How to Build a Routine

Getting Your Routine Together

Having a routine is essential for stand-up comedians. Yeah, it definitely helps to be a comedy natural who can make your buddies and girlfriend bust a gut laughing after you've got a beer or ten running in your bloodstream and doing all sorts of things to your brain cells, but being naturally funny is only the first part of becoming a good comedian. Getting a routine ready is a necessity if you're planning to take your show out of the bar room and onto the stage.

Okay, you may be wondering why you need to build a routine. Adlibbing wisecracks is all well and good, and you can probably slam most people down in a “dissing” match when the urge to trash talk hits you. Yeah, these definitely help on stage, but trust me, there's nothing worse than being on the stage and suddenly having one of those rare but annoying attacks of "dummyfication", where your neurons suddenly go on strike and leave you with an IQ that's roughly on par with a flea's toenails. Then you're left there on stage looking like a slack jawed “doofus,” with your eyes bugging out and your wit suddenly as sharp as a spoon - a wooden one.

Your routine pretty much shakes hands with your wits; the routine allows you to send your brain into autopilot, firing off jokes without straining your brain. You can save the spontaneous cracks for those times when members of your audience decide to get overly interactive, and start to trash talk you. Then you can feel free to return fire and let the rest of the audience have a laugh at the poor sod's expense.

Okay, that said and done, here's the first thing you need to know when you're making a comedy routine. Have a stage personality, but make sure it meshes with your real life personality. There are different types of humor, ranging from subtle jokes to sharp barbs and witticisms, to self-deprecating humor, to parodies of famous people. These are just a few examples.

Ask yourself what type of wisecracks you toss off best; make sure that you go with the ones that make people laugh, NOT the ones that leave them trying to decide whether they'll laugh or beat you senseless with a nearby stool. Save those kinds of wisecracks for on-the-fly shots at the audience once you've got them warmed up.

Keeping your routine in line with your personality puts as little pressure on you as possible, allowing the flow of your jokes to come naturally. Trying to adapt a style of humor that's different from your personality can come out sounding like it is forced. This is definitely NOT a good thing.

Start with writing a 5-minute routine designed for your buddies. Since they know you best, they'll actually be both easier on you AND harsher than a real life audience. They will be easier in the sense that, because they're your buddies, their personalities mesh with yours and they probably already find you funny to begin with. Harsher also because they're your buddies, and will probably take every opportunity to smack your butt down while you're performing for them.

Having a routine made for your friends is also a good thing because your buddies will probably be there at the bar for your first performance. Most likely, they'll be leading the audience in laughing, but will also likewise be tossing their own share of barbs at you - at which point they can be the first victims of your anti-trash talker material.

Once you got a 5-minute routine down, practice in front of a mirror. Make sure that whatever stage personality you're conveying, your body language and facial expressions match. These little things count for a lot when carrying an act. Be animated. Expressiveness, even in as simple an act as tossing a silly grin or waggling your eyebrows, can make the difference between sending a room into gales of laughter or getting showered by tomatoes. Canned tomatoes, unopened.

You should also practice pitching your voice to match the jokes of your routine. Occasional lapses into using a monotone voice can actually add an edge to certain jokes, however, doing it all the time is a sure fire formula for flat lining your audience. Modulate your tone keep it hopping all over the place. Speak in a bouncy, lively fashion and adjust your tone for special situations in your routine like doing a parody of someone.

Okay, now that you've got these tips down, get to writing your routine! And be sure to warn your girlfriend and buddies that you'll be using them as test-bunnies (I think guinea pigs and lab rats are too darn small to properly experiment on) for your first routine.

Should You Have a Stage Name?

Is Your Real Name Funny Enough?

Getting a stage name is a choice most people in the entertainment industry have to think about. As we all know, a stage name is a name an actor, musician, artist, or comedian gets and uses on stage for his or her performances. There are many different reasons why people get stage names, and some of them are even serious, like the people whose parents had a little too much hash back in the 70's when they were trying to come up with original-sounding names for their kids.

Still, in the comedy industry, having an amusing and unusual name is actually an advantage.

Some of the more serious reasons for taking a stage name include having the same or a similar sounding name to a famous personality. There's nothing worse than trying to get bookings for your comedy act when your name sounds like that of a famous star, for example. Yeah, I guess it WOULD generate a bit of extra publicity, but is it actually worth the extra aggravation when the crowd that turns out for your performance comes to your show expecting a different kind of "performance?" No way!

