A Nice Guide to Beginner’s Comedy

Personal Background

I first performed at a comedy club in February 1993 and continued to do it off and on for the next ten years. Since my focus was either on university or employment, I came to realize that comedy was a hobby. Although I received compliments and support from one or two pros back then, I came to understand that my hobby was taking away time from people who wanted to do comedy for a living. So, instead of asking for spots to fill up my calendar, I would go up only when I really missed it which would minimize the stage time I was taking away from people serious about comedy.

Although I pursued other writing interests, I would always come back to comedy. Every time I would see a comic on TV that sucked, I thought to myself “what if?” Then one day in 2007, I realized that in 20 years, I could be asking myself “what if?” and it scared the shit out of me. So, I decided to go for it in summer of 2007. I told myself to keep going until I stop improving. Whether it took 3 months or 10 years to hit my plateau, I would stop at point. I can rest in knowing that I tried my best.

The past three and half years have buzzed by and I can claim to have experienced both successes and failures. I have passed a few people who started before me, and I’ve also been passed by people who started after me. I have been able to earn invitations to the past two Vancouver Comedyfests, been paid by both local comedy clubs, but I’ve never been invited to go on the road. I’ve made some smart choices that led to great opportunities, as well as poor ones that dropped me down a few notches in the pecking order. In a nut shell, I’ve been able to accomplish a couple things in comedy, but still definitely far from being a seasoned pro.

Before I dispense my advice, I must admit I do feel weird about giving it. I can only share what I've learned in three years. I do not know it all. My advice only touches on your approach to the comedy community and "making your way" through it.

Material

- FOCUS ON 5 MINUTES

- Squeeze in as many laughs as you possibly can in the 5min

- 5min is the usual amount of time you will receive for the first few months of being a comic.

Getting Spots

- BE POLITE.

- Always include “please” and “thank you”.

- There is a fine line between persistent and pestering. Do not pester.

- No more than one email per week per booker. Not only are they receiving your request, they’re receiving requests from everybody else in the community.

At the Venue

- NEVER EVER DISRESPECT THE SHOW.

- Shut the f**k up then watch and learn.

- If you need to talk, go to the back of the room and speak in hushed tones.

- Unless you have a pressing matter to attend to, always stick around till the end of the show. There are lessons to be learned in each set, especially the headliner.

- Always thank the booker before you leave.

Politics

- EVERY WORK SPACE HAS POLITICS, COMEDY IS NO DIFFERENT

- DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN IT. IGNORE IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY.

- Treat everybody with respect and be mature and diplomatic if something does not go your way.

- Remember the adage – Be careful of who’s toes your stepping on because they might be connected to the ass that you may have to kiss later.

If you decide to take up comedy, you would be entering a different world. You are an immigrant trying to fit in a new country. Try to learn the customs of the new world without imposing your own expectations. Despite what your ego may tell you, you are not the revolutionary that will liberate this new land of comedy. So, dial it down a notch.

Essentially, please be mindful of your manners.

Flipn Update - Unexpected

I had the opportunity to work this past weekend at Lafflines. Signing up for the gig, I was asked to do a tight 15min - no filler, just the straight goods. I’m happy to say that I was able to do just that. I cleared 15min quite easily to my surprise. I thought the max time I could clock in was about 17min, including my B level jokes, 20-25min including C level crap that requires major revisions.

Although I did throw in some new jokes to try on each of the three sets I did on the weekend, I am more than proved to myself that I am closer to my goal than I originally anticipated. I threw in the jokes because I had the liberty to do that in all three sets. I had won crowd over in a big way in all three sets. These were my best outings on any of the weekend shows that I have done.

With this piece of info, I have reassessed my timelines for reaching my goals. I think I can push up getting to 25min by the summertime and getting that total up 30min by the end of the year.

Review of This by Melissa James Gibson

THIS - Jan.28.11

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the Vancouver Playhouse. In fact, it’s been nearly 20yrs since the last time I was there for a play. Taking in This by Melissa James Gibson was an excellent way to get myself reacquainted with the production values the Playhouse puts forth. I’m pretty sure that there have been changes in staff since my last visit, but I distinctly remember the elaborately detailed sets they had in the past. I can report their high standards have not changed.

