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> THE DEFINITION OF A HACK

>I learned this from Robert McKee. A hack, he says, is a writer who second-guesses his audience. When the hack sits down to work, he doesn't ask himself what's in his own heart. He asks what the market is looking for.

>The hack condescends to his audience. He thinks he's superior to them. The truth is, he's scared to death of them or, more accurately, scared of being authentic in front of them, scared of writing what he really feels or believes, what he himself thinks is interesting. He's afraid it won't sell. So he tries to anticipate what the market (a telling word) wants, then gives it to them.

>In other words, the hack writes hierarchically. He writes what he imagines will play well in the eyes of others. He does not ask himself, What do I myself want to write? What do I think is important? Instead he asks, What's hot, what can I make a deal for?

> The hack is like the politician who consults the polls before he takes a position. He's a demagogue. He panders.

>It can pay off, being a hack. Given the depraved state of American culture, a slick dude can make millions being a hack. But even if you succeed, you lose, because you've sold out your Muse, and your Muse is you, the best part of yourself, where your finest and only true work comes from.

That's from one of my favorite books, The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. He's a writer, so it's not comedy-exclusive, but it applies the same to comedy I think.

Hey Op,

The album is "Live" and it's available in most major outlets.

iTunes Store link: https://itun.es/us/qh_9H

Amazon Link: http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HL00PZC

Also free if you have Amazon Prime as part of their streaming service.

Hope that helps! It's an incredible set--very funny and touching at the same time.

I think you need to step up the production value. Proper lighting and sound go a long, long way in making a video look professional. This is a really great cheap light that you can mount on your camera or on a tripod. You may also want to look into getting an h1 and a lav mic when you've got the cash to spare.

I'm not sure what your vision is on this project, but it could be cool to craft a little more of a narrative instead of having you talk straight into the camera.

I'm also living in the metro NYC area, so you can PM me if you want and we can talk a little more in detail.

For the absolute best advice on storytelling, read "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser. It's not a book on joke writing, but about news writing which is really effective for storytelling. It explains how important it is to be concise with your language, and gives tips on how to convey all the information you can in as quick a time as possible. The same way journalists are constricted by column inches, comics have to work to fit exposition between punchlines economically to prevent your story from dragging.

>I learned this from Robert McKee. A hack, he says, is a writer who second-guesses his audience. When the hack sits down to work, he doesn't ask himself what's in his own heart . He asks what the market is looking for. The hack condescends to his audience. He thinks he's superior to them. The truth is, he's scared to death of them or, more accurately, scared of being authentic in front of them, scared of writing what he really feels or believes , what he himself thinks is interesting. He's afraid it won't sell. So he tries to anticipate what the market (a telling word) wants, then gives it to them.

From The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

THE DEFINITION OF A HACK

from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

I learned this from Robert McKee. A hack, he says, is a writer who second-guesses his audience. When the hack sits down to work, he doesn't ask himself what's in his own heart. He asks what the market is looking for.

The hack condescends to his audience. He thinks he's superior to them. The truth is, he's scared to death of them or, more accurately, scared of being authentic in front of them, scared of writing what he really feels or believes, what he himself thinks is interesting. He's afraid it won't sell. So he tries to anticipate what the market (a telling word) wants, then gives it to them.

In other words, the hack writes hierarchically. He writes what he imagines will play well in the eyes of others. He does not ask himself, What do I myself want to write? What do I think is important? Instead he asks, What's hot, what can I make a deal for?

"Hosts, Ernie and Sunny alway hit home on their Illegal 'N' Uncut Podcast! Where profanity and everyday situations get told like they see them! Join them weekly, as they venture into the world of profanity! Mature audience. Explicit content. 18+"

This is fucking gold.

HEY EVERYONE CHECK IT OUT!! Profanity is going to get told like they see them! Yeah, as a sentence it makes no fucking sense but that's the magic of podcasting!

https://player.fm/series/illegal-n-uncut

He's known for a couple things- buying Twitter followers, assaulting someone, and for having over 1,000,000 views on a YouTube video (that only has 3600 up/down votes and 600 comments, because I'm 99% sure he bought those YouTube views). If he wants to know why he's not respected by his peers, it's because of bullshit like this.

