Hey M. – Every group of people has it’s own personality – just like individuals. Sometimes that personality will like what you do on stage and other times they won’t.

It’s just like the old saying – “You can’t please everyone.”

That’s one thing comedians and speakers need to realize. They’re not gonna have 100% of the audience love everything they say or do on stage. It just won’t happen – and I don’t care who the performer is. An example I use about this in my workshops involves Jerry Seinfeld…

I consider Seinfeld to be one of the top comedians not only of our time – but in the long history of comedy. Right up there with Pryor, Carlin and Cosby – who were usually listed as The Big Three by working comics I interviewed for my books. Seinfeld’s name starting creeping in during the success of his TV show and it’s stayed there.

I’ve been fortunate to see Seinfeld dozens of times. Usually it was at the LA Improv when when Seinfeld was still in production and he would stop by the club to work on new material. I was also in the audience at The Cleveland Improv during the filming of his movie Comedian and also for a few theater shows.

The last time I saw him was GREAT!! He KILLED and it was positively the BEST show I had seen him do – at least in my humble opinion (do I really possess such a trait?). I laughed from beginning to end. BUT on the way out of the theater, there were two couples walking behind us and one guy turned to the others and said (no BS), “You should’ve seen him last time. He was a lot funnier than this.”

My jaw dropped in disbelief – but then I slammed it shut. Every individual has his own personality and opinions and obviously, this guy’s was different than mine. It’s the same when a group of people get together. An audience develops a personality.

————————————————————————————————-

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter for comedians and speakers…

www.TheComedyBook.com

————————————————————————————————

You mentioned The Improv. It’s a known comedy club and people go there to see comedy. They are more supportive audiences than an open-mic in a regular bar. You know the type I mean – the kind of place where the bartender shuts off the game and announces to his customers it’s, “time for a little comedy.” Think of Sam Malone pulling that ploy on the gang at Cheers. It’s not gonna be as supportive as The Improv.

Different audiences – different personalities. Can you play both? An experienced comedian has a pretty good chance. A beginning comic needs to look at it as real life on-stage experience.

Sometimes you can’t do anything about it. They’ll hate you no matter what. It’s not your crowd and it happens to everyone during the course of their careers. Imagine if you produced a show and your co-headliners were Bill Maher and Carrot Top. One is gonna get more laughs than the other based on the comedy tastes of the majority of the crowd. In other words, the crowd’s personality.

My best advice when you’re having a difficult time is to try and engage the audience in your set more than you might normally do. For instance, I saw one of the best comedy writers in the biz do his regular set at the LA Improv years ago. From my past experiences watching him many times before, his material was guaranteed to get laughs. But for some reason, this Friday night crowd wasn’t laughing – at all.

So instead of chalking it up to a bad experience and hoping his next crowd was more receptive,  this “material” comedian took the microphone out of the stand and starting talking to the audience. He used all the old comedian tricks:

“Where’ya from?” and “What’da’ya do for a living?”

Next thing you know, he had engaged the audience. They were suddenly interested in what he was saying. He had related to them.

Then – and this was the cool part – he stepped back, put the microphone back on the stand, and went into his usual material that I had seen work many times before. And this time – it worked again!! The audience laughed all the way through the rest of his set.

After he got off stage I talked to him about it, (I was the talent booker – so allowed to do that). He said – like every comedian – he had started out as an opening act. It’s what you have to learn to be a good MC – relate to and engage the audience. He just hadn’t needed to do that at The Improv – the only venue where I had seen him – in a long time because his material was practiced and usually works. But when it doesn’t – he goes back to what he learned as a good MC – relating to the audience – and continues until they’re with him.

Make sense? You may not kill at every open mic because of this great advice and the audience may not like you no matter what you do. But this will at least give you a fighting chance.  Talk with the crowd, relate to them – find out what they’re interested in and play off it. It’s almost like you’re the host of a party and it’s your job to greet everyone and make sure they feel involved – like they’re a welcomed guest.

Once that happens – then you can kill them with your comedy. If not, then you might have to admit they’re not your audience and move on. Sort of like being Carrot Top at a Bill Maher show, or the guy walking behind me after the Seinfeld show. We definitely had clashing personalities that night, but you know me. I keep my (humble) opinions to myself… ha!

<

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype visit www.TheComedyBook.com.

Copyright 2012 – North Shore Publishing

Hey J.W. – The best advice I’ve ever heard from any working comic or writer is to just keep writing. You’re already doing that by keeping a journal and creating stand-up sets. The idea is not to get too far ahead of yourself. A one man show is a big project – so you’ll want to create a few shorter ones, (like laugh out loud five minute comedy sets), first.

You say you’re not a playwright (correct spelling, by the way), but that doesn’t always mean having to sit down at a computer keyboard and “write” a show. As I say in my workshops, some people can do that – most can’t.

Most stand-ups and speakers have to talk it out. And by this I mean in front of an audience. It makes the material and delivery real. I think this way of working will suit you best. You don’t need to be a playwright to talk and convey your message.

