Advice Without a Plan is Just Bad Advice

In November 2019 I started this journey of writing about stand up comedy. Others had tried it with their websites and YouTube vlogs but usually got burned out by a year's end. I'll be approaching my fifth year this November and I've written over 200 articles, attempting to give the most practical advice about writing, performing, branding, and getting booked in the stand up world. It's not easy. But luckily I'm living this comedy life daily with a lot of other wonderful comics I'm in contact with telling me the problems they face day in and day out. I also read a lot of Facebook comments and go to comedy group pages where I read about local drama and universal comedy issues, inspiring more topics to dive into. And there's a lot of bad advice I read. People don't know they're giving bad advice, so I don't fault them. Some inherently give bad advice because they're bitter or confused by the business side - it's more of a limited amount of experiences than purposely trying to sabotage rising comics.

But if there is one piece of advice that really upsets me is when people tell you what to do without giving some guidance. To hand a young comic a destination without a road map and compass is beyond bad advice, because it creates the type of anxiety and fear that causes them to do bad bringers, hook up with shady venues, and causes a lot of self doubt not needed so early on in their stage of comedy. Recently, I read an article by a club that said if you're not satisfied with your bookings, just start doing churches, cruises, and colleges. They gave no idea how to do any of those things and basically inferred if clubs don't book you anymore, then it's because that's not your market and you're not needed. None of that is true. So here is some practical advice on how to reintroduce yourself to a showcase club and the tools you'll need to break into new markets if you're ready.

How To Reintroduce Yourself To A Club 
So your "bringing days" are behind you. Your friends and family are burned out buying $5-$30 tickets to watch you do 5 minutes. That is normal. You've found your bookings dry up. You show up to the auditions, only to be told they need you to promote. Understand, that's a "them" problem and not a "you" problem. Sure does suck for them that you brought more people than they could, but that acknowledgment doesn't fix the problem of getting booked again. What you have to do is take a break from the clubs and focus on everything else around you that doesn't require bringing. Go find bar shows and tiny venues where you just focus on the act. Do that for 6 months to a year. Give your friends a break too. Those who work in secret can shine in the future open light. 

Now that you've discovered your new, more confident voice, you go back to the club and you ask them if they need hosts from open mics to smaller room shows. You bring a new type of value. Clubs don't want to ask you, just to hear you wanted the Main Room instead of hosting, but by offering to host you can build relationships with every comic you bring up. By showing the venue you don't need them, they'll respect you more.

Now, all of this is predicated on the idea your act is a club representation style act. Which means you're not too alt or crude. If they see progress as a comic, they'll be impressed too. Think of this as getting out of the comedy friendzone. 

Tools You'll Need To Reinvent Your Brand 
Often, comics want to be treated like big name comics when they have nothing to show if anyone looked them up. One reason clubs or agencies don't take your booking requests seriously is because you are selling the idea you're an asset without providing the proof. So let's say you go back to the club in 6-12 months, here are a few things to put together so you can show them you're a wanted and needed comic.

A Functioning Website
You'd be surprised how your website can change someone's perception of you. It doesn't have to be fancy either. You can use a pretty simple out of the box web based tool like Wix or Weebly (which I use) to build a front page a few tabs. Make sure it is both computer and phone accessible. You'd be surprised how people made none phone friendly websites by using Flash or code that doesn't work on the mobile device. Here's mine. You can look at it here: 
https://www.themoomabides.com/

You'll want to have a page dedicated to a calendar of shows:
https://www.themoomabides.com/show-dates.html

And a few 5 minute clips (linked to YouTube) showcasing your best work, and EPK (Electric Press Kit) with some nice photos, credits, and lists of comics and venues you work with. This will allow a booker from clubs, cruises, churches, casinos, or colleges to see your highlights and career.  
​https://www.themoomabides.com/press-kit.html

Getting that 5, 10, and 30 Minute Tape 
No matter the venue or market you want, your link/tape game must be strong. You want to have a couple listed 5-10 minute sets on YouTube that demonstrate your brand of humor. Don't worry about comics stealing jokes. That's not really as big of thing as you'd think, and unless they take your joke on late night, no one will ever think you're stealing a joke you actually wrote. But if you don't have a YouTube digital fingerprint, many will think you're the one stealing jokes or just not very good. I know if a comic can't send my a tape of anything then I'm not interested. 

One thing you can do is invest in a small tripod and use your iPhone to film a set. Just make sure the laughs are there and you can be clearly seen. If you're struggling getting laughs, then it's time to reevaluate the material. Even if you just have one solid 5 minute set, you can get a lot of gigs. 

Getting a longer set will require more work on your part. You may need to ask a booker at a restaurant show or alt venue to do you a favor and give you a feature or co-headliner spot. You can ask if they need helpers or need access to other comics you could reach out to. Another way is to invest in yourself and find a small venue and produce the show yourself. Tell your friends you're doing a taping and want them to see you do 25-40 minutes. I would get a friend with a nice camera to help. You then post a long set on YouTube as UNLISTED and cut it up for reels and Tik Toks. 

Don't Be Afraid To Say Goodbye To Clubs 
Here's the dark secret about showcase "bringer" clubs: They only wanted you for the guests. If by some chance you built a following or got a manager or got road gigs with a big headliner, they might utilize you differently, but for most clubs, they suck you up and spit you out. In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, Willie Loman screamed, "You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit." Yet, the bringer rooms do this to everyone at some point. 

The irony is that after you do all the work to build a website, create a better digital fingerprint, and work on the tapes that showcase your best work, you'll probably get the attention of agencies that need you for road gigs that pay. Currently, I'm in three agencies and a just got invited to participate in corporate emcee work. I have had casting producers reach out to work with me on projects, and I just got back from a paid acting gig due to the producer/writer knowing my comedy stylings. The more you work on yourself, the less you feel the need to impress those who never saw your true value. 

Final Thoughts
Here's the thing. The bad advice I mentioned earlier was just a dumb way of saying if you no longer are getting booked, start looking at other doors. That is a truth, but to just say it is just as condescending as when your family member says, "You should go on The Tonight Show." Unless they know the booker, they're being cruel, even if they think they're helping. 

​So if you can grab anything from this article, please start thinking how you can shape your career to reflect all the hard work you've put in. And if you still want to get back into the clubs, don't settle for anything less than a promotion upwards.