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A career on the comedy circuit can be a fun and rewarding career. What could be better than making other people laugh and getting paid to do so? If you are going to pursue a career in this field, you have a long, albeit funny, road ahead of you. One of the tricks of the trade is learning how to write comedy, and believe it or not a pen and paper are not your only tools.

Experiences

Perhaps one of the best tools you have at your disposal for writing comedy is your unique experiences. Every day of your life there is an opportunity to gather material; you simply have to be on the lookout for it. It is wise to carry some type of recording device with you at all times, even when you are performing your day job! (Provided it is not against company regulations) Wingfam A small digital recording device or a notepad and paper will work fine. Do not leave this step out, the chances that you will remember a potential joke once you get home are slim to none!

Newspaper

Do you get the daily news? You never know when a headline is going to jump off the page and say write material around me! Take for instance “Army Vehicle Disappears” and in small print, “after being painted with camouflage paint”. Conversational Hypnosis Some of the funniest routines in history have been pulled from the days headline news, or an editor’s misplacement of a comma!

Delivery

As important as your material is your delivery. Imagine yourself having a conversation; do you naturally pause during a sentence? Of course, everyone does. Rarely will you find anyone who will complete a full sentence without breathing pauses and even dramatic effect. What all this means is you need to find your natural speaking rhythm and not just try to recite lines. Even the most well written comedy skit will come off wooden and boring if you do not master this skill.

Taboo Topics

There was a time when certain topics were off limits, but generally speaking there is nothing expressly forbidden when it comes to comedic topics. Politics, religion, gender, ethnicity (particularly your own) and family are all fair game in most instances. A good comedian can make even the most ordinary topics into a great source of humor. A visit to the doctors or an encounter with an auto insurance salesperson can inspire laughter in the hands of a creative commedian. Even events that would normally be a disaster such as water damage orlando can actually be turned into a joke in the hands of the right comedian. Could you go over an unseen boundary? Sure, comedians do so all the time, and if you have material that pushes your social boundaries, it couldn’t hurt to bounce it off people you know. Too many faux pas and you could sink a promising career, but let’s be realistic in this anything goes society the material would have to be pretty bad or poorly timed. Making jokes about survivors of a natural disaster for example.

Conclusion

Writing comedy is much more than simply sitting down with your pen and paper. There are all manner of places to draw inspiration from, some of the best being your own life experience. If you really do get stuck however, some comedians turn to professional ghost writers to create material for them. An essay writing service or professional journalist may be able to help with this. A crazy uncle, weird cousin or even your spouse is fair game, and it works because your audience can relate.

 

History of Stand-up Comedy in US

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine and this has been a well-known fact for generations. Elpotosi For as long as this country has been established there has been some form of comedy, though what you would have seen in the early 1800′s bears little resemblance to stand-up comedy today. Apartments Krakow Just as the country and society has evolved, so then did comedy, with a few notable changes over the years. Here is a brief recounting of the different eras of comedy.

Black Face

In the early 1800′s minstrel, shows included acts that became known as black face. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Though it would be highly controversial today, you have to remember the time period. These shows would feature white players who blackened their face and would mimic black stereotypes. Often they would wear wigs, tailcoats and gloves to enhance their appearance. This type of comedy continued in some areas up until the civil rights era in the United States and even longer in Europe.

Vaudeville

Minstrel shows began to wane and vaudeville rose to take its place. Vaudeville performances became popular around 1880 until around 1930 and included comics, musicians, trained animals, magicians and much more. Some well-known names in comedy arose from this genre including Jack Benny, Gracie Allen and Groucho Marx, just to name a few. Most comedians would rely on physical or “slap-stick” routines to garner laughter that is until the microphone became center stage!

Radio

Finally, comedy had a voice that could be heard by the masses, radio changed forever the way comedic performances were done. Not all vaudeville stars were able to make the transition as this entailed using timing and prepared content rather than physical humor. Argan Oil At this point in time, comedy became closer to what you would recognize today, comedic material, timing and the one-liner came into being.

50′s and 60′s

The who’s who of comedy during this era are names still recognizable today, think Johnny Carson, Phyllis Diller and Don Rickles. One notable difference in this era was the breakdown of racial divisions. Comedy has always reflected the changes in society and as the barriers came down notable black comedians arrived on the scene, Bill Cosby and Redd Foxx just to name a couple. Limits were being challenged in these two decades up to and including what was socially acceptable. Lenny Bruce would push the boundaries hard enough to get arrested for his material!