As for the play itself, I strongly suggest you see it. In a nutshell, the husband Tom (Todd Thompson) cheats on his wife Marrell (Karen Holness) with their friend Jane (Megan Follows) and spit hits the fan. Originally, Jean Pierre (Fabrice Grover), the French doctor was intended to be set up with the Jane but we eventually see that his function in the play is to be a hanging temptation for Marrell and it’s unclear whether or not she took the bait. As for Alan (Dmitry Chepovetsky), the human stenographer, he’s the Greek chorus and comic relief all at once. Nearly all the best lines come from Alan.

Although the performances were flat from time to time from a couple of the players, the writing was so strong that it made up for any of the timing errors the cast made regarding their lines. Obviously, I can’t be certain whether or not a couple of the actors were having an off night, or their timing was dictated by the director. As a comic watching the production, the material would have been better served if they picked up the pace. On handful of times, I thought their timing was a beat or two slow.

As funny as the material was, the most interesting aspect of the play is what it says or doesn’t say about adultery. The title “This” is the word used by Tom and Jane to refer to their adultery. Is Gibson saying adultery has become so commonplace that we no longer need to even use the word “adultery”? The word “this” is so common, that we virtually eliminate all negative connotations by using “this” when referring to “adultery”.

For me, the most intriguing question of the play is does society accept adultery because we’re now able to rationalize it with our intellect, or is our intellect the last line of defence? With Jane being a student at the Ivy League school and Tom being the self educated employee of institution, is Gibson painting a picture of Intellectualism vs. Pseudo/Self Intellectualism? The audience is shown that Tom calculated that his wife withdrawing sex, plus Jane being recently widowed is a rational equation that will lead to sex. It’s interesting that Tom, the unaccredited intellect initiates the affair with Jane, half expecting the Ivy League grad to turn him down. Is the playwright inferring that the “true” intellectual, Jane, could have ended the affair before it began?

It’s a great sign for any play or movie, when your brain continues to churn the morning after you’ve seen it. I suggest you see This before it’s run ends.

The Secret of Comedy

Raw Canvas Lounge - Jan.11.11

Set Time - 5.30min

First time at Raw Canvas Lounge. What a cool place! I can’t comment on the quality of the food or drinks because I just had my regular prison fare (glass of water). If you’ve never been, half the space is reserved for diners and the other half is reserved for artists. There are about ten easels set up for art enthusiasts to take advantage of. And because the venue respected art, it seemed to have permeated to the staff who showed respect to the comics and the art that we were refining. They were friendly and respectful. Much respect to Darcy Michael and Jane Stanton for setting up the cool ass venue.

As for my set, this was a promising development. I forgot to do the Beauty and the Beast reference to one of the jokes and it seemed to have smoothed out the bit which I’m happy about. Unfortunately, that portion makes me giggle. Unless I can successfully restructure the tag I might have to remove it indefinitely. The preceding joke, Surrey Costco, is surprisingly getting a bigger response. I may need to switch the order if this continues.

Tuesday night also served another reminder that my material makes me The Secret of Comedy – strong enough for a man but made for women. As in my material seems to be written for women to enjoy, but men get a good kick out of it too!

False Start @ Lanalous

Lanalous - Jan.09.11

Set Time: 7min (approx.)

I wanted to start off the year on the right foot. I wanted to go out and have fun and destroy the room on my first set of the year. I wanted people laughing soooo hard that they would shoot their drinks out of their noses. I wanted them laughing so hard that they actually start coughing up organs. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN!

Instead I received a drunken woman asking me math equations. I shit you not. After my joke, This, she yelled out "what's the square root of 3+1?" My response was "do I ask you how to shoot heroin?" Not exactly the best comeback but I was able to get back at her a little.

As for the remainder of the set, I think I need to spend more actual rehearsal time rather than just practicing in the car. There's an old New York joke that goes like this -

Tourist: How do I get to Broadway?

New Yorker: Practice! Practice! Practice!