Talk your stories into an audio recorder. Then transcribe – write them out. Edit, make changes, add your humor and tweak the material. Then do it again and write some more. Take it on stage and try it out in front of an audience. Are they interested? Are they laughing? If yes – then it’s working. If not – then you go back to work. Write some more and continue to repeat the process until you get the audience reaction you want.

Keep in mind this is not easy. Working writers, speakers and comedians dedicate themselves to these careers. Emotions range from failure to success and every hard knock in between. But if you’re serious, have a thick skin and really want it – then you’ll continue.

Okay, so let’s say you have some great comedy happening in your stand-up sets. You also want to add “serious stuff” so the result is more of a one man show, rather than a Comedy Central special.

Create an outline for a planned show. What is it you want to say? Who is your audience? But don’t knock yourself out trying to make it perfect – like a finished and polished script for a successful Broadway show. Everything always changes when you start to do it live. That’s why pre-successful Broadway shows go on the road for multiple previews – followed by multiple re-writes, re-casting and more previews.

Shows, comedy sets, motivational speeches, books, plays, movies – whatever – go through many drafts before they are considered finished. That’s important to remember so you’re not discouraged after each preview. My first book was re-written a number of times before I had a literary agent accept it. Then she made me re-write it a few times before she would shop it around. Then after a publisher bought it – I had to rewrite a few more times before they printed and got it into stores. It was at least a dozen re-writes total.

You will experience the same thing. But as I said earlier – don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You’re still in the first draft stage of creating your show.

Concentrate on what you’re doing now – getting stage experience in stand-up, improvisation and acting. Keep creating short (3 to 5 minute) comedy sets and trying them out in front of audiences. The comedians I’ve worked with find their comedy voice first.  After that they “write for” that comedy voice.

Okay – got that? Now, if you want to continue into one man (or one woman) show-land, let’s visit television sitcom-land for a quick example…

———————————————————————————————–

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter for comedians and speakers…

www.TheComedyBook.com

————————————————————————————————

One of my favorite sitcoms was The Drew Carey Show. The pilot for that show was written around Drew’s stand-up act. In fact, when you watch it you can actually see him doing bits that he did countless times in comedy clubs. The storyline for the episode was written around his comedy voice and what he was already doing on stage.

It was the same with Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement and many others that starred stand-up comedians.

Take one of your stories and see if you can make into a five minute stand-up comedy bit – as a storyteller. But keep your personality – comedy voice – and don’t try to be an actor. Right now it’s you talking about you. Later as it develops, you might want to try acting out some of the other characters involved.

The best advice I can give is to realize a one person show is also a theatrical production. This was a very popular goal in the comedy biz during the 1990′s and many comedians failed because they didn’t realize that. It’s more than just doing your stand-up act on a stage with a couch and a table. If it’s going to be any good – it needs to be more of a night at the theater, rather than a comedy club.

The best example of a comedian-writer-actor developing his own successful one man show is The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron by Robert Dubac. I’ve seen it many times – from it’s earliest first draft performed at The Santa Monica Improv to a sold-out Palace Theater in Cleveland – and highly recommend it whenever I can. If you’re not familiar with it – you can purchase the DVD for under $5 on Amazon.com. Here’s the link.

It takes work to write and create anything. But hopefully it’s work you enjoy. Just keep writing and trying your material out on stage. With talent, creativity, experience and luck – you might wind up with something great. You never know unless you try.

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, his comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype visit www.TheComedyBook.com

Copyright 2012 – North Shore Publishing

Hey C.H. – The only way to find out what you’re best suited for – whether it’s stand-up, improv or anything for that matter – is to try it. And since a lot of people like the controlled environment of having a safety net, take a class. Check out local improvisation groups and see if they offer classes, (most do). You might really take to it – or might not.

I know a lot of stand-ups that do both. But most (in my opinion) seem to stick mainly with one or the other.

Like with a lot of other interests – creatively and professionally – it doesn’t hurt to take a class. A good coach / instructor can give you insights into the craft and business aspects. You would also get experience actually doing improvisation or stand-up and can make the decision yourself of whether you’re into it or not.

The other plus – if you find you’re into it – is that a good class should take time off the learning curve you’d be dealing with if you just went out on your own.  Here’s what I mean…

Without ever taking a class you could still audition for an improv group. Your natural talent might be great, but you don’t know the “rules” of improv or have any practice with some of the standard games. You’d learn through the audition experience (hopefully), but someone else who is already familiar with improv would have an edge at the audition. A class would have prepared you in advance.

Same with stand-up to an extent. Some comedians have a natural ability to go on stage and be funny. Others have no idea what it’s really like to perform in front of an audience or how to put together a set. I’ve seen both and it can be great fun to watch, pure misery – or a little of both. For instance…

————————————————————————————————–

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter for comedians and speakers…

www.TheComedyBook.com

————————————————————————————————-

When I was running auditions at the NYC Improv all you had to do to get on stage was draw a lottery number.  No experience necessary. There would be about 100 hopefuls lined up to pull 15 numbers. The lucky ones went on stage that night for three minutes.