Television

The next step in the comedy journey was television. For the first time comedians could combine spoken humor with physical comedy. Do you remember the Ed Sullivan show? Variety shows like this became wildly popular. Ilomessina

70′s

If there was one decade that was huge for comics, it would be the 70′s. Not only were more and more people getting into the game but there were also multiple mediums they could take advantage of. Radio, television, arena’s and records. Big name comics were now selling out concert arena’s and still pushing the boundaries of what was socially acceptable.

Final Thoughts

The past three decades have seen a mixture and natural evolution of all of the above. Television and in particular the wide variety of stations has opened up more and more opportunities for comics of all walks of life. Language and content in many routines today would have been taboo only a few short years ago and it is certain that comedians will continue to push against the norms in the bid for more laughter.

 

Becoming a Comic

You have been the class clown, resident funny guy at college and comic relief at family functions, why not go all out and make a career out of it? If you have been thinking along these lines you should know there is more to the process than merely being funny. In order to make it big in the comedy world you need talent, confidence and a few tips to get you started!

Preparation

Before you attend your first open mic night, you will want to spend a little time preparing. Most people would think this means simply writing down or printing out a good list of jokes and one-liners, and yet there is so much more to it than that. Material is important but more so is the way in which you deliver it, facial expressions as well as body movements can convey much more than what you are saying with your lips!

Connecting

The first rule of comedy is connecting with your audience and there are several ways to accomplish this task. One mistake many comedians make is rushing the stage, they will be in such a hurry to start their routine that it looks forced and the comedian conveys their nervousness. You have to stay calm, cool and collected and then make every effort to connect with the audience. You have to be able to connect with the audience whether you are making jokes about exciting topics such as sports or even more everyday topics such as water tanks. Looking each person in the eye is a great way to accomplish this, however it is nearly impossible. Instead look around your audience frequently, giving the impression that you are making eye contact.

On Stage Presence

If you want to quickly lose your audience, begin fumbling either with the microphone or your lines! Before you ever hit the stage, the microphone should feel like a natural extension of yourself. There is really only one way to accomplish this goal, practice, practice and then practice some more. You need to master the law of attraction and attraction marketing to make your audience instantly connect with you and love you. Start by practicing in front of your mirror at home, then perhaps with friends and family. The more at ease you are on stage the better your performance will come off!

Laughter

While you cannot rush your performance, you do want to get to the funny stuff pretty quickly. You should garner the first laugh in under a minute, better yet is to get them laughing within the first 35 seconds. The sooner they laugh the sooner they will be at ease, enjoy the show and want to hear more of what you have to say. Get this part right and they will be hanging on your every word.

Conclusion

Making people laugh takes talent, skill, good material, practice and confidence. It also helps to observe how the
“big boys” do it can you can observe them at Comedy Central. It does help to have a bit of natural talent but in reality; most of the skills can be learned. If you are concerned about stage fright, don’t be, it too can be overcome. The best weapon you have against stage fright is preparation and confidence. Remember, do not rush the microphone but get to the laughing as soon as possible.

The internet is also a great way to get the word out about your comedy act. If you are targeting comedy clubs in the Dallas area you will want to engage a consultant that is a specialist in SEO Dallas to ensure you rank your website for Dallas visitors to see. Over time, you can build a following of loyal fans and you will be on your way to the big time.

 

TURNING A DISADVANTAGE INTO AN ADVANTAGE – ANOTHER ROAD IN A CAREER IN COMEDY

The music fades, the lights dim, the MC announces the next artist, Comic, You. The applause thunders.

Your career in comedy has come the full circuit and you top the bill – or is it top banana?

It’s been a long haul from your days of being the class clown; the college campus comic and a follower of the open mic circuit.

You’ve stuck to your plan and made it. Congratulations!

 

Wow! A career in comedy; is it for everyone?

Sorry! no it’s not; then again, neither is brain surgery or pulpit-thumping preaching.  Like all careers, a hopeful must follow and stick to a plan and at first needs to learn the basics.

 

Comedy is cruel.  Someone or something is being lampooned and you as a comic need to realise this, or your career in comedy is going to be short-lived. You give flak, you take flack and being thick-skinned helps. Leswamp

Being a comic is likened to being a writer – you need to be a good people watcher and grab each moment that can be converted into a comedy situation. It also helps to be an observer so you can get to know your potential audience.

You will need the basic tools of a writer; a notebook or simple hand-held recorder. Then write it down and incorporate it into a script. Then re-write it again and perhaps again, until you feel it becoming a natural flow.

