By Siddesh Pai – “I Help Comedians, Humor Keynote Speakers & Entrepreneurs Enhance Their Personal Brand Through Targeted Newsletters | Standup Comedian”
Readers: You can locate Siddesh Pai through the following link on LinkedIn. This is an interview we did earlier this year and I liked it enough to share it. Thanks Siddesh and keep laughing!!
3 Lessons I Learned From a 30-Year Comedy Veteran – Dave Schwensen
Talking comedy
Dave has been working in comedy for three decades. But he wants to make one thing clear: he’s not a stand-up comedian. To me, it felt like a writer who doesn’t read. But that’s exactly what makes him different—he’s spent his career booking, coaching, and writing on the business of comedy. In our conversation, he dropped some serious wisdom on why treating comedy like a business is the key to making it a career.
1) Comedy Can’t Be Taught—But It Can Be Coached
“I don’t believe you can teach comedy. What I think is funny, you might not. My kids certainly don’t think I’m funny.” I can’t tell you the Three Stooges are funny if you don’t find slipping on a banana peel hilarious, there’s nothing he can do to change that. This is where coaching comes in. Every comedian has a different style, a different rhythm, and a different worldview. Dave helps comics refine that—polishing the delivery, cutting the fat from jokes, and shaping a strong act. Because at the end of the day, you can’t teach funny. But you can help someone be funnier.
2) No One Is Going to Hand You Stage Time – You Have to Create It
“You can’t teach timing, you can’t teach delivery, and you sure as hell can’t teach stage presence. You have to get up there and do it.” Most comedians think getting better means hitting open mics over and over. But Dave has a different take – go where the audience actually wants entertainment. Clubs are competitive. You’re performing for other comics, waiting for their turn. But business events, fundraisers, and community groups? They’re desperate for entertainment. Your first gigs might be free, but that’s how you build momentum. One day, you’re performing at a Rotary Club for free. The next, someone offers you $500 to do the same set. Stage time is currency. The more you get, the faster you grow.
3) They Call It Amateur Night, But No One Is Trying to Hire an Amateur
A lot of comedians treat stand-up like a passion project. But the ones who make a career out of it? They treat it like a business. – Networking Matters – Hanging out with comics at open mics isn’t enough. Get to know bookers, producers, and event organizers. These are the people who can actually get you paid work. – Market Yourself – Being funny isn’t enough if no one knows you exist. Build a brand, create content, and stay on people’s radar. Your name should pop up when someone’s looking for a comedian. – Be a Professional – Show up on time. Have a tight five. Be easy to work with. Give people your business card. Make yourself easy to book. The comedians who get booked aren’t just the funniest—they’re the ones who treat it like a business.
Thanks for reading – and keep laughing!
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For comments, questions about workshops and coaching please email – Dave@TheComedyBook.com
Hey Dave – Hope all is well in Comedy Land—a strange, twisted, but always entertaining place! I wanted to reach out for some advice. I’m really interested in performing at [Comedy Club] and doing a guest set so the booker can see my material. What’s the best way to get in front of him? I just want to make sure he knows who I am. I have some video clips I can send, but I’d love to hear your take on the most effective approach. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks – JW
Comedy Land!
Hey JW – First off, fantastic job describing Comedy Land! You didn’t just outline a place—you brought its inhabitants to life. It’s clear we all share a lot in common.
You mentioned a well-known comedy club, but my suggestion applies universally to most clubs.
I’ve been fortunate to work with three major comedy clubs throughout my career. In fact, I’ll proudly say I’m the only person in comedy history to have managed and booked talent for The New York Improv, served as the talent coordinator for The Hollywood Improv, and managed The Cleveland Improv. That’s coast to coast to coast—from the Atlantic to the Pacific to Lake Erie.
And since the NYC Improv no longer exists, I’ll hold that record forever. Looks like my spot in Comedy Land is permanent – ha!
Over the years, I’ve been involved in auditions, showcases, and guest sets at all three clubs. Based on that experience, there are several ways comedians can get noticed by club bookers: contests, workshops, pre-scheduled audition showcases, and email submissions are standard approaches.
La La Land!
There’s also a reason comedians have always hung out at comedy clubs—it’s an opportunity to meet bookers in person. Whether it’s to ask for a showcase or simply be available as “stand-by” talent, networking in this setting has been a tried-and-true method since the dawn of stand-up.
