How to Become a Professional Comedian

Video Transcript

"How did I get my first job as a comedian? I was suffering. I was down low. No, I'm joking. Actually, my first job as a comedian I went to a comedy club. I laughed and I laughed. My first time ever going to a comedy club, I had such a good time. I laughed my heart out. And, I went to the restroom I noticed that comedy club was hiring for their promotions department. So, I went and got a job in their promotions department because I was in college at the time and I needed a part-time job. So, I was part-time working in the comedy club. Got exposed to more comedy. I was bit by the bug. And, then that's how one night I got on stage for open mic night and the rest is comedy history. That's my personal story on how I started comedy. But, at first I was suffering. Because, anything other than comedy was suffering. It's pain. It hurts when I'm on stage. The entry level positions for comedy typically are, you want to start off as an open micer to going to open mic nights and just doing the open mic nights. And, then you might get elevated to the MC to where you're actually hosting the open mic nights. And, then you go higher until you're MCing professional shows working with professional comedians that do it for a living. And, then you go up from that to be the opening act for the headlining comedian which is called a feature. And, then you'll be working and touring as a feature. You can do that for a number of years before you get boosted to a headliner, which is the comedian that actually people pay to see. It's the main performer of the show. Sometimes, they're really big. Sometimes, you've never heard of them. But, most of the times the headliners are the funny person. They will make you laugh. And, you will get your money's worth from the headlining comedian. Headlining comedians are not approachable. Do not talk to them. Do not give them your money. Do not, no I'm going to stop. I can't help it, I know. But, headlining comedians are approachable depending on who you're talking to. But, if you're having a bad day sometimes you don't want to talk. So, it's person to person. I am. Come talk to me. Hi. I talk to you. I talk back."