 

Okay! What Now?

Life and its experiences is a good way to begin. There are comics who have made a great career in comedy by turning a disadvantage into an advantage.  One of Australia’s top comedians suffers from cerebral palsy and rather than let it be a burden; he takes the Mickey out of himself and his condition to a very large fan base across the nation. You can even promote yourself and your unique disadvantage online as a kind of “calling card” that makes you unique. An internet and seo consulting expert can help you promote your comedy act in all the search engines.

Other comedians use their race, religion and even physical appearance become their comedy genre. If you have a day job in addition to your comic career this also can be used as the subject of comedy and there are no bounds to the careers you could exploit from doctors to accountants to even marketers who engage in chiropractic marketing! One Canadian-born comic, when a high school and college student, could not crack a date – too ugly was the general comments.  He therefore used that a basis for his comedy show: “Hey! I’m so ugly, even passport/driver’s license issuers refuse to take my photo.”

In the days when being of a certain sexual orientation, nationality or religion created cruel jokes and jibes, some of the world’s best have carved a great career in comedy, simply by playing on that fact.

 

Julian Clary uses his sexuality to his advantage as did two Aussie comics, Solomon and Goldberg in their popular circuit show: Madly Jewish and Slightly Gay.  The late and great Danny Kaye played up his Russian heritage.  Eddie Murphy, Richard Prior, Bill Cosby did not let their race or color stand in the way of making a career in comedy.

 

Your Patter

It’s a long time gone since comics stood on the stage and cracked joke after joke – it works but there are reservations. An English comic, say from Yorkshire, is not always going to crack Yorkie-style jokes, or jokes knocking Scotland, in Scotland, and expect uproarious laughter; same in reverse – well, Billy Connolly can get away with it.

More popular is being conversational.  By writing your jokes and verbal sketches down in a script form, learning it and bringing it on stage in a natural conversational manner, just like you’re chatting to good friends around a dinner table.

 

Your Career in comedy has no- nos too.

There isn’t too much today that is taboo. Natural disasters perhaps.  Even religion gets a serve.  Latest victim is Mitt Romney where comics are doing a David Letterman-style, “Romney Is So Mormon, when he gets to the White house he’s gonna.”

So comics, to enhance your career in comedy.  Study as if you would heart surgery.  Learn every trick and nuance you can, watch other comics in action and Practise! Practise! Practise!

Long before the time of comedy on TV,  there was vaudeville; Follies and whole palaces of variety.  Here the comedian made his mark or died.  This gave us comics such as the Marx Brothers, Ed Wynn, Eddie Foy and their like.
Then there was radio; the home of George Burns and Gracie Allen, Bob Hope, The Goons, Ronnies Barker and Corbett and a whole host more of comics and situation comedy.

 

Radio was the medium for the ear and unlike vaudeville did not have the ambience of live theatre.  To the untrained, it was just a bunch of guys and girls around the microphone, reading from prepared scripts; the end result, what came out of the ‘Bakelite box’.   All was in the hands of  The Sponsor (Advertiser).  In essence they dictated what and who went to air.

 

Then, TV – good old black and white 15 to 20 inch screens.  It was touted as radio with pictures, where one could see the best of radio and theatre.
Here, along with adventure shows such as Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and one-off detective shows came comedy on TV.  Single act comics doing their bit on variety-style shows and, situation comedies – sitcoms.

 

Into our living rooms came Lucille Ball – I Love Lucy; Burns and Allen; reruns of The Three Stooges and Marx Brothers shorts.   From across the Atlantic, came   The Two Ronnies, Monty Python, Benny Hill and from down under, Dame Edna. Initially situation shows were built around the comedian; Andy Griffith, Phil Silvers – Sgt Bilko; Lucy of course and then in came family shows; The Partridge Family; The Donna Reed Show, evolving to today’s Modern Family and similar sitcoms.

 

Every one of the above and the countless other comedy stars had a tough apprenticeship in a lot of cases beginning with theatre in tough towns across both America and the UK.  Here they loved you or hissed and hooted you off stage.

Radio, was perhaps a tad kinder, but it had no live audience to liaise with.  In the events where shows were broadcast live from the studio; certain limitations were put on the audiences.  No heckling and no spontaneous laughter that may override the studio.

 

Comedy on TV was pretty much the same and here the TV comic had more to deal with.  Lack of moving space – all controlled by ‘marks’; no instant response to the verbal or sight gags – canned laughter.  Like radio, the end result was what came out of the ‘box’.

