I recently got a new day job with an excellent company. The interview process was thorough, and I believe that part of my success was due to the fact that my background in comedy sets me apart from other applicants. Comedy has taught me how to read people, entrepreneurship, how to think on my feet, and numerous other skills. All of these skills are relevant in business.

Many jobs require a college degree, so obviously everyone who applies for these jobs will have a degree. An interviewer would probably get tired of hearing every single applicant talk about their educational background, I know I would. So in my interviews with this company I talked a lot about stand-up and things that I have learned from it.

I talked about how as a college undergrad I wanted to make extra money, so I started a small (and successful) comedy business with some friends. I talked about how as a comedian you have to adjust to an audience, much like how people in business can’t approach every single client the same way. I talked about how I’m personable, a good public speaker, and likeable. All of these things relate to comedy.

Of course if I didn’t have the necessary academic qualifications I probably wouldn’t have been CONSIDERED  for the position. However, if I didn’t have skills that have been supplemented by the fact that I do stand-up, I probably wouldn’t have GOTTEN the position.

The take home message? Comedians aren’t necessarily profane clowns without work ethic or common sense. Comedy is serious business.

 

It would not consist of playing Xbox or watching movies; my ideal work day would consist of a lot of, well, work.

Of course this work day would take place at home, mostly in my office. I’d start off the day by working on my comic strip. I generally come up with ideas for it in the morning, and they are usually based on recent and past experiences. I’ve found that when I am working on this strip that I have some days where I’ll make 3 or 4 comics, and others where I am in a dry spell. Regardless, I would work on this strip for the first hour of my day. By the way, today I started putting this strips into PDF form, so that I can make an E book out of them later this year. Stay tuned!

One of the most crucial parts of being a comedian is writing. This is what I would do next, because often I make comics strips that could be turned into new material. It is only logical that I would spend time writing new jokes after working on my comic. I used to try to write with music in the background, or while watching Netflix. I always found myself simply listening to the “background” music, or watching Netflix, and not actually writing. I don’t need complete silence to write, occasional distractions can actually help me at times. Also, I don’t write my jokes out word for word. I’ll generally write the premise in as few words as possible, and then have some bullet points of punchlines, and ideas to explore based on that premise. Additionally I have pages in my journal of premises to explore later, I love making these lists. Sometimes the ideas get forgotten, but sometimes when I’m having writer’s block I’ll look for one of these lists and force myself to flesh out one of those ideas.

At some point during the day I’d eat lunch. Generally when I’m on a roll with writing or whatever other comedic pursuit I’m into I don’t want to stop and eat. So who knows, this type of work day might help me lost a few pounds.

Another important part of the day would be spent reading articles about comedy. This is something that I try to do in moderation. I’ve learned that reading and talking about the way that other comedians have succeeded can actually be detrimental. For example, Louis CK has done a lot of amazing things by controlling the production of his tv show, selling his own tickets online, and self-releasing his own albums as of late. However, I’m not at a stage in my career where any of those things are relevant. It is great to read about them, but I refuse to let those things get in the way of my writing, performing, getting better, etc. I do like to read interviews of other comedians, studying the greats can have its benefits.

Obviously I enjoy creating things, and I enjoy writing. Something that I want to start doing is writing monologue jokes. You know, the ones that guys like Letterman and Conan deliver on a nightly basis. Those were all written by talented comedic minds. This requires not only quick wit and writing ability, but also a knowledge of current events. I’ve never had a ton of topical material in my act, because it has such a short shelf life, but I think that writing for late night would be amazing. I’m obviously not at that point yet, but writing dozens of topical jokes would be great practice. Creating writing samples would take place during this chunk of the day, sitcom scripts and various other relevant writings.

Lastly, I’d go out at night and work on my material. I don’t currently live in a place with stage time every night, but I do get up as much as I can. I am somewhat envious of comics who live in places where they can think of an idea in the morning, and ALWAYS be talking about that idea on stage that night (if they so choose). When I went to New York this summer I remember hitting 3 open mics in one night, it was amazing. I love the stage. Writing and creating things aside, doing actual stand-up is my passion, first and foremost. I ALWAYS write my ideas out by myself initially, but at least twice a week I’d love to meet with other creative minds who I trust and bounce ideas off each other.

