{"id":8274,"date":"2026-01-30T16:43:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T21:43:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecomedybook.com\/?p=8274"},"modified":"2026-01-30T16:43:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T21:43:41","slug":"clean-or-dirty-youd-better-know-your-audience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecomedybook.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/clean-or-dirty-youd-better-know-your-audience\/","title":{"rendered":"Clean or Dirty? You\u2019d better know your audience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi Dave \u2013 I have one question. As a new comedian does my material have to be clean? \u2013 J.N.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Have a decision to make!<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Hey J.N. \u2014 you\u2019re not alone. This question comes up all the time<\/em>, and new comedians ask it for a good reason: it matters.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the short answer upfront (because I\u2019m rarely accused of giving one):<\/p>\n

There is no right or wrong answer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Comedy is both a creative art and<\/em> a business, but before either of those things matter, there\u2019s one primary goal:<\/p>\n

Be funny.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How you get there is completely up to you.<\/p>\n

A very famous comedian once told me (and I included this in my book How To Be A Working Comic<\/em><\/strong>):<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you swear in real life, you\u2019re going to swear on stage.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

That makes sense. If those words are already part of who you are, they\u2019ll naturally show up in your act. But if they aren\u2019t<\/em>\u2014don\u2019t add them because you think they\u2019ll make you funny. Audiences can smell that a mile away, and \u201ctrying to be edgy\u201d is never as funny as being honest.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a market for everything. Whether you choose to work clean or adult is a personal decision.<\/p>\n

But since you asked – and once again, I\u2019ve never been known for short answers – let\u2019s look at this from a different angle.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll call it\u2026<\/p>\n

Your Audience<\/strong><\/p>\n

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But will they laugh?<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

You specifically said new<\/em><\/strong> comedian, so let\u2019s start there.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re beginning, your job is simple: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Get stage time. Learn how to write. Learn how to perform. Learn how audiences respond.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Along the way, you\u2019ll encounter different rooms, different crowds, and very different expectations.<\/p>\n