Anyone who grew up in the 1990's as a junior high or high school student probably watched a lot of Saturday Night Live. Without streaming or YoutTube to later watch on your own time, if you wanted to see Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Adam Sandler, you had to be home at 11:30pm on Saturday and watch what would become the eventual lunchroom conversation (along with The Simpsons) or risk the earliest form of FOMO. Not every sketch was a homerun, but every week was must see viewing. What SNL did was train us to watch sketches in a certain way, and through the prism of talented writers, producers, and executives, that format became the standard. There's a reason we still remember SNL sketches but nothing from MADtv really made it into the cultural zeitgeist. The only sketch show to come close was In Living Color, but that was so edgy, it was unsustainable to maintain on network TV.

Today, everyone is a creating sketches. But here's the catch. The SNL style is now considered dated by younger generations. The TikTok/IG Reel culture has created a new model. Out are the 5-10 minute long form sketches and in are the 60 second sketches that rack up views and are immediately disposed of after consuming. So I want to look at the three basic forms of sketch writing, because if you are using the SNL structure online, your chances to go viral are DOA. And if you don't have a 6-8 page sketch on file, your chances of getting hired by a showrunner becomes zilch. 

Stage Sketches 
Before most of the SNL cast members became household names, many of them were Improv and sketch characters. They honed their craft through performance groups in UCB and Groundlings classes. These types of sketches feed off the energy of the (young) crowd and have a traditional structure where the actors learn lines (often without cue cards) and allow for playful improv. If you watch these sketches on poorly shot video on YouTube today you'll find them rather static and boring. That's because they're meant to be felt, not just watched. It's a humorous experience where actors and writers are learning what works and what doesn't. Sketches on the stage don't make a lot of money, but the purpose is to find a voice in a workshop environment.   

SNL TV Sketch 
Here is where we see the classic SNL format play out and influence writers for decades. These multi-camera sketches usually start with a sort of based in reality premise. Then the sketch progressively grows and escalates into a more bizarre ending. Think about the SNL presidential sketches. The candidates walk out like they're going to have a normal debate and then the moderator loses control as more and more nonsense is spewed.  

Think about Chris Farley's Matt Foley, the man who lives in a van down by the river. The sketch doesn't really get into a big laugh until 2 minutes in! The sketch starts with concerned parents trying to get their kids off pot. Then they set up the joke with the premise they hired a motivational speaker. Then Farley shows up. Then it builds and builds until the family reunites afraid that Foley will live with them. 

Many would say it's the funniest sketch in SNL history, and they would be right. But today, that sketch wouldn't survive the Reels/TikTok algorithm. This classical long form style might stand the test of time, but it doesn't stand the test of catching a viewer in the first five seconds. The structure is set up-punchline, but through a traditional story narrative. For the millennials and Gen Xers it's the way it's supposed to be, but for the social media generation, it doesn't work. 

Social Media Sketches 
That brings us to today's sketches. Today, the hook (premise) can't take two minutes, but instead has to be introduced within the first five seconds. Whether it's Trevor Wallace's famous There's No Laws with White Claws or the current Content Machine's gender/dating videos, the jokes come within seconds, like a funny commercial; and the product is their brand of humor. 

Trevor's brand of quick hook sketches was a sort of transitional era back in the 2018-2020 era. He started with 4-5 minutes traditional lengths and eventually found a solid sweet spot of shorter sketches. He later converted these characters into the voice of his comedy. It took a few years, but after finding that voice, he has turned himself into one of the top comics in the country. 

Meanwhile, the Content Machine team has turned the 60-90 second sketch into a clear brand, mocking everything from dating culture to the corporate workplace, mocking the entire Gen Z experience. This quick 60-90 second structure packs a joke every ten seconds. With their rolodex of beautiful female guest stars, these two dudes have become the standard of sharable meme-sketches. 

Another example of this is @Cherdleys, who portrays a young man dressed like a Mormon, preaching self-righteous messages and putting down women. It's all done in good cheer, but these videos are sometimes just 10 seconds. With a mixture of silly rainbow graphics and fonts, they get thousand's of shares. With over 1 million followers, clearly this is working.     

