not an exorbitant fee and because audience members (i.e. innocent bystanders) aren't getting conned into anything. I guess the real question is, do you need the stage time that bad? How are the open mics that don't charge?

For that matter, do other people need the stage time that bad? The biggest key to an open mic is the number and quality of performers it attracts... I could see paying $5 for a supportive open mic filled with comics who know comedy. But you have to figure a lot of those guys are serious about comedy, and if they're trying to work out new stuff, aren't they doing several open mics a week? Wouldn't it run into money for them if they all charged $5?

I mean, that is the deal to me. I'll buy a drink at an open mic anyway to support the place... it's a little insulting not to be trusted to do that, but whatever, right? But unless the $5 is a big deal to you, I'd suggest finding out where the good open mics are and just going there.

[SeanX3]

Yeah, I just need to jump in. I'm more intrigued than anything. From a marketing perspective a thing's price is part of its story/allure — so is that club trying to say "Our open mic is more awesome than other open mics"? Whatever, it seems like there are a ton of other places to get started. I've never even held a microphone. I'm so excited to start bombing!

[myq]

I'm wounded, Myq. Wounded.

(Unless you consider me from the East Coast. Which I kind of am.)

This is actually the case. I hope that has healed your perfectly absurd wounds.

Yeah, I just need to jump in.

Definitely. Whatever Erik's geographical history is shouldn't affect your beginning to do standup.

[funkyrhino]

[QUOTE=ErikNielsen;180636]Yeah, that's a bit more of a gray area. Some open mic venues will charge... $5 is relatively steep. I've seen venues with a one-drink minimum for open mic performers. QUOTE]


The open mic in our city went up to $8. That's a lot to ask of customers paying to see beginning comics. The other open mic (The Improv) has a two drink minimum with most alcoholic drinks running $6-$9. Ironically they usually draw the bigger crowd.

[pg13]

The open mic in our city went up to $8.

But SeanX3 isn't talking about open mics that charge the audience a cover...he was, I believe, talking about an open mic that charges the PERFORMERS $5 to get a set.

If I'd gone in with a group of fellow comics and started a night where renting the room cost money, I could see coughing up my share for the ability to help put on the show there--and, hopefully, against what could be made at the door...

...and I remember that the Comedy Underground in Seattle asked their open mic'rs to put a dollar in a jar each week, and those dollars would then go to charity--but I don't remember it ever being a mandatory thing.

Beyond that, I don't think I'd pay $5 to perform on ANY open mic...nor do I think that charging people $5 to perform suggests that the open mic would, in any way, make it a "better" open mic.

I think an open mic that is charging performers $5 for a set is IN THE BUSINESS of charging performers $5 for a set. That suggests absolutely nothing about the quality of the show being put on, other than the desperation and resources of those willing to buy what they're selling...

I REALLY think that they're taking advantage of the impatience of inexperienced comics--and, inherently, that's exploitative.

pg--But, it is claimed that strippers and whores can "own" their exploitation...I'm just not buying it.--curmudgeonland

[Urine]

How do you actually write a set? Any advice for writing my first set? I sometimes find myself just writing stuff down on random pieces of paper just so that I don't forget what I thought up. But when it comes time to actually form your set, do you just write brief notes for memory or do you write shit out in detail? I gotta dig through my room to find my random jokes so I can start writing my first. Sorry if this question seems unclear.

[SeanX3]

I've written mine out, and I'm working on memorizing it by repeating it out loud when I'm walking the dog, driving, or just on my own. I doubt I'll do it word for word when I get on stage — but knowing the words are there if I need them will help me relax. Well, some things are written a specific way, and need to be delivered that way, but most of it could be said a dozen different ways. Having the words in my brain is just my security blanket. But I've never even held a microphone so here's a bag of salt...

[Phil]

How do you actually write a set? Any advice for writing my first set?

Here's how I did my first set:
- For months I wrote down joke ideas in my phone the second I had them.
- I then spent weeks turning them into full jokes. I wrote them word-for-word.
- I took my best ones, put them in some random-ish order, then spent days learning those lines. Practice, practice, practice...

[drieux]

For my first set years ago, I wrote out the "title" of the bit, then added one or two bullet points for what I thought were the big beats and punchlines. I kept to that kind of system for a while, until I found myself going with just the titles on a setlist.

For your first set, just be sure not to write down "Loudly Crap Pants," and you'll be fine. It'll be a total blur anyway.

[JuanCarlos]

Hey I got a Q!

Because in the land of the blind, the one eyed man gets on basic cable. I got on VH1 latino as part of a Premium Blendish type show. I don't have a lot of experience, but I do have a 50 min show. Now what? I'm a bit embarrassed to not have a lot of experience (I've been doing it for two years) but I do want to work. Should I just flog this appearance for all it's worth?

Here's the appareance if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLcVInGss0s