Stand-up Comedy FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Stand-up Comedy
The Stand-Up Comedy FAQ was written by Steven Rosenthal with numerous contributions by others. Maintained by Steve Silberberg (stevebo@onramp.net).
This FAQ is Copyright 1995-8 by Steven Rosenthal, and is made available as a service to the Internet community. It may not be sold in any medium, including electronic, CD-ROM, or database, packaged with any commercial product, or published in print, without the explicit, written permission of the author, Steven Rosenthal, and the FAQ maintainer, Steven J. Silberberg
01 1. Tips for getting started in stand-up comedy- 1. Keep a notebook and write down everything that strikes you as funny....
- 02 Is alt.comedy.standup for telling jokes?
- A. Definitely not. Don't post them. Not only are jokes formulaic ...
- 03 Then what is it for?
- A. It is mostly a place where stand-up comedians, agents, club owners,...
- 04 And what else, Dave?
- A. To me, this newsgroup is like sitting at a big table in a ...
- 06 What happened to all the comedy clubs from the 80s, BaldGuy?
- A. At one point there were too many rooms and not enough headliners. So ...
- 07 What about comedy writers?
- A. There is currently no Usenet group specifically for comedy writing....
- 08 This news group isn't funny.
- A. Then shut your pie hole and post something funny....
- 09 Just what is a stand-up comedian, Bob?
- A. Comedian: a breed of human being who, without benefit of a steady job,...
- 10 Why are you a stand-up, Billy?
- A. I know when I was a kid, I mean little kid, if I could make the ...
- 11 What differentiates comedians from other people?
- A. Everyone experiences pain, of course. But a comedian has the ability ...
- 12 How many Open Mikes do I have to do to become a star, actual3?
- A. It frequently amazes me how many people want - even expect - some ...
- 13 What else can you tell me about these Open Mikes, actual3?
- A. I consider open mics to be a hobby like fencing or building ...
- 14 I'm pretty damn funny. How do I go about getting a gig, Tim?
- A. Oh, sure, you may be pretty damn funny. But you'll need a hell of a ...
- 15 I'm really freaking funny, Liam.
- A. Every time someone tells you how funny they are, you know right ...
- 16 What should my act be about, Mark?
- A. There are jokes and subjects that the individual comedian wants to ...
- 17 Are friends and family supportive of my decision to do comedy, Steve?
- A. Friends and family will think you're nuts if you continue to ...
- 18 There are no Open Mikes in my area. How do I get stage time?
- A. Well you could move, but consider starting your own Open Mike. Go to ...
- 19 How do I set up an Open Mike, Al?
- A. Find a bar or coffeeshop that has a small performance area that'...
- 20 Is gender a problem in stand-up, Cathe?
- A. The problems I have found most in clubs is that there is a quota of ...
- 21 What's a hack?
- A. Stolen material. There's nothing lower or more reprehensible ...
- 22 Who's a hack?
- A. Sorry, FAQ's are limited to 64K....
- 23 Why are there so many hacks?
- A. In the case of stolen material, very few comedians maliciously ...
- 24 Why would anyone ever resort to hack, Stu?
- A. The crowd laughs at what the crowd laughs at. It's our JOB ...
- 25 What's "the light"?
- A. At some point while you're on stage, someone will shine a light in ...
- 26 What is "working blue"?
- A. Working blue refers to using off-color, not suitable for TV material....
- 27 Should I work blue?
- A. The short answer is to get up on stage and speak your passion. If ...
- 28 Will studying other comedians help me do quality comedy?
- A. There's no right or wrong answer. Some people feel studying others is ...
- 29 Should I pander to the audience?
- A. Only to save yourself from stinking up a place. There are 2 types ...
- 30 Do you ever buy your material?
- A. Some comics perform comedy to transmit their point of view to ...
- 32 Is anything in comedy off limits, Aloo?
- A. Any TOPIC is fair game for comedy. However, different ...
- 33 What kind of material should I do, Tim?
- A. You are perfectly free to collect and perform jokes such as those ...
- 34 What's a dick joke?
- A. See Working Blue....
- 35 What's alternative comedy, Eugene?
- A. Alternative comedy is just another kind of outlet. The reason it ...
- 36 Are comedy classes useful?
- A. No one can teach you how to be funny. However you can be taught to ...
- 37 Tell me about tapes, Dave
- A. Tapes should be from 5 to 15 minutes. From different shows, if possible....
- 38 Is it better to risk all and do a showcase at a new club or send tapesuntil they decide they want you, KlownHuntr?
- A. I've never NOT gotten booked from an audition set, never HAVE ...
- 39 What should I put on a bio, Dave?
- A. Bios should be a list of clubs where you KNOW you've done well. Try ...
- 40 What's a head shot?
- A. A head shot is a photo of you. You often need to send them to agents ...
- 41 What does a manager do? How about an agent? What's the difference?
- A. A manager keeps your name in the loop. He guides your career and ...
- 42 What do bookers do, Pepperskul?
- A. Bookers schedule comedians, send photos and bios on the comedians to ...
- 43 Where can I find bookers, Bret?
- A. Comedy Bookers (http://members.aol.com/bookerlist/comlist.html)...
- 45 What does it mean when a club owner/bar manager says, "We don't haveenough cash to cash your check.", Kevin?
- A. This often means it's going to bounce or be cancelled, so go to HIS ...
- 46 What can you tell me about corporate gigs, Laphboy?
- A. Corporate gigs can range anywhere from a banquet hall in the ...
- 47 Hey Stu, real comics should be spending their time working on their actsinstead of reading the newsgroup!
- A. Most, if not all, of the comics here are not quite as busy or ...
- 49 Any Improv Web pages?
- A. Who cares?...
- 53 How about comedy chat?
- A. Yes, there is a comedy chat line. To find out more, E-mail the founder,...
- 54 Tips for comedy writers:
- * Obtain the Comedy USA directory. Send material to comics listed in ...
- 55 Protecting your work:
- 1. How to copyright your work:...
- 56 How to Appear In Any Major Motion Picture? (Stand-up Comedy)
- In order to appear in any major motion picture, you must have a ...
- 57 A list of comedy clubs by city A-B
- Here is a list of comedy clubs by city. Addresses, phone numbers, ...
- 61 A list of comedy clubs by city M-N
- MANCHESTER, ...
- 64 A list of comedy clubs in San Francisco
- SAN FRANCISCO, ...
- 67 Agents and Promotional Agencies
- UNITED KINGDOM ...
- 68 Books about being a stand-up comedian.
- Be a Stand-Up Comic, or Just Look Like One. A Comedy Career Guide....
- 69 Comedy Periodicals
- The Comedy USA Guide (A must for any comedian working the road)...
- 70 Comedy Software
- COMEDY
- 71 Comedy Miscellaneous
- Bill Hicks' Mailing ...
- 72 Thanks go to:
- * Bernard Aboba (legalese)...
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