During this ideal work day I may spend some time watching actual stand up too. I feel like I’m at a point where I’m comfortable on stage, I know what I’m doing. It is always good to watch people who are better than you, and have different styles. It keeps you hungry.

Did I mention that this workday would start around noon? Not because I’m lazy, but because I have a family that I’d spend my mornings with. Also, I’d probably be working late into the night (that’s when I’d be on stage), so starting at noon makes sense. Also, I’m not a morning person, so there’s that.

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Not all comedy shows are created equal. There are rooms of all sizes, audiences of varying attention spans, and other varying variables. On Wednesday I had the chance to open for a Las Vegas-based comedian/magician named Adam London, and it was one of those shows where most if not all of the variables were ideal for comedy.

My wife and I arrived at the venue at 6:30pm. I told someone at the front door that I was the opening act, and they gave me a funny look. Luckily right at that moment someone came out and said “oh good, Lam, you’re here,” and took us inside. It was a nice theater with a balcony, seating about 600 people. Adam was on the stage and introduced himself, nice guy. One thing that I’ve heard a lot (and I believe to be true) is that you shouldn’t pester the headliner. I always try to see what type of person they are before engaging in a lengthy conversation. There are plenty of people who (understandably) don’t want to talk to everyone before their show; they may be preparing, getting in their “zone”, or whatever. Adam seemed very laid back and kind, not at all in his own world.

A friend of mine was opening as well. We had each planned to do a certain amount of time, but were asked to shorten it. Not a problem. Another thing that I’ve learned is that you have to roll with the punches. Being easy to work with is almost as important as being funny. That may not be how it should be (some people feel that being funny is all that matters), but I think I’m pretty easy going anyway so changing things up last minute is never a big deal to me.

Fast forward to the beginning of the show. The theater was packed. My friend did his set, and did well as he always does. Then I did my set, and was later told both by Adam and many audience members that it was great. I’ve read a lot of articles that say when you are hosting/opening/featuring that you should hold back a little; you shouldn’t come out and try to “knock the headliner’s head off.” In other words; do well, but don’t do so well that the headliner has to compete with you. I can see the truth in this, but also, you never know who is watching.

Regardless, I kept that rule in mind. I feel like all of my bits were hitting with the audience, as they should since I was avoiding new material. However, the bit that I decided to close with didn’t end with an applause break as it normally does. The reaction was great, but not what I’m used to. It was sufficient though, so I ended my set and left the stage. Normally in that situation I would have kept going in an attempt to end on a slightly higher note, but I wanted to be mindful of the time that I was given. Earlier today I watched the video of my set from that night, and I’m fine with how it went.

Adam’s show was great. He started off with stand up and then did magic with tons of audience interaction. I haven’t seen tons of magic, and there were several tricks that I was impressed with. For one of his tricks he made my wife’s wedding ring go into a bag of M&Ms. Crazy stuff.

Everyone has to pay their dues, especially in the entertainment industry. Every time that I’m fortunate enough to do a show like this it reminds me that it is where I want to be. I love performing for crowds of 30-50 too, it is relaxed and I can work on new material. Even if I’m blessed to someday perform in theaters on a regular basis I’d still want to continue to do smaller shows. Bottom line is that its great to work with people who have what I want, to get to know them, to watch them work, and to show what I can do in those circumstances.

Please don’t jump to conclusions about what this post is about before you read the whole thing. Call of Duty is actually one of the most hated on franchises in all of gaming, arguably for good reason. Activision releases a new iteration of it EVERY calendar year, and the 4 DLC (downloadable content) packs each cost $15 extra. When playing the game online we are forced to listen to people insulting each other, 12 year old (“squeakers”) screaming into their mics, and a barrage a racial slurs. Despite all this the game sells well and sets records every year. This is because the franchise is brilliantly marketed, and has become more than just a video game.

Today I saw a video for the upcoming Black Ops 2 DLC which releases on 1/29/12 (my birthday!). Going into this year’s CoD I had no desires to buy any of the DLC. After the train wreck that was Modern Warfare 3 I felt like I had been robbed. When I watched the video, I found myself getting excited. A new zombies map?! A multiplayer map in a skate park?! My mood was changed because Treyarch and Activision put together a great video that got me, a married college grad in his mid-20’s, as excited as a kid in a candy store. How did they do this?

