I'm a fool!

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Thump

defying grabbity
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What have I done?

I signed up for stand-up comedy lessons with a showcase at the end. In six weeks, I have to be ready to perform in front of actual people in an actual pub. Except it's in four weeks now.

The teacher's gone very quickly over some techniques for writing jokes but it wasn't very in-depth or anything. I am freaking out. Turns out, I'm not as funny as I thought... I'm really struggling with writing something that could turn into a 5 min set that would make people laugh. I'm not worried about being on stage, turns out I don't get much stage fright. It's just the lack of material that terrifies me.

Would you guys have any resources or tips on writing for stand-up that would help me to not die on the day?

Why do I do this to myself?
 

cray

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wow.
you are brave, thump.


i'm sorry to say that i have no resources other than to say that there is funny stuff that happens all around you every single day. you just need to figure out how to present the stuff in a funny and relatable way.


here's the way i'd look at it.....
you've signed up for something that in your head you find interesting/intriguing.

the reality of that thing is slapping you in the face saying, 'this is what it takes!'


just remember that deep down (no matter how scared) you are interested.

meet the challenge whatever the outcome.
 

Jaycinth

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You could write a knee slappingly funny stand up routine about what drove you to sign up to do a stand up routine.

One person's embarassment is another person's laugh-isode
 

KTC

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What Jay said. Embarrassment is a great beginning. Awkward self-humiliation works well. You're brave to have done it. I'd be too cowardly. That's why I write comedic plays...other people handle the delivery. (-:
 

Chaoticia

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I tend to make people laugh by making fun of other people via over-exaggeration of their qualities, inclusive of myself.
 
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aimeestates

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Just popping in to say you're brave and this is fabulous! This is something I've always wanted to do, but it's not a passion (and I suck at remembering jokes because I do well enough with spontaneous one-liners), so I've never jumped in. If you can carry around a voice recorder/notebook for the next few weeks and capture funny thoughts, that will help you as far as having something to work from. Remembering all the things you find amusing and then trying to sit down and scratch them out in one sitting is asking a lot.
 

T Robinson

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I don't know, but I have a suspicion that most stand-ups started like you. The difference has to be preparation and practice. If a joke falls flat, they enough material to jump to something else. real life provides plenty of humor, use that. Like the old reliable, " How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Practice, practice, practice. Good luck.
 

SunshineonMe

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What have I done?

I signed up for stand-up comedy lessons with a showcase at the end. In six weeks, I have to be ready to perform in front of actual people in an actual pub. Except it's in four weeks now.

The teacher's gone very quickly over some techniques for writing jokes but it wasn't very in-depth or anything. I am freaking out. Turns out, I'm not as funny as I thought... I'm really struggling with writing something that could turn into a 5 min set that would make people laugh. I'm not worried about being on stage, turns out I don't get much stage fright. It's just the lack of material that terrifies me.

Would you guys have any resources or tips on writing for stand-up that would help me to not die on the day?

Why do I do this to myself?
How did this end up? I hope you stop by and update your story. You are so brave!
 

NateSean

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The thread is still on the same page, so I hope it's okay to add something new to the discussion.

I took a six week class and I've been working at developing my comedy since October. It helped that the teacher really did go in depth, however I eventually had to stand on my own two feet and write jokes that I didn't get to run by her in class.

One thing I'll say about the "graduation" night is that you should not expect that every night will be like that. In my case, there were headliners that drew a large crowd and myself and two other students were situated between the headliners.

The very next week, the two other students and I went to an open mic that was situated in a pub in Charlestown. (If that isn't familiar to most of you, this was the town that Mystic River was based in. Yeah, comforting.)

Most of the people there were there to perform their own stuff and would be focusing on their own work. So even though I got one or two laughs, there was no mistaken that this was a "tough crowd".

The point is I've kept going back. The class and namely the teacher (Amy Tee if anyone wants to look up her stuff on Youtube) gave me the confidence to take that first step.
 
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