THE GREEN ROOM - TOOLS FOR COMEDY
These short articles and videos are designed to help you as a performer and producer of comedy.
These tools, tips and suggestions come from many years working as a professional comedian nationwide.
I hope you find them helpful!
First up - let’s talk about WHY we perform stand-up comedy?
1 - WE MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH.
There is nothing more rewarding than bringing people joy - especially in this time when so much hate, anger, and fear seems to permeate all levels of existence. We comedians are able to stand in rooms full of people needing to be distracted - and offer them a level of HOPE through HUMOR.
2 - WE LOVE PERFORMING
Like any other theatrical or musical artist, the comedian loves to perform. Nobody is holding a gun to our heads forcing us to perform - we do this because we love it! We love the attention it brings, and we love using our talents to enrich, encourage and even educate the lives of those around us. Performing is what we do; it’s who we are.
3 - IT IS MEMORABLE
Sometimes our bits and pieces are so well-crafted they embed themselves into the world around us. Not all bits are memorable. And, let’s face it, some are memorable for the wrong reason! (Like when we bomb on stage!) But if we are lucky, sometimes we come up with a bit that seems to resonate with those in the audience in such a way that the routine gains some momentum. Think of the opportunity we have to help shape our world through humor!
4 - WE ARE WRITERS
Besides being a “performer” we are also WRITERS! At least, that is the hope. And, as we all know, writing is very difficult. Let me rephrase - GREAT writing is very difficult. Lousy writing is easy - and lazy. And there are time we allow what comes out of mouths to be based on weak writing. But to be a successful and memorable comic, we need to be constantly writing, refining, performing, learning from our mistakes, then doing the whole cycle over and over again until we perfect ONE bit. Then do that for a second, and third, and fourth, etc. etc. etc. WRITING is vitally important.
JOKE WRITING 101
Every joke is, essentially, made up of 2 parts. The SET UP and the PUNCH LINE, or TAG. The set-up starts the listener down a path. The tag ends that journey in a way that elicits laughter. If you don’t get a laugh the odds are good you did not have a “joke.” Or, you had a joke but it wasn’t a very good one.
THE SET UP
This is the premise of our joke. A man walks into a bar… Two women are shopping… What’s the thing with airplane food… Each of those lets us know what the joke will be about. The next part of the set up gives us more needed info - A man walks into a bar and sees a horse enjoying a drink… Two women are shopping and notice there is only one carton of milk in the dairy case… What’s the thing with airplane food - it’s terrible… In each of these simple illustrations we get more info needed to help flesh out the joke… which leads us to…
THE PUNCHLINE (or Tag)
Now we get the (hopefully) humorous pay off. A man walks into a bar and sees a horse enjoying a drink. He says, “Hey, why the long face?”… Two women are shopping and notice there is only one carton of milk in the dairy case, one woman says, “You take it - I'm lactose intolerant.”… What’s the thing with airplane food - it’s terrible… and they always serve such small portions… (Hey, I said these were simple illustrations!)
The idea here is that a joke must have something that sets up a premise or situation. For this to become a joke, it must leads to a humorous tag or punchline.
LESS IS MORE
Always find ways to tell your joke in less words. Don’t say in 7 what you can say in 5. This takes time to sit down and evaluate your joke. Consider the wording and phrasing. This is important because most people have short-term memories and we want to engage them and get them laughing as quickly as possible. Yes, you can always create a very long story that leads to an amazing punch line but that amazing punch line better be amazing - a great pay off - other wise you just have a “funny” Ted Talk. Borrrrrring!
In the most general sense, an “open mic” is an opportunity for anyone with a performance skill (comedy, music, poetry, etc.) to go to the mic and share their creativity with the room. Most people who attend open mics bring very little expectation due to the nature of the performance - it is NOT a “pro” performance… it is also not always “amateur.” It can be an opportunity for the performer to test out new material.
