When I was a wrestler and wrestling coach, there were three styles of wrestling to try. Folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. Folkstyle was the primary one. It was the high school sanctioned one. But in the off season we would try freestyle and greco. While all three had similarities, the off season styles broke Folkstyle rules. You could throw harder, lock your hands around your opponent, and points were awarded differently. Some coaches forbid their athletes from doing the off season style, afraid they'd develop bad habits for when high school season started, but one coach told me that by trying different styles he learned how to accomplish more in the high school season. He taught his body to move more freely, and he taught his mind to treat different positioning as feeling less vulnerable. While I'm not encouraging you to join an MMA sports club to improve your stand up (though it wouldn't hurt), the philosophy of trying other forms of "funny" to help stand up still applies. Too often we limit ourselves to just talking on stage, confining ourselves to only one artform. But if you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and find time in your day, today's ideas can really help your overall comedy game. So let's look at five other types of writing that can help your stand up become a better experience for you and the crowd.
Journaling Random Thoughts Ever watch a comic make weird side remarks while on stage? Ever wonder why a comic feels the need to talk about things that feel out of place? Ever just think, "This comic needs therapy," not stand up. Well, you're not wrong. What you are witnessing is a suppressed individual. They are getting on stage and trauma dumping their lives on an undeserved crowd. Instead of writing well-crafted jokes or funny ideas, they are basically journaling on stage. So instead of wasting the crowd's time, just journal at home. Buy a notebook and write your frustrations, your fears, your sexual desires, etc. By doing this, you get it out of your system. You found a forum to platform the darker parts of your soul, and it will allow you to go on stage to focus on the funny and not the therapeutic. By purging your conscious and subconscious, you free your mind to be in the moment and not in your head. Later, go back and read your journal and see if there are ways to craft your thoughts into jokes. Writing a Sketch Sometimes your funny story or idea isn't really a stand up bit. It requires too many moving pieces, characters, and back story. That's why there are sketches. That story about visiting the doctor still not funny until the second half? Convert it into a five page sketch. For one thing, the sketch doesn't have to have a laugh every twenty seconds. You can create characters that allow different freedoms in response. You also learn to turn ideas and form them into structured jokes by reflecting on the story and not just the jokes. This works even if you just have a funny idea you are afraid to try on stage. Let's say you came up with a funny thought that your dog is trying to communicate with you. On stage, it might bomb because it feels forced, but in the format of a sketch, you can shape the story to fit the idea. Maybe you went on the date from hell. You find the crowd doesn't agree. It might be they need the visual, so you write a sketch to show how awful it was, as opposed to telling how awful it was. By doing this, you open your mind to unlimited jokes, and then you can look back on the sketch and find the funniest lines and see if you can adapt it back into stand up. Writing a Pilot or Screenplay Every comic should have a 22-30 page TV show pilot ready to show someone. In all reality, the real money in comedy is writing. Writing for a late night show, a TV show, a reality show, or even a web series. But you have to have examples and samples. Pilots are the first episode of a TV show. This show should platform your brand of comedy. Even if it's a dramedy like Ted Lasso or The Bear, it should be a way to express yourself and give yourself a break from daily life. If you don't know where to start, think about your life and give it a twist. Then when you pitch it, combine two similar shows so show producers or showrunners get the vibe. Examples:
Just for the record, Final Draft has a $10 app that can be the best way to start writing and saving scripts. Write a Joke on Facebook or X Daily I know you're busy. I get you might not have the time or energy to spend an hour or two a day writing. But you can write one joke a day on the platform you get the most traction on. Just one simple joke. The test is to see what jokes get the most likes and comments. On X I love following Drew Landry @MrDrewLandry and on Facebook I have 5,000 friends cracking jokes all the time. Writing a joke a day does three things: 1. Forces you to write 2. Helps you see what people like from you 3. Proves you're still alive and not dead If you cannot find time 5-7 days a week to write one joke about your day or something in the news, then are you really trying to be a comic? Because if you got a job writing for John Oliver's show, you'd be expected to write 50 jokes a day. So start the practice now. Final Thoughts Writing is painful and tiresome sometimes. I've been writing professionally since 2008, and as an English major, I've written more papers on Hamlet and John Updike than I'd like to remember. But writing is therapeutic. I've had short correspondences with many famous writers. In the mid-2000's I used to write emails back and forth with Roger Ebert. George Will once told me to never stop writing. And I've written with some of television's biggest writers back in my Nickelodeon days. Taking on one of these writing exercises above will help expand your comedy mindset, and most importantly, once done, even if just a joke a day, will give you a feeling of accomplishment - and that's something no one can take away from you.
