Thanks,
Monarch

After doing a number of these recently however, I have realized that there is a certain skill that goes into performing a 3 minute set. It is a completely different animal than a 5 or 7 minute set. There is no time for filler words, or unnecessary pauses. Just saying the word ”um” 3 or 4 times takes precious seconds off the clock. To be able to give a memorable 3 minutes on stage takes practice and a certain amount of skill. Each word that you speak has to have a purpose. Set-up, punch…that’s it. Only the most essential of words can be used to give you the tightest of sets.

It is a great feeling to be able to get a crowd really riled up in 3 minutes. I still prefer to do the 5 or seven minute set, but I did learn a valuable lesson in doing the 3′s. I make sure to only concern myself that words that matter in my set. Any fillers or lines that I can take out, I do. Even ones that are iffy, I remove. Obviously, this doesn’t work for all comics and situations, because a lot of comics like to talk to the crowd and riff/improvise and whatnot. But once I get into my material, I make sure each word I say is leading to something funny, and is necessary to continue the joke. When I look at my jokes in this light, I realized that the 8 minutes of material I thought was really solid was actually a great 5 minute set. So next time somebody offers you 3 minutes of stage time, take it. See if you can fit your 5 minute set into 3. If you take out the extra words and fillers, it might give you a step ahead of the other comics to bring your tight 3 minutes to the illustrious stage of late night TV.

When I think about it, I know I’m in the same exact position that every comedian has experienced at one point in their career. What sets the ones that go on to have real careers apart from those who don’t is that they ended up finding a good answer to that question. And I have to say, when you reach that point of asking “what’s next?” it’s not really about the level of talent that you have. Yes, you have to be funny, but if that were all that were necessary, the guy who brings the house down at your local open mic wouldn’t be working part-time at the Staples store down the street. (also, I have to imagine that Tyler Perry wouldn’t be consistently exposing us to a new terrible Madea movie every year)

So again, it’s the ones who can come up with a good answer to the “where do I go from here” question who are able to make it in this business. So what do you do? I’ve looked to try my hand in a number of comedic outlets to show my diversity in comedy. On top of stand-up, I’ve written scripts, performed improv, and even made a few videos for YouTube in hopes that one might go “viral.” But what the hell do I know? What if all this time and energy I’ve spent working on what my mother calls my “projects,” I should have been pounding the pavement, looking for an agent? Or what if that stand-up gig I passed up to film my not-so sensational Ass Piece YouTube video had a rep from Comedy Central, just aching to find a tall, skinny pale guy for his next big show?

Is it just luck that took a guy like Nick Swardson from no-named to Adam Sandler’s new right-hand man? (No offense to Nick, I think he’s pretty funny) But I have to believe there’s more to it than just being at the right place at the right time.

My first year in comedy, someone gave me advice that if I want to make money, I should start producing my own shows. My second year, I was told that I have to make my own website and focus totally on self-promotion. I have yet to do either of these, but the people who gave me this advice are still at the same level I am.

So again I ask myself, where do I go from here? For every person who is faced with this answer, their answer will inevitably be different. The comedy business is full of failed dreams and lost hope. I guess the real answer is that if I’m lucky enough to somehow make the slightest of livings doing what I love most, I don’t really have to go anywhere. And if that doesn’t work out, I guess I could always try to attach myself to a famous comic’s golden teat. Both seem like excellent answers to me.

So sound off blogosphere, am I right in thinking everyone is in the same boat as me? Or is there something I’m missing and really there is a solution to the age-old question: “what the hell do I do now?”

I f you have a polished routine from beginning to end and a limited time to perform, the last thing you want is some person or animal (dogs, cats, pigs, etc) in the audience blurting out words and/or sounds to interrupt your “flow”. I’ve witnessed this time and again happening to comics at various venues. I made mental and written notes on how I would deal with hecklers in my own performance. There is a difference between a heckler (an intentional interrupter) and an unintentional interruption. The first can be rude, throw you off ballance and make you the culprit if you don’t respond the right way…the latter can throw you off ballance, make you be rude and make you the culprit if you don’t respond the right way.

Let’s deal with the first, a real heckler. Say you are in the middle of a routine and out comes this loud sound of words or out-of-sync loud laughter from an audiance member…oh God! What to do?!? Obviously this person is starving for attention, so let’s give them a little. The main objective here is to HAVE FUN! But now, it’s at his/her expense, not with the punchline of your polished routine. At this point your routine has been punctured and the wind has been taken out of it’s sails, so the only way to get back on course is to deal with this interuption and move on to your next joke or if you’re lucky and skilled you can pick up where you left off and finish that bit.

1st RESPONSE TO HECKLER: “We’re here to have fun and want you to shut up…so, audiance on the count of three, let’s tell him to SHUT UP! One, two, three..SHUT UP!!”

2nd RESPONSE TO HECKLER: ” Sir, this is my job, why do you keep interrupting me? I don’t come down to your job (multiple choice) (A) playing with the Slurpee machine (B) kicking the aluminum cans off the truck (C) slapping the d#!!s out your mouth!”

Keep in mind, these are basic responses used by many comics over the years, they are not proprietary and don’t belong to any one comic, so feel free to use and/or modify them them to suit your situation and taste. Of course there are tons of “Snappy Come Backs” available all over the internet these days, grab some and add them to your arsenal.

Now let’s look at how to deal with an unintentional interruption. If something happens while you’re on stage and it is obvious that it was unintentional or not ill intended, the best way to deal with it is improv without malice. Improvisational skills come natural to some people and not to others. But there is a way to improve on your improv. Try going on stage, preferably at open micas not on booked gigs,  and use only improv skills sometimes…make funny observations about the stage set up, someone’s hair, clothes or about your own attire, look or persona. Don’t be rude, insulting or obnoxious (unless that’s your schtick), just make a humorous observation and you’ll find it easier in the future to deal with unexpected occurrences. Most of all remember to…HAVE FUN!

Stevie Mack - Actor/Comedian/Friend