 

Comedy on TV is evolving at a great rate whether it is the US or the UK and the potential TV comic, be it solo or sitcom has to learn a whole new game plan. As it is with learning the ropes of  being a comedian, learning the tricks of the TV Trade is another must for the potential TV comic.

Yes, writing is paramount and appreciating the nuances of TV as opposed to live on stage comedy and radio is a sure-fire way to enter the medium.  Perhaps being a sitcom or gag writer is another string to add to your bow.

Comedy on TV is really no different from theatre when it comes to material. Like an actor, the TV comedian who knows his or her lines, where and when to enter, exit and stand has hit the ground running.   Okay! Lines are going to be fluffed – all par for the course; but there is no excuse for not knowing directions or lines – teleprompter or not.

So! at the risk of being repetitive; know your medium, study television shows, take courses, go to see live broadcasts and never stop asking questions.  If comedy on TV is for you, then good luck.

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Comedy is one of those things that is really hard to do. This is because you will have to be funny all through your act. It is considered as one of the most difficult acting careers of all time. Some of the reasons attributed to this are the fact that making people laugh is not easy and writing comedy too needs a lot of sweat. There is the notion that comedians have short lived acting careers. Some people believe that men are the ones who should do comedy. However, women have also proved to be dominating in this particular field.
There are certain women who have proved themselves to be the top female comedians of all time. They have dominated in the industry for a very long time. They have managed to also bring change to the industry.

 

These are the top five female comedians of all time.
1. Lisa Lampanelli: She has her roots in Connecticut, and started her Stand up comedy in the city of New York. She is largely referred to as the best insult comic of all times. She is very direct in her approach regardless of whether she is referring to her weight or a needle pointing at celebrities. She has a large fan list and has earned the nickname of the comedy queen of mean.
2. Ellen Degenres: She is known as the best female in stand up comedy and was voted as the funniest person in America in the year 1982. The Ellen show is a famous TV series done by her which was aired in 2001. She has received three nominations for golden globe awards and as much as thirty five nominations in other award ceremonies.
3. Sarah Silverman: She is among the wittiest female comedians in many generations. Born December 1st, 1970, in New Hampshire, Sarah Silverman got the public attention by: “Greg the bunny” one of her famous series’. She has also featured in various movies. A good example is Bulworth.
4. Joan Rivers: She is a standup comedian in America born in Brooklyn, New York. She is known for her loudness and rash manner. She got the respect she has from the show that was commonly known as the “Joan rivers show”. Aside from being a stand up comedian, she is a writer.
5. Kathy Griffin: She has won 2 Emmy awards. This queen of D list came into the limelight with a famous show that she had which was largely known as “Kathy Griffin”. She is also a renowned stand up comedian at a company known as “laugh factory” in Los Angeles.
The women I have mentioned above are not just regular women; they are icons and the top female comedians in the comedy industry. They are among the few women who have made it in that male dominated industry and proved that what man can do, a woman can do better. All of them were passionate about comedy and followed to the letter the factors that make good comedians. Their discipline has made them rise. Women out there aspiring to be comedians can learn a lot from them.

Being a comedian is not easy and making it to the top of the comedy field is tough. These famous names made it though and now these men are amongst the funniest in the world.

 

A comic person takes on the most difficult task of making others laugh while he does the act. The situations might be anything ranging from jokes, to stories, to props or even quite often through mono-acting. There might be slapstick comedy or vulgar comedy related to a certain section of the audience but the overall concept of this comic person is to entertain the masses. The verbal content of comedy and a comedian varies a lot since it’s an art mastered by few.

 

The fun component is the most important aspect of such a show. A stand-up comedian addresses the audience directly and deals with them while a comedy show enacted in a theatre can be entwined around a particular story-board. There are several genres of such comedy shows but a new section called the alternative comedy section has grown in popularity. Andy Kaufman, Alexei Sayle and Malcolm Hardee are the veterans of this comic zone. This comedy section requires more of the observational content and on the spot comic timings to connect with the audience. Those comedians who have strong political and social messages to deliver are John Stewart and Ben Elton. Such comedians depict a different section which can be a satire on the current situation or a cue taken from past. Most importantly their issues are socially and politically relevant.

 

Views of Comedians:-
There are comedians who have their views on the mannerisms of the comedies performed by them and the way they felt about it. It is known that their job is not to simply make people laugh. There has to be lots of other factors involved rather than just making people laugh on your antics. There might be a crowd which would go gaga over a comedian and forget all his acts immediately after the show is over.