The comedians with experience knew what they would do. It didn’t matter if they had taken a class or not – but they had worked out a set in front of an audience prior to the big audition. But others had only thought about it – no guidance, coaching or audience response. And it was always obvious.

Two I remember in particular…

One woman went on stage with a role of paper. This was the type of roll you’d put in an old adding machine to print out numbers. She had written jokes on the roll and would simply read them. When they got no response from the audience – and none did except groans – she would rip that joke off the roll and say, “Well, that didn’t work.” It was misery to watch – but funny to talk about later.

An older guy showed up for his audition with a female mannequin, (a dummy used to model women’s clothes), dressed in sexy lingerie. I’m not kidding. He took the mannequin on stage, sat her on a stool and completely ignored it… or her… or whatever you want to call it… while he told a few unfunny jokes. Never referred to the mannequin once. When he was greeted with nothing but weird silence, he put the mannequin under his arm, walked off stage and headed towards Times Square – never to be seen again on the comedy scene. Once again there were plenty of laughs once he was out of hearing range.

Would they have done this if they had gone through a class or workshop? Maybe they would – but would you? Not if you have half a brain, were serious about starting a career and had searched out someone who could give you good and honest insight into the biz.

If you’re “stuck,” unsure about what’s right for you – but have a desire to try, then take a class or a workshop to find out. A good one will help you tap into your creativity and give you decent insights into writing, performing and the business. It should also give you a push (kick in the butt) in the right direction to give it a prepared shot. Then you’ll know if it’s right for you. It can’t hurt.

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype visit www.TheComedyBook.com.

Copyright 2012 – North Shore Publishing

Hey PC – Your question will sound familiar to more than a few of us because it comes up quite often. In fact I’ve probably hit on it at least twice in the last year. But you know what? New comedians ask because it’s important. And the best answer I can give you when deciding whether to work clean or dirty is to know your audience.

Who are you performing for? Who are the people that paid good money to see you? Where do you want to go career wise? What markets do you want to play?

These are all questions every entertainer – not just comedians and speakers – have to consider. As a creative artist (comedian, speaker, entertainer) – who is your audience? And as a business person, (successful creative artist), how can you build an audience for your creative endeavors?

The deal is that everyone has to start at the beginning. Since you specifically said “new comedian,” that’s what we’ll focus on. Speakers already know they have to work clean. If they don’t, then they’re not speaking much – if at all.

So… who is your audience?

When you’re just starting out in comedy it could be any demographic you can think of. And if you’re serious about this biz you need to understand the value of stage experience. You won’t become a working comic just sitting in your living room doing bits in front of your mirror or for the family dog. You must get in front of an audience and shape your material and delivery based on their response.

If they laugh it works. If they don’t, then you need to make some changes. An audience will tell you that, which is why you want to get on stage as often as possible.

So again I’ll ask – who is your audience? Do they want clean or dirty material? Will you be able to pick and choose who you will be performing for? That will help determine what’s best for you.

I’ve worked with comedians who are Born Again Christians and I’ve worked with the most x-rated acts you’ve ever heard. It doesn’t bother me either way. I’m a coach and I’ll coach performers in whatever direction they want to go. And if you already know what direction that is – then find places to perform that will have an audience that will enjoy your material.

But regardless of what anyone else will tell you, there are also “rules” in comedy. The rules are made up by the people who hire comedians.

For instance, you can’t perform x-rated material on network television shows such as The Tonight Show, Letterman or Jimmy Kimmel Live. You can get away with a lot more than 30 years ago when Johnny Carson ruled late night, but these shows still have to deal with network standards and censors.

On cable television and satellite radio pretty much anything can be said. But it also depends on the show. I doubt The Howard Stern Show and The Disney Channel fight over guests from the same talent pool. But here’s another question to think about…

Are you ready to appear on The Howard Stern Show or The Disney Channel?

You need to develop your act first and the only way to do that is through stage experience. And as a new comedian – who will you be performing for?

My best advice is to know your audience. You can work x-rated if you want – but just be smart enough not to go on stage if the audience is filled with blue haired old ladies or kids still hooked on The Disney Channel. On the flip side, don’t expect to do your best Disney material in a late night dive bar in front of a beer fueled crowd of rednecks ticked-off that the bartender turned off the cage match wrestling extravaganza for your comedy show.

———————————————————————————————–

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter for comedians and speakers visit…

www.TheComedyBook.com

———————————————————————————————-

Get the picture?

A lot of experienced comedians – good comedians – can usually play to both audiences. Why? Because they have the experience AND material that can be “cleaned up” or “dirtied down.” In other words, their punchlines don’t get laughs simply because they contain the F-Bomb or other words that will get them banned from network television. They can go either way.

So to finally answer your questions – as a “new comedian” – I would suggest you work on writing funny material. And I’ll repeat: funny material. I’m talking about material that will stand up on it’s own and will be just as funny to an audience with or without a few gratuitous F-bombs.

