I'm doing 26 things
I just got started doing stand up, and I’m currently trying to fight the lack of clubs in the rural South Carolina area. (And yes, my picture is from my first act.) There’s several steps that I followed, mostly without realizing it, but I’ve discovered that they’re very important.
1. Listen to other comedians. Find out what your particular “style” is, and specifically listen to comedians that share that “style”. For example, I’ve lived in the lowcountry of SC all of my life, and I have a slow southern drawl. So naturally, I was drawn to the Blue Collar boys, along with a variety of other southern comedians such as Killer Beez, Tim Wilson, James Gregory, etc. Then I developed a secondary style, which can be formatted to the original style. For this, I turned to younger, more contemporary comedians such as John Pinette, Lee Camp, etc., and some Carlin just for fun.
So personally, my style is the natural flavor of the Blue Collar boys, chock full of humorous stories and anecdotes, and lots of interaction with the audience. I usually spend several minutes interacting with the people in the front rows and making fun of them.
2. Figure out if you’re naturally funny. If you can sit through a comedy act and not laugh riotously at every single joke, just several well timed ones, then you’re probably naturally talented. While not laughing may seem weird, it shows that you’ve got similar thoughts. And if you can sit down and think of things that seem funny without ripping off comedians that you listen to, then you’ve probably got the talent. And if you find that people typically laugh at things you say in everyday conversation, then you’ve got a good shot.
I’ll give you an example. I work in a local specialty store that carries a large variety of homemade products such as jelly, cider, etc. A woman asked me if the peaches were from Georgia. I said that they were local, and in fact, that South Carolina produces more peaches per year than Georgia does. She proceeded to ask if that was true, why was GA “The Peach State?” To which I told her, “Because the ‘We Got Burned to the Ground by Sherman’ State wouldn’t fit on the flag.”
3. Write down anything and everything that you think is funny. I keep a notebook handy, and I write down little lists of things that I hear about or think about that seem like they might work. Develop them into full-fledged jokes. Something I’ve begun doing is telling people that I heard a comedian say something, then telling my own joke, and getting a reaction.
4. Don’t be nervous. My first performance was for a room full of college students, much like myself. I kept in mind that with the exception of a few, I would never have to see them again. Therefore, if I completely sucked, there wouldn’t really be any reprocussions.
5. Just get up and do it. I had butterflies in my stomach the first time I stepped on stage, despite the fact that 2 of the 6 people before me had not made anyone crack a single smile. I got up and did my piece, which for me involves a series of humorous stories and observations, and got more laughs than I ever could have hoped for. Not only did I get invited to open for local comedians that come to the campus and the possibility of performing myself, but I got invited by the director (another of the performers) and assistand director of the local improv group to join the troupe.
So if you follow these steps, you can probably have a good shot at doing stand-up. If you’re looking for a professional career, I would suggest taking classes. But if you just want something to do, and maybe make a little side change, then it shouldn’t take that much. Good luck!