A COMEDY OPEN MIC
This is more focused - obviously, on comedy. But the parameters remain the same. In most cases the comic is trying out, or testing, brand new material in front of an audience. Again, there is very little expectation on the audience because, in most cases, they have only invested in time and, perhaps, a few drinks or some snacks. They usually feel free to bail on the show if it is not very funny - that just happens. In their mind, “well, it’s just an open mic… no big deal.”
DANGERS OF AN OPEN MIC
While it is great to have an opportunity to test out new material, I have found that comics (even myself at times) can view an open mic with a lazy attitude… we ALSO tend to think, “well, it’s just an open mic…” so who cares if it’s not any good… In my opinion this is a very lazy and destructive way to view an open mic. Every time we are in front of any mic is our opportunity to perform - even if the joke is raw or brand new. And the GOAL of every mic should be to bring the very best we can. This is how we get better at the craft.
DAN’S RULES FOR AN OPEN MIC
Here, then, are my rules for how we comics should approach an open mic.
1 - Focus on ONE joke, even if you have a few others you will test out.
2 - Perform that ONE joke at every open mic you attend until that ONE joke is “finished” (meaning, it is getting the laughs or response you want.)
3 - Stop whining about “the audience has heard my joke.” - In most cases, they probably have not heard your joke because it is nearly a new crowd. Also - your jokes are not so fantastic that once they are heard the audience is screaming for something new. Just focus on your ONE joke and make it the best it can be. If people are not laughing, your joke is not finished.
4 - Then - focus on your SECOND joke. You go up, you do your one finished joke, then start working on the second joke. You do this every time you hit a mic. I know this sounds redundant but the only way you get better is by actually getting better with the jokes you are already working on.
5 - Continue this process with a third, fourth, fifth joke (etc.) until you have a “Tight Five” (meaning five minutes of jokes that are honestly working.)
6 - Set out to create another “tight five” and soon you will have 10, 15, 20 minutes or more of great material.
LET’S TALK ABOUT NOTES
Is it “okay” to use notes? Of course. But why not stand out from the others and challenge yourself to NOT use notes? Or only use notes the first 2 or 3 times you are testing a joke. If you are truly serious about this, you should be taking time to learn and memorize your refined jokes to the point where you do not need notes.
PET PEEVE
Now, for a very silly pet peeve of mine. The phrase is “open mic” (as in microphone). It is NOT “open MIKE” (like a person’s name.) Yes, we all know what “open Mike” means - but that is highly unprofessional and I typically take the venue down a notch in my mind if they call it “open Mike” rather than “open mic.” As I say, this is a pet peeve of mine, nothing more.
There’s a great scene in the bizarre film, “Brazil,” where De Niro’s character comforts the main character by saying, “We’re all in this together…”
TO EACH HIS OWN
A “comedy scene” in any town is made up of individual comedians who each bring with them their unique dreams, visions, abilities, and passions for comedy. They arrive at clubs and shows ready to “do their thing” and amaze the audience with their jokes. They hang out in green rooms with the other comics before, during and after the show, sharing stories of successes and failures. That’s all part of the fun!
But, if we are honest, there is also a level of competition among comics. We observe our fellow funny friends on stage and ponder our own abilities compared to theirs. Some are better than us. Some are not. We listen to jokes, consider what works and what does not work, then do our best to be better the next time we are up. Even better than our pals. That, also, is a part of the fun!
IT TAKES A VILLAGE… IDIOT
But there is also a magic element that must not go unnoticed. This collection of comedians is also a type of multi-celled organism - - or, a “Comedy Scene.” It is a COMMUNITY in other words. And the best towns that have thriving comedy scenes have figured this out - and excel at it! Rather than being just a memember in a group of funny people, each climbing their own ladder and competing with one another, they work as a collective helping to build a growing comedy scene in their town.
WE CAN WORK IT OUT
How does a comedy scene learn to become a community? There are many answers to this question but, to me, first and foremost, is the choice to pay attention to the shows and other mic opportunities that are taking place. Get to know the rooms, the bookers, the comics. Discover who is performing where, and when, and why. If you run a room, try not to offer that mic on the same night (or the same time!) as another mic in town. An exception to this is geography or show format. Perhaps you have a mic on the far west of town and there is another mic on the far east of town. Or - the two shows are completely different. For example, one show caters to a very adult audience with extremely adult content while the other show is more on the PG level. In general, however, there should be a sense of everyone working together for the common goal of building a thriving comedy scene in town.
