How To Become A Stand Up Comedian in NYC

It Was All A Dream…

When I first moved to New York City from Toledo, Ohio, in 2007 with dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian, I had no clue as to how to even get started. There was no comedy scene in my home town at the time, and I had never even heard of an open comedy mic before. I tried searching online for ways to break into the New York scene, but there was nothing.

I thought that even to be able to consider stand up, you had to be knighted by Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and the ghost of George Carlin. I eventually just walked into a comedy club and asked around. But I could have avoided a lot of headaches and wasted time if there was a simple blueprint/guideline for beginners. You may be asking, “but Charles, doesn’t it all just come together like it did for Pete Holmes' character in Crashing?” Not quite. But If you’re someone who finds themself in the same position that I did in 2007, then consider this a little road map.

Open Mics

As I mentioned, I had no idea what an open mic was when I first started. Forgive me If I’m preaching to the choir, but an open mic is when you show up to a venue (usually a comedy club or a bar), and for a small fee you can perform. The price can be anywhere from you paying $5 for five minutes of stage time or purchasing a drink from the bar.

For most mics, you need to arrive at least 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time so that you can sign your name on the list. There are all types of different mics in New York City, and if you google open mic NYC, you’ll find plenty to choose from. Keep in mind that there will be some trial and error in finding mics that you’ll enjoy but use this time wisely.

Open mics are a great way to start building your network of people whom you’ll become friends with and will most likely be the first people to start booking you on regular shows. As a caution, remember that open mics shouldn’t be the only stand-up comedy that you are consuming. Mics are usually not the best place to discover what material goes over well with mainstream audiences. I explain more as to why that is in my video linked below. Just remember Dave Chappelle’s quote. “You go to comedy clubs to see how comedy is done right; you go to open mics to see how comedy is done wrong.”

Bringer Shows

The term bringer show can cause a bit of controversy within the comedy community. I go into detail in my youtube video. Bringer shows are pretty self-explanatory. To perform, you have to bring a certain number of paying audience members. This number is up to the discretion of the producer/booker of the show. As I mentioned, the term bringer show brings up a sore spot for many comics, and here’s why.

Let’s say a producer tells you to bring six people and you bring 30 people because you are so excited about performing, it’s safe to say you’ll become that producer/booker’s new favorite comic. Here’s the kicker. Let’s say on the next show you’re only able to bring two people because most of your friends don’t want to pay a cover and two drink minimum to hear your same 5 minutes of material along with ten other amateurs. Well, in this case, there is a chance that the booker/producer who was just your biggest fan a week ago may not let you perform because you didn’t meet the required amount of people. And hence you vow never to do bringer shows again.

So you may be asking, “Should I do bringer shows?” And the answer is yes, you should because quite frankly you need the stage time and no one is booking you at this point in your career. But do it smartly. Learn to play the game, and remember it’s a business; these bookers are not your friends. Their job is on the line, and they must fill seats. So here’s how to play the game. 

1. Don’t blow your load - Only bring the required amount of people. If they ask for six people and you have 30 friends who are dying to see you, only invite six and save the next six for the next show. 

2. Negotiate -  if you have been bringing your required amount of people and you know that you have more people who will come and see you, then you can negotiate with the producer. Tell him/her that you’re happy to keep bringing more people, but you’d also like a guest spot here and there where they waive the required amount of people. 

3. Shop around - There isn’t just one show in town. Some shows require you to bring more people than others. If you know that you cant bring 12 people, then don’t do a 12 person bringer. Find a bringer show that requires you to bring less. 

Most comedy clubs have bringer shows although they’re usually called New Talent or Rising Stars or some variation due to the negative connotation that the word bringer has earned itself over the years. 

Barking

If you are a people person and have no problem engaging with strangers on the street, then barking maybe your way on stage. Barking is where you stand outside of a comedy venue and well… you bark at people to come inside. Okay, perhaps you don’t literally bark at them, but you do your best to convince them that there is a fantastic show taking place and that they should be an audience member. It’s a little more complicated than merely handing out flyers and hoping that they come back for the show next week.

You’re usually standing outside of the venue an hour or so before showtime. So it becomes a hustle to get people to stop in their tracks, entirely forgo whatever plans they had or wherever they were going, and come inside to watch a stand-up comedy show. Keep in mind that it is New York City, which means some people will be rude, and some will ignore you altogether. But hey, it’s a great learning curve for when you’re on stage. The way you find a barking position is by contacting the producer/booker of the show and letting them know that you’d be willing to bark in an audience in exchange for stage time. 

Comedy Classes

Can comedy be taught? Can you teach someone how to be funny? Well, not really. Then why take a class? Here’s why. Because though you may not be able to make an unfunny person funny, you can undoubtedly teach techniques and skills to help a somewhat or potentially funny person, become even funnier.

There are plenty of bad habits, quirks, do’s and don't that you’ll become aware of when learning from an experienced comedian. Plus, many people find comfort in working and learning in a safe space where they know that everyone else in the room is also at the very beginning stages.

Going to an open mic or even a bringer show, you’ll find comics at many different levels, and it can be pretty intimidating. But a class setting puts everyone on an equal playing field. You’re also able to ask questions about not only your jokes but about comedy in general. There's usually a showcase at the end of the course where you are not required but encouraged to invite your friends to watch you perform.

Even if you’re not planning on leaving your day job, taking a comedy class can help you with public speaking, particularly in the workplace. Let’s face it; If you’re able to make one powerpoint presentation a little more bearable, you’re automatically the office hero. 

Hosting

Hosting is another way for you to find yourself on stage before many other comics at your level. If you can engage an audience, get them warmed up in the very beginning and keep the show moving, then you will find many opportunities as a host in NYC. The open secret is that most comics want to do regular spots.

Hosting is a lot of work compared to just showing up and telling jokes for 10 minutes. The host has to be there the entire show, but it’s a great way to earn stage time. Remember that producer/bookers can throw a rock in any direction and hit seven comics looking to do a regular spot in NYC. But hosts are a little harder to come by, especially excellent hosts, so your chances of being booked go up tremendously. 

Conclusion

No matter which road you decide to take, remember that stage time is king. Keep getting up, keep writing, and just don’t be an asshole. You’ll find yourself progressing at a pretty good rate. After you’ve taken the plunge into stand up, I’d consider following Gary Gulman on Twitter @GaryGulman (assuming that he’s still on twitter or Twitter is still a thing by the time you read this). He gives excellent advice for both new and seasoned comics, and he’s one the best comics out. Good luck, and I hope to see you around.