Think of SNL as the Albert Brooks, Woody Allen, or Steve Martin type of films and today's new crop as the next group of Airplane! or Naked Gun films - layering the jokes on top of each other. One gets Oscar nominations. The others make millions at the box office. 

Why This Matters
Often I talk to friends who want to create sketches to go viral, and there are a lot of them, but they try for a few months and don't go much further than filming a bunch and then giving up. Views never get past a certain number and they get discouraged. Which is essentially the network TV mindset. Low ratings equals a failure. 

But that's not how the current algorithm works today. The ratings/views are less important than the amount of content you post. Whereas SNL takes a whole week writing and rewriting sketches, content creators pump out similar style sketches matching certain brands and themes daily.   

If you want to go viral, the trick is to create quick, disposable, rapid-fire content. It's like a video meme you send to friends and then weeks from now you've forgotten it. In our new world, this is the template. Just keep filming and putting up content. The algorithm will eventually reward you for feeding the machine. 

Think of Sketches as a Portfolio 
While going viral is a goal and eventual pathway to other successes, keep in mind that most won't. So it is important to film content you think is funny and you can be proud of. Even if you want to create long form SNL sketches, then just make them as great as you can. You might not build a fan base, but you might be able to show them to showrunners and producers down the road. By having a strong portfolio, you can prove to TV executives that you have the chops to create content, work with talent, write scripts, and film. 

So don't look at each view as life or death, but look at each individual piece as a bigger part of selling your writing or directing or editing. 

Final Thoughts
Being a comic today means you have to have your hand in a few things beyond stand up. Creating your own web based content is crucial to creating a voice, but so is having a writing example. One thing you'll notice is that the viral social media creators don't always transition to TV. Their brand of comedy works in 30-90 second pieces, but if they try to expand to 30 minute episodes, they can't find the same magic. That's why you must work all the  writing muscles. 

This is why Adam Sandler made it. He was a sketch writer/performer, but also had high concept script writing abilities. He took "sketch" characters like Billy Madison and Bobby Boucher and found a way to put them in full length feature films. If you can't transition to other forums, you will age out of your platform.

So just like you should have a 5 minute, a 10 minute, and 20-30 minute tape to send bookers, you need to be creating short and long form sketches and shows to help push your creative boundaries and keep your brand fresh and diverse. 

Often in comedy, after you've been performing for a few months, you start hearing the word "gatekeepers" pop up. Performers will tell you about how this comic or booker or club owner isn't booking them. They'll talk about how they didn't pass an audition or get rebooked because the person in power is having a power trip or "likes what they like." While gatekeepers can be frustrating, they are a normal part of any business, and the funny thing about gatekeepers is that they only have power over you if want to play their venues. So here's a few thoughts and suggestions when the gatekeepers be gatekeeping. 

What is the Definition of a Gatekeeper? 
A pure definition of a gatekeeper is someone with power to book or not book you based on their influence or position at a comedy club or venue. They determine the time allotted, the pay, and the amount of bookings you can get. They tend to have specific requirements that are clearly laid out or arbitrary ones depending on our point of view. Sometimes it's a booker who has to watch your tape or see you live before booking you. Sometimes it's the club owner who has to pass you to regular status. Sometimes it's a popular comic at the venue who tells the owners who to pass. Sometimes it's the booker of a TV show, or it might be their assistant who filters the names up the ladder. 

This is different than a kingmaker. The booker of The Tonight Show was the gatekeeper. If Johnny Carson liked you, then he became your kingmaker. A booker who decides if you should host for a big name comic is a gatekeeper. A headliner who asks you to join them on the road is a kingmaker. I felt I should clarify this before you start thinking the wrong people are holding you back. 

If They Say No, Just Go Look Elsewhere 
As comics are starting out, there are usually two types of clubs. The big ones and the bringer ones. While major clubs run bringer shows, those are isolated from the brand of the club. Yet, the B and C clubs will run bringers where the bringing either effects getting up the night of the show (bring 5 or you're bumped) or future bookings (didn't bring? Hmmmmm). Either way, that's a form of gatekeeping that can become discouraging. But remember, no one ever got discovered at those clubs. Maybe a few contacts are made, but generally, no one ever did a 5 minute showcase set and then become a series regular on a show. 

