They Keep Closing the Door on Opener Pay

​If you talk to any working comic in the 1980's and early 1990's they'll tell you about the comedy boom where openers were making a real living in comedy. For definition purposes, a feature was the main term used to describe an opener. Hosts and emcee's were usually local comics that supported the club's open mic nights or local DJ's that did 5-10 minutes up front and plugged the shows on the radio all week. But the 20-30 minute Feature could do 5-6 shows a week, make a $1,000 a week (or more) and then headline corporate shows or cruises on the weeks they weren't at the local Yuk Yuk in the Midwest. Today, comedy doesn't pay that rate anymore. Being a feature today means getting the opportunity to open for a headliner for little to no pay because comics today aren't grown adults as much as they are independent content creators. 

What is the Basic Pay For Opening?
If you work a weekend at a club, you can expect $25-$50 a show as the host if you are working for a reputable club. There are showcase towns that might only give you a free meal or drink, but on a road gig (basically outside LA and NYC) you should get some cash. It will also always be "industry rates," which is a way clubs can pay a very minimal amount, because they're all in on the same amount. 

As for Features, you can expect around $75-$150 a show depending on how many shows. The most I've heard is $550 on a scale deal. The Feature usually gets a free meal and place to stay on the road. Some weekends that have four shows will pay $75 a show but if only one show a night pay $150. So there's a glaring inconsistency in what the time and energy is worth. Because why wouldn't it be $150 a show if there were four shows? Because the economics don't play out that way. The booker is essentially looking at the books and saying "I can afford this much regardless of how many tickets or drinks I sell."

Headliner pay can go for $700-$1200 a weekend, but if the headliner is doing a door deal, that can hurt the feature pay. Because the more the headliner takes, the less there is for the undercard. So when a headliner brings their own opener and host, the club will usually take the pay out of his cut or let him pay the openers without making sure it's a fair wage. 

Why Don't Features Get Over $600? 
One factor to consider is that comedians are independent contractors, so if they make over $600 the venue or booking agency has to 1099 them during tax season. If they do two or three gigs for under $600, the IRS does not have to know about those independent contractors. But clubs have to pay headliners a certain amount, and they report that to the IRS, knowing that's the proof they are a comedy club. 

As for headliners who bring their own features and hosts, they might want to pay them limited cash because they'll pay the taxes on the revenue. Let's say a comic make $5,000 on a door deal. They'll pay at least $1,000 in taxes, if not more. So now they're down to $4,000. But they flew in, maybe even paying for the feature too. So that's $1,000 again, unless they're using credit card points, which means they're spending money through credit on the trips that need to be covered as well. So once they pay out $250-$500 to the feature, they might make $2,000 out of the $5k. Now, if they're working 50 weekends a year, that's $100,000 in profit out of $250,000 in revenue. Some weekends are less. Some are more. But the structure is based of constantly working. 

Now, if the headliner is a huge name and they're making hundreds of thousands a month and paying their openers the same at scale or less, I would say that's a great immoral act of greed. And I would also encourage you to rethink working with them. Because most likely they'll drop you once you start feeling free to book weekend gigs outside of them.

In the words of Higgins to Keeley from Ted Lasso, "A good mentor hopes you will move on. A great mentor knows you will." If they are expecting you to be happy with their scraps, then you have to go find different pastures. I've made more money doing "less visible" shows than performing for peanuts in bigger venues.

The Lie of Content Creation 
The other reason bookers don't pay, is they know you're all filming your sets and trying to go viral on TikTok. Because of this new development, comics will forfeit money for stage time. Everyone wants to be the next Matt Rife. And yes, some comics are making money in the algorithm. But most land on 500-1,000 views with little to no money.  

But it's in this content creation "opportunity" that comics throw money aside to try to hit the winning lotto ticket. It's not a bad idea, but just remember - every time you set up a camera to film without getting guaranteed pay, you're still getting paid as much as an open micer. 
You can do both. You can ask for money AND film your sets.    

Asking For Pay is Your Right but YOUR Responsibility
It doesn't matter if you're working a club or working with a headliner, at some point you have to ask for more money, as they won't usually volunteer it. If you've been going to a club and getting $25 a show, but it's no longer a value to you, then either ask for more money or quit. Here's the rub though - don't ask for more money until you're ready to walk. Because once you suggest it, either they'll say it's fair and pay up or you've made it weird. 

I've had to walk away from low paying showcase and opener gigs or just flat our reject bookers because the math didn't math. In the beginning you feel bad about it because you want to fill the calendar up. But these low paying gigs never become the way to financial stability in comedy. In fact, there is almost no financial stability in comedy. Most road comics freelance or contract jobs in various arenas of life. There was time last year I was doing road gigs, teaching online classes, writing for the VC Reporter, writing YouTube scripts, teaching 1:1 workshops, selling old toys on Facebook, helping emcee charity events, running JR's Comedy club, and doing freelance consulting for business development days. 

It takes twenty years to build a schedule that pays a living. Until then, you live a schedule to get paid. 

Final Thoughts
Don't be discouraged if you're not making a lot of money now as an opener. And don't be discouraged if you aren't getting much work outside of small gigs. But also don't settle and become frustrated with the process. You'll have to feel it out and see how long it takes others like you to move up or move out. 

Keep in mind, so many comics aren't honest with how they're able to make it. Mommy and daddy might be paying the bills. Their spouse or significant other could be financing everything. They might have loads of debt and loans they took out thinking they'll hit it big and pay it back. So they can do all these low paying gigs without feeling the strain that others feel. Until it all comes crashing down.
I know up and comers who have other people paying for their dreams, but I also know national touring headliners with spouses who pay for 80% of the bills on their salary while the comic jumps from ship to ship or club to club.

What you have to do is read the room, expect no one to reach out to help you, ask when you feel ready to move up in pay, and be ready to cut ties until you've found better gigs or realized this just might be a side hustle while you work a day job. 

​I've always said, the cruelest thing a teacher can tell students is to follow their dreams. The real statement should be "Follow your dreams until you realize it's a nightmare."