I think they rebranded as 'Genius' and now they have a bunch of different categories. I just checked the Screen section... but this is the closest thing I've found lol http://genius.com/30-rock-werewolf-bar-mitzvah-annotated

Immerse yourself in something wholly new.

Take up a new hobby; Try speed dating; Find a topic and research the hell out of it, to an unhealthy degree; Critically peruse a popular TV show you've never seen before; whatever floats your boat.

Write down any strong thought you have toward the subject. Write any love, hate, confusion, etc. you might feel toward the it, and if you can figure out why you feel that way, you're already writing the setup to a joke. Once you've figured that, you can play around with alternatives to 'the norm' you've discovered.

Hope that makes sense.

I really couldnt hear this guys full name it was Erica something. And yeah Bobby Lee was one of the panel comedians along with Jeff Ross on another episode and he started ignoring the comedians and going on his phone, he ended up freaking out because some random person on twitter said his girlfriend was too hot for him or something and interrupted the comedian and ended up storming out

Edit: here's the link to the full episode, you can find the rest on the vimeo https://vimeo.com/86757464

that was from his Live at the BBC set. He opens with Chilean Miners then goes into Kettering Town. James is on around 12 mins in

"Don't Wear Shorts On Stage"

I believe that you can't teach someone to be funny. This book doesn't try to do that.
It gives basics of the craft. Things like don't wear hats, don't do characters, etc.
It then goes into how to get a job hosting, how to keep your time, how to bring up people, etc.

Then it goes into life on the road.

Anyone who tells you they can teach you to be funny is riding you to the bank. This book tells funny people how to do it.

https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Wear-Shorts-Stage-Stand-up/dp/1468004840

If you haven't bought it yet, I actually have the SM48 which is half the price of the 58 and I have had no issues with it. It's still solid metal the whole way through and sounds good. I haven't beat it up yet, but if you really need to spend less then it will be fine.

Firstly, I feel this way sometimes. It usually helps me to do a show where I just do nothing but goof off. Do some stupid character, or just all crowd worker. The easiest way to get better at punchline, in my opinion, is to set up your joke and just keep talking. It doesn't have to be funny. Record yourself, and listen to your rant later. Set a time limit of 10 minutes and just rant. Don't be afraid to repeat yourself. Just go. Judy Carter talks a lot about this in her Stand Up Comedy The Book.

Secondly, Do you know the formulas? Of course the Setup-Punchline is how to write a joke, but there are ways to get to the punchline other than just talking. For instance, comparison, lists, and sarcasm are a few I am working on right now. You can find these in the Judy Carter book as well.

Thirdly, take what you have already and write from the opposite opinion. Say you love dogs, write from the I hate dogs perspective. Then when you have exhausted that perspective, go into what you think your friends think about dogs, after that, parents, after that, homeless people, after that, the random guy at the bank. Try to hit at your premise from every angle. I made a GRAPH to help you with this.

EDIT: Formatting

Ian & Matt Comedy Podcast - ianmattpodcast.com

(EPISODE 5 - Misadventures of Victoria Wannabe Beckham) Ian & Matt return after a week off with a huge thank you to everyone who has been listening to the show and helping them reach the top 300 on iTunes. The talkative Jen Nieves joins the show and Ian has a beef with her he needs to get off his chest and Ian explains a story how he may have worn another mans underwear. The funny and talented blog writer Victoria from the Misadventures of Victoria Wanna Beckham joins the show and they discuss her views on sex, men and relationships. Ian and Matt also get into Ray Rice and NFL players getting out of control, and we end the show with a BANG with a story from Matt.

itunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ian-matt-show/id914295305

stitcher http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=53315&refid=stpr

If it makes you feel any better, its use has fallen out of favor after being much more prevalent in the mid to late 80s. https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?year_start=1800&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=7&case_insensitive=on&content=comedienne&direct_url=t4%3B%2Ccomedienne%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bcomedienne%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BComedienne%3B%2Cc0

Try this site: https://www.fontsquirrel.com/

Save the image of the Comedy Cellar and then upload it to the site. I did it and it gave suggestions of what it most resembled. Here are the results:

https://www.fontsquirrel.com/matcherator?matcherator_img=n3099wtz4avqc4cjuy6ux2srceq3co2q

I just posted something about this 'self-censorship' concept earlier today.
I don't censor my comedy so much as create a barrier between my comedy and the rest of my life/world. My attitude is actually that if I had enough 'success'/'fame' (financial support?) then I wouldn't find the need to create a barrier. But for reasons of employment, future, etc, there's definitely a censorship... for now.