ENCOURAGE GROWTH
Those comics who have been at this for a while should be encouraging newer comics to up their game; to write new and more material and perfect it. (See my earlier post about joke writing.) The general idea among comics should be “we are all in this together.” There will always be those who have a strong desire to let their arrogance shine through. That may work to their advantage - and it may not. Time will tell. But make the choice to be a helper of other comics. In the end, this will serve you and your comedy scene well.
I’m not exactly sure why the vast majority of business-minded professionals take goal-setting seriously and, yet, when it comes to stand-up comedy, goal-setting seems to rarely be considered. It might be because stand-up APPEARS to be such an “off-the-cuff” performance… as if the comedian just opens his or her mouth and funny things naturally pop out.
Or, the comedian thinks that somehow, after a year of hitting open mics, they will land a Netflix comedy special.
Or - any number of accomplishments that all stand-ups see on a regular basis achieved by pro comics.
Those accomplishment are achievable, but they take time and dedication to achieve them! And, whether we want to accept it or not, stand-up needs to be viewed as a BUSINESS - which means we MUST set goals if we want to succeed.
TYPES OF GOALS
I’ve generally come up with three types of goals.
1 - SHORT TERM
2 - LONG TERM
3 - IN-BETWEEN STEPS/GOALS
SHORT TERM GOALS
This may seem obvious but here are some short-term goals you should consider:
Writing jokes - as comedians we need to be writing jokes. (see my earlier post). The great comics give the impression that joke writing is easy. This is due, in large part, to how well they perform the jokes. The great ones perform with a type of precision and ease that creates the illusion of “easy” or “simple” - as if anyone could do it… Joke writing is an art and a skill and until you get close to mastering this craft, you will find yourself up against the wall. Set yourself a goal with your joke writing. I try to write at least one (1) new joke every day. At the end of the week, I do an inventory of what I have created and honestly ditch the stuff that is not working (or at least put it on a “back burner” for future crafting.)
Performing - this is what we do. We perform. Set a goal of performing at least once a week - or more if you have opportunities. And mix these up - don’t only hit open mics. This will not lead you to success. Even great open mics are missing a key ingredient: a large percentage of vested audience members who want to watch comedy. In order to get better at performing you need to get in front of “comedy-minded” audiences. Add into your performance regime showcases or booked shows - other ways to delight audiences with your material. You may even get courageous and create/produce your OWN comedy showcase… where you headline and invite a few friends to join you!
Get coaching or take classes - if these are available, get into a class or coaching session with someone who is further down the road than you. Even if they are “not as funny” as you are, they have something you don’t have - experience. And, believe it or not, you can learn from them! I offer coaching and classes. You can learn more by filling out this simple form:
LONG TERM GOALS
Start dreaming! Set some long term goals for you and your comedy. For example:
I want to become a regular feature at my local comedy club…
I want to be the house emcee at my local comedy club…
I want to headline at my local comedy club…
I want to get into a comedy contest and place in the Top Three… (or WIN!)
I want to be a cruise ship comedian…
I want a Netflix special…
I want my own sitcom…
Whatever your long-term goals are, once you land on them, you need to reverse-engineer and figure out what steps it will take to achieving that goal.
Let’s say you have a long-term goal of being a comedian on a cruise ship.
First - you need the minutes. In most cases, you will need two (2) different 45-minute long sets. In some cases the cruise line expects one of those sets to be PG and the other to be more adult. Know the requirements of the ship before you ever step foot on the gang plank! (I’ve learned this the hard way from experience!)
Second - you will probably need a booking agent or a strong contact with the cruise line - someone who books entertainment. Let them handle the booking, details, money, etc. And make sure they tell you ALL the needed info long before you ever agree to a gig or sign a contract.
