How to go first?

[Phil]

Matt Ruby wrote a great post on going up first:
http://www.sandpapersuit.com/2010/03...-up-first.html

He talks about the opportunities and challenges of performing first, but I couldn't find too many tips. Anyone have any to share...?

[Phil]

The challenges of going first are:

1. The emcee didn't do his job. Either he wasn't trying to be funny, or wasn't funny. He didn't bring the crowd together. He didn't shut everybody up. He didn't read our thread on how-to host: How-to host?

2. The crowd still isn't warm regardless. Sometimes the crowd is at their best early in the night. Sometime they're at their worst. It's a crap shoot.

So what should we do differently when going first? Does crowd work help? Does being louder help? Should we do shorter, punchier jokes? I dunno.

[Corey]

If I'm going first (after a host that didn't do well), I try to pick something out of their set that I can play off of. If the crowd didn't like the host, I think that you need to clear that tension. Generally, the best way to do that is to make a joke about the previous comic's set. This shows the crowd that you're watching the same show they are, and opens them up. If you can do that in a funny way, it also relaxes them a bit, as crowds sometimes get nervous about how the rest of a show is going to go if they didn't think the first comic was funny.

[Phil]

Generally, the best way to do that is to make a joke about the previous comic's set.

Heh, it might work, but usually the host is good buddies with the show's producer, and you may not get invited back.

[Corey]

Heh, it might work, but usually the host is good buddies with the show's producer, and you may not get invited back.

Well, that just seems stupid. I'm not advocating roasting the host. However, if they bomb, ignoring it doesn't seem like the right way to go. Even if the host does well, calling back to one of their jokes, or making some reference to them helps to bridge the gap.

[ErikNielsen]

Okay, so making the crowd feel bad about another comic on the show DOES seem like the "right way to go" to you? REALLY? The host, no less?

To you, the "right way to go" involves taking the guy who the audience is going to be seeing every few minutes throughout the night, and telling that audience, "hey, doesn't this guy suck? Isn't he really not good at the thing you came out here tonight to see?"

I don't care how light a touch you have with it, you don't EVER tear down the other comics from the stage. And that goes triple for the host. It's not only risky, it's unprofessional. Even if it happens to get YOU a cheap laugh, it makes the show as a whole seem smaller and less legitimate. If it fails, you could ruin the whole evening. And if the audience is already wary and skeptical, how is the second comic sucker-punching the first going to restore their confidence?

But that's an absolute -- that's always true. That's a basic issue of professionalism.

Honestly, I'd be VERY sure it's the right thing before I resorted to even a non-insulting callback to the host's set. Cold audience members are often feeling like they're not "part of" the show yet... if you start working inside jokes, you run the risk of excluding them even further.

But I guess that last bit is a matter of opinion... with the right touch, you could probably spin a (non-insulting) reference to the host's set in a way that brings the audience in. It's not a universal law like the other one -- it's just a thing that might or might not work out.

(I'm particularly concerned, though, by your comment that you feel the act taking the bullet needs to "bridge the gap" between himself/herself and the host. What "gap"? The host did some time, he/she introduced you, now you're up. That's not a "gap", that's a comedy show. Nobody expects the acts on stage to be related in any way. Do your own thing.)

[pg13]

Same thing pg was about to say, only with less...yes, less...typing.

What ECN said!

pg--Never underestimate the skill it takes to go onstage first and turn a crowd into an audience. Respect the effort.--seattle

[Corey]

Okay, so making the crowd feel bad about another comic on the show DOES seem like the "right way to go" to you? REALLY? The host, no less?

I'm not advocating ripping anybody apart if they do poorly. Being a present performer is a very useful thing, however. Making an aside about a comic, even if they did well, can be helpful. I'm not saying that it's always the way to go, but I've seen it work to a great degree, for myself and others. Again, I'm not advocating bashing the host. I want to make that clear, since it looks like it wasn't before.

[pixel revolt]

Print your last post out so next time you go on stage in real life, bash someone, then people get pissed you can read it to them and they can understand the truth of your actions, like all of us here now do.

God bless. One love.

[Corey]

Print your last post out so next time you go on stage in real life, bash someone, then people get pissed you can read it to them and they can understand the truth of your actions, like all of us here now do.

God bless. One love.