>>>EDITS

>>>Heres a link to the article I mentioned https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stfu-coming-age-self-censorship-dave-pell

>>>And as for separating life and comedy, I use a 'fake name' or 'stage name' whatever you want to call it.

That being said, I also find that the time on stage is valuable (to me and the audience), so I have made an effort to at least convince myself that anything I say that's offensive ultimately has a positive message if taken in full context of my persona/show. While open mic has some venting, I'd try not to put up on YouTube a video that particularly ridicules family members unless the overall message is positive. I believe in freedom of speech but also the reality idea that words can hurt people. Some people should be hurt by words, and that is probably my intent. Not looking for too many innocent bystanders. Unlike other forms of art, it's a fine line that can really only be worked out by performance in front of crowds.

I don't really gauge the audiences reaction to being offensive or not, more to how I feel after actually saying the words to people.

- Utilize meetup groups. Check meetup.com and see if you connect with any of the crews who already run regular events with a good turnout. Single parent groups, newbies to an area, etc. Be more open and prepare to be surprised - recently divorced parent meetups *turn up*.

- When you do have your show, ask the audience (individually! be social!) how they heard about your show. Hell, comment cards if you're feeling like you're going to be in a space for awhile. Then, emulate the formula on a larger scale.

- Send press release to local papers; try to get in event calendars.

- (IF you're in a metro area:) Targeted FB ads are very effective, and worth eating any money you're getting from your show for the first few shows (plus an initial investment) if you're really committing to keeping it going. BUT they're even more effective once you have some info on who's coming to your show, and target your audience accordingly.

- If it's a choice of flyers vs posters, posters (or table tents) in the bar are way more effective, typically.

I buy this mic, this PA and whatever mic stand is at the top of the search results when I go to buy. The Hotec mic is nice not because it's actually any better than what comes with the amp but because it has a pleasing heft to it.

No, I'm just tired of people thinking it's harmless. Don't take my word for it. Here's a top selling book on Amazon. Use the look inside feature or check out the authors other books. It's not subtle.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1943056013/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4qzrFbSXV2JQR

I use the following guide/template for my working on a 5-minutes set. http://www.goldcomedy.com/resources/put-together-five-minute-set/

For new or WIP jokes, I use the app Comedy Companion to help structure and manage them. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.comedycompanion

I'm not sure if you've ever read "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott, but she has this great theory:

Sit down everyday and write 5 pages (I know its hard for comedy but say like, write one page or whatever you're comfortable with). Do it even if you feel writers block. Just force yourself to write. Worst case scenario, you wrote 5 pages of crap and you're exactly where you were if you hadn't written. But if you write even one sentence that's worth keeping, you've made progress. You have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain by forcing yourself to write.

I know you said you can't write under pressure, but you have to push through that wall. It's worth a shot.

I obsess over this constantly. I just came off a while where I wanted to write more so I quit facebook and reddit and podcasts, but then I just spent more time on twitter and youtube. So I quit those, then I started streaming Pandora and googling Vampire Weekend lyrics while I drew stick figure animals and read anything that didn't fall into the category of "stuff I quit." What I learned from the last week and a half is just solidifying something I got from a book I never shut up about called The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. The thing that keeps you from writing (Resistance) is internal. The external things are just the way that that Resistance is taking form. There's always going to be a distraction there, even if it's just sitting there instead of writing. But what it all boils down to is you have to put the effort into making yourself write. And it's hard and it gets harder as it goes along, so your brain naturally wants to stop you from doing it.

