{"id":8265,"date":"2026-01-17T13:36:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T18:36:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecomedybook.com\/?p=8265"},"modified":"2026-01-17T13:36:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T18:36:22","slug":"laughs-and-bookings-the-best-revenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecomedybook.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/17\/laughs-and-bookings-the-best-revenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Laughs and Bookings – the best revenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey Dave – I had a great set last night, but one of the comedians who went on after me tore into me. It got really personal, and it honestly hurt. The people running the show asked if I wanted to go back on and get revenge, but I declined. Did I handle it the right way? \u2013 N.R.<\/b><\/p>\n

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Best revenge!<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Hey N.R. – It sounds like the opening shot in a potential comedy war. Whether you want to crawl into the comedy trenches (a common comedy term \u2014 not mine) with this loudmouth depends on two things:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u2022 Your onstage personality \u2014 your comic voice
\u2022 How you want to be seen onstage and<\/em> offstage in this business<\/p>\n

Maybe I\u2019m naive<\/strong>, but after a few decades working with comedians, I\u2019ve found this business to be far more supportive than people think. Sure, there are jerks \u2014 real pains in the butt \u2014 but I don\u2019t know any career path that\u2019s immune from that.<\/p>\n

When this kind of behavior happens, it\u2019s usually fueled by jealousy, ego, or a power trip. And here\u2019s the irony: in my experience, the more power someone actually has in the business, the more supportive they tend to be of newer talent. That goes for comedians, bookers, and behind-the-scenes decision-makers.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Disbelief?<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

(I can practically feel the disbelief from some readers right now. This may turn into a future FAQ \u2014 I\u2019ll let that thought marinate.)<\/p>\n

For now, here\u2019s the real issue:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Who are you<\/em> onstage, and how do you want to be perceived by the people you work with \u2014 other comics and the people who hire them?<\/p>\n

Comedians who are genuine friends tear into each other onstage all the time. That can be hilarious. At the NYC Improv, we could run a microphone into the men\u2019s room and hold it over a flushing toilet when a friend\u2019s joke bombed. The comic onstage ripped into us for the rest of the set, and everyone loved it.<\/p>\n