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Starting out in comedy, there two comics inside you, the one you are and the one you want to be. The voice of your comedy heroes, and the voice inside your head. The things you want to say and the things you have the actual courage to say. The voice wanting to fight through, and the voice protecting you from getting into a fight. There's a clean and corporate voice you use at work, and then there is the dirty, sarcastic voice you use around your friends. While both voices are you, in some way this division can trample your creative spirit and stop you from committing to the bit. Somewhere in all that existential mess is your "comedic voice." Most people just call it your "voice," but I would encourage you to call it your "comedic voice," because there are many voices in your head, and to maximize each one within their proper platform will help you create a comedy career that makes money and gets you booked more often. What Do You Mean By "Comedic Voice?" Most of the time, when comics tell you to find your voice, they don't realize something they already know: Your voice on stage that gets maximum laughter is not the same voice you might use in other areas of life. If you acted in the adult world like you did on stage, you'd probably get fired from your job or relationships. Like, you would literally get written notifications from your spouse that it's time to break up because you've become insufferable. In fact, ever look at the divorce rate of comics? Just a thought. In the adult world (I don't like the "real world" terminology) you have a customer service voice, a son or daughter voice, a parent voice, a voice you use when Amazon over charges you, and even a dating voice. Each is a voice, some would call it a persona, that you use as a way to communicate effectively. But imagine your spouse walked into the kitchen and you said, "What's the deal with you making a mess in the kitchen?" followed by "What's the deal with you riding my ass all week?" That type of comedic setup/punch would quickly become unwanted sarcasm, and potentially a night on the couch for someone. But on stage, it quickly gets you to the punchline. When I was a teacher, my voice was more carefree and inspirational, like Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting. When I was a wrestling coach later in the day, it was way more aggressive and borderline psychotic, like Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman. Same man. Different voices. Had I switched them, my students would have me fired, and my wrestlers would probably enjoy practice more but hate all the losing. Just for the record, my AP students and freshman English students regularly performed highest in the country in writing exams, and my wrestling teams won a lot of league titles. Comedy is no different. Once you tap into your "comedic voice," you will find your act flying higher than Seth Rogan at a pot shop. How Do I Find My Comedic Voice? This is where it gets tricky and sometimes disappointing. In my above examples, the key take-a-way was that each voice was received well by its audience, and I had to tap into different versions of myself to earn their respect and willingness to listen. The same goes for a comedian. Jerry Seinfeld said it best: "The audience trains you." Basically, your "comedic voice" is the voice people enjoy you using when you are on stage. George Carlin talked politics. Chris Rock talks about male/female relationships. Carrot Top uses props. If Carrot top started rambling about the Clinton administration in the 1990's he might have written some great jokes, but the audience received him best as a prop comic, and now he is one of the wealthiest comics of all time. Rock could have put clock on a dildo and called it a "ticking cum bomb," but it would have been way out of place considering his racial and relationship jokes. And his buddies would have disowned him out of embarrassment. If Carlin had complained how women are gold diggers, it would have felt creepy and made him rather unlikable. Instead, Carlin trashed baby boomers for being greedy, and the crowd roared. Jim Gaffigan was once interviewed and said early in his career he had dick jokes and avocado jokes, and the audience enjoyed the "mundane" material more. Gaffigan has proven himself to be a very thoughtful and intelligent man in interviews since, but his material remains within the same wheelhouse where the audience enjoys his perspectives on food and theme parks. Your "comedic voice," if desiring a profitable career, will come out of where the biggest laughs come from. It's not about becoming the comic you want to be, but finding what version of a comic others respond to. Now, your range of topics and attitudes can change. Louis CK went from observational comic to middle age crude philosopher. Taylor Tomlinson went from church girl to cynical millennial. And Jon Stewart had a very