Tag: open mic

A Quick Tip to Avoid Awkward Interactions with Important People in Comedy

~ Rob Durham ~ Leave a comment

This is a lesson I’ve learned the hard way because I have a freakishly great memory, especially when it comes to interactions with important people (in this context that would be successful comedians and club managers). In comedy you can go months or years before encountering the same people. Assume the encounter wasn’t as big of a deal to them as it was for you.

So if they say, “Nice to meet you.”

Don’t counter with, “Actually we met 2 years ago when I…”

Here are my two reasons…

First, it makes them feel awkward/bad because even though it’s just little ol’ you, they have a conscious and a meaningful moment for you didn’t stick in their memory. They’re likely to exit the conversation early.

The second reason is even more important. If you weren’t funny enough to be remembered, it’s a blessing that you get a fresh start.

I regret that the first few years of my career when I lived in Columbus, were the same years I opened for the biggest names (2000-2005). I thought I was funny, but in retrospect I’m ashamed the only impression I ever left on Dave Attell (and other comedy heroes from that era) was that of a cringy 10-minute set.

I had multiple interactions with Ruthann (Crackers in Indianapolis) and every time I did a guest set or featured it was similar to The Simpsons gag of Mr. Burns not remembering Homer Simpson. The final guest set I did for her (circa 2019?) impressed her so much she offered a week right away. Like an idiot, I reminded her that I’d already featured a week a few years prior. Several email attempts later, nothing ever came about.

You’ll improve exponentially through (at least) your first 15 years of comedy. Don’t remind someone who can help you of the comic you were years before. Let them gain a fresh perspective of you at the level you’re currently at instead of making them feel awkward and reminding them of the less-experienced comic you used to be.

For more advice on making money in stand-up comedy, check out my book, Don’t Wear Shorts on Stage. It’s available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

I’ve got plenty of YouTube advice videos as well.

Why many open mic comics can’t get work

~ Rob Durham ~ 7 Comments

Sometimes I’ll see an open mic comic have a great set with several good jokes.  The next week the same comic has a different five minutes–sometimes better, sometimes worse.  The following week, another completely different set.  I’ve heard it a lot from the newer guys: “I try and write a new five minutes every week.”  Writing and trying out as much material as possible is great, and these comics are probably going to multiple open mic shows per week, but it can be counterproductive.  If several of your jokes or bits work well, keep using them.  Even if a joke “kills” (or the open mic version of “kills”) on its first try, that doesn’t mean it can’t improve.  Yes, sometimes your newest jokes get the best laughs the first time you say them, but let them grow and develop.  Building a great act is all about revision and fine-tuning your material.  If you keep starting from scratch, you’ll never develop a solid set that gets work.

When you repeat a joke over and over, eventually you’ll develop a punchline in the setup too.  You’ll also think of tag lines and transitions into your other jokes.  Memorize the wording so that you can say it in your sleep because when the wording no longer takes any thought on your part, you can focus on which words to stress more, eye contact with the crowd, facial expressions, and all of the other elements and details that expert headliners use.  You can also develop callbacks with your other bits.  This also makes it easier to remember your setlist which is beneficial during a paid show.

I’ve talked to a lot comics about this over the years and they often say, “But I feel like it’s boring for the other comics who have to hear me repeat things.”  That shouldn’t matter.  It’s your career and if you can get out on the road, you’ll constantly be getting a new audience in a different city.  Repeating material doesn’t mean you’re not writing or working to get better.  Take the 2 or 3 bits that do the best and work on revising them until they can’t get any better.  Keep them in your act and build your first MC set.

Comedy is like other forms of writing whether it be songs, books, or essays.  No one produces anything great without revision.  To cite an example, Greg Warren has been coming out to open mic on Tuesdays and working through the same bits for the last month or so.  He’s not trying to write a new 5 minutes every week, but instead, polishing and perfecting the newer bits in his set.

You still have time to try something new in each set, but build a solid foundation first. Club managers look for consistent audience laughter week after week, not a new five minutes.  (And the most common type of revision?  Reducing the wording in the setup.)

To summarize: Find your best punchlines and revise those into tight bits.  Build on them until you get a 7-10 minute set of them where you don’t need a setlist because you’re so familiar with them, and then you’ll be ready to MC and start getting paid.

For other tips on how to make money in stand-up, check out my book, Don’t Wear Shorts on Stage.  It’s also available on Kindle, Nook, iTunes, etc.

 

 

5 very common mistakes that sabotage your comedy career

~ Rob Durham ~ 1 Comment

I know…great, another list on the Internet.  Before I get to “handling criticism” I had to bring these up because they keep happening over and over.

Here are some very common mistakes that I’m seeing almost every week at various open mics.  Though vaguely mentioned here, they’re all covered thoroughly in my book with explanations (other than because I said so).  My book explains “why” with examples of things that have happened to me or from advice from comedians much more experienced and famous than me.  I’m not pointing these out to be an arrogant ass of sorts, I made these mistakes too.  (If it sounds like my tone is harsh, then imagine me saying these with a lisp to sound less threatening…)

1.  Starting a punchline with the wrong word.  There’s one specific, but very common word used over and over that never works for an effective punchline, but comics keep trying to use it.  “Apparently…”  This angle rarely works.  It takes the punch out of the punchline because you’re trying to state something so obvious that even the crowd expects it.  “Apparently my ex-girlfriend found it strange that I was washing her windows in the middle of the night…”

2.  Promotion…While some people aren’t screwing this up too badly, others are so far off that club managers know of them because they’re so awful at it.  That becomes a permanent scar on your reputation and you’ll never get work once a club manager discovers you this way.  No comic is too insignificant to be gossipped about and made fun of by working comics and managers.  You’d really be surprised whose names come up for all the wrong reasons.

3.  Wardrobe…Obviously I’m anti-shorts, but there are a bunch of other mistakes being made as well.  Even a few tips for the ladies are mentioned (I had a female comic, Maria Shehata, to help write this section in the book).

4.  Being dirty…What are the rules?  How clean does a person need to be?  It’s explained in depth with many reasons.

5.  Career crippling mistakes…Things comics do that will always prevent them from ever getting emcee work which is the gateway to becoming a professional comic.  There are comics who have been performing at open mic for years but have never been paid once.  Often it has nothing to do with them not being funny enough.

To read and learn about these things simply click the link on this page or visit www.robdurhamcomedy.com to order a copy of my book to figure out how you can take the next step towards making money to perform.  Or if you need to wait until that next paycheck I’ll be doing some local book signings around St. Louis.  The next one is Febraury 4th and each purchase will get you two tickets to the St. Louis Funnybone…