 

To be a top-notch comedian and to be in constant demand one should make the audience connect to an extent that they wish to be a part of the comedian. It is the individual who makes the people laugh and not the jokes which he delivers. The comedian thinks that it precisely matters about how famous or rich a comedian becomes but every time he is on the stage his only job is to make the audience laugh at his jokes. It happens that a comedian has repeated several of his past words but still the audience loves him. This is possible only by selling the old wine in a new bottle. So marketing too comes into picture while delivering the show. Most of the comedians start with stand-up acts and once famous they dabble with theatres and movies. It is known that most of the Hollywood comedians were at some point in their life hit stand-up comedians.

 

All time Best Comedians:-
• Bill Hicks: - Hicks was one of the best comedians of his time who eventually challenged audiences. His stand-up acts proved to be one of the best acts of his time.
• Richard Pryor:- He was considered to be  a raw comedian and gave the audience a new dose of comedy every time he came on stage.
• George Carlin:- George came in the league of dark comedians and was considered as one of the best of his era. He excelled as a stand-up comedian and in plays and theatres too.
• Eddie Murphy:- Eddie Murphy was considered to be one of the most prominent figures in the genre of comedy. He not only starred in several comic movies but also is an icon for several comedians today.
• Lenny Bruce: – He took the level of stand-up comedy to another level. He was not only responsible for the uplift of this section, he brought a whole new segment in this genre. He was also termed as a rather controversial figure.
It does not matter how successful or famous or rich a comic becomes — each time he faces an audience he has got to be funny. That is such an agonizing scenario, taking into account the persistent pressure, and the constant challenge. This is the urge that keeps the comedian honest.

 

Comedians are a great source of entertainment for events. They are a cheaper option than hiring a band, plus people would pay attention to comedians more than watch a band play several songs. This would of course be true if the comedian you hire is worth the attention of your audience. If not, then you might as well play loud music and get people to shake their bodies on the dance floor. If you are really interested, you must learn about the points to consider when hiring a comedian. These pointers will definitely increase the success rate of your party.

 

One of the points to consider is the type of comedian you believe would satisfy your audience. For example, if you are hosting a party in the office, choose a comedian that has good comedic material about office humor. This way, the audience would be able to relate and feel better about their jobs. However, it is important to make sure that the comedian does not joke about anything that may cause a corporate uproar or awkwardness. To be able to ensure that the comedian’s material is indeed fit for your audience, take the time to watch him or her perform. Attend clubs or bars where the comedian has a scheduled performance. This is the perfect moment to hear how funny they are and how audiences react to their jokes and antics. If your prospect comedian lives in another state wherein viewing a live performance is not possible, ask them if they have demo tapes you can watch or listen to.

 

Experience is definitely an important factor when it comes to hiring a comedian. There are only a few comics that can make their audiences laugh hysterically even if it is their first time performing. To make sure you get one that is worth the time and effort, ask them about how long they have been in the comedy business and how far have they gone since their first gig. You may ask them if they have had any awards or commendations with regards to their performances. If you have the time, contact some of their previous clients and ask them about their experience with the comedian you are planning to hire.

 

If you have seen how they perform and you are satisfied, it is now time to talk about fees. The rate of each comedian is affected by several factors such as how experienced they are, how long a performance you would like to hire them for, and where the performance would be held. In this case, it is much better to splurge a little on paying for a comedian. As the saying goes “you get what you pay for”; you would not want to get a lame comedic performance just because you went over the board with haggling. Lastly, ask them about any special arrangements that they would need for their performance. Things like platforms, a chair, or a mic stand could be requested by the comedian to support their material and their performance as a whole. Keep these pointers in mind and after all your effort, you and your guests can enjoy the best medicine of all: laughter.

Start of the Era:-

Comedy in film is a genre where the chief protagonist is the comedian and the whole sequence just revolves around him/her. They undergo a character makeover just to provoke laughter from the audience. These shows are hassle free  dramas which not only entertain audiences but also act as a relaxing tonic for their hectic schedule.

