Author Archive: DSchwensen

A Cure For Stage Fright?

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Hey Dave – I have terrible stage fright. I think I’m a pretty good writer, but I can’t even think about getting up in front of an audience without breaking into a sweat. Have any cures? – TZ

Come on out!

Hey TZ – Don’t sweat it (sorry – you set me up and I couldn’t resist opening with that line) because you’re not alone. I’ve read that stage fright, or the fear of speaking in public, has been called the number one fear most people have – even more than death.

And now that I’ve set this bit up, Jerry Seinfeld has a very funny observation about the subject…

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

Now that we’ve established that you’re suffering from a very common fear, you need to be told there’s no quick fix. But there is help:

Preparation and experience.

Hope something funny happens

The best advice I have for aspiring comedians going on stage for the first time is to prepare in advance what you will say. Unless you have an innate (natural) talent for ad-libbing and improvising, don’t just try to wing it or hope something funny will happen. You can work on those aspects of your performances later when you’re more comfortable on stage.

Do your best to either write out or at least outline a short comedy set – and know it. When starting out at open mics you can even take your notes on stage or have them in your pocket to use in case of an emergency – like a security blanket. After all, your first times on stage will not be auditions for Comedy Central, so put the odds in your favor of at least getting through what you want to say despite any nerves or stage fright.

I’ve talked with comedians about this because as mentioned above, you’re not alone. It can be very scary walking on stage alone in front of an audience for the first time. One thing most (I want to say all but can’t remember for sure) of them told me was that they relaxed (a bit) after getting a laugh. It meant approval from the audience, which gave them enough of a confidence boost to continue talking. So, let’s include that one in the advice column:

Try to get a laugh as soon as possible.

The best way to do that is to open with what you feel is your best chance to get that laugh. It could be your funniest joke, line, bit, prop, story or whatever. I remember a very famous comedian opening his set at The Hollywood Improv by pretending to slip and fall because he accidentally knocked over a drink on the front table while walking on stage.

Silly? Yeah. Stupid? Some might think so. Did it get a laugh? HUGE!!! He stood up, the audience was still laughing – and he was in complete control for the rest of his show.

Yes, I know he had a lot of stage experience – but that experience told him to open his show with a laugh. And in the comedy biz, laughter can build confidence. If you don’t believe me, imagine how you’d feel on stage without it.

You won’t really know how funny your material is until you try it in front of an audience. But when you’re just starting out the goal is to have something to say, rather than opening your mouth and risk having nothing come out. Preparation may not cure stage fright, but it could help take away some of the nerves and make that first step easier since you’ll already know what you will say.

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Many experienced comedians have also told me the first laugh they received from an audience is what made them continue going on stage. The word most used is “addictive” (a word that’s been popular in the comedy biz for a long time). When you get that first laugh it feels so good you want to get it again.

There’s no guarantee and as mentioned, this is not a quick fix for stage fright. But one thing I love as a coach (and when I used to attend countless open mics in New York and Los Angeles) is watching a new comedian get more confidence with each laugh from an audience. Seriously, I can see it on their faces and in their delivery.

When they get a laugh – that great addictive feeling – it helps motivate comedians to see if they can make it happen again. It’s the main reason to get back on stage. It builds confidence and dedication to do comedy.

That in a nutshell is the preparation part. The rest of the cure comes through experience. Stage time. The more you do something that is enjoyable or at least somewhat successful, the less you should fear it.

At first you may just have to psych yourself out and do it.

For example, I hate heights but love roller coasters. Yeah, I know, but I don’t have enough money for a shrink…

Some of the tallest in the world are in an amusement park not too far from us and they scare me to death just looking at them. My knees literally shake (like the first time I did an open mic in New York). But I (my kids) wouldn’t let it stop me. I may have to ride it once, twice – or even a dozen times with my eyes closed, but eventually I’ll look around from the top of the highest hill and watch the rest of the ride while screaming all the way to the end.

Much like the first time I did an open mic.

Consider stage fright as being like other fears you’ve overcome. You might have been scared about a first day of school, moving to a new city or starting a new job. But you kept with it and eventually felt comfortable. It can be the same going on stage and speaking in public.

I know comedians that have told me they’ve never gotten over stage fright. They just wouldn’t let it stop them and learned how to deal with it. They say their nervousness keeps them more aware – more real – on stage. There’s no way they could ever sleepwalk through their act, which is what you call it when someone goes on stage and just repeats their memorized act word for word in a way that’s old, stale, and boring both for the audience and the comedian. The heightened nerves keep them more in tune with everything that’s happening in the room and their minds in the moment.

And that’s where you need to be if you eventually start taking advantage of your innate talent for ad-libbing and improvising off an audience.

As usual, I have one last example. Fans of classic rock should love this. But for the younger comics… well, just humor me for moment.

One of my books is about The Beatles 1965 concert at New York’s Shea Stadium in front of 55,600 fans. At that time, it was the largest rock concert ever held and the Beatles were the biggest rock band in the world. They had played hundreds of shows and performed live in front of millions of viewers on the most watched television programs in the world. But the one common thread I found from all the interviews I did with people that were with them backstage at Shea Stadium was how nervous they were.

The Beatles were shaking in their Beatle boots.

But after they were introduced and ran onto the stage, their preparation (knowing their act) and experience (hundreds of shows) took over. By the end of the concert, they were doing comedy bits between songs and having as much fun (probably more) than anyone else there.

Stage fright? I don’t know of a quick fix or a cure. But I do know if you want it bad enough, preparation will help you get on stage and experience will keep you going back.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!

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Creating a one-person show

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Hey Dave – I’ve had some crazy experiences in my life that resonate in my memory and in my opinion are very comical. But also, these were very serious moments. It’s hard to bring these stories out on the stand-up stage because they take a lot to build to a punchline. I am still very new to the stand-up world, let alone theater acting. I’ve taken a few classes, but don’t have a solid background yet. I’ve written about these crazy moments in a journal form but am unsure of how I build a show based on them because I am no playwright. I guess my overall question is if you have a little experience, how can you start to build up to putting together a great one man show? Thanks! J.W.

Funny drama?

Hey J.W. – The best advice I’ve ever heard from any working comic or writer is to just keep writing. You’re already doing that by keeping a journal and creating stand-up sets. The idea is not to get too far ahead of yourself. A one-person show is a big project, so you’ll want to create a few shorter ones – like laugh out loud five-minute comedy sets – first.

You say you’re not a playwright, but that doesn’t always mean having to sit down at a computer keyboard and “write “a show. As I say in my workshops, some people can do that –most can’t.