If you find your ability to get friends out has completely diminished, then there's your sign that the 5 minute spot clubs aren't your playground anymore. Here's the funny thing about that. If you stop looking for 5 minute spots you'll start finding better spots. The "cockroach clubs" are the bottom feeders. They make you feel like you're "doing comedy" but in reality, seeking their validation always feels empty later when you realize you didn't really make headway with the booker.

This year I have had unparalleled booking success, and it's because the last two years I've stopped focusing on the clubs that don't pay and require my friends to spend a lot. This year I will have at least one paid gig a week, and over 200 paid spots for the year. Because I stopped worrying about the gatekeepers and started focusing on the places that needed me. Stop looking at the small clubs and start looking at the paying venues. Your act should be making YOU money, not JUST the booker!    
When They Say No, Don't Go Low 
I'm going to keep this short. If a club or venue says no, just know it's for right now. Two years ago I asked to feature at a club and got a snippy email about how I'm just an opener. Today I'm co-headlining there. Same booker. Same venue. Things change. So don't trash them online or in an email back. People change. You. Me. Bookers. Gatekeepers. It's just part of the ethos of the business.  

Credit Requirements Are Just What They Use To Say No 
Here's something no one will tell you. Whenever a booker says, "get a TV credit" or "get passed at a big club and we'll talk" or "get more followers," they are just saying that as a nice way to not book you. The truth is, there are tons of comics with little to no TV or social media presence who are getting booked. The credits requirement is just a gatekeeping trick. I know this as in my first year I was told to go get a credit to feature. By 2017 I had a Dry Bar Special and Laughs on Fox credit, plus I already had a few Nickelodeon credits. Those same bookers said, "Go get a late night set." 

What I learned in that moment is that bookers use the credit game as a way to say no without saying no. I figured that out, but sadly many don't and then become really upset when their AGT or Conan set didn't transform their career. I know comics with Netflix and network TV credits who struggle for opening and showcasing gigs, and they are very funny. They just aren't what those bookers want. So don't rely too much on those credits.

You Aren't Entitled to Anything 
Maybe the best attitude to have is to not feel entitled to anything. Many gatekeepers like confidence, but they hate entitlement. Ironically, gatekeepers feel entitled to set boundaries without push back, but in the end, they have the keys and you don't.  

I know it sucks when the venue you worked so hard to impress doesn't move you up the food chain. Especially when you see others getting opportunities after much less time. Yet, there were probably opportunities you got that others were jealous of too. The trick is to have a mindset that most relationships are cyclical. You get your shot and either it moves you up or not. There's no way to know if it's the start of something bigger or just a resume builder for someone else to be impressed with. 

One trick in finding out if you have a legitimate future with a club is to ask the booker what they need from you to get to the next levels. If they brush you off with a "just keep emailing me" you might want to start looking elsewhere. But if they tell you they need you to sharpen you hosting skills or build a solid thirty so they can give you a closing spot, then you know they want to move forward. 

Starting Your Own Show Is A Workaround 
I understand you want the clubs and bookers to "choose you." But that cannot be the only way to succeed. From Steve Martin in the 1970's to Don't Tell Comedy today, the independent producer scene has always been a viable way to build. Trading shows with other producers and creating a comedy community where your show is needed is a key to working around gatekeepers. This will do two very important things:

1. You will have a place to book comics and try new material. 

2. You will finally see things from a gatekeeper point of view. 

Often, comics say "that guy/club should be doing it this way..." and then they run a show and find out there's a lot more to the process. Producers have venue owners giving them flack about attendance or the quality of the comedy. I once ran a room where the venue owner asked "Can we get Dave Chapelle?" No, Craig. No we can't. 

But you will also see how the booking process works. You'll have raw comics send the worst tapes EVER. Tapes where the comic doesn't have a working mic, the quality is so bad you aren't sure if they're on stage or not, and even worse - they're reading jokes off their notepads at an open mic with no people there. Soon, you'll get why the bookers ignore so many requests. I don't excuse ignoring, but I get it. 

Final Thoughts 
When dealing with a gatekeeper, there are a lot of factors to think about. Are you the right comic at the right time? Do they seem interested in taking credit for you later? Are they expecting the comics to bring a crowd or are they taking on the marketing responsibilities? While you might feel you earned a better spot or just a spot at all, remember there are a ton of comics going for the same spot. 