At the NYC Improv, this presented a great chance for newer comedians.
We’d pre-schedule performers until midnight, but if the audience wanted more, the show would continue until 4 a.m. Those late hours provided valuable stage time for newer comics who hadn’t received earlier spots. As the manager, I’d often go through the bar area and invite comedians hanging out to perform short sets.
In Los Angeles, while comedians still frequented clubs, we relied more on video submissions and promo packages (now digital) to find talent for showcases. Back then, there was also a New Faces Workshop at the Santa Monica Improv, which helped new comedians improve their craft and provided opportunities for Monday evening showcases. This could lead to more substantial roles at the Melrose Avenue club.
Focus is on group comedy writing & discussions about the comedy / entertainment business
Next round of workshops meet Mondays – February 17, 24, March 3 and 1o, 2025
Space is limited. For details, reviews, photos and to register visit:
For regional clubs like The Cleveland Improv, local comedians often fill opening and MC spots. To break in, it’s crucial to attend showcases or workshops to be seen in person. While YouTube submissions and email pitches can be effective, being there in person gives you an edge.
So, what’s the best way to get noticed by a comedy club booker?
Get a referral from a comedian who already works at the club.
As I’ve said before, that’s your Golden Ticket.
If you’ve worked with a headliner or feature act who regularly performs at a club you’re targeting—and they genuinely like your act—ask them to refer you to the club booker or manager (sometimes they’re different people).
Ask if they’d be willing to request a guest set for you, which serves as an audition. This is the single best way to get seen. You bypass the uncertainty of email submissions, long open-mic audition nights, or waiting endlessly to pull a lucky lottery number for a spot. A referral is your “in.”
Networking with your fellow comedians is key. However, this doesn’t mean brown-nosing or pestering them. Comedians and bookers deal with enough of that. Instead, focus on honing your craft and gaining enough experience to be genuinely ready for top-tier clubs like The Improv or The Funny Bone.
Remember, you can’t fast-track your way into the big leagues just because you know the right people.
Even if a referring comic is your close friend, they won’t risk their reputation by vouching for someone who isn’t ready. Most working comedians have spent years building their careers, and they’re not going to jeopardize it for someone unprepared.
That’s why experience and stage time are invaluable. They’ll not only sharpen your skills but also connect you with comedians working the clubs you want to play. For example, I visited your website and noticed you have two upcoming shows this month featuring performers who are regulars at The Improv. One of them even works at the Hollywood Improv.
If you deliver outstanding sets and the comics are impressed, this is your chance to ask for a referral. They may say yes or no, but you shouldn’t let the opportunity slip by.
In summary:
Personal references can open doors. In Comedy Land, talent, experience, and networking are the keys to getting that Golden Ticket. Keep working, stay prepared, and seize opportunities as they come.
Thanks for reading – and keep laughing!
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For comments, questions about workshops and coaching please email – Dave@TheComedyBook.com
Hi Dave – I worked as a comedian for ten years, opening and featuring. Is 51 years of age too old to go back into it? – D.K.
Hey lady!!
Hey D.K. – You know what? That’s one of those questions only you – and anyone else who checks out a calendar before making a move – can answer for sure. But also “for sure” I have a few thoughts about this.
So here we go…
First of all, I consider comedy – writing and performing – to be a creative art. I’ve written that countless times in these FAQs And Answers, so no detailed explanation is needed.
It’s just the way it is.
I also believe using your creativity and being psyched (excited) about sharing your “art” with others is like a Fountain of Youth. Don’t laugh. Again, I’m serious. I’ve had too many former friends (and I mean former because I have no interest in hanging out with people like this) hit a lazy-boy chair (yeah, I know it’s La-Z-Boy, but I don’t feel like getting sued) at the age of 30 and announce they’re over the hill. They hang onto jobs they hate because it’s too much work to find another. Their free time is spent vegging and basically, watching and critiquing other people that are doing or creating other things.
They never seem to create anything except annoyance. And at least to me, they always seem to look and act a lot older than they really are. The only thing they accomplish is getting older.
Am I being too hard on these people? Maybe, but they won’t read this anyway.
With Phyllis Diller – laughing into her 90s!