If you think you should quit, definitely quit. If you think podcasts are worthwhile but you just want to write more, I don't think podcasts are the problem. You could probably take a more active listening approach and try to think about or write about the things that are discussed on the podcast as you listen. That'd make them less fun and "easy" but it might be worth it.

I realize most people are different from me, but that's just my feelings and I thought I'd type them out instead of writing jokes because I suck at taking my own advice.

First of all, that joke is brilliant.

I don't think you understand what a hack is.

"I learned this from Robert McKee. A hack, he says, is a writer who second-guesses his audience. When the hack sits down to work, he doesn't ask himself what's in his own heart. He asks what the market is looking for. " - Stephen Pressfield, The War of Art

Your joke definitely isn't hacky, I think you mean it's corny. That's debatable and I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. If anything, asking the internet if you should tell a joke you like and you know is funny is hacky.

Thanks for the heads up! I tried a clamp light, but it was a bit too overly-bright. I kept the clamp though and got a [narrower-beam light off of Amazon.] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y4R519D?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)

I found it very useful in serving as a spotlight. It needs to be adjusted properly on a wall or ceiling a moderate (15-20 feet) distance away from the stage, but it seems to work perfect as a cheap and easily transportable option.

Wow, I didn't expect to see that Judy Carter book from 1989. I bought that new at the bookstore. I was 18 years old. I didn't do an open mic until 30 years later.

Now if your disability is an issue you can alway do mic via ALiveShow App. It’s all on your phone and can be done from anywhere. It is helpful to work out bits and get feedback.

As far as starting a mic there is a lot that goes into it. It’s like running a show except you probably won’t get paid in any way. I wrote a book called How To Produce Comedy Shows For Fun & Profit that may be helpful. I ran shows in LA for a few years and people loved them. Thanks to COVID many of my venues closed but it is a great book with tons of knowledge.

This book offers a formulaic path to joke writing. It's not for everybody, but for those who want to start by playing connect the dots before they graduate to more complex forms of comedy like puns and prop comedy.

https://www.amazon.com/Comedy-Bible-Stand-up-Sitcom-Ultimate/dp/0743201256

If you're too cheap for that, you can just read this and get the same idea:

https://judycarter.com/pdf/Carter_Comedy_Formulas.pdf

It’s called How To Produce Comedy Shows For Fun & Profit

By producing my own shows I made connections with comedians. Then I started getting contact led by other people looking for comedians. You can also create a site or reach out to venues and other producers as well as bars, restaurants, etc.

No, it’s not rude, as you need to know what set you will be doing. I always ask it this way, “How much time would you like me to do?”

This makes it sounds like you are helping them out.

Often I get a vague range or “do as much as you want”. If I get the second one I’ll say “I can do X amount of time is that okay?” Usually that leads to a clarification.

If someone is booking you and not letting you know the amount of time they expect that is unprofessional and they may need to read “How To Produce Comedy Shows For Fun & Profit”

Lapel microphone

https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Microphone-Omnidirectional-Recording-Conference/dp/B01AG56HYQ?pd_rd_w=zGwTl&content-id=amzn1.sym.94349326-ca8a-4b0d-94f0-6931485b8573&pf_rd_p=94349326-ca8a-4b0d-94f0-6931485b8573&pf_rd_r=TA1AV3TC8WH4...

I use a completely separate device to record my sets. I have one of these (except mine is older and doesn't have the usb built in).

Greg Dean's book will get you to a place of writing something like a joke from a place of ignorance. The result can seem a little hacky but it's much less torturous than watching a new comic try to figure out how to make a ten-minute story fit into a five-minute spot while also adding laughs.

I bought this one and it's served me well. It's small enough that I can tuck it into my purse or carry it in a pocket but has enough height that it works in a variety of settings. I usually put it on a chair or a table.