Most stand-ups and speakers must talk it out.

And by this, I mean in front of an audience. It makes the material and delivery real. I think this way of working will suit you best. You don’t need to be a playwright to talk and convey your message in front of an audience.

Talk your stories into an audio recorder. Then transcribe (write them out). Edit, make changes, add your humor, and tweak the material. Then do it again and write some more. Take it on stage and try it out in front of an audience. Are they interested? Are they laughing? If yes, then it’s working. If not, then you go back to work. Write some more and continue to repeat the process until you get the audience reaction you want.

Keep in mind this is not easy.

Working Actor

Working writers, speakers and comedians dedicate themselves to these careers. Emotions range from failure to success and every hard knock in between. But if you’re serious, have a thick skin and really want it then you’ll continue.

Okay, so let’s say you have very funny stand-up sets and get great audience reaction (laughs). Now you also want to add “serious stuff “so the result is more of a one-person show (theatrical) rather than a Comedy Central stand-up special.

Create an outline for a planned show.

What is it you want to say? Who is your audience? But don’t knock yourself out trying to make it perfect, like a finished and polished script for a successful Broadway show. Everything always changes when you start to do it live in front of an audience. That’s why Broadway shows go on the road for previews in various cities around the country (like stand-up comics) followed by multiple re-writes, re-casting, and more previews.

These changes are based on audience response. If audiences don’t like the second act or a certain character, the playwrights and producers fix it before bringing it to Broadway for the definitive make-it or break-it reviews.

Shows, comedy sets, motivational speeches, books, plays, movies – whatever – go through many drafts before they are considered finished.

That’s important to remember so you’re not discouraged after each preview. My first book was re-written several times before I had a literary agent accept it. Then she made me rewrite it a few times before she would shop it around to publishers. Then after a publisher bought it, I had to rewrite a few more times before they printed and got it into stores. It was at least a dozen re-writes total.

You will experience the same thing.

But as I said earlier, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You’re still in the first draft stage of creating your show.


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Concentrate on what you’re doing now, which is getting stage experience in stand-up, improvisation and acting. Keep creating short (3 to 5 minute) comedy sets and trying them out in front of audiences at open-mics and in clubs. The comedians I’ve worked with find their comedy voice first. After that they “write for “their comedy voice.”

Okay – got that? Now, if you want to continue into one man (or one woman) show-land, let’s visit television sitcom-land for a quick example…

One of my favorite sitcoms in the 1990’s was The Drew Carey Show. The pilot for that show was written around Drew’s stand-up act. In fact, when you watch the first episode you can see him doing bits that he did countless times in comedy clubs. The storyline for the episode was written around his comedy voice and what he was already doing on stage.

It was the same with Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement and many others that starred stand-up comedians.

Take one of your stories and see if you can make into a five-minute stand-up comedy bit – as a storyteller. But keep your personality (comedy voice) and don’t try to be an actor. Right now, it’s you talking about you. Later as it develops, you might want to try acting out some of the other characters involved.

The best advice I can give is to realize a one-person show is also a theatrical production.

Creating and starring in a one-person show was a very popular career goal in the comedy biz during the 1990′s and many comedians failed because they didn’t realize that. It’s more than just doing your stand-up act on a stage with a couch and a table. It needs to be more of a night at the theater, rather than a set at a comedy club.

My favorite example of a comedian-writer-actor developing his own successful one-person show is Inside the Male Intellect: An Oxymoron by Robert Dubac. I’ve seen it many times –from its earliest first draft performed at The Santa Monica Improv to a sold-out Palace Theater in Cleveland – and highly recommend it whenever I can.

It takes work to write and create anything. But hopefully it’s work you enjoy. Just keep writing and trying out your material out on stage. With talent, creativity, experience, and luck you might wind up with something great. You never know unless you try.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!

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What should you wear on stage?

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Hi Dave – I was wondering what to wear / how to dress on stage. I notice there are not very many women in comedy. The ones that are maybe my favorites – Wanda Sykes, Paula Poundstone, Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres, etc… I can’t help but notice, they dress like a man. Did you ever notice that?

So, should I wear a tie? Of course, I’m not going to wear a tie. I’m also too old to look hot in a tight pair of jeans. I have tight jeans, (lately all my clothes are a bit tight), but I don’t want to gross anyone out. I’m not fishing for compliments. I just wonder if I should dress up, dress down, look masculine, feminine, should I wear black, should I wear some color…? What I’m not going to be like is Phyllis Diller and dress crazy. Thanks – J.

Fashion Sense

Hey J. – I realize I’m talking with a woman of comedy and it’s not (the late and great) Phyllis Diller. And to make another point, I’ve never been known for my fashion sense. Keep in mind your question was not sent to Calvin Klein, which is the only name I know from the fashion design world. And that’s only because he designed my underwear – which is probably getting a little too personal for this FAQ and Answer session.

I also know there will be comedians reading this who will think it’s not an important question. They’re wrong. In fact I can’t remember doing a comedy workshop where this question wasn’t asked. It’s also been asked by working comedians I’ve booked for various gigs.

“What should I wear on stage?”

The answer depends on who you are on stage and where you are performing. You must consider both to find the correct answer.

When I started out on the club scene in New York City, I don’t remember stage wear being an important issue. For everyone starting out, writing and stage experience were the biggest concerns (and still should be for any comedian). We didn’t hang around the NYC Improv wondering what the comedians should wear on stage. It looked to me like whatever you put on that day before walking outside was what you wore on stage that night.

Off Stage Leisure?

But I also learned a lesson about what to wear on stage from another comedian I worked with at the NYC Improv. The look is best called successful, and the advice came from one of the funniest comedians I know, Rondell Sheridan. In fact, it was such good advice, he shared it in my book How To Be A Working Comic…

“I think I only did stand-up three times before I passed the audition at The Improv,” he said. “I always had a good gift for ad-libbing, and a couple of things happened in the audience during my audition. Plus, I dressed up. None of the other comics dressed up for the audition. I sort of looked like I’d been doing this for a long time.”

This is a lesson in showbiz.

Of course, the number one factor is to be funny on stage. But your image can also influence an audience and talent bookers. If your material and who you are on stage – your comedy voice– says you’re successful, then what you wear should help convey that image. If you’re street – then dress street and not in a 3-piece suit (you punk!).