Like I said earlier CoD is more than just a game, it is a hangout. Whenever I get on Xbox Live about half of my friends are playing Black Ops 2, some are even playing the previous year’s CoDs. We can “party up” and mute everyone else in the lobby, talk strategy, joke around, discuss our joy over the Laker’s downfall, whatever.

Many of the best and most notable things in life are more than JUST one thing. Donald Glover is an  actor on community, a rapper under the name Childish Gambino, was a writer for 30 Rock, AND does stand up. Jay-Z, in addition to being one of the best rappers ever, has multiple successful businesses. Michael Jordan played basketball AND baseball (okay, bad example). Call of Duty follows this patter; it is a video game, a competitive e-sport (yes, really), and a place for friends to meet.

What’s the takeaway here? I’m not one to be preachy and give advice, but this can be applied to anyone’s aspirations. I don’t think the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” should have a negative connotation. One can be successful in multiple areas, and expand their reach by doing so. I’m not saying that I necessarily want to be the Call of Duty of comedy, but there’s a lot to learn from CoD’s business model and marketing.

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My wife and I recently built a new house, and the basement will be unfinished. We have already begun discussing the process of finishing it ourselves (even though the upstairs will be more than enough space for our small family), and what we plan on doing with the extra space once it is complete. Sure we could pay someone to do it, but where’s the fun in that? Doing it ourselves will allow us to create memories, and to do things to our exact specifications, and on our own time frame.

When you do something yourself the possibilities are endless. Not every human on the planet is capable of completing any and all tasks on a professional level, but taking control has clear benefits. This is true in any line of work. I have read a plethora of articles about entertainers who made things happen on their own; people who got book deals, television programs, who planned their own tours, and many other great things. Sitting around and waiting to be “discovered” is a thing of the past.

Last week I watched a few episodes of the Comedy Central show Workaholics, on Netflix. The show is funny. The guys who are on the show also write the scripts. What’s more, before they ever got the show they made short films and posted them on the internet. In fact, that is essentially how they landed the deal; a Comedy Central exec “stumbled upon” their videos and enjoyed them.

This type of story is becoming more and more common. However, I don’t think that the Workaholics crew made their short films in hopes of getting a tv show. No, they probably did it because they enjoyed making them. Consequently, someone recognized their talent and they were given a show. More importantly, they weren’t a bunch of one trick ponies. I believe at least one of them is a stand up comedian, others are trained in acting and improv, and obviously they have experience making films.

I’ve decided recently to treat my comedy career they same way that I will treat my basement. Of course everyone needs “permission” from gatekeepers at some point. This is why we didn’t build our own house, but had professionals do that. Accordingly, I’m not going to call late night shows and tell them that they NEED to put me on, but I’ll take control of my career in more realistic ways. My goal isn’t even to get “discovered”, but simply to get funnier and continue to enjoy the content that I produce (both on stage and off). Eventually when someone “discovers” me I’ll be ready, because I didn’t sit around and wait for it to happen. I’ll have put myself out there and learned how to be a better performer, writer, etc.

photoI’m trying to lose weight, so naturally this is what I decided to have for lunch today. I give it a 7.5/10 on the Manly Meal scale (which I just invented, right now). It is called the J.J. Gargantuan from Jimmy John’s. It contains every type of meat that they have (other than Bacon, which is part of the reason for the average score). Clearly, not everything I post on this blog will be about comedy.

When did growing up become a “thing”? I think that Peter Pan and whoever wrote the iconic jingle for the Toys-R-Us commercials (“I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys-R-Us kid….”) would be appalled by the amount of maturity in society today. People discover their first interests and hobbies when they are children, but so often those interests are abandoned as people get older. I started playing video games as a kid; in fact, one of the best Christmases ever was when my brother and I got Super Mario Bros 3 for the NES. I STILL play video games, albeit less frequently because I have a family, job, and am working on a Master’s degree. Regardless, so many people think that it is immature, childish, or irresponsible for people to continue loving the things that taught them how to love in the first place.