This is where waiting and luck play a part. Sometimes you're just waiting for opportunity to strike. A year ago they never would have thought of you, but then someone mentioned you and they decide to give you a shot. The only way you don't get that shot is if you quit. I was recently carpooling with a comic and we found out I was headlining a venue he couldn't get into and he was headlining a venue I was opening at still. There's not a comedy HR or merit system to move you up. There are no more Mitzi Shore's or Bud Friedman's. There's a lot of hard working bookers trying to find the next Dane Cook while still booking Dane Cook. 

​There's also a lot of emotionally stunted producers who treat you like a second class citizen. But you don't have to kowtow to them. Just keep looking around and find places that need you. Because if there's one thing a gatekeeper hates more than a needy comic is a comic who no longer needs them. Trust me. Sometimes ignoring them for a while can get them wondering what's going on with you.   

​Very often people talk about how working harder will bring them to the point they desire in the workplace or career. That's not actually true. Plenty of nepo-baby, lazy, whiney, entitled brats have made a fortune off the backs of others who actually did work hard - for them. Do you really think Donald Trump outworked Hillary Clinton? Do you really think these top podcasting comics "outworked" Gary Gulman in stand up comedy? Are you going to tell me Andrew Tate even works harder than your dad? No.

The world is filled with WTF's who make it over more impressive talents. Unrefined, lucky bastards who stumble into success and gain fame by association or blind luck. It's why so many artists and sport stars feel so empty. Deep down, many know they don't "deserve" it, and they see all the people they came up with never catch the same breaks. The tragedy is they can't really admit it, because part of the American ethos is that you get what you earned. Which is what lucky people say to unlucky people. 

The funny thing about luck, is it can change and go both ways. I think we can all think of the comics and actors who had a great four to five year run, and now they can barely fill a 200 seat theater or open a movie to save their life. They become novelty acts. Cautionary tales. And maybe they can be a guest on a hit TV show in a form of stunt casting. But they also become a punchline. 

Yet, the one thing that propelled them into the stratosphere of success is they are on the same wavelength of the American people at the moment they made it. They figured out what people in that moment want to see. Some, like Andrew Dice Clay or Sam Kinison, can run hard for a short term, while others like Adam Sandler have their finger on the pulse for 30+ years. As people are fickle pickles, and tastes change, the truly popular people evolve with their fans and use their talent to maintain their popularity. But for a moment they had their finger on the pulse of society. 

So if you are feeling like you just aren't making it at the level you know you could be, I would challenge that you don't lack talent or skill, but instead you simply aren't on the wavelength as the buying public...yet.

The Pursuit of Success Without Success is Tragedy 
In Arthur Miller's brilliant essay "Tragedy and the Common Man," he argues that modern tragedy is not Prince Hamlet losing the throne, but a middle-class person seeing their "rightful place in the world" taken from them. They toil and fight, only to have outside forces knock them down.   

"The possibility of victory must be there in tragedy. Where pathos rules, where pathos is finally derived, a character has fought a battle he could not possibly have won. The pathetic is achieved when the protagonist is, by virtue of his witlessness, his insensitivity, or the very air he gives off, incapable of grappling with a much superior force."​

Miller wrote Death of a Salesman with this thought in mind. Sure, you can get up twice a night, hit every open mic, email every booker, and sacrifice relationships and jobs, because you see the potential of a career in the arts, yet in the end, the tragedy is that if you aren't what people want, you just aren't going to make it. Or you won't last long, if at all.

So one comic's bit of taking his shirt off goes viral and your well crafted jokes about workplace politics fall on deaf ears. And a pretty boy's crowd work clips get shared by your family, but your clips die in the algorithm at 200 views. It's not fair. Those are examples of people making it, who even they acknowledge are the product of luck. Yes, they got up on stage a lot, but I can point to a hundred open micers 10 years in who got up more than them.   

But the element of "luck" or "right place right time" is a hard truth that hard work will not overcome. You can't work so hard that you write a joke as on brand as taking your shirt off. You can't teach dimples and sex appeal. They tapped into what people want. It's that simple. It's just that isn't always what people wanted, and when you tried to be something different, they were cashing checks being whatever it is they are. 