traditional observational act before becoming the political voice of reason. For everyone, it's a journey, with trial and error. But the key is to find what works and double down on that. Do you get laughs on being a stoner doofus? Are audience members coming up to you after saying your jokes on dating were relatable? What clips on IG Reels or Tik Tok are getting the most love? If you get out of your own way, you'll find where your voice shines bright. How Long Does It Take? Everyone is different. When I started out, I thought I would be a Christian comic playing churches. At the time I was a educator at a Christian high school and college. I was teaching Children's Sunday School and Bible studies. But since church crowds like marriage and kid material, I wasn't their cup of tea. You think 50 year old couples are on Bumble? They didn't even know what Bumble was! Then when I took my Christian jokes to clubs, they got laughs, but the jokes never "popped" until I doubled down on embarrassing stories and jokes where I had a slight "George Constanza" vibe. So my act became this theme: I win when I lose, and I lose when I win. What I've learned is as long this theme drives the joke, it will work 100% of the time - For Me. The rest of my jokes that don't follow this formula, they are hit and miss or fall flat. I'll give you a recent example. I recently wrote a bit how I stayed at my best friend's place at Christmas and how his 3 year old son kept asking when was I leaving. So I'm winning because I'm hanging with my best friend's family, but I'm losing because I'm getting heckled by his kid. Big laughs every time. When I expanded the bit to talk about how his in-laws stay with them a few times a year, I joked I only want to date orphans to prevent that problem. I even wrote a tag about using the dating app Orphans Only. I thought that was hysterical. Crickets. Nothing. Why? Because it's not the "comedic voice" the audience enjoys. Maybe my friends who know me would laugh, but strangers just pulled back. It took me about three years to stumble unto this realization, but most comics will tell you that it takes at least 8-10 years to find a voice, and another 8-10 years to perfect that voice. Will there be hits and misses? Of course. But the faster you let the audience train you, you'll find that voice. Here's An Exercise to Try This is an exercise I use to give students at their next 5 minute set. Open with one joke about your identity. This can be a joke about your looks, sexual identity, political leanings, etc. Then rant for 2 minutes about a small problem in your life. Then do one minute on a big problem/issue in society - like the president, war, religion, Super Bowl observations, etc. This will allow you to see the shift in the audience. Watch what they're responding to. Then wrap it up with a final joke. That should be 4-5 minutes. But instead of focusing on perfecting the jokes, just gage the audience. Look into their eyes. Are they with you? If they are or aren't, take that away with you. Learn from what works and what doesn't that way. Then at the next 5 minute mic ONLY do jokes that match the one that worked. Then at the next 5 minute mic ONLY do jokes in the vein of those that didn't. Feel the energies. I mean it. Learning to understand audience energy is a faster way than just trying anything and seeing it it works. Final Thoughts Your "comedic voice" is your comedic identity. You don't want finding it to take forever because you will become frustrated and bitter. You will also lose out on bigger gigs down the line. The process is hard, and you have to be vulnerable. If you are afraid to bomb, you'll never get there. But once you do, you'll have a "comedic voice" you can share with everyone. Whether it's Jerry Seinfeld's "Ever notice how weird this little part life is?" voice, Amy Schumer's "Walk of Shame Cool Aunt Advice" voice, or Keven Hart's "Can you believe this is happening?" voice, every great comic has a unique "comedic voice," and once you tap into it, your writing, performing, and confidence will skyrocket. When I started doing stand up comedy ten years ago, I wasn't sure how to begin. I had been hitting a few open mics a week, and all I found was that parking in Los Angeles was worse than I thought, and these bucket mics are totally rigged. So I decided the best way to get up at least once a week and get some feedback, I'd take a comedy class. My first class at Flappers was with 5 very nice people, one who would become a great friend and an instructor, who would become my mentor. The class lasted 6 weeks. I built out 5 minutes of material. It was a great experience. And then I found out comics really hated comedy classes and thought they were a waste of time and money. And that's also when I figured out, a lot of older comics who had accomplished a lot with no competition had just as many opinions as those with very little experience and a lot more opportunities.