Practice and develop your talent as a writer. How would you deliver your set during an afternoon Rotary Club luncheon – as opposed to at a late night dive bar? Better still – ask yourself which venue you prefer?

Wait a minute! I almost forgot to mention something…

Just to make your decision interesting – keep in mind the guys who hire comics for corporate events, holiday parties, retirements, banquets, etc…  are the ones who attend Rotary Club meetings. They ALWAYS pay entertainers waaaaay more than any beer soaked guy in a dive bar. That’s why corporate events are much more desirable for working comics than a weekend gig at Joe’s Yuck Yuck Room at the corner of Dive and Bar.

So…? Better to work clean or dirty? You need to make that decision – and the best way to do it is to know your audience.

<

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype visit www.TheComedyBook.com.

Copyright 2012 – North Shore Publishing

Hey D.S. – Where do I lean when it comes to publishing a book? If you had asked me that question when my first book came out, (NYC publisher), you would’ve gotten an ear full of advice NOT to self-publish. But today I’m not leaning one way or the other. I’m right in the middle.

There are advantages and disadvantages with both. And there’s no reason why you can’t do both.

This is a topic that comes up quite a bit with speakers and comedians, so I’m sure we’ll discuss publishing, promoting and selling books a lot more in this newsletter during 2012. But one thing I’ll say right now is I’m sure a lot of us believe in the old saying – everyone feels they have at least one book in them.

It’s one thing to get it out (written) – and another getting it published and read, (make money from it). The entire process is… well, a book in itself. So today I’ll just direct my answer to your question:

A NYC agent or self-publish?

First of all let’s clarify. A NYC agent doesn’t guarantee anything. You could have a literary agent in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo or anywhere else. It really doesn’t matter anymore. Almost everything they do is techno and online – just like this newsletter. There are also book fairs agents attend where scheduled personal schmoozing with publishers from around the world takes place – so location is not important.

If anyone dares argue with me about that one – here’s something to ponder. My literary agent is based in Atlanta and she scored two book deals for me with NYC publishers. I lived in Manhattan for 13 years and ran the most famous comedy club in the universe. I had contacts – but not publishing contacts. I would’ve never gotten past the receptionists in either publishing house, yet my agent who is a ba-zillion miles away put together the submissions, made the calls (schmoozed) to publishers she’s connected to in the biz, and got the NYC deals.

You have to have the product, (a well written book). After that, it’s all about contacts. Like everything else in showbiz, how successful a literary agent is depends on his or her contacts. It’s who they know.

In my view, having a literary agent score you a deal with a “real” publishing company is a lot more desirable than self-publishing. It’s not easy and some will say it’s pretty much impossible for an unknown, but it can happen, (I’m proof). And it’s great for the ego knowing “real” professionals running “real” publishing companies believe in your work enough to invest “real” time and money.

There is also still a stigma about self-publishing. And again – sorry if I bruised a few egos with that statement – but it’s true. Ask an author, “Who published your book?” They’ll sound a lot more confident and legit when they name a known publishing house rather than answering, “I did…”

BUT for the speakers and comedians these articles are written for, who cares about that when having a book can increase your income? To make a living at this you have to start thinking like every other comedian and speaker who sells books, DVDs, CDs, T-shirts, and anything else that’s not nailed down in their dressing room after their shows.

It’s called BOR (Back of the Room) sales – and there’s a lot of money to be made from it. And for the self-publisher THAT’s how you make it really worthwhile.

——————————————————————————————–

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter visit…

www.TheComedyBook.com

——————————————————————————————–

Having a “real” publisher release and distribute your book is prestigious and very cool. Plus they’ll pay you – up front – for it. A good publisher will forward the author a $$ advance to finish the book. This comes out of future royalties, but it’s money in your hand NOW.

Self-publishing will set you back mucho $$’s to see your book in print. Oh yeah, I’m quite aware of the low cost eBook market, (I have a few out there myself),  but you can’t sell autographed eBooks in the BOR following speaking or comedy gigs. You can only hope your audience will still be excited enough about your book to go online later and buy it at a fraction of the price they would pay for a printed book.

If you’re already a working speaker or comedian, BOR product usually sells after a good performance. The audience either wants more information or a souvenier. A book about your topic – with your signature – gives them both.

So here’s today’s answer. Yes – of course you want someone else to publish your book.  But that can take years and no guarantee it’s gonna happen. In fact, it relates well with another old showbiz saying – most authors are gonna hear “no” more than “yes.” Can your ego stand it?

Self-publishing is immediate. It’s possible to open a box of books in the morning, have a luncheon speaking or comedy gig – and spend your evening counting $$’s from BOR sales. So even if you can’t get a real publishing deal, you need to explore self-publishing options.

But you have to consider a BIG cost to self-publish.

If you think you’ll shop around for a way too cheap it’s too good to be true printing company, remember one thing. You get what you pay for in the publishing biz. Show up with a cheap looking book and your loving audience, (potential buyers), will smile, shake your hand, tell you how great you are – and move on to the next speaker or comedian to buy their product.