For the comics that get more respect from Twitter and peers, even their talent or hard work isn't the main reason they made it. They were authentically themselves, and like any relationship it either lasts a few years or a lifetime.  

Being on the right wavelength of the American people is what we call "The It Factor." And you can't out work that. You can't be as non-threating as Trevor Wallace. You'll never be as striking to look at as Whitney Cummings. You're just not as likable as Patton Oswald is or Ellen was. They caught the wavelength of what people wanted, rode it, and because they have talent, they're soaring in multiple ways. Yes, they will say they worked hard, but that's just a sliver of the reason for success. 

In fact, in an existential way, saying "I earned this" or "I worked for this" is offensive to all the equally hard working comics who haven't or didn't. Yes, they worked hard, but they also caught a moment and a connection with audiences.

It is the struggle artists face. The desire to become famous, yet plagued by a lack of connection with audiences. Sure you connect in person, but how many "fans" did you really convert into your camp? 
There's a lot of reasons why you may or may not be on the right wavelength. One ironic positive spin is you could just be ahead of your time.  

As Vincent van Gogh is quoted in the film "At Eternity's Gate" while in a mental institution: "Maybe God made me a painter for people who aren't born yet." He died broke. His work today is worth millions. Same with Herman Melville, who died trying to find that great white whale, metaphorically speaking. Their work was not on the wavelength of the public at the time, yet as tastes and values change, their works became the standard barriers.

Wavelengths is Why We Have "Cancel Culture" Victims 
Meanwhile, while some artists are discovered too late, others are "canceled" after the fact. As we watch old jokes by Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, and others get reevaluated, this is simply a reflection of wavelengths changing. Gay jokes were all the rage once, but today not so much. Which is why it's unfair to judge a person's work from over a decade ago. Times change. Society changes. The Wavelengths alter. They were able to pivot, but many don't, and they suffer because of it. 

Heck, even the most successful, long lasting comic on the scene, Adam Sandler, has changed his comedic sensibilities. The crossdressing jokes in Billy Madison are not the family friendly jokes in Grown Ups. He adapted and "grew up" with his fans. From Big Daddy to being a dad, he figured out how to maintain his Midas touch. Pauley Shore, Andrew Dice Clay, and Rob Schneider did not. It is this gift Sandler possesses that keeps his career at the top. While not a critical darling, he is beloved by millennials and Gen X, and that is the most important part of why he made his fortune. Twenty box office hits later, and Netflix's top comedy producer, I think he's proven he's the master at connecting with new and old fans alike.  

How Do You Get On the Wavelength? 
This is the million dollar question isn't it? A lot is "hard work" in the sense you have to throw a lot of content out there and try a lot of jokes. But in the end, it's luck. Serendipity is another word. I'm sure Tony Hinchcliffe never thought a podcast making fun of open micers would go beyond The Comedy Store walls. Jim Gaffigan was doing "okay" until jokes about Hot Pockets broke into the zeitgeist. Robin Williams was a high energy comic whose sitcom Mork & Mindy became a hit no one saw coming. Judd Apatow had one failure after another until The 40 Year Old Virgin became the surprise hit of 2005. It's just a matter of how long will you keep going until you tap into the culture wavelength. 

Examples of the Wavelength Changing 
Right now I can say that sophisticated women comedy is on the rise and man child buffoonery is all the rage. The Rogan effect is what ushered in a very male centric group of silly boys just farting into the mic. Dads with beers in one hand and their kid's hand in the other. The frat boy mentality is not the 1990's sophistication of George Carlin and Chris Rock. Maybe today's video-game obsessed, red-pill consuming males don't want political or social commentary masked in stand up like my generation did. This sort of Andrew Dice Clay 2.0 might end soon, and maybe new voices will rise. But time will tell what that next wavelength will bring forth.  

Here's an example of the plight of women comics. Today, women comics are a more traditionally attractive group, compared to the 1980's and 90's Rosie O'Donnell and Paula Poundstone stars thirty and forty years ago. And the point of views that are strongest seem to be calling women out in ways past women didn't. 