If it’s a small, low-key, mic with low turnout, the host might not be super strict with the light but beyond that, you wanna be as precise as possible. Also, this is a fantastic read:

https://www.amazon.com/Running-Light-Sam-Tallent/dp/B08579JYKF

Her first edition is worth reading. Judy Carter Comedy Bible. The newest version is woke PC bullshit. If you want to read Judy Carter you want her first edition which is still found on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Up-Comedy-Book-Judy-Carter/dp/0440502438/ref=sr\_1\_7?crid=R4FRJ2TGUK70&keywords=judy+carter+comedy+bible&qid=1652793541&sprefix=judy+carter+comedy+bibl%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-7

Another book I think is relevant on how to make ideas (bits/jokes) memorable:

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Summary of the book's 6 Principles:

Simple: Keep the message simple by highlighting only the most important key point(s).

• The Heath brothers cite a defense attorney's statement, "If you argue 10 points, even if each is a good point, when jurors, get back to the jury room they won't remember any."

Unexpected: Command attention and curiosity by reframing information in an unexpected way and highlighting the unknown.

• The Heath brothers recommend "systematically 'opening gaps' in the audience's knowledge—and then filling those gaps."

Concrete: use sensory information to help your target audience remember your message.

• The 'Velcro Theory of Memory" suggests that new information is easier to remember if it relates to concrete items and images with which we are already familiar.

Credible: Make messages more credible by offering away to "help people test [your] ideas for themselves."

• A person's own experience often has more of an impact than statistics and facts.

Emotional: Frame your message to elicit emotions to make a lasting impression and spur action.

• The Heath brothers point out that "the hard part is finding the right emotion to harness. For instance, it's difficult to get teenagers to quit smoking by instilling in them a fear of the consequences."

Stories: Tell a story (anecdotes) to instill an inspiring or memorable chain of events in the target audience's mind.

• The Heath brothers suggest that "hearing stories acts as a kind of mental flight simulator, preparing us to respond more quickly and effectively."

https://player.fm/series/series-2299084/nikki-glaser-roasts-bruce-willis

Never done one, but this podcast gives an insight into how Nikki glaser prepped the bruce willis roast. some jokes were written and how hurtful to be. Workshopping it etc.

Improv is very relevant. Take a class.

Read something witty, like Simon Rich's "Ant Farm", which is short, very funny stories. He's a genius.

Watch a couple of specials featuring crowd work by veteran comics.

Crowd work sounds witty but is mostly pre-written and then applied on stage after careful setup.

These two examples are excellent:

Ian Bagg https://www.comedydynamics.com/catalog/ian-bagg-conversations/

Todd Barry https://www.amazon.com/Todd-Barry-Crowd-Work-Tour/dp/B07ND42FWX

I'd actually recommend improv classes if you're looking to be socially funny. If you're looking to write jokes I'd highly recommend Greg Dean's book https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Step-Stand-Up-Comedy-Greg-Dean/dp/0325001790&ved=2ahUKEwjO2eyFsaL1AhVcj4kEHZ8SBS0QFnoECCkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0bXMZPGYZ6AB_G49X_IuTC

He goes through a process he calls "joke mining" choosing words or ideas, free associating about the subject to find ideas related to it you could explore. Comedy usually relies contrast, the unexpected, or a surprise.

For example dogs. Dogs have collars, they bark, they have four legs, they shit everywhere and you have to pick it up etc. Now let's explore dogs having four legs. How can we play with this? What are some other ideas about legs? Legs of a table, "this idea has legs", having a "third leg".

Now let's combine two ideas and make a joke. How about dogs having four legs and the phrase "a third leg".

My dog has three legs. Well really he has two legs and a huge cock.

Let's break this down. I created an assumption in the audience. Dogs have four legs, so if he has three legs he must be missing one leg probably from an injury. That's how 99.9% of people interpret that statement. The twist that he actually only has two legs and a "third leg" is funny because it's unexpected and also because it's relatable, the audience has heard of a "third leg" before we just recontextualized it by using an animal that normally has four legs.

Does that help and make sense?

I didn't make the game, but apparently you can submit more photos to the game if you have a Flickr account. Simply add your photos to the Words That Follow group.

https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Wear-Shorts-Stage-Stand-up/dp/1468004840&ved=2ahUKEwiHteKYkqr0AhUVOH0KHW66AIMQFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2sIOp9oUijtIFsy01Yazk1

Don't Wear Shorts On Stage by Rob Durham

Absolutely nothing about how to write jokes. Just a lot of great advice on what to do on stage, how to host, how to middle, what to do on the road.