And now that I’ve made my opinion perfectly clear, let me tell you about another creative artist who doesn’t look at his age as a barrier. Oh yeah, and we’re still friends…
A musician pal I hung with during my years living in NYC was deeply into heavy metal rock music. We’re talking Led Zeppelin, KISS and Guns & Roses type of screaming vocals, guitars, drums and, as expected, The Look of being a rock star. He didn’t make it as a teenager, or even into his twenties or thirties. But you know what?
He’s now in his 60s and rockin’ out harder than ever.
He has a real job to support his creative endeavors, but instead of investing his salary into buying a more comfortable chair and big screen TV experience, he built a recording studio in his basement. He’s continually writing (creating) and recording (performing). It’s his creative outlet and passion, but also more than just a hobby similar to playing in a local band on the weekends.
It’s a business.
About once a year he has enough material to release a CD of hard rock originals on his own independent label (same as self-publishing your book). Through the internet and YouTube, he’s developed a fan base in Germany and some Eastern European countries that the more youthful independent (and inexperienced) bands haven’t even discovered yet. It keeps him off the couch and more importantly, from wondering:
“What if…?”
Kick off a laugh-filled 2025!!
Comedy Workshop at The Cleveland Funny Bone
Saturdays, January 4, 11 and 18 from noon to 4 pm
Perform at The Funny Bone – Thursday, January 23 at 7:30 pm
Space is limited – for details and to register visit COMEDY WORKSHOP
So, how would you answer that question ten years from now? You might think 51 is old – but it’s not as old as you’ll be tomorrow, next week or next year. If you have a creative passion and want to give comedy a shot, there’s no better time than now.
And yeah, I know. That sounds like such an overused, tired and old cliché. But it wouldn’t be overused, tired and old if it didn’t make sense.
I won’t even get into stories of creative artists making it in their careers until they were older (Google Grandma Moses if you really need an example). I’ve heard Rodney Dangerfield sold paint until he was 40. Not sure how true that is (anyone want to throw me some facts?) but I tend to believe it.
There are different ways you can get back into the comedy game at a more advanced age. You need to consider your material and audience. But then again, that’s what just about every comic needs to do anyway.
For instance, you have a better chance of winning the Lottery than making a comedy career on the college circuit. Through my experience as a college agent I know that’s true. And as father to a couple college graduates, I know for a fact there’s nothing easier for them to tune-out than an old person (think over thirty) trying to make them laugh.
I remember interviewing Bill Engvall for my book Comedy FAQs And Answers and mentioning that I thought he’d get a lot of work in the college market. He told me I was nuts. He said his material was about being married and raising a family, which ain’t exactly what college audiences relate to.
I’m only surprised he didn’t hand me the invisible, “Here’s your sign!” He was sooo right…
But as you know, I also talk about the potential for work in more mature (think again over 30) markets, which means pretty much anything other than college and high school prom shows. Your open-mic circuit can include Rotary Clubs as well as comedy clubs. It’s a matter of writing material your potential audience will relate to and laugh at – and then finding the best venues to deliver it to them.
It’s also about telling yourself you’re not too old to do something you really want to do.
So, for another inspiring example to get you off the lazy-boy and onto the stage…
The age range in my comedy workshops has been pretty wide. We used to go as young as 13 (it’s now 18) and as old as… well, there’s no limit. The record so far is 84 years young. And you know what?
He ended up working a lot more than some of the much younger members.
This late-starting comedian knew what he was interested in talking about and what potential audience would be interested in hearing it. His material was about being 84 and some of the things he – and others near his age – was doing and dealing with. He was fun, funny, active and creative. And believe it or not, he started working almost immediately because he was an original rarity.
An older adult doing comedy.
He booked MC spots in good clubs but made a financial killing playing events for senior citizens. I kid you not! Last time we talked – and this was a few years ago – he was a working comic and bouncing around like a guy half his age.
Okay, maybe except for the ones half his age that are stuck in comfortable chairs and critiquing him for being “too old” to do that sort of thing…
So, are you too old at age 51?
It’s up to you, but I don’t know if that reason alone could truly hold a creative artist back from at least giving it a shot. As far as I’m concerned, it beats the heck out of vegging in a chair and watching someone else go for it on your large screen TV…
Thanks for reading – and keep laughing!
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For comments, questions about workshops and coaching please email – Dave@TheComedyBook.com