It’s no secret Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble encourage all books to have professional looking book covers  for their self-published eBooks. You may have a great story or a worthwhile message, but consumers are also “sold” by what they “see.” When you’re selling a printed book they can open and look through before buying, it better be of a quality they wouldn’t mind owning.

Either way – published or self-published – if you have a book in you, you need to get it out. I’ll recommend getting a “legit” agent to find a “legit” publisher – but at the same time – and this is only if you’re already a working speaker or comedian – investing in printing costs and making $$’s with BOR sales.

If you’re not getting out in front of an audience to promote your book, you’ll be competing with thousands of other authors to get sales. Remember the horror stories of self-published authors with stacks of books sitting in their garages and basements because no book stores would sell them? Personal appearances can result in sales. That’s why every movie star on the planet hits the TV talk show circuit when their new movie is coming out. It’s called promotions and marketing. You gotta do it – whether you’re published or self-published.

But I’m getting too far ahead of myself.  We’ll talk about that stuff later. The best answer is to find a literary agent with good contacts.

How do you do that? I’ll go into more details later, but research their guidelines for book submissions, (the info is always on the agency website).

In the meantime – if you’re regularly in front of audiences and want BOR sales – research printing costs for self-publishing. Of course this is all just the very beginning of the process. There’s writing, editing, designing and… well it’s book publishing and that’s big business. We’ll talk more about it later.

<

Dave Schwensen is the (published) author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, Dave’s comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in-person, by phone or via Skype visit www.TheComedyBook.com

Copyright 2011 – North Shore Publishing

Hey J.P. – There are sooo many ideas and techniques to improve presentation skills. I had someone ask me – just last week – about the value of picturing the audience in their underwear as a method to overcome stage fright. To be truthful, I always thought that was a joke invented many years ago for a sitcom or movie.

I never thought it was advice that should be taken seriously. First of all it sounded like too much work. Speakers should be concentrating on what they’re talking about and delivering their message to an audience.

If you don’t do that in the comedy world – it’s called sleepwalking through your act. That means you don’t care and just going through the paces. If a speaker or comedian does that, it’s usually pretty obvious to an audience. So my point is, how can you concentrate on picturing your audience in their underwear when you need to concentrate on what you’re saying?

Second – there are always gonna be too many people in an audience that I wouldn’t want to see in their underwear. Of course it would be different if we were booking speaking gigs every day for The Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Team, (there are both girls AND guys teams – so pick whichever one works best for you).

So my advice for getting over being timid on stage? Same as it’s been for years – use humor.

You may be timid, shy or nervous when you first walk on stage. But in my experience as a comedy coach I’ve seen a LOT of people in that tongue-tying, dry-mouthed, hand-shaking condition suddenly break out and light up the stage once they experience their first laugh from an audience. It’s a life-changing event, spiritual awakening, shot of adrenaline and the same feeling as love at first sight – all rolled up into one big sucker punch to the gut.

That’s why comedians say it’s addictive.

————————————————————————————————–

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter visit…

www.TheComedyBook.com

————————————————————————————————

I’ve watched many people from my many comedy workshops make their stage debut in front of large audiences. Some were full of confidence, some were faking confidence – and some were just flat out nervous and scared. Members of this last group would have been “timid” on stage because they lacked experience.

Nothing can truly change that except experience. And one important experience – the experience of making an audience laugh – is powerful enough to make the on-stage experience fun and… well, addictive. That gut feeling can usually lure a timid person to try it again… and again… and again – until being “timid” is now only an emotion of the past – or only used for delivery purposes, (can you say acting?).

But as I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen the results in my comedy workshops. I watch our performances from the back of the room and can see if someone steps on stage with a fearful look in their eyes. But as soon as they get that first laugh, it’s like a veil being lifted from their face. The difference is like night and day – from black and white to color.

Humor engages an audience and empowers the speaker. Even if your message is doom and gloom, or sad enough where the desired audience reaction is tears and sympathy. It’s tough to hold an audience’s attention with only one emotion. That’s why even great funeral eulogies include funny memories about the deceased.

Humor engages the audience.

The late great George Carlin told me during an interview for my book, Comedy FAQs And Answers, that he used language, (actually dirty words), to keep his audience’s attention. He was in control and could take them anywhere he wanted verbally because they couldn’t wait to hear what he would say next.

Humor empowers the speaker.

So my best advice for getting over being timid or nervous on stage? Use humor. Go for a laugh – then into delivering your message.  Hopefully you’ll find the laughter addictive – which will keep you going on stage. And if you continue going on stage, you’ll get valuable experience as a speaker.

And…

The more experience you have as a public speaker – the less timid or nervous you’ll be on stage. Laughter and experience – an addictive combination.

<

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype – visit www.TheComedyBook.com

Copyright 2011 – North Shore Publishing

Hey M.W. – I’m glad to see you have two important words Capitalized in your question:

• Gift
• Passion

We could substitute the word talent for gift, and passion is… well, what you need a lot of if you’re serious about getting into comedy and performing. I’ll also throw speaking into that “world” because your two words are also basic requirements for being successful in that competitive biz.