I still love to read graphic novels, more commonly known as comic books. One my favorite series is called The Runaways, about a group of teens who realize that they have super powers and that their parents are part of a criminal group called the Pride. It is well written and illustrated, and grabs my attention just as well as a “more mature” non-illustrated book would. I love The Walking Dead, recently read Batman: Year One, and I got seasons 1 & 2 of Batman Beyond for Christmas. I’m a self-respecting, hard-working adult; I love reading graphic novels, playing video games, and watching cartoons.

In fact, if you know me, you know that I also have my own comic strip (you can see an old one below). It isn’t meant to be laugh-out-loud HILARIOUS, but almost more of a journal of my experiences as a comedian. It is called “Comic About A Comic” (I agree, the title is clever. Thank you for noticing) and most weekdays I post a new one on my Facebook fan page as well as here on my website. It is loosely based on my comedy, and like comedy there are occasional exaggerations that are grounded in truth. None of the characters (other than yours truly) are based on real people, because not all of the things that I write about are “happy”.

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By now you may be wondering why I titled this post the way that I did. The answer is because comic books aren’t for children. Any form of media, can be used and appreciated by people of all ages. When I watch Sesame Street with my son, I can appreciate the fact that someone took the time to write the episode and that the people in the episode are actors playing a role. But really, my appreciation of comic books goes deeper than that. I’m not usually into literary analysis, but comic books have room for plenty. In fact, I took an English class as an undergrad that was based solely on graphic novels. We read Batman: The Long Halloween, Blankets, Y: The Last Man, and others. It was one of, if not the greatest class that I have ever taken. The authors of these books are often pushing messages that can’t be seen at the surface, ones that children would easily miss.

So I create comics, and I read them. I will continue to do so until there are no more good ones to read, or I lose my eyesight. You should too, because you don’t know what you’re missing.

Yesterday I bought a new notebook for my jokes. There are several reasons for this; my previous one was falling apart, I wanted one that is a little nicer with lined pages, and it symbolizes taking my comedy career to the next level.

A lot of the time I would flip through my previous notebook before going on stage, and occasionally I would come across hidden gems that I had forgotten or half-written jokes that needed working out. Also, my previous notebook contained a lot of my best material (as it should). Of course there are times when I take the stage with little idea what material I am going to do, but quite often I relied on my previous notebook to help me decide which jokes to tell.

That’s why it is time to put it in the past.

I’m not necessarily throwing out all of my old material, but I plan on writing and creating much more (jokes and content ) that I did last year. I think that a new book will help with that. Now, when I look through my notebook it will be blank (initially). That’s not to say that I won’t open and close sets with battle-tested jokes, but I won’t be using them as a crutch as much. There’s power in vulnerability, at least when it comes to art. Of course when you’re getting paid or auditioning for something, vulnerability could be dangerous. In low pressure environments however, vulnerability is what helps people grow.

The first time that a comedian tells a joke that works (not just gets a few chuckles, but really WORKS) is magical. Its an unparalleled feeling that I won’t bother to try and describe. The only way to continuously have that feeling is to write new material, try it, and be surprised the first time that it works. Then of course, you rework it to make it better but even then you are expecting laughs as you perform the bit.

Long story short, a new notebook will help me to grow and get better. It will force me to put past successes and failures behind me.

Today I read an excellent article entitled Things To Consider When Submitting To Write For A Late Night Show! I’ll link the article at the bottom of this post. The article was written by a comedian named Sara Schaefer who recently got her own show (with a fellow comedian) on MTV, and was in charge of hiring her own writers. One of the things that she mentioned is the fact that sending in a writing packet that had links to videos/pictures/etc can hurt one’s chances of getting the job because their press packet may be printed out and reviewed. In other words, if they have a hard copy of someone’s submission, they can’t click a link to watch or view whatever content is being referenced. Reading this piece really got me thinking; we live in an amazing time when people can instantly apply for jobs across the country with a few mouse clicks (no this was not the first time I’ve realized this, but the article reminded me of this reality).

How did she get submissions from comedians/comedy writers from across the country? Probably via e-mail. Once again this is not a revelation, but it reiterates the fact that no matter where someone lives they have the ability to get their name out there and have their voice heard.