 

There could be acts as stand-up comedians performing as soloists or there can be a fully-fledged movie where a group of acts serves the same purpose. Movies of this sort usually have a happy ending and the audience does not bear undue tension during the movie. Comedy movies are seen as one of the oldest genres of movies and benchmark the traditional developments of happy-go-lucky movies. Several stand-up comedians have sneaked into the movie zone owing to their great popularity among the masses. Such comedy movies are also built with an intention to amuse the public, though a few of them might be a satire on the present political or social scenarios. Generally slapstick comedies tend to entertain the audiences of the past where there physical mishaps are used to provoke laughter. But presently sensible and situational comedies have taken their place where audiences tend to connect to the situation.
Types of Comedy Movies:-
• Parody:- Such movies try to play satire to different film genres or other classic films. They employ several sarcastic scenes or simply play mockery to other cult movies or classic films.
• Black Comedy:- This genre basically is a bit different from the typical happy ending movies. They deal with more taboo subjects like mystery, Death, Sex and other acts which often seem hilarious but have hidden messages.
• Gross-Out Comedy:- Such comedy films are more towards physical comedy or points out at Vulgarity. They deal with sexual humor, Toilet humor or rather to be precise vulgar humor.
• Romantic Comedy:- These movies are the most widely accepted in Hollywood and they deal with the ups and downs of relationships with a touch of comic relief. There are situations where relationships get loose and after a lot of comic situations there is a reunion but not without a lot of comic scenes and laughter.
Top Hollywood Comedy Movies:-
There was a certain time when comedy movies ruled the roost and were a huge hit in their eras. When Harry Met Sally was a runaway hit due to its original content and awesome comic timing of the actors. Even the movie Sleepless in Seattle released in 1993 was a huge hit and is admired even now. In the Gross Out comedy genre the all time hit American Pie still tops the charts and is a favorite among college goers. Among the spoof comedies the most famous series was that of Scary Movies which has lots of versions out. Comedians like Eddie Murphy entertained audiences to their best and acted in Action comedies like 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop. The most entertaining Hollywood comedies came from John Hughes which consisted of the Home Alone series which was out in the 1990s. After the 90s era the comedy genre shifted a gear and it was more focused on family audiences. But the era of spoof comedy never died and it is still the most popular subject.

 

Though comedy movies entertain the audience and we tend to forget all our woes, we should acknowledge the fact that such comedians themselves often led a life full of tensions and mental agony. Comedians like Charlie Chaplin once wrote ”I love to walk in rain, to hide my tears”.

The one stark difference of a human being that separates him from the animals is his ability to laugh (Don’t ask me what about shaving). The ability to make people laugh is what separates a man from his other fellow beings and is the pre requisite when one thinks about how to become a comedian. An inborn quality of many comedians is their spontaneity and timing of the jokes that keep the audience laughing aloud, and forgeting about the present world (till their blackberry reminds them about the presentation or the project for the meeting next morning).

 

Let us ponder about the additional qualities, apart from spontaneity and timing, that answers the question ‘how to become a comedian.’ The first one is of course your grasp of the language. You may have a score of ideas in your brain (or in your ‘things to do’ list), but expressing them through words at the stage calls for a rich vocabulary. Invest good time in reading and rehearsing some difficult words and sentences aloud so that you know how that will sound, before the audience. This will also help to keep a face like a sphinx, while the audience is laughing their head off with your words. You can also align your thoughts for the next line in the mean time.

 

The ability to connect is another must for any comedian. This could be a recent upheaval in the political circle, cultural impasse, or an imminent danger such as something like Skylab coming back to visit earth as a one way ticket. Remember the comedians who had a wonderful time (though it was not like that for somebody high in office) with the word Monica on television shows and on the stage. Carefully choose a topic, spin a story around it, and go ahead storm into the stage to perform, without bumping your head on the door frame on your way in.

 

Spanning your view is another good way to be on the stage for a comedian. Focusing on the same person, or area makes it difficult for the thoughts to flow or follow your tongue. You can also spot something that you can use with your spontaneity with your look spread around the audience. Choose your words - simple. If you have a good thesaurus at home, keep it there. For the stage use words that will evoke laughter immediately, not while they are driving like mad to get to their home. I remember the way the legendary Bill Cosby took his audiences to the roof, when they applauded on his appearance with the simple words “you call that a reception?”

 

Rehearse before each show as if you are doing it for the first time. Going over and over about your preparation on the previous day in the morning and this will ensure a better timing and flow for your show. Just before the start of the show some finer points can be rehearsed that you hit upon during your travel to the show. Use the situation to your benefit. If a faulty microphone or lighting on the stage takes some of your time, wait till it is corrected and when things are in order again resume with “I think the light and sound contractor is not paid till now”. Even one of the toughest audiences will boom with a laugh.

