I am not sure if this is more of a “How-to” article, or something in the way of a confessional, but as a young stand-up comic I made some early mistakes that set me back from my goals that I would like to share with newer comics. It should be noted that in relative terms of performing, I myself am quite new to comedy having only been in the game for 2.5 years. However, the mistakes I made (and continue to make at times) are fresh in my mind, so here is what I have learned so far:
1. Don’t brag- “I killed tonight.” I can’t tell you how many times I posted that on my social media accounts when I first started. I can, however, tell you how many times I was told I was an asshole for posting it: daily, possibly hourly. If you are new, chances are your idea of “killing” is not the same as experienced comedians. Trust me, the good comedians will notice when you kill, you don’t have to say a word. Stay away from bragging too much and just stay humble. It will get you further. Be thankful, appreciative, and if you have to brag about something then brag about how great the venue or the crowd was, not yourself. Other people should be telling you how good you are, not you telling us.
2. Don’t create a Facebook fan page- You don’t have fans yet, why create a page for them? Chances are, your fan page will turn into a page with followers that likely are already your friends, your posts about shows will mirror the posts you put on your personal page, and in all likelihood you will not keep it updated anyways except for the occasional meme that you didn’t even create.
3. Don’t share your early videos– I burned 10 copies of my first performance and gave it to my friends and coworkers. It was a terrible idea. While I was proud of it, and I didn’t bomb by any means, the comedian on stage is nothing compared to the comedian I am today. I was hacky, uncomfortable, and rough. And it has taken me two years to be able to convince those people to buy a ticket to any of my shows, as they still think I am the same comedian. I had my first video on Youtube and it had 278 views before I pulled it. I don’t know who watched it but I wish I could track them all down and apologize. Take your first few videos and share them only to other comedians or friends that can offer advice as a learning tool, that is about the only use they have.
4. Don’t talk down to/about other comics- You will see terrible comics. Don’t say a damn word about how terrible they are. Some of them are new and will one day be in a position to help you. Some of them are good friends of people that are already in a position to help you. You will often hear people talk about a comedy community, and that is just what you will be a part of. Some people in the community are stronger than others, but bringing someone in the community down does no good for anyone and can alienate you.
5. Don’t think you have to do new material each time- You are not performing for the comics, you are performing for yourself and trying to get a stronger set. Your set can only get stronger by repeating and trying jokes until they work. Don’t be afraid to do the same material over and over, the other comics do too. It is all about the crowd. I know comics that have done the same set all 3 years I have known them and yet I still book them in my rooms because I know that they are good at what they do.
6. Don’t be (too) blue- I teach comedy at the Orlando Improv and I see every person that has never done comedy before run up on stage with their first joke ready. Nine out of ten times it is something sex or shit related. Filthy stuff with no punchline. Offensive material may seem fun at first because the audience will react, but chances are they will react by walking out. Being offensive or overly blue will not get you gigs, but it may make someone hate you if you walk the only 5 people that showed to their open mic. Try writing smarter, not darker and you will see more doors open for you.
7. Don’t overestimate yourself- If you have 5 minutes of material, don’t take a show that requires you to do 15. I took a charity gig that required 30 minutes of stage time. I had 10. I worked really hard to get that extra 20 ready and, honestly, it didn’t go that bad. However, had I been better prepared and had an established feature set prior, I could have made a lot of fans that day and possibly have helped my career. One gig should open the door for another.
8. Don’t do new material in big rooms- When I first started I had the opportunity to perform with Brad Williams and Tommy Davidson. Both guest spots I did new material and both times I bombed. I thought anything I wrote would be gold and I was wrong. If you are doing a big room, stick to the tried and true no matter how funny you think that bit is that you thought of on the way to the show. Trying new material can throw off your rhythm, make you uncomfortable, and likely it isn’t as funny as you thought it was. Try new material at open mics or, if you are doing a set that is longer than 15 minutes, you can slide it into the middle, not anywhere else. Always start strong, end stronger.
9. Leave family and friends at home- Inviting your family and friends to early gigs is a waste of time, yours and theirs. They want to support you but you shouldn’t make them feel awkward by forcing them to laugh at your crappy jokes. I invited a huge group of people to my first big hosting gig, and I bombed miserably. It is hard to get people to come see you again after a show like that.
10. Don’t sweat being accepted by other comics- I used to worry about what other comics thought of me until a seasoned veteran explained why that is a waste of time. He said, as a comic you see people come out to try comedy almost weekly. Each week it is the same conversation about how you got started, what you enjoy about comedy, and inevitably someone will run unfunny material by you. Then, you never see them again. They chicken out, grow tired of comedy, or just decide it isn’t for them. After a while, you stop getting invested in new people because they often don’t stick around. We grow tired of telling the same jokes on stage, so why would we enjoy the same story week after week off stage? It is nothing personal, but comics aren’t quick to pull in a new guy and teach him the ropes until you have showed you’re there to stay and are serious. Comedian groups exist, just hang around a while, tell some jokes, and make small talk and you will eventually find yourself in one of them.