Let me start by saying that I believe in comedy classes, if done effectively, and I believe that there are many roads to becoming a professional comedian. But I can say, based on teaching over 2,000 students the past 5 years, that there are a lot of scammers, swindlers, and liars teaching comedy like the snake oil salespeople they were born to be. Here is a breakdown of what a comedy school or instructor should be and how to smell a crook from a barstool's difference. Why Take a Comedy Class? Often, comics find the idea of comedy classes "offensive." They have this idea that you can't teach funny. And in some ways they are right. A comedy class or workshop cannot teach you how to be funny, but they should teach you how to be the funniest version of yourself. As a life long educator myself, ranging from Sunday School for kids to Critical Thinking at the college level, as well as a wrestling coach, I understand we are all inherently limited in talent and skill. But everyone has some skill, and a class can give direction to maximize that skill. This goes for improv classes, writing classes, MMA classes, painting classes, etc. For some reason people seem to think taking piano lessons are okay, even if the person only wants to learn for fun, but if a person wants a few pointers on how set ups, punchlines, and personas work, they are participating in a scam. That's a barbaric thought. There are plenty of people qualified to teach stand up to new comics and help revise a veteran' act with a few suggestions. In fact, green rooms are mini-classes, where comics give advice and ideas. It's just most people don't get into those green rooms in their fist 3-4 years. But there are also people who never did stand up or did it at a higher level, and yet for some reason they feel the calling to take $400 from people without giving them the tools to decide how far they want to go. These people are casting directors and ex-bookers who see the wide eyed star gazers and exploit them. When I took my first class, I asked the instructor his background. After realizing he'd been a working road comic with numerous credits, I decided to take the class. Had it just been some college manager with no real comedy chops, or a booker who never leaves their club, I would have been more resistant. So here are a few things to look for when debating who you should pay money to for comedy advice. Comedy Instructors Should Be ACCOMPLISHED Comedians If you are going to ask for advice from a comedian, you should ask someone you respect. If you are going to PAY for advice from a comedian, you better pay someone who is where you want to be one day. When I took over Flappers University, I had two major TV stand up credits and had worked at Nickelodeon. I was opening for comics who had been on Letterman. And I was headlining shows around Los Angeles. I was getting paid regularly for shows. I had a real career. That was 2019. Today I'm on four booking agency rosters, have a Dry Bar Special, a Laugh on Fox spot, have toured all over the country, and I'm a publish writer and sought out public speaker for events. I've even converted my comedy talents in to other job opportunities - like contract work for biotech companies (writing training sketches) and headlining OSHA speaking events. I consider myself qualified to tell people how to start and maintain a comedy career that fits them and their goals. You'd be surprised how many schools are ran by casting agents, washed up bookers, former improv actors who never did stand up, and people who read Judy Carter's book and stole the formulas. Before you take anyone's class, please Google them. If they don't have anything worth watching, then they aren't worth giving your money to. Comedy Classes Should "Teach" a Philosophy and Structure Many comics have told me they took classes before and the instructor would throw ideas at them and tell them to try that. Whether that idea was play a "character" or "just say these things on stage." There was no philosophy. No real breakdown. No actual thought of what types of jokes people should start off writing. For me, the "write from a place of personal truth" philosophy worked best. I'm not a fan of comics starting out with observational humor that might work with their buddies but will confuse strangers. If your first joke is about Taylor Swift, then you've already lost me. She's a talented billionaire with a billion fans. You're a middle age dude who paid to take a class. Maybe start with your own insecurities, and let's go from there. If your instructor cannot sum up their philosophy in a few sentences, then stay away. Or if they say, "I'll help you get booked at all the clubs..." then run away faster than the knights in Monty Python from rabbits. Another component is the classic set up - punchline structure. If they aren't able to help you structure your jokes to have clear set ups and clear punchlines, then it's a waste of time. Starting out in comedy, you get 3-5 minutes at open mics, so you want a joke every 20-30 seconds. If the instructor says, "Just tell a funny story" or "just be comfortable" on stage, then they are not helping you. There is a method to the madness, at least when starting out, and the structure part should be clearly out there in the objectives. Multi-Week Classes Should Have 5-10 People If you ever take a multi-week class and it has over 11 people...run! I always liked 10 people, but once you get to 12-15 or even 20 people in a multi-week class, there is no time to actually break down your jokes. If the class looks like a cash grab, it probably is. Obviously, there are exceptions, but I've found, when instructors want a lot of