Then there are those guys whose names are pronounced like the sound made by a cat getting its tail mangled in the dryer. Yes, people might get a laugh out of your name, but will that really contribute to the rest of your act? You can't just go introducing yourself every 60 seconds to keep the audience laughing. And keep in mind that comedians get part of their publicity by word of mouth. Word of mouth becomes very difficult when the people who found you funny have to make 10 attempts to get your name right when they're telling their friends to see your show.

Another reason for getting a stage name is if, by a cruel twist of fate, your parents had a sense of humor even more warped than yours. If that's the case, they might have decided to give you a name that sounds like an obscenity. If this is the case, it's a fifty-fifty if you want to take a stage name or not, depending on whether your humor runs to the weird. Just keep in mind that you'll have a hard time getting bookings for gigs at places that run to "clean" humor if the owners think your real name is a stage name that you took on to advertise off-color humor.

Then there are the guys whose parents chose dorky names. Getting a stage name is a prerequisite for you if you feel you fall into this category. Heck, getting a legal name change sounds like an option to me, depending on how dweeby your parent's name of choice.

In any case, if you do decide to get a stage name, make sure that it's one that not only appeals to you, but that it's one that is catchy, easy to pronounce, and easy to remember. You want your stage name to be something that people can recall at the drop of a hat, and will be able to tell others about without having to wrack their brains. This kicks up the odds that people will remember you. Of course, this won't help your career at all if your act sucks anyway, in which case you can at least move to another city and assume your real name again when you get laughed out of town for bombing.

On the opposite note of bombing, if we assume that your act is a success, getting a stage name also helps not just in the recognition game. Because your name will sound "cool" (it better be, you're the one who picked it this time, not your folks, bubba!) it's actually legal to have your stage name changed into your real legal name. You can now have the name you've always wanted! Unless of course your own warped sense of humor made you pick a stage name that's dweeby, obscene, or unpronounceable, in which case your application for an official name change may be rejected outright or will, at the very least, be delayed for several decades by people debating on whether something like Iamthepurplepeopleeater is a valid and legal name for another human being.

Hiring A Comedian Manager

The Guys Behind the Stage: Comedian Agents and Managers

If you're serious about taking your career as a comedian to a higher, more professional level, you should really look into getting a manager or talent agent. No one runs alone, and no matter how talented you are in the biz, you can only rise so far on raw ability. The old axiom of "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is especially relevant in the entertainment industry.

So first things first: You're probably asking yourself why you need to bother getting an agent, when we've all heard horror stories about actors, musicians, and yes, comedians, who got their careers messed up by a sloppy agent. Well, there are several answers to this question, and I'll go through them one by one.

First off, without an agent or manager handling your career, you're pretty much stuck to relying on your own personal contact pool when it comes to finding a gig. While this may be enough if you know a lot of club owners in your area, in the long run it won't be sufficient for your needs if you plan on taking your show to other cities.

Booking for gigs at places and finding work for you to do is what agents and managers do for a living. They rely on their own pool of contacts, which, by the very nature of their work, tends to be more extensive than the average person's. They contract jobs not only in your area, but also in other venues outside your normal operating zone.

Furthermore, once you've established a good rapport with your agent or manager, they will have a much greater idea of your personal capabilities, meaning they will be able to find gigs for you in places where they know the audience will cater to someone with your sense of humor.

Admittedly, different people tend to find different things funny. Some groups appreciate dry humor, others slapstick comedy, and still others prefer parodies and cynical barbs. Your manager will have a good idea what type of approach you take, and find you audiences receptive to it, guaranteeing you won't be a flop.

Also, when it comes to booking abroad or in another town, it's your agent's job to arrange all your travel, food, and lodging arrangements. Imagine having to do this yourself. It seems easy enough to do. Heck, we plan for these things all the time when we're going on vacation. But it's much more convenient to leave the job to an agent who knows the turf you're going to better than you do. Besides, once your schedule becomes busy enough, this service is a godsend.

Imagine having a gig in your town, then having a gig the next day in a neighboring town. Can you handle a full night's stand up comedy on stage and still have enough moxie left to arrange everything for the next day's run? Most people who insist on managing themselves get worn out this way.

Okay, now that you know the reasons why you need a manager or an agent to handle this kind of stuff for you, what now? Well first off you need to find a good, reliable one. Don't immediately accept any offers from talent scouts if one on a gig approaches you. Scout out your potential offers, and also check comedian forums for the names of reliable agents and management companies that know what they're doing. The wrong sort of agent will screw you over for a percentage, and news like this travels fast in the industry.

