Brand New Comedy - 'I am Comedy, for we are many'
The 6 mistakes I’ve noticed new comedians make quite a bit.
The 5 mistakes I’ve noticed new comedians make quite a bit.
First of all - I’m not a comedian, but I am a pretty obsessive comedy fan, so take this advice not from an experienced performer, but with the ‘pinch-of-salt’ and contempt it deserves.
1. Too honest too early.
British comedy has taken a (rather delightful) turn towards self-confessional rants and revealing personal embarrassing information. Whilst this can endear the audience to you, it should be left until after you’ve made some decent jokes, and should preferably make a funny point, not just be self-deprecating for it’s own sake. Otherwise it’s just uncomfortable and/or mawkish.
2. Minority material.
So you’re black, asian, gay, lesbian, jewish, muslim, or – god forbid – welsh. No-one’s saying that you shouldn’t talk about your background or lifestyle, but it’s 2009 – and generally speaking, it’s about as shocking and outrageous as a nose-piercing.
If you’re gay and making jokes about being camp and liking musicals, or if you’re Jewish and making jokes about being tight with money, or you’re black and making jokes about appearing on crimewatch, then stop it. Stop it right now. Society has only recently started to move away from these prejudices, and we don’t need anyone reinforcing or justifying them, even in comedy form. As minorities, you should be doing the world a favour and exploding the myths & stereotypes, or preferably ignoring them altogether. It’s old, it’s done. Lets move on and concentrate on the funny.
3. strikes and it’s out.
Not all your jokes will get a laugh every night. Different crowds just have different tastes: A joke that bombs at a charity night might get a good laugh at a student bar, so give everything a chance. But everybody will sometimes think of a situation or mental image that’s only funny to them, or you just ‘had to be there’.
If you’ve performed a gag 3 times, and it’s not got a laugh at any of them, then it’s just not funny. Cull it from your act, or totally overhaul it.
4. Not sick enough.
Most comedy fans have seen South Park and Frankie Boyle, so if you’re going for “shock laughs”, try and say something at least as distasteful and shocking as those two would. Paedophilia and rohypnol jokes are pretty old had. Try necrophilia, or sex toys made from animal parts.
5. Audience participation.
You either need a huge repository of gags ready for whatever occupation they give (you’re new, so you don’t) or you need to be genuinely quick-witted and able to work with whatever they say. If you have this rare ability, go for it – but it’s a double-edged sword: you often get drunken braying twats at comedy nights who will take any question as an excuse to shout stuff out for the rest of the night, and you need to be pretty damn good to work with that situation. Best not risk it.
Of course, the spontaneous nature of it can work out hilariously, and when it works it can be the funniest thing of the night. But more often than not we, the audience end up sitting through several unfunny questions and getting unfunny answers, before you find something you can get a small laugh from. Often it’s just timewasting. Write another couple of jokes instead.
6. Don’t believe your friends.
Your friends will tell you they enjoyed it, or that it has potential, or whatever – they will support you and keep you happy. An audience won’t. If you didn’t get any laughs, and your friends said they liked it, they’re placating you because they like you and don’t want to see you hurt, vulnerable and upset. That’s what friends do.
Sorry. But you might want to consider a different form of expression.
First of all - I’m not a comedian, but I am a pretty obsessive comedy fan, so take this advice not from an experienced performer, but with the ‘pinch-of-salt’ and contempt it deserves.
1. Too honest too early.
British comedy has taken a (rather delightful) turn towards self-confessional rants and revealing personal embarrassing information. Whilst this can endear the audience to you, it should be left until after you’ve made some decent jokes, and should preferably make a funny point, not just be self-deprecating for it’s own sake. Otherwise it’s just uncomfortable and/or mawkish.
2. Minority material.
So you’re black, asian, gay, lesbian, jewish, muslim, or – god forbid – welsh. No-one’s saying that you shouldn’t talk about your background or lifestyle, but it’s 2009 – and generally speaking, it’s about as shocking and outrageous as a nose-piercing.
If you’re gay and making jokes about being camp and liking musicals, or if you’re Jewish and making jokes about being tight with money, or you’re black and making jokes about appearing on crimewatch, then stop it. Stop it right now. Society has only recently started to move away from these prejudices, and we don’t need anyone reinforcing or justifying them, even in comedy form. As minorities, you should be doing the world a favour and exploding the myths & stereotypes, or preferably ignoring them altogether. It’s old, it’s done. Lets move on and concentrate on the funny.
3. strikes and it’s out.
Not all your jokes will get a laugh every night. Different crowds just have different tastes: A joke that bombs at a charity night might get a good laugh at a student bar, so give everything a chance. But everybody will sometimes think of a situation or mental image that’s only funny to them, or you just ‘had to be there’.
If you’ve performed a gag 3 times, and it’s not got a laugh at any of them, then it’s just not funny. Cull it from your act, or totally overhaul it.
4. Not sick enough.
Most comedy fans have seen South Park and Frankie Boyle, so if you’re going for “shock laughs”, try and say something at least as distasteful and shocking as those two would. Paedophilia and rohypnol jokes are pretty old had. Try necrophilia, or sex toys made from animal parts.
5. Audience participation.
You either need a huge repository of gags ready for whatever occupation they give (you’re new, so you don’t) or you need to be genuinely quick-witted and able to work with whatever they say. If you have this rare ability, go for it – but it’s a double-edged sword: you often get drunken braying twats at comedy nights who will take any question as an excuse to shout stuff out for the rest of the night, and you need to be pretty damn good to work with that situation. Best not risk it.
Of course, the spontaneous nature of it can work out hilariously, and when it works it can be the funniest thing of the night. But more often than not we, the audience end up sitting through several unfunny questions and getting unfunny answers, before you find something you can get a small laugh from. Often it’s just timewasting. Write another couple of jokes instead.
6. Don’t believe your friends.
Your friends will tell you they enjoyed it, or that it has potential, or whatever – they will support you and keep you happy. An audience won’t. If you didn’t get any laughs, and your friends said they liked it, they’re placating you because they like you and don’t want to see you hurt, vulnerable and upset. That’s what friends do.
Sorry. But you might want to consider a different form of expression.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Nick the Slaughterer on September 15, 2009 at 12:12pm -
Don't be too disheartened by my Final comment, for three reasons.
A friend of mine who started out pretty terrible has, after a year of performing and refining her act, become pretty competent. Still not great, but you don't spend the act willing her to get off stage any more.
Richard Pryor said it took him 15 years of performing before he 'found his voice' and became the legend he is today.
I've also heard an experienced comedian say "anyone, even without any material, could do stand-up - all you have to do is be plonked in front of an audience every night for a year, and you'll learn about audience reaction and how to control them purely by experience." Of course, you'll suck to begin with - but comedians need to get used to that, too. Even the greats have been boo'd off stage before.
So maybe don't give it up. I don't know.
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Comment by Lloyd on September 14, 2009 at 10:59pm -
Awesome list, you should be a cracked.com writer!
As a comedy performer, and comedy snob I guess, I agree! I've seen too many acts who've been told by their mates at the pub that they're funny get up on stage and inflict their stupid observations on me!
Ooo, what a bitch!
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