Whether you believe it or not, what you wear on stage also puts you into a category. In showbiz, they call it typecasting. I was surprised to go from a comedy scene in NYC where t-shirts, sports coats, jeans, and sneakers were referred to as the comedy uniform, to Hollywood where there were actual lists in talent booking offices categorizing (typecasting) comedians because of what they wore on stage. The ones I remember distinctly were:

  • T-shirt comics
  • Sweater comics
  • Sport coat comics and…
  • Suit comics

I’m being serious about this. It’s the truth – and anyone who has ever been behind the closed doors of the booking industry knows it. In fact, you can check it out yourself by going online and watching reruns of the classic stand-up comedy shows that influenced many of today’s comedians like A&E’s An Evening at the Improv, Caroline’s Comedy Hour, Comedy On The Road and others.

When it came time to book these television shows, the producers knew it was always good to present a variety of comedians. This would attract a wider range of viewers. For instance, unless it was a theme for a particular episode, not everyone would be interested in watching a line-up of only prop comics or of only political comics.

The great thing about these shows was if viewers didn’t like one style of comedy, chances were good they’d continue to watch because they might like the next one. It’s often the same when booking live shows. The headliners don’t want the comics before them doing the same act.

What you wear on stage should help define your comedy voice.

And to base this off what was just explained, not all television viewers will be interested in what successful comics wearing 3-piece suits have to say. Others would have no interest in a show featuring only comics in ripped jeans and t-shirts. Just like with music, comedy fans have different tastes. So, to cast these shows, it made the job of deciding who would be scheduled on what episode a lot easier for talent bookers by referring to the lists.

This way audiences would see a variety of comics during each episode.

What would you wear on stage?

This is also true for auditions set up through comedy clubs. For example, when I was working at the Hollywood Improv, I remember getting calls from casting directors for movies, sitcoms and talk/news programs like The Today Show looking for specific types. If they wanted to audition young guys in their 20’s for a role, we had a list of comics that fit that type. If they wanted to see political comics, we had a list for that also. We didn’t have to waste a lot of time going through our complete roster of comics.

We already had it narrowed down.

But getting back to today’s original question, here are some quick thoughts…

Dress for who you are on stage. If you’re upscale, dress the part. If you’re on the streets – look it. Don’t dress like a bank president if your material is about being broke. And if you’re not crazy, don’t dress like (the late and great) Phyllis Diller.

You need to give this some thought and make a personal decision about your image and how you want an audience to see and remember you. One of the greatest examples of stage clothes influencing an audience and enhancing the comedian’s material was when Steve Martin wore his white suit.

If you’re too young to remember, look him up on YouTube – or check out the cover of his book, Born Standing Up (which I highly recommend reading). He’s wearing a white suit… looks expensive… looks classy… BUT he’s wearing bunny ears or has a fake arrow sticking through his head. Then he’s acting like a “wild and crazy guy” and the perception works because audiences believe he is crazy because he’s so dressed up, but obviously not normal.

Many comedians and speakers fashioned a look their audiences would remember. Rodney Dangerfield – uncomfortable in a jacket, white shirt, and skinny red tie. Drew Carey – white shirt, skinny tie, and glasses. Kat Williams – pimp (I’ll say no more). Early Robin Williams – suspenders. Early Margaret Cho – Valley Girl. Later Margaret Cho – hip, rebellious. Dave Chappelle – street. Larry The Cable Guy – redneck. Pee Wee Herman…

Well, you should have a mental image by now for all these performers and others. What they wore on stage helped create that image. Again, the number one factor is that they are all funny. The look enhanced their comedy material and their comedy voice.

Another consideration is where you are performing.

I’ll make this fast: If you’re doing a black-tie event or a corporate gig, don’t show up in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. If you’re performing at a NASCAR rally – call Larry and ask to borrow one of his Cable Guy shirts.

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Just like your comedy material and promotional material, it’s a good idea to put some thought into what you wear on stage. Remember, it’s show-BUSINESS. And in the business world, packaging (a recognizable image) promotes sales (getting paid bookings).

And finally, to address one of your other questions, I never really thought about the female comedians you named all dressing like men. As I mentioned, I’m no Calvin Klein and my fashion sense is limited. If it fits the comedian’s image, then it’s fine with me.

But I’d also like to point out Amy Schumer, Rita Rudner, Loni Love, Sarah Silverman and… well, I could also make a long list of women that don’t dress like men. Does it make a difference from an audience point of view? Not that I’ve noticed. If the clothes fit the material and the performer – who they are on stage and where they are performing – it works.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!

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Freedom of speech comes with a price

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Dave – What are the implications of mocking a device or its creator? For instance, I’ve made comments in my act about a medical device that could be construed as less than savory, yet funny. But the backers of this device are my current employers and have been known to be surly regarding their investments. I know of one nurse who wrote a novel about her experiences and was summarily fired. Not that I fear such action, but… well… I still have a mortgage. – M

Hey M – Any topic is pretty much fair game in comedy. But you’ll have to make your own decision about this one since it involves your current employer. I believe in and support freedom of speech. But in practical real-world situations (your mortgage would qualify as one of those) you must consider the consequences. If you think the material will come back and bite you in the you-know-what and cause you to lose your job, then it’s best to keep your mouth shut.

I like to point out that knowing your audience makes a difference in how far you can go with free speech. If you’re making a living as a comedian and talking about your personal life, then making fun of your former employer (former husband, former wife, former co-workers – you get the picture) is no big deal.

They’re all fair game when it comes to sharing humor.

But to be on the safe side, it’s probably a good idea not to mention them by name. I’ve seen that scenario come back to bite a few comics in the you-know-what.

It also helps that you don’t have to deal with these former associates after your performances. But that’s not a rule written in stone. I’ve watched comics on stage use their current family members, employers, and co-workers as the source of comedy material. It depends on the relationships and in many cases these “victims” enjoy being part of the show.

Freedom of speech is the center of the comedy universe.  The topics can include whatever is on your creative mind.

How far you take it… well, it depends…

There are comedians who are family friendly, and others billed as “for adults only.” And no one can tell you one style is better than the other. It depends on personal taste. And the comics making a living either as clean or dirty can do it because they know their audience.

But on the flip side of this comedy creative universe is the comedy business. What you say can sometimes affect your career. Here are some thoughts…

When I scheduled comedians for the television show A&E’s An Evening at the Improv, we gave the performers some guidelines on material. These were strictly for business reasons such as ratings and legalities.

First, demographics showed that our largest viewing audience was in the Bible Belt. Therefore, we couldn’t let the comedians make fun of God or religion. If they did, a lot of fans in these areas would stop watching the show. Advertisers would stop buying commercial time because the consumers they were aiming for wouldn’t be watching their commercials anymore. And since that’s how the show made money – everyone involved would risk losing his or her job.