students in a feedback class, they either are feeding their own ego or trying to pay their bills on the backs of aspiring comics. Instructors should be a regular working comic, not just a comedy teacher. I would also add, your class should donate a solid 10-15 minutes of time to you personally. There should be at least 5-7 minutes of material time, followed by 5-6 minutes of constructive feedback, and an opportunity for classmates to add thoughts. If you aren't getting solid feedback, then what's the point? If you take a one day workshop, that's different. Learning how to get booked, emcee, or the "rules" of storytelling could hold a lot of people in the room (in person or zoom), since these workshops require less interaction. It's important that you research the comics teaching them. I know of people teaching "writing for Late Night" who never wrote for a show. I know comics teaching classes on being an emcee who don't emcee outside of their club. I know comics who teach social media classes with no following. You want to be careful, because a lot of these scammers just steal other people's class notes, but then when Q & A time comes, they're confused and speechless. Don't Fall For Big Promises If you take a class and the instructor is promising you this will lead to better gigs down the road at big clubs...run! First off, if you are in the class stage of comedy, then you are not in the paid gig stage of comedy. Nor are you in the getting passed by big club stage. They have talent already. Too often I hear people tell me the instructor promised bookers from clubs would be at their showcases, and then it turned out to be a bringer producer who runs scam bringer shows with hacky title names like Suck These Nutz Comedy or Shimmy Shitty Show. Then the instructor tells students to do those shows, and then the bringer producer tells the comics they have to sign up for classes again to get new material for the next bringer show. Talk about a pyramid scheme. Just a wolf in sheep clothing. If you are taking a class to get into a club's good graces, I would encourage you to lower your expectations. I remember one year a whole group of advance students at a club comedy class thought they would get feature and eventual headliner spots, only to be asked to produce their own semi-bringer shows where they could headline themselves (at 20 minutes max). The club or school has no desire to make you famous. They have no desire to foster talent to become big time stars. They want pre-packaged social media stars and upcoming talent associated with bigger name comics. They want them on the ladder up, so they can eventually get them back to sell out a weekend. They do not see students as anything more than open mic hosts. Or unpaid main room hosts, if they meet demographic requirements. Let's just say older comics get the door for often than stage time. So if you take a class and they promise club bookers, better spots, etc. just...run. Make Sure You Don't Go Broke In the video above, I discuss this in better detail. But I can't tell you how many people I know who spent a lot of money, thinking the fast track to success is taking classes. Classes are a supplement to the hard work, not the basis. I understand that comedy instructors are trying to make money, but if they are charging a fortune to start, then they clearly are trying to cash grab before you realize it's not a legit way to become Joe Rogan's opener. One time a student told me he spent over $20,000 on classes. He wasn't where he wanted to be, and his family was not happy. You think? I would encourage you to spend no more than $1,000 in your entire class journey. That's 3-4 classes, depending on the school. After that, you should be pointed in the right direction. If you still feel the need to take classes, then it should be for community instead of career. Part of being a great comic is trusting yourself and not "asking permission" of a coach or mentor. As long as you are in classes, you will always rely on someone else. And the price will be more than just what you spend your money on; it'll be your time as well. Final Thoughts There is so much to write, but we all have to get back to our regular lives. At the end of the day, a good comedy class can be a fun experience. But don't get caught in the trap that classes make comedians. At some point you should fly the nest and flap your own wings. Final final thought: Don't let anyone make you feel bad or less than for taking a class. Most comics just live and bomb at open mics. That's their journey. But if you want to avoid the toxic nature of bar mics, then a class can save you a lot of that frustration. But just don't expect one student showcase to change your life forever. Because, if you do, then not only will you find yourself angry and bitter, but now angry, bitter, and broke. While we live in a world that tells us to celebrate ourselves fully, to embrace ourselves without question, and there is truth in that, in the world of comedy I have one response - ha! Don't let anyone tell you that your looks or age or race don't matter in comedy. Because they do. It's not just a "be funny" business. Anyone who broke free of the open mic circuit knows that on the other side is the political game. The "casting" of comedy shows and festivals, where the quotas are met, and the frustrating reality hits that they only need one of you, depending on your tribe or group. One lady. One senior citizen. One younger woman. One Asian. One Black person. One Middle Eastern. One fat guy. But then 4-5 mid looking white men named Lenny or Jake. If you think your looks don't translate to bookings, then you are very much mistaken.