As usual I’m setting myself up for an argument here, so I’ll try to defuse the situation somewhat by offering both sides. Some will say talent is a gift and can’t be taught. Either you have it – or you don’t. Same with passion. If you don’t have a true desire to do something – whether it’s performing, sports, cooking, collecting stamps or whatever you have no real interest in doing – then find something else you are passionate about and do that instead.

Case closed. First argument has been made.

BUT others, (such as myself), believe even the slightest spark of talent can be nurtured and coached at least to a point where it doesn’t have to be buried forever as only a what if personal wish. To make that a bit clearer, you may have a secret desire to paint. The Talent or Gift you possess might not be enough to land your work in an art museum, but there’s a chance you can be coached to at least put a few stick figures on a piece of paper and display it on your parent’s refrigerator.

Along the way, you may discover a passion for this. You didn’t realize you could paint stick figures – and now you love doing it.

Sometimes talent is hidden. You don’t know if you really have it unless you make an effort to bring it out. And if you really, truly feel you have this talent – this Gift – do you have the desire, the drive, the need to pursue it as a career?

That’s where passion comes in.

————————————————————————————————–

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter visit…

www.TheComedyBook.com

————————————————————————————————-

Making a successful career in comedy, speaking or performing is not for the faint of heart. It’s gonna be a tough climb and you need to have the patience and drive to overcome the lows and rejections while developing your talent.

In this biz you’re gonna hear “no” a lot more than you’re gonna hear “yes.” Do you have the passion to continue? In the long haul, that – along with talent and yes, luck – are usually the determining factors.

Okay, enough real world philosophy from me. What I just explained is down the road – the long haul. That’s the tough part. The easy part is the answer to your question – starting out.

You need to start developing your gift – your talent. You want to be a comedian or a speaker? Start writing. Write down your thoughts and ideas.  Organize them in some type of order – an outline or even a script – that you think would be a good way for you to deliver these thoughts and ideas to an audience. Your goal should be to get laughs, deliver a message – or both.

Take a workshop or a performance class, join Toastmasters, hire a coach, or audition for an improv group or a play. Taking the first step may seem impossible, but it’s easy. You may love it or you may hate it. But you gotta try it if you feel you have the talent and the passion.

Then  get in front of an audience. This could be on stage at an open-mic club, talent show, social or business group, (think Rotary or other organizations). Do this as often as you can. It could be a great experience or hell on earth. Usually it’s a little of both. But if you truly have the passion, you’ll continue the process.

Experience will help you develop your talent.  Passion will keep you going. In the long haul… well, whatever the result you shouldn’t have the what if regret because you gave it your best shot.

The “recognized” part of your question is what happens during the long haul. Quite a few successful comedians, speakers and performers I’ve worked with never seemed too concerned with being a “star.” They did it because they had the talent and the passion for what they do – whether it’s performing, sports, cooking, collecting stamps or whatever – and they do it because they love it.

Steven Tyler from the mega successful rock band Aerosmith – and currently a judge for the mega successful television show American idol – was asked why he’s still touring, writing and performing after more than 40 years. It’s a grind and a lot of aspiring performers in their 20′s don’t even have the stamina to keep up with him both on and off stage.  Tyler’s answer?

“Passion, man, it’s all about passion.” Then he showed the interviewer a diamond bracelet he wears on his left wrist that spells out the word “passion.”

Many performers – regardless of their recognition or star factor – had no choice to make. Following their Gift and Passion was something they had to do it. That’s how you start.

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype visit www.thecomedybook.com.

Copyright 2011 – North Shore Publishing

I do 45 minutes to an hour, but on the money question I have no idea how to answer them. Obviously, I’d want enough to cover airfare. Between you and me, I’d stay with my grandmother who lives near the city. Any ideas? Thanks! – B.K.

Hey B.K. – I know the club you’re referring to. They’ve been in business for a long time and have a good reputation. And since you didn’t mention this being an offer for a one time gig – like a holiday party, private or corporate show – I’ll assume it’s for a weekend worth of shows at the club.

It’s really a tough call for me because I don’t know what the club manger / owner pays his acts. It’s not an “A” room like The Improv and most Funny Bones, so a good guess his price will be lower than what comics are paid in those clubs. But honestly, I don’t know that for a fact.

The bottom line is that this talent booker asked you a wide open question – putting you on the spot. Between you and me, (okay – also readers), the guy asking you this is a real prick, (sorry – but true). He works / runs a club that operates every single weekend – and has for years. He knows the going rate for openers, features and headliners. He has to – cuz he’s been paying them. So for him to ask YOU this question means he’s hoping you’ll come in lower than someone else just because you want to “get in” with the club.