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Secondly, the producers of the show didn’t want to be sued if a comedian badmouthed a product – like the medical device you mentioned in today’s question. For example, comedians couldn’t say McDonald’s sucked, or Taco Bell gave them heartburn. Those companies could come down hard with a team of lawyers to protect their reputations.

Comedians were warned before show tapings not to practice their freedom of speech when it came to these specific topics. Of course, some ignored the warnings. But it didn’t matter because they didn’t have any control over the outcome – it was all business related. That’s why you can watch episodes where certain comics are only on for four or five minutes instead of the standard seven-minute set.

They didn’t follow the “rules” and the forbidden material was cut out before the show was broadcast.

It’s also important to note saying the F-bomb on network television is still forbidden. You can say it at certain times on certain streaming and cable shows, and all day long on others, but not on the major networks. So as a comedian, you must play by the rules if you want to sit on a chair next to Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel or Seth Myers.

But on stage in a comedy club, comedians can say those things. You can make fun of companies, religion or whatever you want if – and this is the business side talking – you bring in paying customers. Most club owners support the art and creativity of stand-up but are still in it to make a living.

Now in your case, as a beginning comedian who still needs a regular paycheck until your career takes off, you must protect yourself. How far will your employers let you go before they get offended and fire you?

I’ve had more than a few comedians in my workshops that were police officers. I’ve always found it interesting because some felt they had to use a stage name and never mentioned police work during their sets because they were worried their superiors would crack down on them. Others didn’t care and talked about being a cop and what they did on the job.

It’s a personal decision that I couldn’t make for them because I couldn’t predict the repercussions.

So, in your case you need to figure out what or if there will be any fall-out or flack from your bosses if you do this material on stage. You want freedom of speech, but you also have a mortgage.

One last thought. Even “stars” must be careful in certain situations. Without mentioning names (but if you’re really into the comedy biz I’m sure you can think of a couple), they’ve made headlines practicing free speech on stage by making horrendous remarks about politics, religion, race, or sexual preferences. It probably wouldn’t have been that intense or newsworthy if they hadn’t been well known from starring on television and in movies. In some cases, there were a lot of protests and the comics eventually had to publicly apologize to salvage their careers.

I happened to see one of these (no names!) comedians a couple weeks after one of these newsworthy episodes at a popular comedy club. He confronted the situation right away and admitted to the audience he got in a lot of trouble for what he said. He promised he wouldn’t talk about it and was finished with the subject. But as a comedian – he then told the audience he was going to pick on a different group instead and launched into that material.

Some audience members laughed while others didn’t.

But he was practicing the art of free speech and made a choice about how far he would go regardless of what the consequences might be. That’s a personal decision and you have a right to make it. But just make sure you have both your artistic and business thinking caps on when you make it.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!

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Bombing on stage

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Hey Dave – I entered a local comedy contest tonight and did virtually the same set that I did during a showcase that went very well at The Improv. Tonight, I think it kind’a bombed. I had it recorded and did not get the same good laughs. I remember you saying that audiences are different. But as good as The Improv felt, tonight felt pretty bad. I would love to get your feedback… Thanks – MB

Hey MB – If a television network ever comes up with another reality series about being a comedian, you’re eligible to move into the house. Welcome to the real world of comedy. Don’t feel bad. Seriously – don’t. Not every single set or every club will be a great experience.

It’s a learning process.

I’m not sure where the contest was, but you mentioned your showcase at The Improv. That’s a real comedy club – as opposed to most local open-mic rooms. Newer comedians in my workshops experience this when they get to rehearse and perform on stage at The Improv. Again, this is a real comedy club. The comics are prepared and psyched to perform and already know the audience will be supportive.

And the reason it’s a supportive audience is because when you go to The Improv – or other real clubs like The Funny Bone, Gotham, Zanies, The Laugh Factory, and others (I know I’m missing most of them, but you get the point) you’re in a real comedy club.

That’s why the audience is there – to see and laugh at comedians during a comedy show.

It’s not like some open-mic rooms where a bartender shuts off the television and announces, “Now time for a little comedy” to a group of beered-up sports fans wondering what funny person is responsible for turning off the game.

When you’re just starting in comedy and going out to open mics, you never know what you are going to encounter. Compared to doing a workshop or any type of training in a real comedy club, it’s going to seem strange and very different. The audiences – as they are in most live venues – are unpredictable. And the important thing to remember when you’re just getting started is that you’re still very new at doing comedy.

You deserve a lot of credit just by going up on stage. It takes nerve and a lot of people can’t do it. They only think and dream about it, but never take that first step.

And BTW every single comedian I know has bombed BIG TIME – and usually at least several times – at some point in their career.

That’s how the business works. It’s a learning process of many successes and failures to get it right – or as close to right as you can get as a creative artist. The “star” comedians I’ve talked with about this can look back and have tremendously funny stories about bombing. They will also tell you it’s how they learned to write, perform, and make it in this crazy biz. So, keep in mind that you’re not the only one to have gone through a bad set.

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You’re not alone. In fact, you’re in very good company.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. There’s a great book I recommend for comedians called I Killed: True Stories of the Road from America’s Top Comics. It’s by Ritch Shydner and Mark Schiff, who are talented, experienced, and funny comedians. It includes stories of bombing by Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Chris Rock and dozens more. It’s very funny and very true. You’ll also have a good understanding of the learning process and realize what you went through – bombing at a local comedy contest – is nothing to lose sleep over. Some of the comedians in this book were so bad in the beginning they were lucky to get out of the clubs alive. But it didn’t stop them from pursuing their dreams.

Your goal as a beginner is to keep getting on stage.

Don’t let this experience stop you. You need to feel comfortable in front of an audience and it takes time. I went through that process myself while putting together my corporate and college programs. I was trying to remember what to say and in a panic mode when the audience didn’t laugh or pay attention. There was a lot of sweat.

But you must keep going on stage. Eventually – even slowly – you’ll start getting it together. You’ll feel more comfortable and that will improve your delivery, which will make your material work better.

Tape your shows and go over the audio and / or video.

It might be painful (I pretty much hated watching mine) but you must do it. Look for something – anything – that worked (got laughs). That’s a keeper – even if it’s only one joke or bit. As the late Richard Jeni told me for my book, Comedy FAQs And Answers, any laugh you get is a brick to build on. Find out what made it work. Was it just funny? Did you deliver it in a way that made it funny? Was it the wording? Did you have a certain expression? Whatever it might be, build on that. Keep it in your set and come up with another laugh. That’s your second brick and how you build an act.