I go on stage in real life a lot. My previous post, very specifically, said that I don't advocate bashing the host. In your world, are comics only allowed to go on stage and recite a list of jokes with no deviation whatsoever? Is there no room for feeling the room out and tossing out a quip or two, when necessary? My sincerest apologies for forgetting that stand up comedy involves a strict list of rules, and use of instincts is strictly forbidden.

[pixel revolt]

Bash someone <--------- big leap ---------> only go on stage and recite a list of jokes with no deviation whatsoever

[punkdc]

When I did stand-up I loved going first. It was good shot to test some of the weaker stuff or let me be extra goofy and warm the crowd up a little more. The best advice somebody gave me was, just have the most fun because if the crowd sees you having a good time they'll relax a little and it will make a great show.

[Just Brett]

I had my first open mic set ever a few nights ago. I also was the first to go up. I was expecting for the emcee to warm up the crowd for a few minutes, but no... it was my job, and I had never told jokes in front of 30ish people before in my life. But,I didn't completely bomb. My first few jokes were clean and got some laughs, but my last 2 jokes had to deal with orgasms and getting caught masturbating, which the crowd didn't really like hearing. They laughed at how awkward it was for a newbie trying to do blue material. I think going up first is the best way to find out what the audience is going to like to hear the rest of the night.

I just spilled wine all over my new couch. Fuck everything.

[Morgan Hearst]

This is an interesting thread as in Belfast we tend to use a 'surefire' comedian (if there is such a thing at open mic level) to open the show, usually with about 15-20 of material and then the less experienced guys between that and the headliner.

Being the opener is a scary but coveted position here and often paid.

[ErikNielsen]

Okay -- what you actually wrote was, "However, if they bomb, ignoring it doesn't seem like the right way to go."

Is there a way to interpret this OTHER than "I like to talk about how the host is bombing"?

Hell, I think it's counterproductive and unprofessional to say that YOU'RE bombing -- hanging that tag on another act is ten times worse.

And yeah, I'd prefer that comics in a sensitive position like the host or the bullet perform their material. (If you don't know the difference between performing and "reciting", keep going... you'll get it some day. Or maybe you won't.) Save your ad-libs and fuck-arounds for later, when the stakes are lower.

That last point is a matter of opinion; this next one is a matter of professionalism. Don't you dare drag anyone else into your ad-libs... if you're going to take risks, go ahead and drag yourself down, but leave the rest of the show intact. And on another level, you don't have the right to derive callbacks from another comic's material. It's not yours -- you can't use it. And that's many times more important if it's the host -- what if the host has set up that callback for his/her OWN set?

[Me, The JerBear]

Just so I'm clear: is it ever okay to reference previous acts in the show? By reference I mean just that. Not tear into, not insult or make snide comments about, but refer to.

[ErikNielsen]

Eh... it happens. I personally think it's kind of cheap and kind of risky, but I think a LOT of things are kind of cheap and kind of risky. I've seen one too many person just add an unnecessary tag to the last comic's joke, or even basically paraphrase the whole thing in an ad-lib...

...but if you're not just duplicating or re-telling their joke -- if what you're going to say stands as a joke on its own merits -- I'd say go ahead with it. And if the previous comic does a different joke about the same basic topic as one of your jokes, there's really no way around at least saying it in the set-up... trust me, I hate adding lines to the beginning of set-ups, but this is the one exception I'll make.

Of course, this is a bit far afield from the original topic.

[scottbox]

If the host didn't warm up the crowd, go with "let's give it up for (insert host's name)", then do your act. Don't crap on the host, you'll look like a complete asshole and set a negative tone. Remember, they want for YOU to be funny. They DON'T want to be reminded of the bad experience they just had a minute ago. Rise to the occasion.

Go up with good energy, do your best openers, and maybe accept the fact that you're going to get less laughs than the next guy. That's the deal when you go up first- the audience is not warmed up, and you're setting the table for the other comics. That's why they call it "taking the bullet". Now if the host TOTALLY ate shit, you got handed a bad deck of cards. Too bad. It's now YOUR JOB to get that audience back. Unfortunately, part of the job description of being a stand-up comic is sometimes just bringing the crowd back and making it better for the next guy.

Personally, I find the challenge of getting a bad room laughing to be fun and often very satisfying. Many times, a comic will have a great set after the host bombs, because the audience is still hopeful that something good will happen, and that comic brings it.