Third - You need to intentionally craft your 45-minutes. This means lots and lots of stage time at shows (not open mics) where you can carefully finesse your material and make sure it works in front of an audience. This is true regardless of whether you are primarily a joke-teller, or a crowd comic, or a mix… you need to do all you can to ensure reaching that goal of two (2) different 45-minute sets. If you currently have a tight 20, that is great! But - that is NOT 45. It also is not “almost” 45. It is 20. It might be an amazing 20. But you will not be able to simply “riff” for another 25… no matter how witty or funny you think you are. Long before accepting a cruise gig, make sure you honestly have those two (2) 45-minute sets in place.
Fourth - You need to be honest about how long it will take you to reach this goal. Some may be able to spit out tight sets with ease and get to that goal rather quickly. For others, it may take time - even more time than you might imagine. And the only way to figure that out is to WORK the craft. (Hit stages, shows, etc.) I would highly recommend researching top comics and see if they ever talk about how long it took them to reach the level of success they currently enjoy. You might be surprised at what you discover. You are no different from them - if it took them a long time it will take you a long time. Just be honest with yourself and move forward in reality.
IN-BETWEEN GOALS
I’ve already hinted at this. If you have a goal of becoming a headliner at the local comedy club in town, some in-between goals might include:
securing guest spots
working as the emcee
working as a feature
becoming a “regular” at the club
networking with the owner and other comics
These are just a few things to consider.
In order to reach your goals, you need to be honest about what you are truly able to do TODAY and what it will take for you to progress to the next level so that you can eventually hit that top comedy goal.
I really like this short clip from the movie, “A League of Their Own.” I hope it inspires you, too.
I need to begin this article with what I feel is a very funny anecdote…
Each of these articles in The Green Room has a title slide with words and an image. For this one I did a google search on various subjects such as “comedian using notes” or “comedian referring to notes” or “using notes on stage” - etc. And you know how many images came up in my search? NONE. Nada. Zilch - - - hold that thought…
WHY IS THIS A DEBATE?
I grew up watching stand-up comedians on TV. It was a different era, of course, but the basic format was always the same. 6 minutes of jokes on a late night show (mainly Carson) or guest appearances on other show.
As I got older I would go to see comics in concert - live performances. For me these were primarily in comedy clubs where many of our modern pros started - names like Seinfeld, Leno, Gallegher, Steve Martin, Kathleen Madigan, and others, took to the stage to do their thing in places like The Comedy Store, The Improv, The Ice House, etc. (I grew up in LA). The one thing I noticed both from TV appearances and club shows - none of these comedians brought notes with them up on to the stage. Somehow, they had developed the habit of learning and memorizing their jokes and sets. Having done this for many years myself I would be willing to bet that every top comedian has, at some point, gotten lost or forgot the “next” joke. They now had two choices - panic, and tell the audience they forgot the joke - or - just go on to the next joke.
Though it might sound like I am trying to force comedians to change their ways, I’m really not. In the end, you, the comic, will decide to do whatever you want to do when it comes to using notes. Yes, there are the very occasional pro comics who have admitted they write their sets on the palm of their hand. (You will not find more than 2 or 3 who have done this or admitted to it, by the way.) Or they find creative ways to keep their set list in front of them - perhaps stationary props on the stage that represent each of their jokes. I think creative efforts like this can be helpful and even applauded. Of course, if all the comics did this then it would become hack.
I can only offer my thoughts on the use of notes and let it sit there. What you do with the info is completely up to you. It is, after all, YOUR act. Who I am to demand you do your act differently? Other than the slap-in-the-face reality that as you train yourself to observe the great performing comics - you know, the ones who headline national clubs, or get a Netflix special… you will discover they do not use notes. Ever. Never. And you must ask yourself why this is the case…
NOTES AT OPEN MICS
To me, using notes at a traditional COMEDY OPEN MIC, where the comics truly are working out new material in front of a crowd that has come to enjoy comedy (as opposed to a mic set up in the corner of a bar and we are simply a distraction to the patrons who came to enjoy the ball game on TV) then this is a perfect place to use notes. I would further say that most audiences understand this and even accept it. They know we are testing out new material at the open mic. My view is, go ahead and use notes at the open mic. Ah, but I do have a catch…
WHEN DO WE STOP USING NOTES?