Write and rewrite. As a comedian, you’re an entertainer. How would you tell this to an audience in a way that would entertain them? This is how you develop your comedy voice.

It takes time.

And finally, if comedy were easy everyone would do it. Because it can be fun, exciting, and creative and – let’s face it – you’re in the spotlight. You’re the center of attention when you’re on stage. Some people crave attention. But for a real artist – a real comedian – it’s much more than that. It’s also a chance to express yourself and tell audiences about life, thoughts, and opinions as you see it and experience it.

How cool is that?!

I’m positive there were people in that audience wishing they had the nerve to get on stage and do what you were doing – even though you thought you were bombing.

Bombing on stage is a big part of the learning process. After figuring out what went right with your earlier set, figure out what went wrong with this one. Make changes and try to cut the chances of it happening again. It will (I promise you – ha!), but as you keep working at it the chances of bombing will go down. It takes experience.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!

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For comments, questions about workshops and coaching please email – Dave@TheComedyBook.com

Acting Credits On A Comedy Resume?

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Hi Dave – Last week you wrote about what credits can go on a comedy resume. I’m just getting into comedy and my resume is more for acting. Although acting is something I would love to do, comedy is my passion. I’m not sure how to make a comedy resume because I haven’t done anything worthwhile so far in comedy other than some shows I set up for my school and a few open mic nights. Can I take some of my acting credits and put it onto the comedic resume?” – C.

“To be or not to be (listed on a resume).”

Hey C. – Of course, talent bookers are looking for comedy credits. School shows and open-mics count (at the beginning) because it shows you have stage time and are getting experience. Once you start doing “real clubs” those credits can be taken off and never mentioned again – ha!

BUT – and I expect some debate about this – I also believe acting credits have a place on comedy resumes.

Basically, these credits show you have stage time and performing experience. These shouldn’t be at the top of your comedy resume, unless it’s all you have now, but can be listed following any comedy credits you might already have. Even after open-mics and school shows, which take preference over acting credits in a comedy resume.

An exception would be if you were starring or co-starring in a hit television show or movie.

In that case you won’t even need a resume. What the heck – you don’t even need much comedy experience. There are talent bookers who will schedule a celebrity knowing the club will be in for at least one big $$$ weekend – even if the celebrity is not funny. Audiences will pay at least once to see a celebrity. But after word hits the street, he’s not funny, a second time through the club circuit can be a difficult sell for the club owner.

Repeat audience is big business

Why? Because no repeat business and bad word of mouth is not good for business when you run a comedy club.

But since you’re already concerned with building a comedy resume at this early stage of the game, I’ll assume you’ll have stage experience and a funny act by the time your acting credits land you on the cover of People Magazine.

I’ve had comedians send me resumes that include credits from doing soap operas, local television, community theater, commercials, voiceovers, and school talent shows. With a lack of comedy performing credits, it shows they are still involved in showbiz and have at least been on stage in front of an audience.

You would be surprised at the number of submissions I used to receive for A&E’s An Evening at the Improv with NO real credits at all. I’m talking about nothing! There were videos filmed in someone’s living room with NO audience and the “comic” was sitting in a chair talking into a camera and…

Well, I think you get the picture, but I’ll repeat myself again. NO audience! That’s a great way to prove you have NO experience at all as a performer.

But they were still trying to get work as comedians.

I’m an active supporter in helping people achieve their goals, but I don’t know any comedy talent bookers that would hire someone for a paying gig without onstage (in front of an audience) experience. If all you have is a growing list of open mics, school shows, and acting credits – it’s a start.

And every talent booker knows you must start somewhere.

Listing your acting credits shows you have something going for you as far as showbiz experience. Based on resumes I’ve seen over the years from working comics, include them until you have enough real comedy credits to take their place.

There’s also more information about writing resumes and bios in my book How To Be A Working Comic: An Insider’s Business Guide To A Career In Stand-Up Comedy. I’m not trying to sell you a copy to make a big payday – I just wanted you to know. Your local library should have a copy or can find one for you.

Next workshop starts Wednesday – March 15, 2023

Focus on group writing and discussions about the entertainment business

Group is limited to no more than 6 people. For details and registration visit OnlineWorkshops

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!

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Start Collecting Your Performing Credits

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Hey Dave – I’m trying to put together a resume for my comedy stuff. I’ve only been doing comedy for a few months and just a lot of open mics. Should I bother with a resume at this point? – Bob

Hey Bob – In all reality, since you’ve been doing comedy for only a few months, it wouldn’t be a good idea to throw yourself into the competition as a “professional comedian looking for work.”

So there really is no point in having a resume – yet.

Yeah, I know there are exceptions. For instance, you might have the “right contacts” after a couple months to score a gig hosting your frat brother’s bachelor party or have a friend of a friend ask you to do a few minutes at a local benefit show. But since you’re still in the very early stages of developing both your writing and performing style, you probably shouldn’t charge a fee for that. Be thankful for the on-stage experience. If they want to be generous and throw you a few bucks, consider it a donation toward your career goal rather than a paycheck.

Don’t get me wrong because these gigs still count as valuable experience, which is what you need to get ahead in this business. But these very early performances don’t exactly grant you admission into the ranks of professional comedians.

Am I being a too blunt, cold-hearted, or closed minded about this – classifying you as a “non-professional” without even seeing you perform? Not really.

Every talent booker that wants to keep his job knows experience counts.

You’ve only been in this for a few months. The comedians you see in the legit comedy clubs, on the college circuit, and doing corporate gigs have a LOT of experience and have paid a LOT of dues to get there. In fact, I doubt any of them would disagree when I say they’ve put in YEARS of work dealing with rejection, bad nights, bad breaks, hard knocks, hack jokes, idiot hecklers, and shows that make them feel (as George Wallace described in my book Comedy FAQs And Answers) like they want to drive off a bridge after the gig because they’ve bombed so bad.

But now that I’ve said all that and (hopefully not) deflated your ego or crushed your comedy dreams, there’s no reason why you can’t start building a resume NOW. In fact, I think it’s a pretty good idea.

You must start somewhere when your goal is to score paid bookings. No booker is going to hire a comedian with no experience. As I also say in Comedy FAQs And Answers and have often repeated in these articles:

They may call it amateur night, but nobody’s looking to hire an amateur.

Bookers know the deal about working your way up the comedy ladder. You must start somewhere and it’s NEVER at the top, which would be headlining in a legitimate comedy club. Yeah, I’ve known a few “acts” (term used loosely in this case) that had rich, famous, or connected parents and thought they could buy their way into the exclusive professional comedian’s club. In one case I saw firsthand, the act had daddy schmooze or practically buy the club to get his wanna’be famous son on stage.

