How to Become a Professional Comedian

If you are always the life of the party or offer the last witty line, then you might consider becoming a professional comedian. Do you believe you can be the next Jerry Seinfeld, Bernie Mac or Jay Leno? Before thinking about prime time television, you will need to start out at smaller clubs. Read on to learn how to become a professional comedian.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Study other comedians and learn from them. Attend stand up shows or rent videos of such shows.

2. Write your own comedy act. Then continue to rewrite it with new material every chance you get.

3. Remember that timing is everything in comedy. Don't take too long to finish a joke. Also, don't confuse people by switching topics too fast.

4. Keep in touch with current events. Know how to apply them to your comedy act. Know what's relevant in your area and how to make a good joke about it.

5. Become accustomed to being on stage. Take acting and improv classes.

6. Find places where you can perform as a comedian. You should probably start at open mic nights and then move up to comedy clubs once you get a feel for the stage.

7. Look for places that will hire comedians professionally. Getting an agent will help in this effort.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your day job. You're not going to become Jerry Seinfeld or Bernie Mac overnight.

• Never stop writing jokes. This will keep your comedic imagination and your act fresh.

• Invite your close friends to watch your act. You'll have people who will laugh and could break the ice with the crowd.

• Develop a thick skin. You're going to be heckled by an audience at some point and you have to be able to take it.