And the fact of the matter is that he’s probably right. Comedians who have yet to really establish themselves, (and B.K. I know you’re on your way to doing this), will hesitate to quote a higher price. They want to work the club, but don’t want to ruin their chances by asking for too much. The thought is that later they can negotiate a higher price when they’re a proven audience attraction.

This is part of the continual game played between bookers and newer talent. Comedians – and speakers – with solid credits can pretty much name their price.

For example, a number of years ago I contacted talent reps for Ray Romano and Jeff Foxworthy for a theater show I was putting together. I’ve known both personally, but when it comes to business you deal with agents and managers. Anyway, the fee I was quoted for each – and one included use of a private jet to fly in before the gig and leave immediately after – was outrageous for a small time booker. But it was “the fee” and not negotiable.

When your career reaches the stratosphere – that’s how you can do business.

————————————————————————————————-

To receive Dave’s weekly newsletter visit…

www.TheComedyBook.com

———————————————————————————————–

In the case of a newer comedian or speaker, you have to have the business sense, (no fear!), to ask for more information. The first question:

“How many shows do you want me to do?”

If it’s a series of shows – for instance, 5 shows over a weekend – ask what they pay per show. Headliners can get anywhere from $100 and up per show. It depends on the club reputation and size of audiences.

The next question:

“What do you usually pay your first-time headliners or first-time features, (or openers if that’s what you’re going for)?”

Also – do you know anyone who’s played this club? Are you on good enough terms that you can contact the comedian and ask what he or she was paid? If so – do it. Comedians don’t have a union – so at least in my opinion, you need to find a way to work together. Otherwise the club bookers will always have the upper hand.

Instead of throwing an open question at you – again, hoping you play low ball – the booker should make you an offer. He should come right out and say, “This is what we pay our headliners and/or features and/or openers.” And then ask if you want to work the club. Of course that’s in a perfect world and we don’t happen to live in one…

But as far as asking, “How much would you want?” That’s what they say in the corporate and college booking worlds. And when you’re working in those markets, you should already have a price. You throw that back at them – and leave room to negotiate travel, accommodations, food, merchandise and other $$$ stuff.

There are also other factors – especially in doing club gigs. Comedians, speakers and any type of performer has to consider his own track record. For instance, if a comedian consistently gets $1,000 per weekend – that’s his price. Options are plus airfare, hotel and food. The comedian tries to get his price up – and bookers try to get it down. It depends on the performer’s current popularity. If you were on “The Tonight Show” last week – you can probably ask for more than if your face hasn’t been seen on network TV in over a decade.

In the case of a newer comedian / speaker there are different considerations. Would you want to do this club as a chance to visit your grandmother? Would this club be a great credit on your resume? Are you gonna make new contacts that will lead to more work?

All things you need to think about…

Your best bet is to be up front about it. Send back a message asking what they are offering. Mention you’ll most likely be happy to work within their budget – but let the booker make an offer. Then you can negotiate if necessary.

For instance, he might pay you more if you don’t use a hotel room that the club would normally provide. You can stay with grandma. You might also use grandma’s car – so there’s a few more bucks you’re saving the booker that (maybe) can be passed along to you.

You also mentioned airfare. A lot of clubs today are not paying airfare – and they used to. So yes, the bottom line is that you need to cover your expenses. When you’re working a club for the first time, come up a total you need for expenses. Then see what they offer you and if your expenses are covered. The amount of profit on top of that… well, since you’re a first-timer and weren’t on “The Tonight Show” last week, your negotiation power might be limited.

In the end – if the club booker makes an offer – the decision is all yours. Is it worth it? Only you know for sure…

<

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype, visit www.thecomedybook.com.

Copyright 2011 – North Shore Publishing

I received more than the usual amount of emails about the subject and I gotta admit, (pleasantly), they were all in agreement about the business insights. But one came at me from the other side – the creative side – and I want to share that with you. It’s about writing for a comedy team.

———————————————————————————————-

Receive Dave’s weekly newsletter – visit…

www.TheComedyBook.com

———————————————————————————————-

The email comes from my pal JD Sidley who performs as both a solo stand-up and as part of the team Bengston & Sidley – or is it Sidley & Bengston? Either way I’ve known JD and Rodney (Bengston) for many years and I doubt they’ll mind if I’m wrong about which one gets top billing. Besides they seem to like it when I screw up. For some reason – like a lot of people I know – they find that entertaining.

JD is also one of the founding fathers of The Cleveland Comedy Festival, which happens to be kicking off its 4th year this week. For information about comedians, shows and tickets, visit www.clevelandcomedyfestival.com.

As I mentioned, the topic was comedy teams. I covered the business side and now JD will throw in his insights about the creative side. I appreciate his comments and effort in sending them to me via email. Now if he would only spend as much time writing an act… (add rim shot here!)

JD Sidley: Comedy teams? Do people really want to do that? Hey, me and Rodney learned that it is not twice as hard to be a team; it’s like 10 times as hard.

Why? Because you have to write together and you have to rehearse together as well as perform together, which means spending a lot of time together. So – if you’re a comic with a day job – that means a hell of a lot of planning and scheduling.