11. Don’t bankrupt yourself without purpose- I considered quitting comedy at one point because I was bankrupting myself driving 4 hours for 5 minutes of stage time. Some people say “That just means you work hard and want it.” Maybe, but if you aren’t getting a new experience or taking anything away from the trip, why go? If it is for a new club that could book you then go for it. But if it is for a bar on a Tuesday night where you will likely spend 4 out of your 5 minutes just trying to get the crowd to stop staring at the TV’s, then I suggest you stay home and write. Create your own open mics or, better yet, paid shows. If you are driving 2 hours to do comedy, that means others have to drive 2 hours to see comedy. Start a show and help everyone out.
12. Stay close to home- Many comics head for NYC or LA with dollar signs in their eyes, and return a month later with overdraft fees in their bank account. There is no need to make the move until you are fully ready. If you are a great local comic, then next become a great area comic, then a state comic, and then hit the road. You don’t have to live in NYC to book in NYC, go there and test the waters first and make connections. I work an area with lots of NYC and LA comics traveling in. I network with them and hopefully when I am ready to make the move they will help me to make the best of it.
13. Don’t try and make the show about you- You are new, so you should concentrate on the job first and the comedy second. What I mean by that is, when you are hosting you should be professional, likable, and get the crowd ready for the comics that follow you. Always get the announcements and specials correct even if it eats into your stage time. If you are doing a guest spot you need to be aware of time and not go over. And don’t worry about merch until you are headlining or have been featuring for a while.
14. Don’t be unprepared- My number one pet peeve is when I go to an open mic and someone steps on stage and says “I don’t really know what I want to talk about tonight.” This open mic didn’t just pop up. You knew where you were going and when, likely days in advance. Don’t waste the time of the comics or the audience by getting on stage and bullshitting your way through a set. If you don’t go on stage with a purpose, don’t go on stage. Is it ok to riff or do crowd work? Sure. Just don’t go up there and tell us you are unprepared and stumble through your set. If you have to ask how much longer you have for the sake of trying to fill time, then you have already overstayed your welcome.
15. Don’t go over time- If you are given 5 minutes, use 5 minutes. Not 5:10. There is no quicker way to get comics or clubs to hate you then to go over time. Ask where and when the light will come and cut your joke short if you have to, just stay within your time.
While this is not all the information you need to know to get started, these are a few of the top items that I have done or seen done that have set people back from their comedy goals early on.
Got a tip you want to add? Do it in the comments below.
Author: Devin Siebold is a writer, stand-up comedian and comedy instructor at the Orlando Improv. Check out his album “Extra Credit” available in all online music stores, and watch a video of his stand-up here.
Really good info and advice. I have only been at this about 3 years myself. All the mistakes you listed – I’ve made them. One thing I know helped me is when I began to write in blogs and longer emails. Literally 1000’s of pages the past couple years. It makes for a good overview on topics, a good overview makes writing jokes relatively easy. I also get a kick out of doing live radio…you have to prepare a set amount of time, then be able to read it off with lots of expression just like a live show. Many radio stations also have voice mail lines…recording material ,perspectives, parody songs, etc can help network. Radio isnt as popular as it once was, but it still gets your name out. And when you perform, whether live or on radio..be VERY expressive. Loud expression = confidence, and timid comics usually die painful deaths. This is only possible when you know the material inside and out. Sorry to go on, I consider myself a novice as well.
Hey first time reading your blog about tips for new comedians. I wish I would have read it when I started a year ago. You will see a big difference next time you see me on stage because of your advice. Thanks again. You are one of the good ones.
Great post! I wish I’d seen #3 sooner. I started doing open mics a month ago. I showed my family a video of my jokes over the holidays. Holy cow, did *that* go poorly. They did NOT like my jokes or humor at all. #10 speaks to me now. I’m incredibly insecure about my abilities as a comic. So, I wonder why won’t anyone talk to me afterwards when they laugh when I’m on-stage. Guess I’ll just “keep coming back” as the saying goes.
Cuz ur an ugly retard
Not sure about that, but what’s your excuse then?
(Just kidding :P)
I think this article has a ton of great info. The only thing I disagree with is not starting a Facebook fan page. Getting Facebook page likes is hard in the beginning, and Facebook is still by far the most used social media platform. So even having one set up and accumulating a few likes here and there will help you out in the long run. If you don’t update the page then no one will see it. So it’s not hurting anything. Also, the easiest way to get likes is by inviting your existing profile friends to like the page. Only about 3-5% of the people who liked your page will see something you post. So getting a solid base of likes is crucial for your posts to get interaction.
thanks 4 the advice, am just 2 months old in this…and i seem to have committed all the above already….
Whaaat? I never admit to killing it, or anything near it. I always have an alibi, like “I was busy bombing on stage”… only non-lethal bombs… shit, I’m gonna get arrested.
