Things You'll Need:
- Legal size notepads
- Tape recorder or phone recorder
- Extra batteries
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Step 1
Research the comedian. Read the press kit and other articles you find online or at the library. Discover all you can about her biography and her interview style. This will prepare you for what to expect. Some comedians only answer questions with jokes, while others are willing to take a more serious turn. Reading what's happened before helps you select the right questions and tone for your interview.
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Step 2
View the comic's work. Many comedians have websites with videos of their stand-up. Watch as much as you can to get familiar with their work and style. If they're performing in your area, arrange to see one of their sets. If they've done movies or TV, view some samples. The more you know about your subject, the better the interview will be, and the more detailed questions you can ask.
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Step 3
Decide the tone of the interview. Determine if you're doing a fluff piece to showcase the artist's sense of humor, or a deeper study of their creative process. The questions you choose must create the tone you want.
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Step 4
Using your research, craft 10 to 20 questions, depending on how much time you've been allowed with your subject.
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Step 5
Choose questions about both new and old material. Comedian's sets change over time as they hone their act or try new directions. Ask about the evolution of a performance.
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Step 6
For light, humorous interviews, craft questions to set the artist up to deliver a funny anecdote or one-liner. Work within the comic's genre. If much of his material involves sports figures or politicians, ask what he thinks of a particular team or an upcoming election.
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Step 7
For serious interviews, ask questions you would ask any other performer about their craft. Discover how the comic comes up with ideas, ask him to describe his favorite cosmic styles or genres. Find out if he has any other artistic aspirations.
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Step 8
Choose personal questions based on the comic's material. Most comedians work from personal experience, so if a performer often jokes about her kids, ask about her family. This gives them the opportunity to tell a funny story or share a personal insight. Don't say anything negative about the subject's personal life.
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Step 9
Try to ask a question the artist hasn't heard before, or explore a topic they're not usually known for speaking about. There's a chance for unexpected humor or added insight. Your choice of subject will come out of your research. For example, if you learn that a comic took classical piano lessons as a child, you might draw out his opinions of music and contrast playing with doing comedy.
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Step 10
Choose five questions you feel are most important. Write these first on your legal pad, leaving a line or two of space in between for notes. Add any remaining questions. You never know what will come up in the interview, so don't discard any of the questions you've come up with.
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Step 11
Arrange questions in a natural progression from one topic to the next. Interviews with comedians are less predictable, so make sure you have a good variety of questions in case things go in unexpected directions.
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Step 1
Announce the start of the interview. This lets the comedian know that their comments are now on the record. Start the tape player and ask the first question.
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Step 2
Listen to the answers and laugh if its appropriate. Comedians are quick, and it can be a challenge to follow their responses and prepare for your next question, but it's important to react. Comedians work for laughs, so you'll establish an instant rapport if you show you're listening.
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Step 3
Ask any unscripted questions that follow naturally from a comic's anecdote. Questions that flow organically out of the moment will elicit better answers than queries that seem to come out of nowhere.
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Step 4
Be prepared to think quickly, skip questions and pull from your alternates list. Some comedians are always "on" and will have plenty to say. Some comedians are much quieter off-stage and may require more questions to keep the conversation going.
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Step 5
For light, funnier interviews, let the comic run with the material. If things are going well and it'll make for a good read, don't interrupt. You may not get all of your questions answered, but the main goal is to get the most entertaining interview possible. When she runs out of steam, be ready with your next question.
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Step 6
Announce drastic changes in the subject, or if you want a serious answer. You may not get the serious answer, but letting him know that you're shifting focus reduces awkward pauses and maintains the interview's tone.
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Step 7
Especially in serious interviews, mention a personal fact or experience if it's pertinent. If you've seen a comic perform live, discuss the performance. However, never share more than one, brief personal story with your subject. Keep the focus on the comic.
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Step 8
Listen for cues and watch the comedian's body language. If his answers get shorter, make less sense, or he sounds like he's running out of material, it's time to change the line of questioning or end the interview.
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Step 9
Announce the final question. Knowing it's the end of the interview can help the comedian decide what last thoughts or jokes she wants to end with.