But it didn’t work.

Junior may have had a joke writer, director, and daddy’s agent, but he hadn’t paid his dues to become an experienced comic. He hadn’t developed his comedy voice – including timing, delivery, and an ability to work with and off an audience.

He was an actor acting like a comedian. Once the novelty of booking an act with a famous parent wore off, there were more experienced comics that talent bookers knew were better at entertaining – and therefore, better in the long run for business.

A club’s reputation depends on providing great shows. To stay in business, it must be profitable (paying customers). Inexperience doesn’t sell unless it’s billed as “amateur night” or “open-mic night.” And even then, many clubs can only make those nights work (profitable) by making them “bringer shows.”

Wow, isn’t it amazing how I can go off on a tangent by just trying to answer a simple question? If you’ve stayed with me so far, let me get back on track…

YES – if you want to become a professional working comic, now is a good time to start putting together your resume. And in case you’re not sure what goes into a comedy resume, it’s a list of your performing credits as a comedian.

In the beginning of your career, it can include:

A list of your comedy performances and the venues. If you haven’t played any true comedy clubs, list open mics. Talent bookers from out of the area may not have heard of any of them, but that doesn’t matter. This list shows you have at least some stage experiences.

When you’re starting out in the business, you’re only looking for a showcase (audition) or a gig as an opening act in a comedy club. You don’t need to have headlined or even featured (middle act) at The Improv or other known clubs to be considered as an opening act. You need to be funny AND show the talent booker you have enough stage experience, so you won’t suffer a meltdown when you walk on stage in front of a live audience. If you’re funny and show enough stage presence to pass the audition, but all you have are open-mic credits – then that’s what you’ll list on your resume as experience.

List them under the header Clubs or Open mics.

New online groups start Monday, February 17 and Wednesday, March 15

Four 2-hour sessions with Zoom Showcase. Space limited.

For details and registration visit OnlineWorkshops

If you have plenty of open-mics and have also done shows outside of these clubs – list them under separate headers. You can have one titled Benefit Shows or Special Events.
You can also add any comedy workshops or seminars you’ve attended. If it includes a comedy club performance, put that on your resume. But be honest! Add the disclaimer that it was a workshop or seminar performance. It still shows experience – and in this case, “guided” experience from a coach. That can be more influential to a talent booker than flying blind through a string of late night, unheard of open mics.

You can list these under Workshops and/or Training.

Do you have special talents you use on stage? This could be anything that helps you get laughs from an audience including singing, doing accents, playing guitar, balancing stuff, juggling stuff, riding a unicycle, setting yourself on fire – whatever. If it’s in your act it’s a Special Talent or Special Skill and can be on your resume.

This will also give bookers a better idea of what you do on stage.

Now here’s the deal. This is how you start and build a comedy resume. BUT you want to keep replacing lesser credits with “known” credits. For instance, it’s great to have Johnny’s Yuk-A-Torium and five or six other open-mics on your resume to show experience. But do your best to eventually replace them with credits from legitimate comedy clubs, (The Improv, Zanies, Funny Bone, Comedy Zone, etc.). But until you get on those stages, use whatever you have, open-mics, benefit shows, frat parties, to show you have experience and have not just been doing stand-up in your living room in front of a video camera.

And yeah – someone once sent me an audition tape for A&E’s An Evening at the Improv direct from his living room. Did he get the show? Nope. It was obvious to me he had no on-stage experience.

Here’s a good rule to remember – don’t try to move up the ladder too fast.

You’ll need a lot more than a few months to become an experienced act and ready for the best stages. But you can start keeping track of your performing credits now and have a decent list when you’re ready to start showcasing. The experience you get while putting together a decent list of comedy clubs for your resume will eventually help you break out of open-mics and into the world of paying gigs.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!!

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Contacting Talent Bookers

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Hi Dave – Do you have any tips for contacting club bookers? When I was leaving a recent showcase, the bar manager said they would like to have me back. He gave me his card as well as the card for the person who books the room. I emailed the talent booker, and she hasn’t responded. Should I call her if I don’t hear from her, or should I try emailing again? I don’t want to be annoying, but if performing there again is an opportunity, I would really love to do it again. Thanks! K.F.

The winner!

Hey K.F. – That’s great news because you have an “in” – the bar manager. As I’ve mentioned in quite a few past FAQ’s and Answers a personal recommendation from someone who either works with or works for a talent booker is like having a Golden Ticket.

It beats the heck out of cold calling or blind emails. Now you just need to make the Golden Ticket work for you.

The best scenario is for the bar manager to take you by the arm and march you into the talent booker’s office and give a personal introduction. This of course would be followed by, “Put her on the schedule – she’s funny!”

But in this case, you’re working with a (Golden) business card. It’s not a slam dunk, but you’re still in a better position than when you first walked in the club for your showcase.

You’ve already taken the first step by sending an email. But you haven’t heard back. So, to make use of a sports reference in honor of… well, sports –

this means one thing:

Let the game begin!

Talent bookers for busy clubs are busy people. Their priority is to book the shows. For showcase clubs in NYC and LA this could mean anywhere from 10 to 15 performers per night. This is also true for club showcase nights in many other cities like Cleveland, San Francisco, Detroit, etc…

But since you’ve already done a showcase, we won’t go that route. Let’s talk about getting booked in a club for a paying gig. Now I have your attention – right?

Other than showcases with multiple comedians doing short sets, most clubs (especially outside of NYC and LA) use three acts:

  1. Opener / MC

    Play to win!

  2. Feature / Middle Act
  3. Headliner / Closer

Each week the booker schedules the three performance slots. That’s normally 52 weeks a year. They have regulars that can play the club a couple or few times a year, but they need to use a variety so audiences will return and not see the same comics over and over.

When you add it up – that’s 156 performance spots per year just for a 3-act club.

The bookers not only have to deal with the talent needed for those spots, but also dealing with agents and managers. There are negotiations, contracts, travel arrangements, accommodations, publicity – and the “always expected but unknown until it happens at the last minute” emergencies. That could include any one of the performers cancelling for any number of reasons including a missed flight, illness, weather (the list could go on and on) and another comic needs to be scheduled immediately.

But that’s only part of it…

ONLY TWO SPOTS STILL OPEN!!