Find someone who knows that the success of their careers are inextricably bound up with the success of yours. Then contact all the potential good ones you find, and meet them in person. The questions you need to ask include trying to find out how they manage the careers of other comedians aside from yourself, how extensive their contact pool is when it comes to potential places for booking you for a gig, what their percentage is from every performance you make, and how often they will be finding gigs for you to do.

Once you meet them in person, before giving a yes or no, do your research on them. Ask around with people you trust if they've done any jobs with these agents. Once you find someone who you feel will be a good agent for your career, then it's just a matter of trying out working with them and going from there.

Where to Get Comedy Material ?

Writing Your Own Comedy Material and/or Hiring a Free Lancer

Putting on a comedy act is never an easy task. That is because making people laugh is a tedious and serious matter. A joke can invoke endless laughter for one person but not another.

That way, the greatest challenge a comedian must face is the challenge of making his jokes and antics click not just to a few of the audiences but basically to almost all of them.

You can never please everybody, and no matter how seasoned and experienced a comedian, there will still be flaws that would inevitably rise up from his performance.

The audience's preference is also ever changing. With the emergence of many other forms of media portals, a joke can be overexposed to a wider scope of audience. Thus, the audience tends to be weary and seeks out other, newer jokes.

Experts advise comedians and would-be-comedians to take ample preparation prior to the performance to make sure a comedy session would be a sure hit.

You would be amazed to know that even seasoned comedians prepare their own material. Material is somehow like a script that a comedian has to memorize for presentation.

The significant actions, props, sequences and special instructions are also indicated in the material. Thus, it becomes the standard and necessary guide that would help the comedian put on the act smoothly and effectively.

Writing the Material

It isn't easy to write comedy material. Comedians would certainly agree that performing is much easier compared to writing comedy material.

That is because writing material is a special and tedious task that requires the writer to focus, brainstorm, solicit ideas from others and think insanely of ways that would be funny to other people.

Here are some simple guidelines that would help you write your own comedy material.

Know your audience. This is the first and most basic requirement when you are writing comedy material. To know the audience, be prepared to know something about their demographics likes and dislikes, culture, their religion and basic information about them. By doing so, you will be able to write jokes or punch lines that would be appropriate and funny.

Know your ability and be familiar with your own performance technique. Of course, you shouldn't write material that you think you can't properly execute. Know your audience and know your capabilities. Be humble and honest and accept your limitations as a performer.

Brainstorm. Hold conversations with people. Observe the streets. Eavesdrop. Think of funny experiences. There are many venues and experiences where you could base the material you are writing about.

Avoid offensive jokes. Sexist, racist and anti-religion jokes are taboos when it comes to comedy performances.

Recycle old jokes by modifying them or putting on new twists, characters or venues. That way, though a joke would seem too cliché, the audience won't easily recognize them and would be trapped to laugh at the recycled joke, without their full awareness.

Hiring a Free Lancer

There are times when a comedian seems to have run out of ideas for his own material. That is normal. There also come times when the comedian has to pause and take a rest from writing his own performance material.

That is like a battery recharging, and should ensure the comedian won't run out of fresh ideas.

Collaboration with a good writer would also be an advantage because the comedian is exposed to different forms of concepts and ideas.

It would be healthy because the audience would find variation and diversity in the comedian's general performance.

To hire a free lancer, you should take recommendations from peers. Also make sure the freelance writer is experienced in doing such tasks.

If you are a comedian who is adept in maintaining and boosting his own image and track record, be careful about using untested materials from free lancers.

It goes without saying that whether you write your own material or hire a free-lancer to do so, you should practice your performance before you attempt to perform in front of an audience.

Finding Comedy Classes or Coaches

Why Comedians Should Find Comedy Classes or Coaches

You might be amazed to know that the successful Hollywood comedians have their own coaches. Actually, comedians rely on coaches for their acts to be constantly interesting and their antics always funny and interesting.

Professional comedians would certainly assert how important it is that their comedy materials and antics be constantly updated so the audience doesn't grow tired and weary of them.

It isn't enough that a comedian gets the grasp of what he actually presents and his own comedy styles and antics. There has to be another individual who should make comments and suggestions on how the presentation may be better executed.

That is why it is imperative for aspiring comedians to hire a comedy coach or enroll in a comedy class before finally attempting to hit it big in the entertainment industry.

There are thousands of aspiring comedians out there. But definitely, only a few have the opportunity to make it big and acquire staying power. Comedians come and go and those who last are those who constantly undergo evolution.

Even veteran and seasoned comedians recognize the need to attend comedy classes or have sessions with personal coaches. As a performer, they know how much burden and expectation is put on their shoulders.