Live comedy shows are a rage down in the West rather than in other parts of the world. People have now noticed the huge popularity of the live show rather than going for a fully-fledged 2 hour movie with doses of comedy here and there.

Occasionally live shows are basically referred to as either theatrical shows or stand-up comedy shows. Entertainers with the zeal for comedy provide the much needed comic relief to the audience and the act revives the happy days for the viewers too. In such acts the actors or the comedian’s try to enact a series of humor filled stories, brief jokes or even some punch-lines which send the audience into a fit of laughter.  Several comedians also use tricks or music and try to entertain the audience through their physical acts. These could be mono-acts too.

 

There are no restrictions as to the genres of comedy performed since the idea is to entertain the audience. Not all the comedy acts are done for professional and traditional events; these acts are also done to earn funds for charities, raising funds for victims and for churches. The biggest threat in stand-up comedy shows and similar live shows is that if the comedian is unable to entertain the audiences the crowd might start hooting or in common terms resort to heckling for that particular act.
The Live Comedy Show is an Art:-
Live comedy shows are basically an art which everyone cannot do since this is devoted to obtaining a direct response from the audience on the spot which is not easy to do. It is a direct interaction which should be laced with lots of humor and punch lines. In theatrical comedy one can make a character out of nowhere and can create a storyline around it to entwine the whole purpose as a comedy show. He can put in characters that amuse the audience but there is no direct communication as in stand-up comedy shows. Here the feedback of the audience should be instant on every move of the comedian. Live shows are therefore art where the audiences expect a steady flow of comic stuffs thrown at them. There should be no stagnancy in terms of dialogue delivery and acts.

 

As discussed above there might be situations of heckling from a certain section of the crowd and the best way to avoid this is that the comedian should not submit to the section and should stand and get over it with funny lines or at times even mocking them. Such Live acts are not simply one night’s work. They require a comedian to brush up the details for years and to create his own story-board to perform it on the stage. The comedian is often a multifaceted person who not only creates his own story but also directs and organizes himself. Thus it proves to be a multi-fashioned job in a live show.
Live Comedy Artists:-
There are many Live Comedy artists in the circuit today but there are those people who initially brought this trend into the market. The modern era comedians like Jack Benny, Fred Allen and Bob Hope have helped the comedy era to grow to a huge extent. These comedians performed at theatres, Bars, stages and in movies too. They brought in a situation where every artist wanted to enact the comedy shows performed by them and held them as cult figures in the comedy genre. These comedy artists have not only outgrown several established Hollywood artists but also have developed an era where comedy was revived.

Being funny is a talent that is naturally inborn in someone. There are some people who try to force it and come out as irritating. The same goes when it comes to writing comedy. It is not an easy task because there are fundamental factors that should be kept in mind before settling to write anything.

 

One of the reasons why people write comedy is to add taste to the act and flavor and amusement to life. Life would be boring if there was nothing to make us laugh. This especially comes after a week of hard work and you need to relax and comedy is the best way to do it.
What are the factors that one should consider when writing comedy?

If you are an aspiring comedian or if you are one already, what are some of the things that you can put in place in order to come up with a master piece of modern comedy? There are some things that should be considered if you want your audience to laugh to breaking point. Here are some of the factors to consider when writing comedy.
• Know your audience
This is very important because it will give you the direction that your jokes will take. If you are writing comedy for young kids, you should write something that they can easily relate to. It is a more restricted audience to deal with. If you are writing comedy for adults, then it is easier because they are more open and you can use more controversial words. Another important factor to consider is the type of audience. What you will write for contemporary people will be different from what you write to a person who is strongly religious.
• Do not be too fictitious
Jokes that are written for comedy should be based on facts. Most of the jokes that are written on things that are not humanly possible or true are not usually captivating. Therefore it is necessary to avoid fiction when writing comedy to enable your audience to relate with something that does not sound impossible. Strive for simplicity in order to write good jokes.
• Always know the presentations of jokes
There are various presentations of comedies that should be considered. These are some of the things that will make the comedy funnier and more pleasurable. They are also sometimes referred to as the components of comedies. When you have them in your head, writing comedy will be easy as you will not have to struggle a lot. These presentations include the following, parody, irony, wit, satire and gags. This is a secret that many people who write comedy do not usually understand. If you understand these terms properly, then the chances of you ever going wrong when writing comedy are very slim.
For any aspiring comedian, these are the secret factors that you should put into consideration. If you have never heard of them before, they are here. All you need to do is to read through them carefully and implement them. You will see yourself rising to the top.