As Whitney Cummings and Nikki Glaser sort of defend men's confusion in life, they do it with a much higher verbal IQ than their male counterpoints. In fact, Nikki Glaser was so on point at the Tom Brady Roast, one bro comic called out Hinchcliffe for putting her before their bro Andrew Schultz, claiming the Kill Tony host should have been thinking about his bro first. Of course, Hinchcliffe did nothing of the sort, but it is interesting that conversation sort of showed how moments in the sun are more manufactured than simply created. 

Final Thoughts
Art serves two purposes. One, to create something for the public to enjoy, and Two, for the artist to feel fulfilled. Not always do the two crossroads meet. Sometimes the artist feels rewarded by their attempt while the audience appears indifferent, and then the artist is empty inside by their contribution while the crowd is filled.  

So if you keep wondering what you have to do to get that break, move to that next level, or become famous, keep in mind it will take your humor and act synergizing with a mass group of people willing to pay. And that is really hard. Part of the struggle is knowing how to zig and zag as trends change, but also being at the forefront of creating those zigs and zags. So as you are developing an act, a script, a sketch, etc. just know that if something clicks, stick with that.

​Or you can try try to change the tastes of the country, but that might be a bit trickier. 

​Recently, I announced that if you had a question, if you Venmo'd @themoomabides $25 I would answer it. I was getting so many questions, I decided this was the best way to manage the desire for more knowledge. Most questions are pretty quick, but every once in a while I get a question that has a few more nuances than a simple yes or no. This week's question falls into my theme of discussing the plight of comics navigating full time work and festivals. So I decided to use this question to springboard a few thoughts on how to maximize your opportunities at the festivals you do decide to attend. This question comes from "Justin." 

If you were doing a comedy festival, and your goal was to make Best of the Fest, what would your approach be? Would you build your funniest five minutes or your most memorable five minutes?

This is a great question because it hits a lot of different subjects within one major subject. As I said in previous articles, "Festivals are scams until they aren't." What I mean by that is that if you gain something from the festival, then it was worth it. If you feel like it's a cattle call with no true way to showcase, then it wasn't worth it, and it's a scam for you. This mindset will help you distinguish between what you should be focusing on and what you should be ignoring.

First the "Don't's" 
Let's say you get into a legitimate festival, you may want to give serious consideration to the type of material you want to showcase. Why pay all that money and travel to flop around on stage? Here are a few "Don't's" before we get into the "Do's."

• Don't do crowd work
• Don't do local jokes 
• Don't do time sensitive jokes
• Don't do extra blue material 

If your five minute set is focused on making fun of the guy in the front row, commenting on the local gas prices, mocking this week's political gaffe, and doing jokes you can't take anywhere but clubs, you'll lose opportunities as an unknown comic on the rise. If you are an established comic known for "hot takes," then go with what's been taking you to the dances. For the rest of us, we need to earn the right to say dirty jokes out of the bag.

The Industry At Festivals Dictates Your Destiny 
Too often we think the funniest jokes are the best to run with, which in theory is best. But sometimes giving the crowd insight into your life as a (fill in the blank) can be what separates you from the rest. Yet, I've seen fully original acts get ignored when "Best of the Fest" comics are announced because they took too long getting to the funny. A tragic story about near death experiences and relationships might be great closers, yet they don't pass the laughs per seconds test in a five minute festival set. But the real reason some comics make the Best of Fests is not because of the material, but what the industry needs at that festival. 

Some festivals like Burbank have a lot of commercial agents and managers looking to beef up their client lists. Some festivals like Big Pine and Big Sky bring out late night bookers to book their world-famous shows. Those are two different sets of industry. We might all agree COMIC A is funny, but unless he can sell products, the Burbank industry aren't as interested. Meanwhile, there are great comics whose act is too "alt" to make TV, so they aren't a great fit at Big Pine or Big Sky. Both festivals specifically let comics know the industry is looking at a more PG-13 vibe for TV. 

So if you fit what the guest judges want, then you are more likely to make it into the Best of the Fest. 