I picked up a Blue Yeti on sale for $100 (regular $140 or so), and it was a fantastic mic. Great directional options: single (one person behind the mic), bi (one person on either side) or omni (all directions).

Super simple USB plug in, sound quality was pretty awesome, and it has the option to plug in headphones to act as a monitor (you could always get a splitter if you want your guest to have headphones as well).

A lot of people are mentioning the Snowball. Haven't used it personally, but I can definitely recommend the Yeti.

> it'd actuall be possible to make a time line of your bits and then listen to the timeline, playing all audiofiles after eachother, so you can listen to your set before having played it. That would be a fucking dream.

Great feedback overall, but this made me smile :)

We discussed the timing and order aspect of a set, and also audio to quickly capture a thought. But I love how you added those together and made it into something you can reflect on, and perhaps ask others to give feedback on.

> I dunno what if any of this is feasible, but it sounded good in my head. Thanks for trying to make something for us man :) hope it works or you get the lessons out of it that you want. Good luck!

Thanks!

> and since I'm not programming it and don't have to figure out how any of this works. Maybe like a blank scribble page, with the option to select parts of it and remove them from the blank page into a material file?

You mean with a pen/stylus right? And a 'material file' would be all material surrounding a specific set? If you are into sketching out your thoughts and have the budget for an iPad pro with Stylus, try out the Concepts app (not affiliated/related with what I do):
https://concepts.app/en/

Thanks again, will def try to work towards your audio-timeline idea.

I keep my notes on my phone, which I keep on the stool beside me to record my sets. If I need to find my place I can just go to the stool and take a drink. Here's my set list for last night (read down the left column and then the right): http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=x5cm8o&s=7

I use Notability to record my sets and make time-stamped notes on them later, Drafts to quickly write ideas down, and Evernote to organize jokes

Joe Rogan has previously mentioned he uses Evernote. I’ve tried it, but I like OneNote better. I don’t use it for doing stand up comedy, but it would still be a good option for what you’re looking for. I love that OneNote has easy ways to keep information organized, and easy ways to find what you’re looking for within it all. You have tabs for different topics, then within each tab there’s pages for sub-topics. You can add links, photos, and even record audio notes. I found a comparison of the two that might help you see what these two apps are like. Here ya go :)

Strange is not always funny. Funny is what people can relate to and have certain expectations about and you break that expectation by either exaggerating, reverse exaggeration, providing an absurd analogous situation they are familiar with or concluding a wrong/different thing than people usually would.

Pick a book like this or this. Learning this skill is not very difficult and just like any learning, you get the results based on how much effort you put in. Good Luck!

Side note, as I saw another comedy club doing this, but with my planned club, I plan on having multiple mic's stored in a UV germ killing box.

Something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Sanitizer-Sterilizer-Smartphone-Clinically-Disinfector/dp/B093F6F6H5/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=uv%2Bgerm%2Bsanitizing%2Bbox&qid=1634662844&sr=8-6&th=1

Not just for Covid, but for all germs, and hopefully it prevents sickness from going around even without symptoms.

No open mic can afford separate mics for each comic. Bring a microphone diaper if you do t want to be that guy with his own mic.

https://www.amazon.com/RETON-Disposable-Antimicrobial-Microphone-Environment/dp/B0756V1WNZ

I bought this and this. I had a cheaper Hotec mic that I'd bought two or three times in the past, but this time around one of the prongs on the XLR came loose and it didn't work and I didn't want to solder it back together and keep screwing with it.

"Irony" by that definition could be most punchlines. It's probably not useful to try to structure your thinking around a shared definition of why a thing is funny.

That said, if you're interested in this type of academic approach, check out this book.

I am a fan of stand-up and the business of it, and I am not a comic.