It’s also a different kind of comedy writing. You’re not just writing for your own voice; you’re writing for someone else’s voice, too. Plus the two of you have to figure out exactly how you’re gonna write your routines.

Me and Rodney use to meet and brainstorm ideas for bits. And then I would write them. We’d meet again and Rodney would edit the hell out of them and add jokes and cut jokes. And then we’d run through and run through again.

I guess some people can write as a team. We did not. But we contributed equally. We also established a few “rules” for ourselves. We tried – I don’t know how successfully – to break the tradition of “straight man and funny man” by making sure both of us had lines that would get laughs.

We also tried to create routines that would allow us to interact with the audience – just like all stand-ups should do. We did not want to do little plays on stage. We always faced the crowd and tried to include them. So in a way, it was like writing for three people – the audience being the third.

Anyway, I obviously thought your FAQ on comedy teams was an interesting topic choice. Mostly, I realize that you talked about the business end of the teams. So, I just thought I’d chime in about the creative side – having been part of a team.

So, that’s it. Hope to see you around the Comedy Festival sometime. – JD

Hey JD – Thanks again for sharing. I’m sure there are at least a few aspiring comedy teams out there right now soaking up your experienced – and helpful information.

And of course I was only kidding when I said you should spend as much time writing an act. Just as I mentioned that you guys find it entertaining when I screw up – I get just as many laughs throwing verbal barbs at Bengston & Sidley… or is it Sidley & Bengston…?

——————————————————————————————-

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype, visit www.thecomedybook.com.

Copyright 2011 – North Shore Publishing (yeah JD – you’ve just been published!)

Hey B.H. – Neither is easy. As the old saying goes, if it was easy then everyone would do it. And as long as I’m throwing out sayings, here’s another one from my first book – which makes it an older saying than any used in my second book:

Comedy is a serious business – with a lot of laughs.

For our purposes today, the key to that saying is the word business. When you have an on stage partner not only are you co-writing and co-performing, you’re also business partners. This means also sharing the off stage business duties such as publicity, booking gigs, scheduling auditions and showcases, arranging travel, and  sharing rooms and all expenses while on the road.

But probably the one detail that stops most potential comedy teams dead in their tracks is this one important detail:

Comedy teams have to split the profits while single comics keep it all.

That may not seem like a big deal if your super stardom brings in the big bucks. The Smothers Brothers can afford their individual lifestyles after dividing the profits and I’m sure the more famous comedy teams from the past could do the same. But when you’re just starting out comedians really don’t make much money, which is a big consideration when you’re thinking about taking on a business partner.

In fact I tell potential comics in my workshops that in the beginning it’s gonna cost THEM money to do this. They’ll be paying for their own transportation, meals and even accommodations, (or sleeping in their car), until they can move up into at least MC’ing in the better comedy clubs. But it’s tough to even imagine having a savings account or a down payment on a house until you start booking feature and headlining slots at the best comedy clubs, or working in the corporate or college markets.

When you’re starting out in the comedy business it’s a lot like being an apprentice or going to college. There’s a lot of dues-paying and learning the ropes through experience before even thinking about a profit.

This makes it tough for just one comic to survive. A comedy team would split the costs, BUT would also have to split the profits. And don’t think just because there are two of you performing as a team that a comedy club owner is going to pay you twice what he pays a solo act. Excuse me while I try to stop laughing at that notion…

———————————————————————————————

Receive Dave’s weekly newsletter – visit

www.thecomedybook.com

———————————————————————————————-

Okay, I’ve caught my breath. Let’s continue…

Comedy is a business, (there’s that word again!), and club owners will only pay x-amount of $$’s for a show that will make their audiences laugh. What that “x-amount factor” is depends on the performer’s market value.

For example, Dane Cook can sell out a 500-seat comedy club at a top dollar ticket price. Let’s say $100 a ticket.

Because his star-power sells every ticket, the club owner will pay him more than another headliner who can’t sell-out the club. If Dane brings a partner to perform with him – they can’t sell any more tickets because there are still only 500 seats. And because the ticket price for a non-fundraising club show is pretty much maxed out at $100, it’s highly doubtful the average comedy fan will pay more than that for a show.

The profit for the club owner is the same regardless. Whether it takes one comic or 10 to do the job doesn’t matter because the pay for the entertainment – whether a negotiated price or a percentage based on the amount of tickets sold – will also stay the same.  So the smart move for Dane Cook is to forget about bringing in a partner and do the show solo. That way he keeps the full payment.

As far as I’m concerned – this is why you don’t see many comedy teams anymore.  No one can afford it.

But if you want to make a go of it with a partner, look over the list I gave above. You need to write, perform, travel and live well together – and also share business duties and expenses. And when a booker finally hands you a paycheck, you also have to be ready to share it with your partner.

If you can do all that, it’s easy. Well, okay – not all that easy. If it was, then everyone would be doing it.

<

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching opportunities in person, by phone or via Skype, visit www.TheComedyBook.com

Copyright 2011 – North Shore Publishing