What’s my point? Even though I live in southern Utah, which isn’t exactly a hot spot for comedy (or anything, other than the Utah Shakespeare Festival), there are plenty of ways of using the internet to create content that can be accessed by millions of people. That’s not to say that everything, or anything, that is created will be seen by that many people or that it will result in a job or recognition of any type. Regardless, it is important to create things because it forces you to flex your create muscles and makes you more versatile. This is why I create my comic strip (you can read it here). Not for recognition, but because I enjoy doing it and it forces me to be creative, in addition to simply working on my own jokes for the stage. Of course it is hard to find anything that can substitute for actual stage time and face-to-face interactions, but relevant creations can supplement that.

One comedy website that I frequent is called Connected Comedy. In fact, I found the article that this post is loosely based on because someone in the Connected Comedians Facebook group posted it there. Connected Comedy is constantly preaching about the important of creating things, and having an online presence. The chances of being “discovered” while living in such a small town are slim to none, but those chances can be increased by creating things. My goal is not to be “discovered”, but I feel like writing and performing while living in obscurity will better prepare me to write and perform on larger stages (literally and figuratively) once I am not in obscurity. Consider it preparation. It is unlikely that anyone ever got a job writing for Letterman, Conan, Leno, or Fallon without having any practice writing. I consider these short blogs, my comics, getting on stage, etc my practice.

I think that generally when big artists are found, they already have a finely tuned act. The people who find these artists are probably asking themselves “why has this guy/girl never been seen before?!” I don’t have the answer to that question, but I do know that these artists have laid the ground work. Plenty of what I produce may be terrible at first, but it might evolve into something better. At the very least I’ll learn from my failures. On that note, I’m off to harness the power of the interet….

Link to the article: http://saraschaefer.com/2012/12/things-to-consider-when-submitting-to-write-for-a-late-night-show/

Link to Connected Comedy: http://connectedcomedy.com/

People should research comedians before they go see them perform, plain and simple. This isn’t an original idea of mine, either. This is common knowledge among comics, but not among audience members. With any other form of entertainment, or art (and yes, comedy IS art) people at least do a Google search before spending their money. For some reason, with comedy that is not the case.


Over the past few months there have been several stories about audience members who got offended by things that a comedian said or did on stage. If you are the type of person who doesn’t like jokes about murder, apples, fat people, or sneakers, then don’t go see a comedian who talks about those things. Furthermore, if you don’t do your research before PAYING to go see a performance then don’t complain or act surprised that something unexpected happens (because really, you should have no expectations at all, since you didn’t do your research).

All that said, is there a place where comedians should draw the line? My act isn’t super edgy, and isn’t profane at all, but that’s me. I don’t usually get heckled as a result of my content, and if I am heckled I’m not the type to “go off” on the heckler. My material is fairly laid back, and it would be near impossible to get back into it after screaming at someone for interrupting. For comedians who are more edgy or “controversial” in their acts, I do feel that there is a line that should be drawn when handling hecklers.

Is a comedian in his or her “right” to rip a rude audience member to shreds? If they are the headliner, sure. But is it necessary? I don’t think so. Being kind is always a plus in my book, but I agree that nobody should have to go to work (yes, comedy is work) and be called names or disrespected. For big name comics there is a point where they can get away with a lot. They could walk half the crowd and a venue would still bring them back, because they are a draw. In most cases they have labored for years to get to that point, and yes, they have the right to verbally respond however they please to someone who is being rude.

For audience members there is a simple solution if you don’t like what a comedian is saying/doing on stage; walk out. Leave. But please do so quietly. If you were seeing a play that sucked or was offensive, you would never imagine yelling at the actors would you? So why is yelling at a comedian any different. Once again, I have to wonder why someone would pay money to go see someone talk for an hour without learning about that person in advance. Also why would someone act surprised when a comedian who talks about kicking animals (or whatever) responds in a less than kind way to being screamed at by an audience member.

Movies have ratings, restaurants have Yelp, and comedians (ideally) have websites and youtube clips, or at least a description of their act on the venue’s website. The comedy club, theater, etc may have a great reputation, but that doesn’t mean their act is necessarily for you. Do your research.