Winter 2023 comedy workshop at The Tampa Improv

Saturdays – February 18, 25 and March 4 – noon to 4 pm

Includes a performance at The Improv

Wednesday – March 8 at 7:30 pm

Space is limited and pre-registration is required

For details, reviews, photos, video and to register visit ComedyWorkshop

The booker is also fielding countless phone calls from comics wanting return engagements, newer comics wanting to play the club for the first time, and agents and managers who want to schedule their clients. On top of that there are TONS of emails, websites, and promo videos to navigate through.

There could be much more than 156 performance spots bookers are dealing with. They could also be scheduling private parties, special events or other clubs. And if the booker is good at his / her job, they must deal with it all.

I won’t even get into the job duties that might include attending meetings, “doing lunch”, or watching shows to see how the performers they’ve already booked are doing. My point is – from personal experience – there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that most performers don’t realize. Talent bookers can be very busy people.

But one thing that should be a positive for you as a newer comedian is that bookers are always looking for new talent. If not – they’re not very good at what they do. Your goal is to be one of their new talents.

The key – as you’ve already mentioned – is not to be annoying.

I remember talking with comedians who were so frustrated because a certain talent booker never got back with them that they decided to call every day. Their thought process was that the booker would eventually have to deal with them.

I’ve got news for you. Talent bookers don’t have to deal with them or anyone they don’t want to. Imagine someone calling you every day for a job. It’s called being annoying – a pain in the butt – and why so many bookers screen their calls or hire assistants as gatekeepers.

That method won’t work. That’s why you must play the game. You need to stay in touch and let them know you exist, but you can’t be annoying.

There’s a game plan for that and I know it can work because it worked on me when I was booking comedians in Los Angeles (where I learned this “game”).

Visit How To Be A Working Comic on Udemy for free video samples.

You’ve made the first phone call. I’m assuming you’ve either reached the booker’s voice mail or assistant.

Always leave a message with your name and phone number.

That bit of advice has been – and still is – debated by comedians and speakers I’ve worked with. Some only want to talk with “a real live person” and won’t leave a message. But many others (like me) think that’s a wasted effort and phone call. The idea is to start building name recognition. You can’t do that by just hanging up.

Make it short and professional – get to the point:

“Hi. This is (your name) and I showcased at (club name). The bar manager (name) gave me your card and suggested I contact you about a possible booking. I’m calling to find the best way to schedule an audition or send a link to my website video. You can reach me at (your phone number) and my website is (website). Thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.”

Then hang up.

Okay, put it into your own words. But that’s not a bad script. It succeeded in getting your name and contact info to the person you want to work for.

But don’t just wait. Take action – send a postcard.

Yeah, I know. Some performers think postcards are outdated. But are those performers working as much as they’d like to? If they are then maybe, they have enough contacts with talent bookers already or have an agent or manager doing the dirty work. But I’ll tell’ya what. I’m not even booking clubs anymore and I still get postcards.

Postcards have your photo, name, and contact info. Send one after your first call and it can add to your name recognition. Put a personal note on the back – “I hope you received my call, etc…”

Wait a couple weeks and call again. You aren’t being annoying – but you also are not disappearing. It continues to put your name in front of the talent booker. Mix it up a little. Instead of following that call with another postcard, wait a week, and send an email. Again – be short and to the point. Include a link to your website.

If you still don’t hear back wait a couple weeks and call again. Then repeat the process until you hear back, or the talent booker answers the phone.  Either way they will have heard of you (name recognition). Then use your Golden Ticket – or plead your case – for an audition or booking.

If this is a local club, go to a show (or two, or three). Say hello to the bar manager again and ask if you can meet the talent booker. If there’s another opportunity to showcase – sign up and get on stage.

Of course, there are no guarantees, but it’s a better game plan than being annoying or disappearing just because a busy person doesn’t return your first phone call or email.

Give it a try. As mentioned, I’m sharing this method because it worked on me.

In fact, a few times I was almost embarrassed because the performers stayed in touch – without being annoying – and I started thinking that they were thinking I wasn’t doing my job very well. So, when I realized after some well spread-out phone messages, postcards and emails that they might be calling soon, I looked at their videos. When they called it was almost like an “Ah-ha!” moment for me.

“YES!” I had watched their video!

Now, whether they got a paid booking, showcase or “no thanks” depended on their performance and experience. But at least they had built up name recognition and were given the opportunity – and that’s what this method is all about.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!!

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Editing Your Promotional Video

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Hi Dave – You talked last time about the length of promo videos, but what is considered acceptable when editing? I filmed a set last week that’s pretty good, but there are a couple spots where I didn’t get the audience reaction I had hoped for. I also messed up a joke and really don’t want it on the video. Is honesty the best policy and should I send the whole set unedited? Thanks – D.

Roll the film!

Hey D. – Honesty is always the best policy, but sometimes being too honest is too much. If you normally have great sets, then you honestly want that represented on your video. But if great sets are few and far between, then sending out an edited video making you look like the next coming of Dave Chappelle is not going to help you in the long run.

In fact, if a talent booker hires you or gives you a showcase off a great video and it’s obvious during your performance you can’t back it up, chances are you’re not going to get a second chance.

Ideally, you want to present an unedited video.

That’s seamless gold- but sometimes seemingly impossible. There’s always going to be something going on in a club that you can’t control like people arriving late, talking in the back, ordering drinks, spilling drinks – whatever. There might also be tech problems with the club’s sound system – or even a joke that always kills, but for some reason doesn’t work the night you’re filming.

It happens.

What happened?

So, when it happens – something in your set that’s not truly representative of what you do on stage – then yeah, edit it out. It’s not uncommon. And even though talent bookers might spot the edit the best videos don’t make it so obvious.

Good edits make it look seamless. (Sorry, I feel your pain and will stop with the seamless wordplay).

I also feel if you want to be paid like a professional you must represent yourself as a professional.

What I mean by that is it’s easy today to film sets using high-tech phones and tablets, but you must also be aware of the “room sound” that will invariably happen if your best friend is filming you while sitting at a table in a club surrounded by noisemakers. You know what I mean – people at tables next to him laughing (or talking) too loudly, knocking over drink glasses, or ordering food.

Those sounds will also be heard on your video.

And it doesn’t sound very professional. So, try to have both a good visual and audio recording of your set, even if it means hiring someone with a tripod (to steady the picture) and a microphone that picks up what you are saying over the room’s ambiance.

Since I have a kid that can film, edit, and post a music video online in less time than it takes me to write these ramblings, I know what the term “old school” means. I’ve also worked with aspiring comedians on this side of the age scale who claim emailing is about as high tech as they get.