But I listen to a LOT of comedians' podcasts, esp. the ones where they talk about the business and life of "doing" stand up comedy, esp. on the road. Many of them said this book is an accurate portrayal of the life. So, I would say (knowing very little and knowing everyone has an opinion) that if you can read this book and still want to be a stand-up, go for it.

I also think it answers your question with a strong "YES."

Running the Light by Sam Tallent.

I've been using an Excel Google Docs spreadsheet structured specifically with tag placeholders to categorize if its an idea for a one-liner, scene, bit, sketch, character, etc. so I can look back later easily. I also have a rule that any time something makes me cry laughing, I have to write down what happened with as much context as possible.

Shameless plug: If you search for the Material Comedy Journal on Amazon, I actually took this exact same app format and made it into a paperback blank journal for sale, since I prefer hand-writing anyway. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097X7LW6J/

I have a very similar story, only the ages are slightly older for me. I say go for it. Throw yourself into it and have fun and really work hard at it. But my top advice is to absorb all of the comedy that you can. There's a lot of great books to read - The Comedians, The NEW Comedy Bible, a couple of great autobiographies (Steve Martin and Billy Crystal come to mind). Watch comedy TV shows and movies - I recommend SNL through the decades because it'll show you a bunch of different kinds of comedy and comedians. Watch standup specials - try to mix old and new. Try to watch something comedic every day (which for most people isn't very hard anyway, it can be as easy as putting on an episode of a sitcom that you enjoy).

Sorry if this isn't really advice specifically tailored towards getting started out in actually performing, but becoming a comedian is all about learning. When you're a comedian, you never stop learning about comedy. And, other than general speech or performance classes, learning comedy in a professional class isn't really a thing - it's in itself a learning experience. In a lot of ways it's inherently self-taught, using books and videos as well as actually performing.
Good luck out there.

I looked into this a bit but haven't pulled the trigger to watch it yet.

Amazon/Showtime offers it but it requires a US card.

https://www.amazon.com/Comedy-Store-The-Season-1/dp/B08K9CKPPH

If you're willing to pay for it you can purchase a virtual US credit card from services like US Unlocked or AMEX.

Here's a list of some of the services available: https://www.guru99.com/virtual-debit-credit-card-usa.html

The reason I didn't go ahead with it is it seems quite expensive just to get the Vcard. With US unlocked it would cost about $15 just to get it and then you need to top up about $14 to get a $12 balance.

Suppose it depends on how much you want to watch it! Gl

I'm not a standup, so let's get that disclaimer out of the way.

Instead of trying to do jokes from whole cloth, why not start with tags? From your other replies, it sounds like you have a few stories to tell. Write down the beats (just the beats) of a short story you want to tell on stage, then figure out where you can add a bunch of tags. Write 10-20 tags for each. Go through it again and figure out which tags work best. Now try telling it (out loud). Edit. Iterate.

If you want advice from real comedy people instead: <em>Poking a Dead Frog</em> by Mike Sacks (book/compilation) and <em>Let's Talk About Sets</em> (podcast).

What I've read through the years on that topic is to think of something extreme but plausible, there's no other way to learn how to do this other than telling your jokes to people to see how much exaggeration you can get away with.
There's an exercise in this book (https://www.amazon.com/-/es/James-Mendrinos/dp/1592572316) that asks you to write down 3 lists of random words (nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc.) and then take 1 word from each list and write a short story or idea based on them, that helped me get the creative juices going without judging if I made enough sense or not. (For example if the 3 words are robot, chair, hospital I could write a paragraph about an AI robot that was in a car accident and rides a wheelchair, had a human arm transplant and is learning how to use it. I dunno.)
Hope this helped! If you want to chat about comedy feel free to DM me!

Well the best thing you can do is to just read. Keep a journal and read. Even if you don't do comedy they are like the best things for you.

Then you can just read some books in the mindset of, 'How can this help my craft?' on some level, which is a great way to make yourself read, and absorb powerful things. Powerful good things, rather than just comedy books about comedy. If you like comedy eventually it will all come out as comedy anyways.

Stephen King's - On Writing, is a nice book about how a really good writer, writes.

Good question, important topic. Upbeat, fun, beautiful, somewhat obscure (I mean, it shouldn't sound like you just put on a top 40 radio station). Music that makes people feel like they're in a cool place; music that makes people excited for what comes next.

Your question of "happy or sad?" reminded me of the epigram to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: "And what is good, Phaedrus, / And what is not good— / Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?" Really, sad music before a show?

This is reminiscient of my favorite book on writing, Anne Lamott's &quot;Bird By Bird&quot;. Not much in the way of nuts-and-bolts, and not directly about standup, but very inspiring and rejuvenating to the writer who has lost motivation.

I recorded a set using a lavalier microphone you can plug into your smartphone, I then replaced the camera's audio with it.

You can try using one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Lavalier-Microphone-Mic-Smartphones-iPads-Omnidirectional/dp/B01736U1VG/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467670427&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=cell+phone+lavalier+mic

For what you want, I think $300-500 is way too much. It sounds like you just want clear image with decent audio? I personally use an old point-and-shoot from 2008. The footage can get grainy depending on the lighting, but the audio records fine. This is just reference for myself though, I don't send this out to bookers. I think even an iPhone 5 can record sets pretty well.

Check this point and shoot $88

Go youtube test footage for certain camera models to compare. If you just want clear footage with decent audio, you can do so with a tiny camera with a budget of $150 or less. $300-$500 is a cheap DSLR, maybe too much for what your needs are.

That link you posted is something that fits your needs for sure. I would personally choose a better brand, because I never heard of Besteker lol. But who knows, youtube test footage of that camera, see if it works. If you have Amazon Prime, maybe you can even return that camera after some test use.

My point is $300-$500 is way too much if you just want to send footage for bookers.

This is a $400 DSLR bundle, sure it's a great deal, but you don't need all that.

Yea my phone is perfectly enough for myself. There's self quality, booker quality, and youtube mass audience quality, but it sounds like you're saying $150 is enough for bookers? maybe https://www.amazon.com/Besteker-Protable-FHD1080p-Megapixels-Camcorder/dp/B01CV3842O/ref=sr_1_6?s=photo&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466823886&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=camcorder

Stewart also has Stewart Lee! The 'If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One' EP. It's a follow up to "How I escaped my Certain Fate and is another transcript.

So, I've only done one mic so far (last night actually thanks to another Redditor).

I've obviously have only been a comic for a grand total of 5 minutes, but I also have years of public speaking and teaching experience behind me. Even with dealing with a drunk comic trying to bum rush the stage, I felt that my set was pretty tight. I know where it can be improved.

I learned a lot from this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Comedy-Bible-Stand-up-Sitcom-The/dp/0743201256

It proposes a super tight structure and I really like it because it makes joke writing easy (but obviously all jokes need time and effort to build into something funny). From what I know I need to improve on, I know for a fact that I SHOULD be able to get to the funny line within 3 sentences. If I don't, it's taking too long for a laugh.

I know how to improve my 5 minutes to be even tighter. I threw in a new bit at the end of the mic and it was okay, but mostly flat. After trying to commit to the above protocol, I know how to make it better. It's a longer story, but the jokes can come ever 3 sentences. I feel confident that the joke will be better next time I write it.

I obsessively practice my jokes for days until I got the rhythm, the words, and the punchlines to hit. Look at your jokes, how can they be tighter? How can the laughs come faster?

The crowd is never going to remember everything you said. They are just going to remember how funny you were.

I just finished reading "Steal Like An Artist" (http://www.amazon.com/Steal-Like-Artist-Things-Creative/dp/0761169253). One of the key points is that when you first start, you try and copy from your heroes. Have 4-5 of them.

By copy, I don't mean word by word, but more like the general topics, style of delivery, how they do act outs etc.

Check out the wiki pages of some famous comedians (Louis CK, Russell Peters, Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Dave Chapelle). They have "Influences" on the right panel where it lists all the different comics that they looked up to - and undoubtedly tried copying from.

After a few years of that, you'll start developing your own style.

Found two myself. They aren't aimed at performers though, so they might not be responsive enough.

https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/id369747181?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tecnalia.health.myeardroid&amp;hl=en