Comedy clubs are the best places where people can gather together to view the antics of a live stand-up comedian or a group of comedians. There could be several genres of acts included in the Comedy Club which comprises of magicians, performers and singers.

 

Just to distinguish themselves from traditional actors in theatres, the stand-up comedians have used the word Comedy Club to mark their position as a separate entity. Most often these comedy shows are slated for a weekly performance or couple of days in a week based on the availability of the comedians. These acts or shows are also broadcasted on Television to garner more revenue.

 

Stand-up comedy is the toughest act of any comic show, and the performer is at the mercy of the live audience in the clubs. His only motive is to elicit non-stop laughter riots from the audience to prove that he is being followed by them. It really becomes difficult for the entertainer to pool in all his talents at one point. Comedy clubs often serve a dual purpose for the owners. They invite the stand-up comedians for the show and try to attract the audiences with premium gifts. These gifts might range from wine-&-dine to a short dance occasion. People are attracted to the shows to entertain themselves and get a good dose of laughter along with their packages.
Business Overview:-
These comedy clubs are fast growing as the most popular live entertainment venues in the US and there are people who are trying to venture in starting a comedy club of their own. There are certain options to open a comedy club and the first and the costliest option is to open it at any fixed location. In this case you have a fixed location, and you invite comedians and performers to act. Based on their performances you earn from the audiences. The second and the most common option is to build your own troop or group and performances can be booked for different locations in the city or across the state and sometimes even across the nation. Performances can be done at seminars, Weddings, anniversaries and similar gatherings. There is a certain payment structure based on the popularity and sort of performance given. Regardless of the options used in the setting of the comedy club, it is fast turning out to be a very profitable mode of business which most investors are trying to start with.
Trends:-
Earlier,there was no such trend of comedy clubs. In the 90s hardly anyone had heard about such clubs and people thought of clubs as places to drink, eat and dance. Slowly as life started getting more hectic and dissolved in business, people thought to organize stress buster activities and thus started the trend of organizing comedy shows. These clubs might be immovable as a fully-fledged club or these can be the in form of travelling troops. These have become the latest trend so that almost every event organizer wants to hold a comedy show. For this they have to approach these clubs.

Are you a regular laugh riot at get togethers? Do you dream of being on the big stage or seeing your name up in lights? Comedians can command huge crowds, laughter and money, just look at Richard Pryor! What you may not know is there are tons of comics who never hit the big time and if you want a fan base, invitations to comedy clubs and festivals there are a few things you can do to increase your odds.

Develop Your Talent

Most people have a funny moment once in a while, but if you are going to make a profession out of it, you are going to need more than a moment or two. Professionals practice their talent and then practice it some more! The good news is you do not need an audience to get started; all you need is your talent and a mirror. Practice delivering your lines and watch your facial expressions, are they funny? Examine your appearance; is there something about your hair, face or general appearance you can make a joke about? Now you are ready for open mic nights!

Open Mic

The first stop on your comedic journey will be open mic nights around town. These will be more prevalent in larger cities. As you attend open mics in your area, you will begin to develop a fan base and perhaps even a following. This means you are on your way to the big leagues, but do not get complacent, you will have to constantly improve your talent and come up with new material.

Material

Some well-known comics have the luxury of writers, when you are first starting out this is probably not going to be an option. This means you need to be on constant look out for new jokes. One really good way to accomplish this feat is to always have a notebook or recording device available. You never know when inspiration is going to hit so don’t be caught without a way to record it! Remembering a joke, situation or one-liner until you get home is going to be difficult.

Subjects

Modern comedy really has no limits in subject matter. Nothing is truly off limits, especially when you have made a name for yourself. One thing you might want to keep in mind is your personal brand. Some comics are a no holds barred type of performer while others determine from the outset that they will not use vulgar language. Basically, you may want to create boundaries based completely on your beliefs or personality. This is not a given, but it is something you will want to think about. Take Eddie Murphy, for example, in the early days of his career, his routines were easily R rated, but today you can find him performing in a variety of family friendly movies. He determined to change his brand, and it worked, but not everyone is so lucky in that respect!

Conclusion

Becoming a comedian, especially a popular one, is not the easiest thing in the world to do. However, if it is your dream there is no reason why you shouldn’t pursue it! As with anything in life you must be prepared for setbacks and even rejection, but if you stay focused and persistent you can have a great career.