Comedy:
How to Have a Laughable Income: Tips on Becoming a Professional Stand-Up Comedian
If it’s your dream to become a professional stand up comedian, you should know that there are a thousand more jobs that are easier than your chosen career. If you’re not discouraged by that then good, because passion is one of the most important critical success factors of becoming a man who earns a living from making people laugh. Passion’s the first…but it’s definitely not the last.
Choosing Your Material
Although anything under the sun can be used for stand-up comedy material, you need to choose material based on the type of audience you have. If you don’t know what type of audience you’d have, you need to seek humor in safe topics and the safest of all is talking about yourself. Rather, the safest topic is talking NEGATIVELY about yourself.
Using yourself as the main topic of your material is easier than other topics because you’re naturally the expert on the matter at hand. Secondly, self-revolving issues are also safe because none of the audience will get angry or sensitive about your remarks. Why should they when you’re talking about yourself?
Learning from the Great Masters
Thoroughly studying the techniques used by great comic masters will make it easier for you to spot any flaws in your material. Learning from the masters will also teach you new techniques and approaches to making other people laugh. Never tire of learning from others! When you do, that’s when your material will stop becoming humorous to your audience.
Practicing on Private Sessions
Your comic debut must in front of people whom you love, understands your sense of humor, and are willing to subtly turn the cheek and laugh all the same even if one of your jokes remain flat. The keyword there is SUBTLY of course because outright hypocrisy will only make you feel worse about yourself.
It’s important that your first few public performances are unquestionably successful as this will give you the confidence you need to perform in front an indifferent audience.
Sending Samples to Agents
Record your best performances or materials on tape. Review these tapes then have others listen to it as well for further evaluation. It’s better if you can find listeners who are willing and able to provide unbiased comments about your material.
When you’ve received enough positive feedback to last you a lifetime, it’s time to send your demo tapes to agents.
Performing Live
Once an agent books you into a club, choose the material depending on the type of audience you’ll be facing. Don’t use any new material! Last but not the least, have fun!
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