I think most of your advice is just common sense. What you left out is how insecure most comics are and you are feeding into that culture of insecurities. Basically you are sending a message to new comics to walk on egg shells around other comics and it is wrong. If you are good, then go out and be good. Promote yourself and keep promoting yourself. Tell them you are good! Fuck that! Other comics are not going to support you. If other comics like you, chances are you are not a threat to them. Do you! All though some of it is good advice, some of it is bs. Nobody is going to help you. Do it yourself.
I would love to have a try at this.
I would love to have a try at this. Where are you located
I live in the Orlando area.
What if you’re on stage and keep getting explosive farts? Should you cancel? I’m talking blasters!
Hi, im a 33 year old, scrambling to write 5 mins for a first attempt at stand up. im so glad you mentioned #6, that answered a big question for me.
when formulating an idea into a joke, while working on it till you’re satisfied with it, im guessing its normal to stop finding what drew you to the idea in the first place funny. is it a gut feeling telling you the joke is optimized, do you apply a formula/structure/necessary aspects for the given type of joke, or is it something that comes with experience? i ask cos i keep starting out with something i feel good about but after being “done with it” logically, not finding it funny at all.
Thank you for taking the time, it means the world to us starry eyed hopefuls
aaah you’ve really messed with my mind, cos i feel like i have a few good punchlines i really wanna use, but your rule #6 makes so much sense.
im foremost not looking to get “easy” laughs, i want to write to learn how to do stand up, so is a filthy joke a cheaper laugh than a clean one? cos if so im guessing filthy jokes are harder to evaluate ones progress with.
Thanks again for taking the time, it still means the world to us!
Filthy doesn’t necessarily mean cheap, and clean doesn’t necessarily mean smart. Write the joke, and if it needs the cursing then add it in, but if it is funny standing alone then leave it out. When I hear comics do new material, sometimes even myself included, we curse an excessive amount in the new joke. It’s a way of padding it because we are unsure of the joke and premise. If it gets a laugh that way, take some of the words out and see if it still gets a good laugh.
what if the subject matter itself is offensive. for an example i have a bit about Stephen Hawking as a bull fighter. not my intention, but it gets a little mean. if i believe in the joke should i just march on?
You really have to bank on crowd reaction. I have two jokes for sure I have no idea why or how they work but they kill every time. Baffles me. But it also elevates my show so the stuff I do find funny does better. I will say that self doubt is huge in comedy. Some of the best bits I hear new comics do, I ask later if they still do the joke and 90% of the time they say they dropped it cause they didn’t think it was funny. As far as the joke optimization, that will come as your writing style evolves. My writing style started off very much storyteller, but I found more joy and a better voice in stuff written more short form (think Gaffigan) and that style has worked will for me so my writing changed and adapted. I think there is a video online of Titus saying how he writes, and a lot of comics find some comfort in adopting that style to start (I did) but then find their own way once they start getting the laughs.
I constantly get told “You’re funny, you should do stand-up!” How do I tell these people it”s not gonna happen without making them think I’m dismissing their compliment? I’m handicapped due to service connected injuries, and I’m up there in age. Most of what these people think is funny are just things that have happened to me, or that I’ve seen in my regular life. And I’ve stopped saying I can’t do stand-up because of my prosthesis and orthotics, they think I’m making another joke!
Give it a go. Age and disability doesn’t matter, just gives you more material.Just make sure the audience can hear you!
Oops, forgot to add, great piece Devlin! Really useful advice here. 🙂
Oops, apologies, great piece DEVIN!!
(Typo).
Excellent advice Devin. I started comedy just under a month ago. Had already figured out some of this, have had fellow comedians tell me other bits but to have it all laid out like this is really helpful.
This is so helpful! After a lot of people had kept telling me I should do stand up, I finally decided to give in and do a set at my schools talent show. I’ve been doing lots of research on how to write a good set, and I hope it goes well. I think it’s a really nice starting point because it’s about a five minute slot.
Some really good tips coming from somebody that’s performed quite a few times over many years but not a regular by any means.
Thank you for #5, been at it only 2 months and I’ve been second guessing the reaction from open mic gigs, sparse comedian audiences mostly. I have shared some material in passing with random people in public and get laughs tho. Sounds like I’ll have to go with my gut and keep 5 minutes of what I think is good. Time will tell. Thanks again!
I just found this article. I thought it was thoughtfully written. There’s a lot of good advice here. It takes character to write an article titled, “Don’t Be Like Me,” but that’s probably the best advice a seasoned comic can share with the new kids. Bragging, criticizing, worrying about criticism in the scene, overmarketing and under-prepping are a common problem. It takes a bigger person to admit, “I’ve done that, too.” We’ll all done it – in one way or another. Letting new comics know it’s not okay is a public service – and a reminder to oneself that we’re never too big to make the same old mistakes again. I recently saw a comic with decades of experience get miffed about his treatment by a much less-experienced host, and then shoot himself in the head by his reaction. The fundamentals are fundamental because they’re fundamental. (Did I just write that?) Anyway, I’ve seen you work and nobody works harder or smarter.