To ventilate whatever pressure they have in relation to the comedy performance, it is advised that comedians get a support group, in the form of classes or personal sessions with coaches, that can serve as an outlets for any emotional or mental stress.

Suggestions from comedy authorities and experienced coaches also help a comedian develop that much needed staying power to survive the entertainment scene.

Comedy classes

There are a number of acting workshops that are offered to aspiring actors. Take note that several of these workshops are specifically allotted to comedians and would-be-comedians.

There are several entertainment institutions across the globe that offer comedy classes. In these classes, there is an instructor who would offer basic techniques in pulling out an antic.

The comedy students are also given the opportunity to criticize and applaud the comedy acts and materials of their classmates. Instructors for such classes are usually veteran comedians themselves, so the students would find them credible to talk about craft honing.

However, take note that comedy classes aren't administered for free. Like many other types of classes, students of comedy classes are charged premium fees. Classes are also formalized, and so a student must adhere to classroom rules and schedules.

You would be amazed to find out several comedy formulas that will enhance your ability to make people laugh naturally.

Comedy coaches

There are several comedy coaches that offer services to aspiring and even seasoned comedians. Like singers, for example, who have voice coaches throughout the duration of their careers, comedians also must establish that kind of relationship with a coach.

However, be reminded that comedy coaches won't teach you how to pull out a joke or make people laugh. It is assumed that before you decided to pursue the career path, you already have the talent to induce laughter among audiences.

Comedy coaches will only give guidance about how you would fare better and assist you in developing the skill to use proper timing executing jokes and antics.

Comments, suggestions and even criticisms are necessary and should be taken as constructive opinions that would help comedians improve their talents. That is the main concern of a comedy coach.

The coach makes sure that a material fits the comedian, or that the material isn't outdated. People easily get tired of the usual 'tried and tested' comedy formula. Personal sessions with a coach would facilitate for that.

How to find a class or a coach

There are entertainment institutions and seasoned performers who offer workshops and personal services to comedians and would-be-comedians.

You will easily find them if you just open up your eyes and start seeking. Log on to the Internet, type keywords and your area, and ‘voila, you will have the list of institutions and professionals who offer regular comedy classes and coaching sessions.

So who would say it is that easy making people laugh?

What Comedy style Is Best For You?

How to Decide What Comedy Style is Best for You

With the increasing volume of problems and economic crunches bearing impact on a greater number of people worldwide, it is no wonder why there are more comedians rising up these days than there are dramatic actors and other kinds of entertainers.

People are recognizing the importance of having a good laugh amid the problems that hound them every day. Thus, there are more and more entertainers who aim to get the attention of the entertainment market by becoming comedians.

Getting involved in comedy productions is really a tough task, especially nowadays when the audience is getting sick of the usual antics and slapstick comedy.

It is imperative for a comedian to have the genuine talent of cracking humor and of mastering comic timing in the execution of jokes and other comedy acts to be able to tickle the senses of audience.

When watching comedians at play on stage, in movies or in television, you might have the impression that becoming a comedian is relatively a lucrative form of earning, as it is very easy. Indeed, it is lucrative, but the assertion that it is easy is very much debatable.

Entertainment experts always emphasize that it is much easier to make audiences cry than to make them have a really good laugh. Take note that comedians take more time in preparations compared to singers and dramatic actors.

Beginners

If you are aspiring to take an entertainment career by becoming a comedian, you should know that you have to first set goals and know about the business you are about to penetrate.

There is nothing better than being equipped and knowing the industry know-how before you aim to get into comedy. Remember, there are thousands of comedians who attempt to set careers in different comedy platforms, but only a few really make it big.

It isn't enough that you are confident with the knack and interest in becoming a laugh catalyst. It would certainly help if you decide early what style of comedy you would employ and focus on.

As we discussed in the previous chapter there are six different types of comedy. Now we will address:

How to decide which style is best for you

You should focus on one style of comedy, or integrate two or more, or all, when you prepare your script or antics for a comedy act. To be effective, take note of the demographics and general characteristics of your audience.

Be sure not to be offensive to some audiences. You could do so by avoiding sexist and anti-religion and cultural jokes. Have knowledge about the six comedy styles you could employ.

To use black comedy, you should have the guts to devise jokes involving tragedies and serious situations like war, sickness, plague, murder, suicides and others. There are several people, and some of them may unfortunately be among your audience, who find such antics distasteful and offensive.