But when it comes to putting together promotional material (primarily your video) that will get you work in the future…

There are video editing apps and programs for computers and tablets, and most of them are not even that expensive. In the long run, it would be worth the learning time and investment to do your own editing because your video should always be current and representative of your act or presentation. It doesn’t do you any good sending out a year(s)-old video you’ve paid a professional editor big $$$s to fix if you’re not even doing that material anymore.

You should also be a better comic or speaker than you were a year ago and need to show that.

I won’t get into specifics on editing, though I am pretty good at it (if I do say so myself). But here’s a good rule to follow:

Don’t make a LOT of edits and don’t make your video look like it has a LOT of edits.

Make sense? It’s okay to cut out a flaw here and there, but if it’s a jumpy-looking set because one moment you’re standing on one side of the stage and the next you’re on the other side – or if you’re wearing different clothes for each joke (a telltale sign it wasn’t all taped at the same show) then no booker will take you seriously.

Winter 2023 comedy workshop at The Tampa Improv

Saturdays – February 18, 25 and March 4 – noon to 4 pm

Includes a performance at The Improv

Wednesday – March 8 at 7:30 pm

Space is limited and pre-registration is required

For details, reviews, photos, video and to register visit ComedyWorkshop

Instead of thinking you’re a great comic or speaker, they’ll be wondering what you’re trying to hide with so many edits. They might also think you did a half hour set just to get five minutes of presentable material and would not be willing to hire (pay for) the remaining twenty-five minutes that they’ll assume didn’t work.

So, it’s okay to make edits – we all do – when truly necessary. In other words, when the parts cut out are honestly not representative of your typical performance. But too many obvious edits will look too suspicious to bookers. The key to remember is when someone is hiring you to perform, they want to know what they’re paying for. Your goal as a comedian or humorous speaker is to show them. Honestly.

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!!

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Promotional video length for club, corporate and college gigs

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Hey Dave – I’m real serious about doing stand-up comedy and I wanted some info on making my audition tape. How long should it be? Are bookers looking for something specific? If u can help me out please write back – B.T. / The Future of Comedy

Get your timing down!

Hey B.T. – The future of your comedy career relies a lot on your past. This means the work you’ve already done as a writer and performer, and then using a past (but recent) performance to make an attention-grabbing and (most of all) FUNNY audition tape. BUT we don’t want to live TOO much in the past, so let’s start talking about this in terms of online videos (and occasionally DVDs).

I don’t know anyone that’s using “tape” anymore.

Okay, I know that’s just a technicality. But I want to make sure we’re all using same terms and are on the same page… uh, screen here in 2023.

When I talk about relying on the past, I’m talking about how long your video should be. That hasn’t changed since the word “tape” was common and should be three to seven minutes long. That gives talent bookers a decent sample of what you do on stage.

Most talent bookers are pretty busy. You wouldn’t believe how many videos they’re asked to view every day. Since there are only so many minutes in a day they can’t sit around and watch an hour, half hour or even twenty minutes of performance time from each comedian. That’s why many I’ve talked with only watch the beginning or hit the fast forward button and stop at random places.

When I booked the TV show A&E’s An Evening at the Improv, I would watch anywhere from twenty to thirty videos at one sitting.

No lie.

Getting on the tube

I couldn’t take (because of time – not interest) more than five minutes with each one. So the comedian had to come on strong from the beginning and prove he or she was already a working comic and ready for television. If it was obvious to me that they weren’t ready, I’d stop the video and move on to the next one.

And here’s something else I’ve learned from many of these same contacts and personal experience: a good talent booker will usually know within thirty seconds into a comedian’s act if he wants to hire that comedian.

Experience and talent will be obvious (or should be) right from the beginning of the set for anyone that has been in the talent booking business for a while. Performers might try to fake it, but experienced people in the biz can usually tell right away.

Now, if they watch three to seven minutes and are interested but not sold on hiring, they can contact the comedian and request more. That’s when you might be asked to send something longer (usually fifteen to twenty minutes for club work), or a separate three to seven minutes.

I once worked with a club booker that (seriously) said he wanted to see a full one-hour video before he would hire an act. I thought that was a bit extreme, but if that’s the way he does business, well… it’s his club and it’s his time. I never met another booker who had that much time to watch videos.

It also depends what market you want to get into.

I’m talking mainly about clubs and television with the above advice. If you want to work in the corporate market as a comedian or humorous speaker, your video will be much different. That should be a production – rather than just an example of your live performance.

This means corporate videos can be edited showing not only segments of your act, but also audience comments, your credits scrolling across the screen – or any other techniques that make the comedian or speaker look professional and in demand.

Again, short and dynamic is best. The corporate videos I’ve been sent or have edited for myself and other speakers are usually five to seven minutes in length.

The college market also plays out differently.

When you’re involved in NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) and APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities) the college booking organizations I talk about in the book Comedy FAQs And Answers, they only want three- minute videos as submissions for showcases. BUT the catch is if the college students on the Activities Board like that three minutes and want to see more, you should have at least two additional three minute segments with the online submission or DVD so they can continue to watch until they:

  • Give you a live showcase (explained in the book).
  • Keep you in mind as a maybe.
  • Move on to the next comedian.

And finally, what’s very different than in the days of using video “tape” is the method of delivery. Everyone now can watch online videos. In 2023, everyone in the business has the technology to watch promotional video online. If not, then they’re in the wrong business.

We’re back!!

Our next comedy workshop at The Tampa Improv starts

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Meets 3 Saturdays from noon to 4 pm

Includes a performance at The Improv

Wednesday – March 8 at 7:30 pm

Space is limited and pre-registration is required

For details, reviews, photos, video and to register visit ComedyWorkshop

YouTube is still the most popular, but I know there are also other sites that can allow bookers to watch your video immediately. The key is to have it available to them either embedded into your website or linked to YouTube.

Also the three minute – or shorter – video is becoming more popular for submissions outside the college market. You can go online to view examples, but quite a few comedians have short (two to three minute) segments of their sets imbedded in in their websites. We know attention spans have grown shorter and this method allows talent bookers to get a quick “taste” of a performance with an immediate opportunity to watch more – another quick segment – if they want.

* Last bit of advice about this.

I recently talked to a club booker who said he expects comedians to have a website. It’s more professional. He won’t even go on Facebook or other social media sites to watch videos. If the comedian doesn’t have a website, then he feels that comedian is not professional enough to work in that club.

I’m just passing that thought along because I know you’re interested…

Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!!

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For comments, questions about workshops and coaching please email – Dave@TheComedyBook.com