If all you ever do is write new jokes and test them out at open mics, then you will forever be referring to notes. There are comedians who are content doing this - just writing some funny jokes and testing them out at open mics for bar patrons, fellow comics, the bartender, etc. They go to a weekly open mic with brand new jokes to test, using their notes to share with us their funny thoughts. If that is you, then keep it up and enjoy it! Just realize that this will be the extent of your “comedy career.”
But when should we stop using notes?
In an earlier post I offered my suggestion of working on ONE joke at time - perfecting that joke - having it finished and ready for a club performance - and be off notes by the 3rd or 4th telling of that ONE joke. Commit that joke to memory. Then, at the next open mic, you PERFORM that one joke and begin the same process with a SECOND joke. Then THIRD, then FOURTH and so on - until you have a “Tight Five” - a 5-minute set that ALWAYS works because you have taken the time to learn the jokes.
Some of you rolled your eyes a bit because as you read this it sounds like hard work. You think, “Come on, I’ve seen stand-up comedy. It’s easy. You just open your mouth and talk funny. Piece of cake.” You don’t realize (yet) that performing stand-up is far more difficult than reading funny one-liners out of your notebook. Performing is a craft; an art. It is difficult and takes time to perfect. The sooner you build the habit of getting off notes the better off you will be.
NEVER USE NOTES
So, are there times you should never use notes? My short answer is, “Yes - definitely.” Let’s consider the following:
For a PAID comedy set or a comedy show. Working as an Emcee, Open, Middle or Feature, Headliner - never use notes for any of these shows - the patrons have paid to be entertained by pro comedians and the use of notes kills that illusion. Also, you are being paid - which means someone expects you to treat this professionally. I extend this mindset to shows that offer only a tip jar. When a person drops a buck into the tip jar, they are “paying for comedy.” We should treat the tip jar show exactly the same as a “paid gig.”
For a CORPORATE event comedy gig. Again, you are a pro. The same rules from above apply.
For a CRUISE SHIP gig. Ditto. That ship is paying you upwards of a few thousand dollars to entertain their guests. They expect you to know your material and perform with perfection.
If your goal is to grow beyond the typical “bar show” open mic, and move towards more pro gigs - such as paid spots in local comedy clubs or showcase events, or bigger opportunities, then I strongly suggest you get in the habit of never using notes.
A LITTLE SECRET
This will sting. Nobody has written such a life-changing joke that, if they were to forget saying it, the world would stop spinning. You may have 5 great jokes in your set. And that fourth joke is “the joke to end all jokes.” It is THAT good. It is THAT life-changing. Honestly ask yourself what will happen if you forget that joke (because you did not bring notes)? The audience will never know. Nobody will be saying, “Oh, if ONLY that comic would have done that ONE amazing joke!” They have no idea of your set list! Of course, WE feel bad for not remembering every joke. But guess what - - EVERY COMEDIAN YOU HAVE EVER SEEN has had that happen. Every. Single One. Seinfeld has forgotten jokes. Madigan has forgotten jokes. Carlin, Cosby, Regan, Rivers, Leno - - all of them have forgotten jokes along the way.
Imagine watching Ali Wong performing - clutching notes in her hand. Or John Mullaney. Or Kevin Hart. Or… or… or… Your opinion of them would notch down.
Why view yourself any differently?
The next time you are on a show, pay attention to how the audience is reacting to those who use notes and those who do not. This is not a hard and fast rule - some jokes are just rotten, right? With or without notes. But, in general, just watch how audiences react to a comic who is using notes vs the ones who are not.
You can make the choice to STAND OUT from the other comics at the open mic or show you are on - by NOT using notes. Yes, this takes time and discipline. And it is difficult.
If you watched that clip above from “A League Of Their Own” you know that Tom Hanks gives the perfect explanation about how difficult it is to “do baseball” well.
The same is true of stand-up.
The takeaway - - CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO STOP USING NOTES.