The Silent Minority While every other group sees the bias in their demographic, one group that gets a short end of the stick are the good looking comics. No, really. Go look at a comedy flyer. Odds are it's mostly frumpy, fugly folks. It's not a lot of Sydney Sweeney's either. Go look at the lineups at the big clubs. Do you see a lot of 9's or 10's performing? No. Is it because attractive people aren't funny? We know that's not true. In fact. I would say being attractive helps immensely in the beginning, as their shiny faces help distract from the frump on the rest of the flyer. But what was a ladder in the beginning, sadly becomes a crutch down the road. Because most attractive comics face harassment and expectations that many comics never face. Humor is a Great Equalizer in the Arts Whenever they do a study about what women want in a man, routinely, a sense of humor tops the list. Albert Brooks once scoffed at that stat, stating, "I'm pretty sure Fabio does better with women that Gilbert Gottfried." It's a good point, and probably true, but women still swear that they want a man to make them laugh. In response to this claim, pundits have argued that women tend to find cute boys funnier because when nervous around them, they laugh. So it's not that "Chad" is inherently funny, but those dimples make a woman swoon. Meanwhile, men traditionally could care less if a woman is funny. Sorry, ladies. No guy ever thought that she was so funny, she must be "wifed up" before it is too late. But it is very important women find HIM funny. Even a guy with nothing but dad jokes, puns, and stolen Tim Allen stories wants her to laugh at him. Men view humor as their greatest weapon to fight off good looking men in the dating pool. And the greatest insecurity a "funny guy" can feel is when his girlfriend or wife laugh at other men's jokes. In fact, the worst date a guy could take a woman on is going to watch funny male comedians. Watching their girl roll over in laughter is worse than catching them in bed with another guy...it hyperbolic theory. When he asks, "what that mouth do?" He's hoping she doesn't say, "Laugh at Matt Rife." This is why men have had to develop some type of personality. Because when she's giggling at pretty boy nonsense, his only comeback is; "But I'm actually funny." Women develop a sense of humor as a way to combat chauvinistic behaviors. It's their way to fight the patriarchy. If anything, the Barbie movie literally proved that theory. It's a way to become "equal" in the eyes of men. If anything, men find a woman who makes more money or funnier than them as a threat. I know that sounds weird, but we all know its true. What Makes a Person Funny? Growing up, extroverts are seen as the funny guys. Think about high school. The stoner who gets drunk at parties and dances on tables. The wild man. That is usually the introduction to what is funny. In fact, the most popular comics are those archetypes. Jim Carrey. Robin Williams. Chris Farley. It's a the clown - an over the top character on speed. The fat guy. The lanky guy. The sweaty guy. Not the attractive guy. It is how they separate themselves from the pack. It's a type of vulnerability that allows them to be free, whereas many attractive people feel the need to dress, stand, fashion themselves in a way others see as a mask. So when the goofy dudes transition to Hollywood, they become stars because they resemble our earliest memories of "fun." Rarely do young people find dry wit and sarcasm funny. It's an acquired taste. But bold and loud always gets the belly laugh. Relatively unattractive, these men's attractiveness stems from their confidence in telling jokes and act-outs. This is why Adam Sandler was a box office star and Albert Brooks wasn't. Sandler's over-the-top broad style reminds us of the class clown. Brooks is the class president or valedictorian. Even with women, it's the loud girl who is funny. The heavyset girl who puts everyone in their place. The tomboy. The emotionally detached emo girl too. From these archetypes we get Rosie O'Donnell, Wanda Sykes, Rosanne Barr, Amy Schumer, and Ellen. They are self-deprecating, They area bit aloof. They seem ironically surprised their poor choices lead to an unfortunate outcome. They love irony and sarcasm. They tend to be sexually ambivalent (The Rosie's come to mind) or very sexually expressive and experienced (a la Amy Schumer). Only recently, has the "hot girl" become the prototype. Maybe it started with the Cameron Diaz 1990's pixy dream girl look, but now we see a shift from Rosanne Barr to Nikki Glaser or Whitney Cummings. This has opened doors for many female comics, but there is still a bias against attractive women. Is There An Advantage in Comedy To Being Less Attractive? This gets a bit controversial, but it's generally true good looking people are considered less funny. As Christopher Hitchens once added, and I'm paraphrasing, an ugly man has to develop a sense of humor if he ever dreams of getting laid. If you think about the types of stand up comics that make it, they are not attractive people. Jim Gaffigan, Sam Kinison, Richard Pryor, etc. The main reason is because no one wants to hear attractive people complain.