Several comedians are making fun of President Bush, Bin Laden and other political figures. If you want to come up with similar antics, then you are getting into another style of comedy known as satire. Usually, satires not just ridicule political figures. They also invoke a political statement, usually disagreement with a political concept.

When the audiences are too technical, like engineers, doctors and scientists, you should pull out jokes that involve jargons and technical terms involved in their professions. This style of comedy is referred to as adage. Because such comedy is not for general consumption, cracking them to a generalized audience would not be wise.

Parody is that popular comedy style when you want to make a spoof of a popular work of another artist. For example, the movie "Scary Movie" is a parody into several other Hollywood movies. This style of comedy is sure to make people laugh, but be sure the audience is familiar with the work you are making a spoof at, or they won't appreciate your jokes.

Irony is one comedy style that needs an intensive script that should be religiously followed. In this style, the audience will laugh at a situation where the comedian plots an activity or end result but ends up having unplanned situations. TV Sitcoms are full of ironies.

If all else fails, your last resort would be alternative comedy. Alternative comedy relies on antics, slapsticks and many other physical and verbal tricks to tickle the audience.

Now that you know the basics, decide. Which style is best for you?

Knowing the Six Styles of Comedy

Before getting into the business, it is imperative that an aspiring comedian knows the basics about the kind of task he will undergo. Comedy is the business of making people laugh, but it sure is a very serious one.

Comedians come and go. That is why if you aim to be a good one, and last in the industry, you should be able to hone your skills more and invest in knowledge about the basic styles of comedy.

To start with, there are six basic styles of comedy. By knowing each one of them, you will find that those styles have been born out of the early forms of comedy, from past decades, even centuries.

Take note that the original form of comedy branched out from the theaters in early Greece. Those forms of comedy are far different and profound than the form popular in the contemporary modern times. But, they would still be of great help.

Which style is for you?

Black comedy is a style when comedians make fun of serious situations like sickness, terror, rape, war, death and the like. In the early form of theaters, such a style was greatly appreciated by audiences. Nowadays, some people find it distasteful.

Satire is a style of comedy that is somehow profound and is hitting a serious statement beyond the hilarious antics and dialogues. Political satires are common forms of this style. People love to laugh about the funny mannerisms and features of a political personality they love to hate.

Sarcasm is one element always present in this comedy style. Spoofs of personalities also fall under the category satire. When a comedy act is executed to ridicule another work, a novel, movie or television show, the style ceases to be satire but is termed parody.

An adage is a style of comedy that is hard to pull off. Usually, adages contain jargons and are aimed to make fun of ethical guidelines, principles, folk wisdom, proverbs and culture.

The fifth style would be irony. Usually, irony is depicted when a character intends one result and then ends up doing something else. For example, the story of Romeo and Juliet, can be spoofed and made hilarious, but the irony there is evident.

Lastly, you should know about alternative comedy, which is undoubtedly the most popular style of comedy. It is this style of comedy that defines the modern comedy antics popularized by sitcoms and movies.

Alternative comedy makes use of comic situations and languages to be able to tickle the audience's senses. Slapsticks also branched out from this style of comedy.

To be able to put up a good comedy performance, you could make use of one style or mix and match them so you could offer a wider array of comedic antics to your audience.

Remember, to be a good comedian, you should love laughter, but you shouldn't make the situation light because comedy is, indeed, a serious business.

The Six Styles of Comedy

Entertaining people is a very serious task. That is the reason why entertainers are highly regarded by the public. It isn't easy to engage people to stick to an act and pay attention to what an entertainer does for them.

People say it is harder to make an audience laugh than to make them cry. Experts and professional entertainers would readily support this assertion.

Perhaps one of the main reasons why it is harder to pull out a good comedy act is the diverse taste and preference of people. There are a number of factors that attribute to that diversity when it comes to appreciating comedy acts.

Culture and personal beliefs are among those reasons. The task of comedians is made even more complicated when their acts are to be watched by people who belong to different cultures and religious beliefs.

For example, there are comedy acts that depict the religious practices in a light and humorous manner. This kind of comedy act may be fun and hilarious to some people, but many audiences may react negatively.

Aspiring comedians find relief that to be a good comedian, one doesn't need to be gorgeous nor voluptuous, not unlike if one aims to be a dramatic actress or a singer. In comedy, it is ironic that the audience tends to appreciate less beautiful performers.


It isn't that often comedians are also as attractive as their counterparts in other forms of entertainment. However, with the seemingly evolving entertainment scene, audiences' preferences are becoming less and less predictable.

Whatever it takes, a good talent and natural humor are the key passports to becoming a really effective comedian.