What Is Required to Be a Comedian?
Although the odds against making a good living are long, there are arguably more standup comics working today than during the 1980s- and 1990s-era explosion that turned performers like Jay Leno into household names. To beat those odds, comedians must constantly hone their style and stage presence, while carving out a niche that helps them stand out in their market. Most importantly, comedians must serve as their own best cheerleaders, especially when work isn't forthcoming.
Other People Are Reading
-
Creative Drive
-
For comics looking to make a living off their passion, an ability to develop new material consistently is essential, while at the same time discarding weak or marginal routines. This is the philosophy of comics like Jeff Lawrence, who use live performances as an opportunity to edit and critique themselves continually, "The New York Daily News" reported in May 2009. According to Lawrence, this meant writing new jokes every night and trying them out. By his estimate, it took him 500 shows to notice any improvement in his style.
Distinctive Style
-
Comedians must cut a distinctive figure to stand out in a competitive marketplace and impress the agents or talent buyers who can advance their careers. Talent producers like Rachael Rausch might evaluate 200 comics in a 10-week period for 20 slots at a major festival, as "The Los Angeles Times" reported in March 2010. Such odds make strong first impressions more vital than ever because a weak or cliched act won't convince an agent to handle a comic's career. In Rausch's case, that means developing a personal style that shuns celebrity jokes.
-
Performing Experience
-
Comedians live or die on their rapport with an audience, which means they must perform live as often as possible. Typically, this process begins at unpaid open-mike nights, according to Northwestern University's newspaper, "North By Northwestern." Classes, theater groups and improvisational troupes offer additional opportunities to build experience and stage presence. After those experiences, performing regularly in comedy clubs becomes the next major goal. To make themselves more marketable and professional, aspiring comics work on learning new skills as well.
Perseverance
-
Perseverance is vital because most comics make little more than a marginal living until a wider audience or industry gatekeeper notices them. For 1980s-era comedy boom veteran Marc Maron, that attention came through his frank, unscripted podcast interviews with names like Robin Williams, which average 230,000 weekly downloads, "The New York Times" noted in January 2011. Before that point, Maron watched peers like Dave Attell, Louis C.K. and Sarah Silverman land major movie and TV projects, which had eluded him largely during a two-decade career.
-
References
- "North By Northwestern"; No Course for Comedy? All You Need is the Stage; Camille Beredjick, et. al.
- "The Los Angeles Times"; Comedy Talent Scouts Get the Joke; Gina Piccalo; March 21, 2010
- "The New York Daily News"; Starting a New Career: Industry Veterans...; Alex Barnett; May 18, 2009
- "The New York Times"; The Comic Who Explores Comedy's Darkest Side; Dan Saltzstein; Jan. 6, 2011