Plus, no one wants to hear pretty people problems. So if you find your jokes about the gym or dating hotties who won't commit bombing, then complain about a more universal problem first, then move into something that is unique to 10% of the population. Attractive comics make it work, but it takes some wiggling on stage to get there. Exceptions to the Rule Are there exceptions? Sure. Matt Rife and Dane Cook come to mind. Even Eddie Murphy would fall into this camp. Of course there are attractive female comics like Nikki Glaser, Sarah Silverman, and Ali Wong who write sharp jokes. One thing that I think pushes out female comics is the harassment and bombardment of sexual advancements they face. Many attractive female comics have complained to me that when they get opportunities, the bookers, producers, or headliners make strong moves on them. These slimeballs try to coerce women into sexual favors in exchange for stage time. This incel mentality goes from the open mic scene to the highest level of Hollywood. To quote Hamlet, "there's the rub." Women want the opportunity but don't want this repulsive expectation. And for the record, how much do these men have to really hate women to see them as purely vessels for sexual pleasure? If a comic, booker, etc. only wants sex in exchange for stage time, clearly they are ass wipes who will not do anything for you, except make you feel like less than you deserve to feel. What we found in the #MeToo movement is that this was more prevalent than even imagined. And we find that attractive males faced this as well with male executives. The recent Katt Williams interview hinted at this, and comedic actors like Terry Crews named names of agents who promised parts in exchange for more parts. This behavior is abhorrent and when seen has to be called out. How Can One's Looks Create a Window? Watching Rife today, he reminds me of Cook in 2006 when every girl I knew crushed hard. But the trajectory isn't long lasting as the audience grows up and the hot guy no longer relates to their audience. For these comics to last, it's all in the shift of complaints. Adam Sandler, the clear replacement of Shore in 1995 (Jury Duty flopped and Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore soared) grew up with his crowd, and did the brilliant move of making himself desirable by being married to Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Salma Hayek in his romcoms. Since beautiful women make men look better, he was able to go from goofball to dadbod. Whereas Pauley Shore, the icon of teen rebellion in the 1980s, stayed a boy and his audience passed him by. When comics rely on their current looks to keep a career going, they find themselves fading out. It's why it's important to reinvent yourself every few years. You don't want to wake up wearing the same outfit you did ten years ago. That's how you become a Gallagher. What Can You Do to Leverage Your Looks? There are ways to leverage your looks and keep your dignity. If there is a club or festival you want to get into, and you see they don't have a lot of talent that looks like you - hit them up! And just know that we are all struggling with getting booked. I literally had bookers tell me they don't need "straight white males," as if I can just pull from the SWM group fund to pay my bills. While the commitment to diversity is appreciated, it still plays out as gatekeeping no one really feels comfortable addressing. Regardless of the unfairness, we have to play the game to the best of our ability. It's really just a "moneyball" situation. Look for the opportunities out there and reach out. If you see there are places lacking people who look like you, START THERE. While most people who see their doppelgangers on the flyer hit those places up first, reach out to clubs and producers lacking representation that resembles you. It's not that they don't want certain groups - it usually stems from them having no idea where to look. Final Thoughts The entertainment industry is a rough and tumble place where the rules change every day. One day Matt Damon is the ideal male and the next it is Seth Rogan. One day Rosie O'Donnell is the queen of comedy and then it is Iliza or Tiffany Haddish. Don't believe me about Rosie? She literally was cast as Betty in The Flintstones Movie, which many considered a sex symbol cartoon. So what was "hot" today becomes "cold" tomorrow. But what never gets cold, is you moving as the chess board moves. It's reinventing yourself. It's finding universal complaints. It's creating a brand that reaches your people. And that's the beautiful part of an ugly truth. To get good anything you have to do it often and fail more than you succeed. Too often people are so afraid of failure they only do something in a safe place or under certain circumstances that appease their nervous system. People don't want to drive too far or spend too much money or use their time off to build their future. So instead of building an empire, they find themselves crafting out a corner of a street. Instead of getting paid legitimate money, they have to work for free or get nickeled and dimed by shady clubs. One of the reasons is because they live off the global success of others. They feel other people's success is their success, and it just simply isn't. The reason is because they live off the inspiration others feed them. Here's my basic example. If Jim Gaffigan gets a big movie role, I really can't say "if he wins, we all win," without grabbing my clown makeup. Now, if I get a movie role, then Jim might say, "It's great if an upcoming comic gets a big break - it's a win for all of us." He can say that because he's still worth millions. When I say it, I'm still worth hundreds. So remember this, success is not collective achievements that create inspiration - it's the hard work you put in creating perspiration that matters, not the inspiration. Inspiration is the drug you give yourself to be better, until it's the drug that leaves you complacent.
