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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

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