Sidebar

Secretly Seeking Career Advice

Log in

Forgot your password?

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

Al Pascia
Blue Room Briars
Cigar World
Danish Pipe Shop
LePipe.it
MBSD Pipes
Missouri Meerschaum
Pipes2Smoke.com
PipeStud.com
SmokingPipes.com
Tabaccheria Corti
TinBids.com

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

puff_not_snuff

puff_not_snuff

Lifer
Jan 27, 2020
3,997
8,122
I say secretly as I rather my girlfriend not know until I fully transition and am very successful on my new career path. I am looking to pivot out of the custom dyed poultry industry and into stand-up comedy and was hoping to connect with some top billed comics here for some general advice regardless of the style of comedy you practice whether it's: slapstick, hamburger, metaphysical, Punjabi freestyle, plonk, southern cactus, Pringles, salad spinner, proto-mime, fax machine impersonation, east coast cactus, Missouri giggle, honky-thonk!, etc. although I've been mostly focusing on transcendental dentures.

Anyways, will start hitting the open mic circuit in February, becoming a regional headliner around May, with a Netflix stand-up special around this time next year. Are these goals feasible or perhaps I'm selling myself short? Should I wait a whole year before doing the Netflix thing? Should I register as an s-corp? Also, if anyone is an app developer please reach out as I will be launching my Did He Really Say That (DHRST)?! app in conjunction with a streaming deal.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: kcghost, Briar Tuck, monty55 and 2 others
anotherbob

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,645
31,195
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
takes a while a crowd isn't like your buds, they are loaded with expectations and over priced watered down drinks. Takes a while to adjust to that weirdness and such. My advice don't try to be funny go for engaging. Also big tip if you don't love it like you would pay for the chance and can't believe anyone would pay you (like getting paid by that really cute actress to make out with her, kind of can't believe I am getting paid for it) then it's probably not for you. Other piece of advice learn to hate laughter. Loath it. Everytime they laugh think "oh shut up you bastards I am trying to talk here". Seriously the more you try to avoid it the better it is.
The more you can take the stance of talking to entertain yourself the better chance you have of success. And the most important moment is when you eat it so hard you feel like you might just die. Until then you're not even close. That's the start.
Oh by the way I have no interest in doing that profession, but for me it's like cooking I love it when I don't have to do it. The moment it's a real job the fun gets strangled and left in a dumpster behind a dollar tree somewhere in Oklahoma.
But if it's your dream go for it. Cause frankly it's better to fail and find out you just don't have it, then it is to live the rest of your life wondering what might have been.
Oh and if you don't let the girlfriend know she'll think you're having an affair. Cause unless she's a full on idiot she'll know somethings up and you're hiding something from here. So you don't have to tell her the end goal but you have to tell here what you're doing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Briar Tuck, monty55 and puff_not_snuff
puff_not_snuff

puff_not_snuff

Lifer
Jan 27, 2020
3,997
8,122
anotherbob said:
takes a while a crowd isn't like your buds, they are loaded with expectations and over priced watered down drinks. Takes a while to adjust to that weirdness and such. My advice don't try to be funny go for engaging. Also big tip if you don't love it like you would pay for the chance and can't believe anyone would pay you (like getting paid by that really cute actress to make out with her, kind of can't believe I am getting paid for it) then it's probably not for you. Other piece of advice learn to hate laughter. Loath it. Everytime they laugh think "oh shut up you bastards I am trying to talk here". Seriously the more you try to avoid it the better it is.
The more you can take the stance of talking to entertain yourself the better chance you have of success. And the most important moment is when you eat it so hard you feel like you might just die. Until then you're not even close. That's the start.
Oh by the way I have no interest in doing that profession, but for me it's like cooking I love it when I don't have to do it. The moment it's a real job the fun gets strangled and left in a dumpster behind a dollar tree somewhere in Oklahoma.
But if it's your dream go for it. Cause frankly it's better to fail and find out you just don't have it, then it is to live the rest of your life wondering what might have been.
Oh and if you don't let the girlfriend know she'll think you're having an affair. Cause unless she's a full on idiot she'll know somethings up and you're hiding something from here. So you don't have to tell her the end goal but you have to tell here what you're doing.
Click to expand...

Many of the open mic nights here have a 5minute time limit which at first I thought was a limitation until I realized that I need only focus on 9 very funny words across those 5 minutes. I know you are not a conventional thinker, so I know you wouldn't assume I would place one word on each minute mark but rather something like a 2-1-0-3-2 such as Hello everybody!..misanthropic___...bus was late..coagulated butter".

Regarding my girl friend thinking I'm having an affair...I imagine that will melt way and she'll think "oh gosh, I should really trust time more" when she sees me on stage with Andy Dick making the whole crowd go wild.
 
Last edited:
The Amish Tyrant

The Amish Tyrant

Lifer
Jul 26, 2021
2,411
9,780
Metro-Detroit
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: monty55, SBC and puff_not_snuff
The Amish Tyrant

The Amish Tyrant

Lifer
Jul 26, 2021
2,411
9,780
Metro-Detroit
jerry said:
Listen to a lot of stand-up. Read books by comedians who’s style you like. Watch videos. But the only way to master an art or a skill is by doing It, a lot, and being real with the feedback you get, and the feedback you give yourself. Be great at editing and revising, and no need for an s corp just yet.
Click to expand...
I'll add one suggestion to this sage advice, film yourself and watch the tape.

Your memory of a set may not be how it actually played out. And you will be able to notice certain quirks or gestures and timing issues you may not otherwise know you have. It's a humbling experience for any public speaker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: puff_not_snuff, anotherbob, cosmicfolklore and 2 others
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom