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Serious Cephalopod
Jul 1, 2007

This is a Serious post for a Serious thread.

Bloop Bloop Bloop
Pillbug

Sataere posted:

Quoting this because I ignored the advice in here and talked to the audience a bit in my set. It felt natural so I just did it, and it worked.

So Monday was definitely a success. I got through the entire set and I think I did a better job of sounding natural. The first half was definitely stronger than the second half, but that is because I know it better. I even remembered to record myself, which was nice. I could hear where I got uncomfortable with what I was saying. There is a definite change in tone as the piece progresses and not for the better.

Congrats! You must have a talent for it!

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E the Shaggy
Mar 29, 2010
I'm trying out for Fox's Laughs tomorrow.

Anyone else do this? I know there's been some controversy with this one.

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


E the Shaggy posted:

I'm trying out for Fox's Laughs tomorrow.

Anyone else do this? I know there's been some controversy with this one.

The producer contacted me via Twitter and asked if they could use one of my submissions from /r/standupshots. I was hesitant because I've heard some shifty things about them and you have to sign over all rights to to whatever they use, but I don't tell the joke, so I decided why not. They tweeted about me a few days before and again the day it aired. The entire experience gained me zero followers (which is the closest thing to payment I had expected, since they pay you in "exposure").

\/\/ exactly. Almost as soon as I signed the paperwork, I wished I hadn't. I was really torn about supporting a show that I didn't/don't really feel is good for the comedy world. I didn't even watch the episode. Unless something changes, I wouldn't do it again.

XIII fucked around with this message at 06:35 on Nov 3, 2014

Serious Cephalopod
Jul 1, 2007

This is a Serious post for a Serious thread.

Bloop Bloop Bloop
Pillbug
They're non union, and are making money paying comedians nothing or next to nothing. One of the sf comedians, NATO Green, was a union organizer and has a few articles about them.

Fox claims they don't want to go union because they don't want to how only union performers, but that's not the way that union works- they would just have to pay noon union performers same as union.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



So how long before I stop saying stupid poo poo like "um" and "you know" repeatedly during my sets? I am not aware I am doing it and it is driving me nuts when I listen to recordings of myself. :argh:

Smerdyakov
Jul 8, 2008

Sataere posted:

So how long before I stop saying stupid poo poo like "um" and "you know" repeatedly during my sets? I am not aware I am doing it and it is driving me nuts when I listen to recordings of myself. :argh:

The answer is never, sort of--even the most perfectly edited standup special from a pro comic that's done the material a hundred times before has some uhhs and ums and likes in there.

The thing I found is that I was beating myself up for not eliminating all verbal tics instead of trying to figure out what was causing them in the first place. Finding a good natural speaking rhythm that incorporates a normal amount of them into your tone makes them less frequent and less noticeable. Also, if you have your setlist for that night memorized and you're confident in your material, you won't try to needlessly tag lines with "you know" and the ums will be a lot less frequent. If it's new material, I wouldn't worry about the verbal tics too much unless it's so bad it's hurting your set. For myself, I find that when I'm saying "you know" and "here's the thing" and other nonsense phrases like that, it's a sign that my setup is too long/confusing and I need to either make it shorter or find a way to put some quick jokes in it. Your experience may vary, though: if you want to post audio from a recent set, other people might have some insights too.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



I know exactly what the problem is with them. They always creep up at the end of my set, because I don't know what the gently caress I'm saying. I need to map out what I'm doing better. It's just annoying. I don't mind the occasional pause in the middle of a line. But near the end, I'm just saying "you know" ten times in a sentence and I can just feel the energy fading.

Just newbie frustrations. I had a couple different friends record my current set. I might post one of them and let you guys rip my set.

Edgar Quintero
Oct 5, 2004

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
DO NOT GIVE HEROIN
I swear to God I'm going to do it soon. Possibly at the Rivoli in Toronto or at some other open mic night there. I'm totally ready, I just have to figure out how to book the time.

bring back old gbs
Feb 28, 2007

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Communocracy posted:

I swear to God I'm going to do it soon. Possibly at the Rivoli in Toronto or at some other open mic night there. I'm totally ready, I just have to figure out how to book the time.

Post in the Toronto LAN thread when you do.

Dr. Tommy John
Feb 20, 2004

"Just a few more ligaments and this baby can shoot 90!"

32MB OF ESRAM posted:

Post in the Toronto LAN thread when you do.

Chiming in as a thread lurker here, what is this thing you speak of?

Also post before you go to the Rivoli and I'll hide in the back and impersonate a disinterested comic so you feel comfortable.

bring back old gbs
Feb 28, 2007

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Dr. Tommy John posted:

Chiming in as a thread lurker here, what is this thing you speak of?

Also post before you go to the Rivoli and I'll hide in the back and impersonate a disinterested comic so you feel comfortable.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3531349&pagenumber=703#lastpost

Just a thread for Toronto locals. Some people plan little drinking nights there. Some Hamilton people post too.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



So in working with keeping this thread active, I'll post the link of the first video recording I have of my current set. I just saw it for the first time and absolutely hated it. It is my worst set in two weeks. Hopefully, in a couple of days, I'll be able to post the video of my best set in the last couple of weeks. That one is flawed too, but at least I didn't gently caress up half my punchlines.

Side note you can't see on the recording, the MC introduced me as a Top Gun aficionado, hence the Goose comment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHcl2JM00RU

Go ahead and be brutal. You guys can't possibly hate it more than I do. :v:

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.

Communocracy posted:

I swear to God I'm going to do it soon. Possibly at the Rivoli in Toronto or at some other open mic night there. I'm totally ready, I just have to figure out how to book the time.

I finally contacted my local club about their open mic, after a couple of weeks of freaking out over it. It turns out they book way out ahead and I won't go up until December anyway.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Pinky Artichoke posted:

I finally contacted my local club about their open mic, after a couple of weeks of freaking out over it. It turns out they book way out ahead and I won't go up until December anyway.

Good luck, dude! My advice is to just do it and not think about it. I spent too many years making excuses to not do it. And don't worry about the results. It takes a long time to get comfortable on stage. Look at the video I just posted. I look like a constipated turtle and I have years of public speaking experience!

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


I just bombed so hard that a random person bought me a shot and a beer. I'd call that a win.

freud mayweather
Jan 29, 2009

XIII posted:

I just bombed so hard that a random person bought me a shot and a beer. I'd call that a win.

my two favorite kind of sets are as follows...

1. doing so well that a crowd member buys you booze
2. doing so terrible that a crowd member buys you booze

and sometimes at bar shows you can pull a hacky power move where you ask if everyone's drinking, and when they get excited you say "well somebody send me a shot god drat it, you know how broke comedians are."

i might have a drinking problem.

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


Haha, I've had a few people buy me a drink after a good set, but I've had more "that was rough, here's a beer" situations, sadly. Last night wasn't actually that bad, it was just one of those shows that couldn't have gone well. It was at a bar where we host an open mic and the owner asked if we would do comedy during the intermissions for a band at their monthly art show. The crowd was so loud that, of the 75 people in there, maybe the 5 immediately next to us could hear anything. Going into it we knew it wasn't going to go well, but they gave us all a $25 bar tab, so I would do it again.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



XIII posted:

Haha, I've had a few people buy me a drink after a good set, but I've had more "that was rough, here's a beer" situations, sadly. Last night wasn't actually that bad, it was just one of those shows that couldn't have gone well. It was at a bar where we host an open mic and the owner asked if we would do comedy during the intermissions for a band at their monthly art show. The crowd was so loud that, of the 75 people in there, maybe the 5 immediately next to us could hear anything. Going into it we knew it wasn't going to go well, but they gave us all a $25 bar tab, so I would do it again.

That sounds awesome. Telling bad jokes for beer is a time-honored tradition in comedy. My first time out, I had someone buying me shots before I went on. It was fun.

EDIT: If anyone wants to comment on my video, feel free. I'd really love the feedback.

freud mayweather
Jan 29, 2009

XIII posted:

Haha, I've had a few people buy me a drink after a good set, but I've had more "that was rough, here's a beer" situations, sadly. Last night wasn't actually that bad, it was just one of those shows that couldn't have gone well. It was at a bar where we host an open mic and the owner asked if we would do comedy during the intermissions for a band at their monthly art show. The crowd was so loud that, of the 75 people in there, maybe the 5 immediately next to us could hear anything. Going into it we knew it wasn't going to go well, but they gave us all a $25 bar tab, so I would do it again.

people have been trying for so long to alternate music with comedy that you think they'd get it by now. i've done shows that were comedy and then music, and that's swell. but when you listen to music at a bar you're doing it passively while bullshitting with your friends, and you can't follow that up with a form of entertainment that requires your full attention to work.

even worse, i once did a show that was karaoke followed by comedy. basically an hour and a half was spent telling bar patrons that they are the stars of the evening and then they expect them to sit quietly through a comedy show? people were walking up trying to grab the mic out of comics' hands. it was awful.


Sataere posted:

EDIT: If anyone wants to comment on my video, feel free. I'd really love the feedback.

i'd just keep working on the structure of the jokes and play with your timing and cadence. don't be afraid to sit on something for a minute so the crowd has a chance to catch up. you don't need to rush through the set.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



freud mayweather posted:

i'd just keep working on the structure of the jokes and play with your timing and cadence. don't be afraid to sit on something for a minute so the crowd has a chance to catch up. you don't need to rush through the set.

This is an excellent point. I feel the biggest thing I'm struggling with is infusing energy into my performance while keeping a moderate pace. Any advice on that?

Keven. Just. Keven
May 25, 2010

MY GOD. THE WILL... THE FIGHTING SPIRIT... JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT'S OVER, TSM COMES BACK STRONGER THAN EVER.
Before I moved all the opens I had access to were music opens. It's incredibly rude and strong to stand up in front of a bunch of people talking to their friends, dancing, loving.... Living! And demand they quietly look at you while you suggest that we should give Isis Ebola. It's really rewarding when it goes well though and they'll usually let you go forever since the music acts go 10+ a lot of the time.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Just had my best set to date. Man, that is a good feeling. :D

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



So do you guys spend any time actually practicing saying the jokes you are going to say, or do you just jot them down and go out and say them?

thunderspanks
Nov 5, 2003

crucify this


Sataere posted:

So do you guys spend any time actually practicing saying the jokes you are going to say, or do you just jot them down and go out and say them?

I write all my poo poo out (ALL of it) because I have a strong writing background and had to do tons of public speaking when I was younger. Tying in to that, my method is to repeatedly practice bits over and over and over and over again, sometimes in front of a mirror, sometimes when I'm having a smoke break, pacing around my living room, waiting at the bus stop, etc- I use evernote religiously so I've always got my jokes on hand. The up side is that once I've gotten a piece down that I'm comfortable with I can minimize um's & ah's because I know exactly what I'm going to say. Also it's easier to pay attention to crowd reaction at any given point because I don't need to focus entirely on what line comes next, which translates to an easier time jotting down notes after I'm done. This also adds to confidence on stage. The downside is that I'm really not quick on my feet (I could never do improv) so if I don't have a joke to that level I can get thrown off easily and then it's just a loving trainwreck of trying to remember where I was going with it. Hecklers and screwing up a new piece are definitely my achilles heel in that regard. And while I've never had this criticism levelled at me personally (that I know of), I know that over rehearsing can absolutely suck the feeling of spontaneity out of a joke. I've heard lots of comics rip on others for telling jokes word for word the exact same every time. At the end of the day though it's just what works me.

edit: Ironically I wrote this reply while procrastinating practicing a new bit for tonight about a pimp beating me like it's a 3rd date with jian ghomeshi.

thunderspanks fucked around with this message at 20:27 on Nov 12, 2014

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



thunderspanks posted:

I write all my poo poo out (ALL of it) because I have a strong writing background and had to do tons of public speaking when I was younger. Tying in to that, my method is to repeatedly practice bits over and over and over and over again, sometimes in front of a mirror, sometimes when I'm having a smoke break, pacing around my living room, waiting at the bus stop, etc- I use evernote religiously so I've always got my jokes on hand. The up side is that once I've gotten a piece down that I'm comfortable with I can minimize um's & ah's because I know exactly what I'm going to say. Also it's easier to pay attention to crowd reaction at any given point because I don't need to focus entirely on what line comes next, which translates to an easier time jotting down notes after I'm done. This also adds to confidence on stage. The downside is that I'm really not quick on my feet (I could never do improv) so if I don't have a joke to that level I can get thrown off easily and then it's just a loving trainwreck of trying to remember where I was going with it. Hecklers and screwing up a new piece are definitely my achilles heel in that regard. And while I've never had this criticism levelled at me personally (that I know of), I know that over rehearsing can absolutely suck the feeling of spontaneity out of a joke. I've heard lots of comics rip on others for telling jokes word for word the exact same every time. At the end of the day though it's just what works me.

edit: Ironically I wrote this reply while procrastinating practicing a new bit for tonight about a pimp beating me like it's a 3rd date with jian ghomeshi.

I've only been listening to bits, but not actually saying them until I am onstage. I've found that while I end up having a general idea where I am going, I'm still saying a lot of umms, ahhs and you knows. I'm trying to figure out what the difference is between that fine line of polished and rehearsed. I find it odd that comics would make fun of someone telling a joke the same way each time a bit silly, unless they are referring to audience interaction. A punchline is generally a punchline and the wording for making a joke work seems very specific.

I think I need to start practicing what I'm saying.

thunderspanks
Nov 5, 2003

crucify this


Sataere posted:

I find it odd that comics would make fun of someone telling a joke the same way each time a bit silly, unless they are referring to audience interaction. A punchline is generally a punchline and the wording for making a joke work seems very specific.


Sorry, I should have specified. I'm talking exclusively about open mic'ers that are by no means ready to be doing the exact same bits over and over identically each time hoping that maybe this time people will laugh. Yes if you have an actually polished and funny joke you're going to be repeating it more or less verbatim, that is a given.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



thunderspanks posted:

Sorry, I should have specified. I'm talking exclusively about open mic'ers that are by no means ready to be doing the exact same bits over and over identically each time hoping that maybe this time people will laugh. Yes if you have an actually polished and funny joke you're going to be repeating it more or less verbatim, that is a given.

Oh, that makes perfect sense. The minute I know a joke is going to work, I plan on running that poo poo into the ground. I see tons of people doing the same set and it never gets a response. I feel like it got a laugh the first time they did it, and they are just trying to recapture that magic. After a couple of times of no laughter, I change it, even if I find it hilarious.

ButtWolf
Dec 30, 2004

by Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Late to the twitter game: lets touch each other.
@sisyphean00

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.
My date at the local club finally came up! I was the second to last person, so I had plenty of time to sit there forgetting my jokes. I chickened out of (what my friends later told me would have been) a good call back to the earlier comedians' overwhelming focus on dick and ex-girlfriends and ended up doing about half of my written material before I decided I was done...I didn't have a good sense of if I had enough time to go into a completely different vein so I just bowed out a minute or two early. I got a few laughs and had a few dead silences.

I'll go up again, for sure. But I think I'm going to go to more informal mics a couple of times first. Somehow I think a crowd of people who are ignoring the comic while they drink might be a good step before going up on stage in an actual comedy club again.

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


Pinky Artichoke posted:

I'll go up again, for sure. But I think I'm going to go to more informal mics a couple of times first. Somehow I think a crowd of people who are ignoring the comic while they drink might be a good step before going up on stage in an actual comedy club again.

I will 100% disagree. Most of the open mics I've done since moving has been to bar patrons that wouldn't noticed if I got naked, poo poo on the stage, then hung myself from a rafter (or an "audience" of nothing but comics). I hate it so much more than a joke bombing in front of an even semi-decent crowd because it's drat near impossible to tell if your joke actually bombed.

Pinky Artichoke
Apr 10, 2011

Dinner has blossomed.

XIII posted:

I will 100% disagree. Most of the open mics I've done since moving has been to bar patrons that wouldn't noticed if I got naked, poo poo on the stage, then hung myself from a rafter (or an "audience" of nothing but comics). I hate it so much more than a joke bombing in front of an even semi-decent crowd because it's drat near impossible to tell if your joke actually bombed.

Oh, I'm not saying it would be a better audience AT ALL. I just need to work on poo poo like speaking naturally and not flailing with my extra hand, and I don't feel like I need to wait for rare and valuable club time to do that.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Pinky Artichoke posted:

Oh, I'm not saying it would be a better audience AT ALL. I just need to work on poo poo like speaking naturally and not flailing with my extra hand, and I don't feel like I need to wait for rare and valuable club time to do that.

First off, congrats for getting out there. If you think you have a good call back, always go for it. I've found callbacks will always do well, no matter how lame. It gives the illusion that you are quick on your feet.

Don't worry about what type of audience you have. Just try finding any audience you can to perform in front of and do it ad nauseum. You will only get better through repetition. I like bars, but clubs where people are actually there to see you are invaluable. You need your audience to listen to you in order to gauge if your material is any good. With bars, my goal has been to be so compelling that people can't help but shut up and listen to me. (This won't work, but you gotta be positive)

Keep at it and keep us posted.

freud mayweather
Jan 29, 2009

do you guys have any lines or jokes that you hold onto for your own sake, despite nearly no one getting/liking them? i have a line in the middle of a joke where i say the most regrettable pick-up line i've ever used was "my dick is like hagler/hearns. it's short, but it's action-packed." usually 1-3 people remember the fight and laugh, but i can't stop myself from doing it every single time.

freud mayweather fucked around with this message at 22:18 on Dec 13, 2014

XIII
Feb 11, 2009


That sounds like most of my jokes. Some of them are ones I know I should pull the plug on, others are jokes I stand behind and just feel they need work.

Odddzy
Oct 10, 2007
Once shot a man in Reno.

freud mayweather posted:

do you guys have any lines or jokes that you hold onto for your own sake, despite nearly no one getting/liking them? i have a line in the middle of a joke where i say the most regrettable pick-up line i've ever used was "my dick is like hagler/hearns. it's short, but it's action-packed." usually 1-3 people remember the fight and laugh, but i can't stop myself from doing it every single time.

I don't get it and I've got a somewhat diverse reference package.

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



freud mayweather posted:

do you guys have any lines or jokes that you hold onto for your own sake, despite nearly no one getting/liking them? i have a line in the middle of a joke where i say the most regrettable pick-up line i've ever used was "my dick is like hagler/hearns. it's short, but it's action-packed." usually 1-3 people remember the fight and laugh, but i can't stop myself from doing it every single time.

I will angrily keep in jokes that I think are amazing that nobody else finds funny. I try to limit it, because if I did a set of things only I found funny, my sets would be horrible.

Went back out for the first time in a month. The holidays are brutal for finding time to get away from the family. The nice thing was I didn't even miss a beat. A lot of people told me that was the best I'd performed that set.

EDIT: And just to add to the joke thing, there is no better feeling when you talk to a couple friends about a joke and they think it's terrible, but you do it anyway and it kills!

Sataere fucked around with this message at 21:39 on Dec 17, 2014

Dick Holden
Jul 18, 2003

Purple!
So tonight I went to an open mic for the first time in over a year, to a crowd much bigger than I had anticipated. It went so-so. I was much more nervous than I thought I would be, and forgot the end chunk of material I had prepared. A lot of what I thought would work well fell flat, and a lot of what I thought wouldn't hold peoples attention got the best reaction. I'm looking forward to getting back up, working on material and just plain being on stage. I am suddenly reminded of all the reasons why I took a break, however I am excited to improve. I was invited back so that's good.

Don't know why I'm posting this, just had to share it with somebody. :)

Sataere
Jul 20, 2005


Step 1: Start fight
Step 2: Attack straw man
Step 3: REPEAT

Do not engage with me



Dick Holden posted:

So tonight I went to an open mic for the first time in over a year, to a crowd much bigger than I had anticipated. It went so-so. I was much more nervous than I thought I would be, and forgot the end chunk of material I had prepared. A lot of what I thought would work well fell flat, and a lot of what I thought wouldn't hold peoples attention got the best reaction. I'm looking forward to getting back up, working on material and just plain being on stage. I am suddenly reminded of all the reasons why I took a break, however I am excited to improve. I was invited back so that's good.

Don't know why I'm posting this, just had to share it with somebody. :)

This happens all the time to me. I feel like I should only bring out what I consider to be mediocre material and watch myself destroy on a nightly basis. :v:

RandomPauI
Nov 24, 2006


Grimey Drawer
I'm sure this has been brought up before but I was wondering if there were any online instructions on the theories of comedy, like an online university thing. I know that Flappers and that Jerry Corley(?) have classes in Burbank on the subject but I'd like something a bit more academic.

Also, I really want to deal with my moms suicide attempts through comedy, people have done it before. But it feels like way too morbid a topic, like something that needs to be built up to as opposed to jumping right in to "So for the fourth attempt of the year mom decided to change things up a bit and etc."

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Serious Cephalopod
Jul 1, 2007

This is a Serious post for a Serious thread.

Bloop Bloop Bloop
Pillbug
I like this one: http://johnroycomic.tumblr.com/post/54132250195/my-complete-entirely-free-on-line-comedy-class


edit: better link

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