Geography Plays a Part 
If there's one thing you can't control is where you were born. But if you were born out of Los Angeles or New York City, run with that as often as possible. The world is filled with Los Angeles babies trying to make it. But I've heard from showrunners and bookers that everyone wants to give an out-of-towner a shot. This plays a part in selecting the Best of the Fest winners as well. 

Let's say you're running a comedy festival. While profitability is important, so is building relationships with local hotels to sell rooms and get potential sponsorship money from the city. Often, smaller festivals will make deals with restaurants and hotels to host shows in exchange for money. The Burbank Festival has received funds from the city to buy equipment and marketing materials for shows, but they have to prove the city (local businesses) will be financially rewarded. 

It is this political side of hosting a festival that inspires bookers and producers to select out of town people for The Best of the Fest. They hope these comics will go back home and tell their local scene that they had a great time, and those comics will submit next year and get a hotel and the circle of festival life continues.     

In the End Being Funny is Still Key 
While there are a lot of reasons comics are selected for Best of the Fests, which seem to be more and more popular today, at the end of the festival you want people to see you as funny. Not just "nice" or "professional," but clearly a future headliner with potential in TV or movies. So when you are putting together your best five minutes to showcase, make sure your opening joke clearly identifies where your point of view is coming from, but then lay it on hard. Jokes. Jokes. Jokes. Tag after tag after tag. 

While that story you love might be more "memorable," does it have a punchline every 20 seconds? If not, then save it for when you're featuring or headlining and show off your ability to keep the laughs coming. 

Final Thoughts
Comedy is full of gatekeepers. Bookers, producers, and other comics who dictate how comics move up and down the comedy ladder. You have very little control over them and their opinions of you. So all you can do is take the opportunities and showcase your sharpest writing. Because even if you bomb but look like a dad in a Best Buy ad, the commercial and acting agents will still pick you. But if you kill it and look like a dad in a Best Buy ad, then the TV Executives will want to discuss your future along with the other industry members. 

​We put a lot of pressure on comics to "stay on brand." And while branding does include "being a dad" or "the nerdy tech girl" or "the hip grandma," branding is also the type of consistency you bring to the stage every time. And if you can keep them laughing, there will always be a place for you, even if it's not the Best of the Fest. Because being the Best of the Rest is really the goal.     

Last week a funny thing happened on the day of a big comedy festival releasing the names of the accepted comics - they accidently sent the rejection letters to comics who didn't apply and left those who did apply in the dark. Their announcement was posted on Facebook and Instagram, with a flyer listing comics who got in, and the font size of the names was so small, I had a few comics ask me to review the list of names to make sure they didn't miss their name. I was one of those rejected comics, which is fine, but I didn't get the rejection letter, so I emailed them letting them know it feels suspicious how the wrong emails went out, and I want to make sure my video submission was viewed. They emailed me back, claiming they watched it. I now feel like I threw away $35 and grew a minor 24 hour bitterness chip on my shoulder. Many of you probably have felt this too concerning festivals, so I'm going to give a few thoughts based on the last decade of applying, getting accepted, and getting rejected. 

Comedy Festivals Are All a Scam (But Only If You Don't Get In)
I'm being facetious, but...am I? The truth is, once you think about the actual business model, it's pretty awful. They charge you X amount of money to enter, but there's no guarantee you get in, and there's no guarantee you'll know if you didn't. Nor can you prove or can they prove if your submission tape was or wasn't watched. Then one day the festival just announces a bunch of names and either you're in or not. Though, sometimes they let you know ahead of time so they can confirm you're coming; so now you have to keep it a secret until they announce all the names, so you can't book other gigs.  

It gets worse. You never find out why you didn't get in. You don't even know until sometimes days in advance what days you'll perform, and it could be in a theater, comedy club, or a coffee shop. Sometimes room and board are covered, but traveling isn't, and sometimes just food is free, and sometimes it isn't. And considering you're either a broke comic or an aspiring comic with a full time job, you now have to budget the month out differently and get time off work. 
On top of all of that, the industry you wanted to meet may or may not be at your show, and some festivals charge money to panels and classes where you already paid for everything else not included. Then they have a "best of the fest" where the scores aren't public. Oh, and don't forget that you may or may not meet any local bookers on the scene to help if you want to go back to that town. 