"You" Are Not the Accomplishments of Others Sometimes comics or celebrities have a great story about how they had $5 in their bank account when Netflix called them, and people are inspire. At the end of the day these stories are handcrafted to create empathy and a willingness to follow them. None of actually make you a better comic or better person. Too often I hear people tell me these stories "inspire" them, and then I ask, "Did you get up more?" or "Did you finally write that script?" And the answer is always no. In fact, they did less. I have been struggling with this my whole adult life. I love movies and always thought I would be a filmmaker. Instead I saw a much of movies and never made my own. I still get "inspired" when I watch a great film or awards show, but I realized, I'm just a pundit in the Hollywood wheel. Whereas, in stand up, I never really cared to see a bunch of shows, and instead, performed at a lot of open mics and bar shows. Sometimes we treat other's success like our own like the way fat dads treat their favorite football team, yelling "we won" after a game. No, Mark, "we" did nothing. They won, while you ate three types of pizza. You can't live off the accomplishments of others, feel good about it, not move forward yourself, and wake up the next day thinking you've done anything. It feels good to the you in the present, but it's cruel to you of the future. Comedy Challenge: Watch Less - Get Up More People ask me all the time if I watched so-and-so's comedy special. 90% of the time I say no. They go, "How? It's so good?" Because I realized early on, if you have great shared experiences, you live off them instead of feeding yourself. Also, let's say your favorite comic writes a great joke. You can't use it. You can't copy it. In fact, if you write your own version - it won't be as good. Tim Burton once told an interviewer he doesn't watch other movies while making his own, so he isn't "influenced" by it. So when I watch comedy, I watch people the opposite of me. I watch old Albert Brooks and current Eddie Pepitone. Because I'm not doing what they do. But their commitment to the bit is the key takeaway. I don't watch a lot, but when I seek comedy, I seek out them. Watch More Bad Comedy, Not Good Comedy When I was starting out, I would go to Flappers Main Room and laugh at the great comics like Jimmy Dore, Dan Gabriel, and Melissa Villasenor. But that wasn't helping me. They are performing well crafted jokes to fans. So I started watching the YooHoo room amateur show. I gained a lot of knowledge and ten pounds eating pizza every week. Watching half baked premises, punchline-lacking jokes, and nervous demeanors actually became a real learning experience. Watching good comedy makes you laugh, but watching bad comedy makes you a better comic. Let me repeat that: Watching good comedy makes you laugh, but watching bad comedy makes you a better comic. Here's the theory: If you watch good comedy, what do you learn? Maybe be confident, have a punchline every 20 seconds, and be vulnerable. But those comics have 15-45 minutes up there to get into a grove. Most comics get five minutes. Watch how young comics squander their time. Watch how they don't get to their first laugh for a minute or 90 seconds (if at all). Watch how the crowd feels the tension of sitting in a silence that never gets broken. Then think to yourself, "I won't let that happen." And start writing great jokes. You'll find yourself forcing yourself to NOT be that awful open micer. If you watch a great comic ramble, you'll just think, "I'm just doing what Chappelle does" and never get better. My Inspiration v. Perspiration Challenge Okay, so let's say you think you want to go watch your favorite comic or support a show or watch a comedy special. Don't. Stop. Don't do it. Instead, go get up yourself. Go write your new jokes or work on your content or script. When you get the itch to watch, getup instead. Trust me, the headliner doesn't watch you. They're too busy getting ready. Trevor Wallace isn't interested in your Instagram Reels, because he's building his own empire. Stop watching movie, if you want to make movies. Trust me on this. I see so many comics who never "made it" or never got what they wanted because they're too busy taking pictures, watching shows, and trying to be PART of the show instead of BEING THE SHOW. Final Thoughts I understand the desire to watch comedy to be inspired, but I would argue that only works if you are not a comic. Sure, you can tell me that it inspired you seeing your friends on stage, but inspired you to do what? To watch more comedy? When I watch a sports film like Hoosiers, it inspires me to be better at comedy, buy reminding me to never give up when the odds are against me. It doesn't inspire me to play basketball. Watching comedy specials doesn't lead to you getting a special. Watching cooking shows doesn't make you more full. And watching porn doesn't lead to more sex. If you listen to your favorite podcaster (car trips only - no sitting at home listening), you'll hear them say "I heard that movie was good" or "I need to see them on stage for myself" or "I want to catch that." It's because they are too busy doing "it" to sit around watching "it." I see a lot of movies, but I go in the spaces between my comedy and writing and TV show pitching time. 2pm is a great movie watching time. 8pm is for performing. If you want a productive 2024, remember you will reap what you sow. Sow into watching, you'll find more time to watch. Sow into doing, and you just might wake up doing more. |
Paul Douglas Moomjean Blog's About What's on His MindBlogging allows for me to rant when there is no stage in the moment to talk about what's important and/or funny to me. Archives
March 2024
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