Now, I know many have great experiences. There are plenty of legit festivals. But you're not getting into them, and the most legit one just filed for bankruptcy. 

Yet, there are perks to attending even smaller ones for comics. They meet other comics. Some get a late night spot out of it. Hell, some even meet bookers who headline or feature them later that year. They use frequent flyer miles and stay at their friend's house, cutting costs down to little to nothing. They have a really great week or so.  

So like I wrote, it's all a scam unless it isn't. And while that might feel like a cop out, I would argue that most jobs, dates, and churches could have the same philosophy applied to them too. Everything in life is a scam until it isn't. And everything isn't a scam until it is.   

Submission Windows Should Be One Month Only 
If there is one Catch 22 that always upsets my comedy ulcers - it's the 5-6 month window of submitting. Usually they have "early-bird" prices starting at $30 or so and then by the sixth month, the submission could be $70-$100. While this might feel like a traditional sales tactic, there is NO WAY that festival officials are watching and scoring tapes as they come in. Let's say the festival is in June and submissions are January through May. By the time April and May hit, they have hundreds of submissions. That's hours of tapes to watch. Does anyone think they'll be able to catch up on all those early birds? 

Oh. Wait. Don't worry, they are only going to watch the first 90 seconds, but then they have to make self-notes so just in case they think you might make the cut. So it's a time consuming exercise, and one I do not envy. But here's the rub. If you submit at the low price, then you have to hope they'll go back and watch those early bird tapes. And if you submit later, paying a higher price, you have to hope they didn't fill in the spots by the time they get to you. On top of all of that, they might have friends and more established comics getting spots without paying at all. 

This is why I think all festivals should have a one month, one price submission window. This gives every comic an equal chance of being seen properly. Plus, there is NO REASON to double or triple charge because someone found out about the festival after the early bird special pricing. If a festival has a 5-6 month window and only accepts a handful of applicants, then trust me when I say they aren't going to give you a fair chance.   

Diversity Is A Two Edge Sword
I'm not going to camp on this long, but diversity is all the rage right now, which sounds great until you realize that their desire to create opportunities creates limited spots for comics and checklists. Let's say 100 comics submit for a festival and only a couple are of a particular demographic (race, age, gender, magician, puppets, etc.), then they might have a better chance getting in. But if there are a lot of Group A, and the festival wants to meet demographic goals, then not all the best comics are getting in. Suddenly, they have "enough" diversity from Group A and Group B, so Group D gets in to spice things up. 

This isn't just race or sexual identity. There are many types of diversity. Clean comics. Dirty comics. Prop comics. Fat comics. One liner comics. Dry Bar comics. Late Night comics. TikTok comics. Returning festival comics. Religious comics. I noticed that a lot of festivals only had one fat guy with a beard. Which means, once they found one from Group X they liked, and you're in Group X, suddenly you're no longer looked as a funny comic but a doubling of that group - a threat to parity. So if you want to get thrown into this battle royale, just know there is a political agenda you have no control over.     

Maybe Wait Until They Headline You 
One workaround to dealing with the all the ups and downs of the festival scene is to just not participate and wait for festivals to invite you. Instead of paying money, just invest in your travels and open mic time and get to the point where they see your value as a comic and not as a prospective buyer of spots. By building your career and act, you can grow without feeling the added rejection from festivals. If you look at any good festival, you'll see headlining comics join to close outshows, and you can see some are bigger stars than others. So it's not about becoming world famous. It's about becoming world respected.   

Final Thoughts 
I still think there is a place for comedy festivals, but in the past decade, as more and more comics come out of various platforms, there is such an influx that you can't get a fair shake. Like Pot Luck at The Comedy Store, with their email policy, you just don't have much control, which means it's not fair to you to put hope in humans making the best choices. When I started ten years ago, I never thought I'd get this far, but I have had people tell me festivals rejected me one year for the same reason they would have picked me a few years ago. One comic told me a small festival wouldn't pick Dry Bar comics because they thought they got the credit already and others needed the push. But then I hear how others want credits so the whole festival feels big. It's a mess. 

​So as the summer ends and the different festivals do their "festivaling," don't let one group's rejection or acceptance define you. Because to be honest, they probably aren't rejecting or accepting you - they most likely never watched your tape anyways.