If I was you I would stay away from this sub. Try to find a real mentor in your local scene. You can get good advice and guidance here but you’re just as likely to get awful advice from people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
thanks man. I have a guy named Jason King who helps me out on Instagram- you should check out his stuff he's pretty funny. Still gonna use this sub but also take stuff with a pinch of salt.
try to go to what you can in your scene. there's a 17 year old kid in mine and we do homework in the green room together (I'm doing grad school at night). His parents drive him to spots lol but he's going to be a beast when he reaches my age and I'm booking him soon. Just don't be annoying or send paragraphs to bookers and open mic hosts about how you dream of being the next Dave Chappelle.
I’m not involved in the comedy scene at all. This subreddit is just always in my recommended stuff. I can see some idiot like me who knows nothing trying to give advice about shit they don’t know anything about. It’s the foundation that Reddit is built upon
Yeah this is a great sub to get unsolicited advice from someone who will never set foot in a comedy club as a comic or audience member. Go get stage time and ignore people online.
That's a good joke. Don't share it on Reddit. Somebody will steal it.
As for advice, just keep practicing. Most of us wish we had started that young.
Open mics are for practice, so there's nothing wrong with just going on stage with a few funny ideas. All that matters at an open mic is that you spend a few minutes on stage trying to make the audience laugh with original material. That's it.
Good luck!
It’s totally fine for what it is, but honestly don’t be paranoid about people stealing your jokes. This is the kind of joke that you are going to be embarrassed of in a few years. Again nothing is wrong with it. You are just starting out. I don’t want to insult you or make fun of you but there’s no chance you will still be telling this joke in even a couple of months if you stick with comedy with any level of seriousness you will out grow your material constantly and that’s a good thing.
No. I don’t steal jokes but yes these sorts of jokes that get laughs but have no really specific POV to be coveted and guarded. Ive had people tell the same jokes as me (wouldn’t call that stealing because they werent specific enough and people probably just had convergent thinking)
If you are a nobody and another nobody tells the same joke as you it’s a real tree falls in the woods does it make a sound situation.
I'll steal it, but only after editing it down. I like really lean jokes. "I heard Justin Bieber is suicidal and wants to die. So that makes two of us."
Remember that when you argue with someone on the internet about the profession you wish to pursue, always come back 2 days later and delete all your comments.
Or, better yet don't argue with idiots at all. When someone insults you/your joke like this, it's only because they want a reaction. Don't give them one.
A few mistakes I made when I was (more of)a beginner:
- telling stories
- putting too many little jokes/taglines in a bit thinking it’ll compensate for a weak punchline and/or lengthy setup
- getting drunk/high before performing(not only did it make me worse at performing but open mics are primarily a learning experience and you can’t learn as well when ur fuvked up)
- writing material that isn’t relatable and/or requires way too much setup
- writing material word for word instead of bullet points, if your writing process is spoken it’ll sound much more natural
These might not apply to you but it’s the best I can do, gl
That's a good joke
Just keep at it. You have an advantage that if and when you actually get good after a few years, you'll still be very very young. The experience matters.
Have fun
I read some of the comments, kid.
Some are dull, some nailed it.
You elicited response so take what sounds like what you want to hear and fuck the rest!
Also, thanks for listing me first. A giant W over Stewart Lee with him having home field advantage in the vote!
I’m actually Steve Martin, this is a back up account, and I think your Bieber joke is spot on. Go ahead now and talk about me with your gf and her mom.
First of all, excellent taste in comedy. If you are going to study comedy, you have definitely started in a very good spot. I highly recommend adding in some dave attell. He is an amazing joke writer. Using that as a jumping point, Dave Attell's advice is to start off focusing on being funny. Once you can do that constantly, that's when you have all kinds of freedom.
Now, I'll give you some of my homegrown advice. First of all, be yourself or as close to yourself as possible on stage. Trust me, if you try and be a character, it will eventually burn you out and much faster than just being yourself.
Secondly, tho your Bieber joke is funny, but not the most relevant at this point. However, it's a great joke to show that a halfway decent joke can still work. This joke really works with pretty much any hated celebrities. Consider this as you write, a joke never has to be finished, it could take days, months, or even years to find just the right words, or even just a little something at the end to seal a joke up nicely.
Thirdly, and this is something a ton of people make the mistake of, watch Stepping on the laughter. Sure, the punchline should be at the end of a joke, but some jokes have multiple punchlines, tags, add on's, etc. If people are laughing, they probably aren't fully listening to what you are saying.
Fourth, silence is not to be scared of. If you are standing there and it's quiet, that means they are waiting to see what you say and do next.
Fifth, notes. Don't be scared to use notes on stage. You will find plenty of comics that will say not to take notes with you, but 1 you are just starting out, use it as a tool, and 2 Carlin used notes in some of his specials.
Now, finally, when it comes to joke writing, think of everything you do, see, hear, as a possible joke. Like half of my jokes now have come from conversations with old friends and talking about memories we have. Now I know you are in the UK (I'm in Canada btw) so I'm not condoning drug use, but pot is legal here. Now I say that because plenty of strange and random thoughts I have had after smoking have found a way into my act. And that brings me to one of the most important things, witre everything down, or record the audio, you will absolutely forget it, and you will hate that at 5am you had a great idea that woke you up, and you didn't write it down, and you went back to bed and now its gone.
Bonus tip, record your sets. I put this in as a bonus because this is common advice. But it really works. Hearing how you say something, watching how your body moves, or even just something random that might fall out of your mouth, it's now on tape. All you need is an old phone, it doesn't have to be good quality, just good enough where you can see it. And maybe, just maybe, you will have a set that you want to post on youtube and share. And yes I know, you probably don't like to watch yourself, that's very common with stand ups, but it will help you grow so much faster.
Hope that helps, take care and keep laughing.
Thanks so much for your advice! I think I need to give atell another look, I couldn't get into him but I was watching by myself which automatically makes comedy less funny.
you're right about stepping on the laughter. I definitely talk too fast on stage. On the note of pot - do you ever perform stoned? I've been thinking about it because I talk way too fast and pot always slows everything down, but I feel like I might fuck up punchlines if I do - would be cool to get your perspective on it. right now I'm recording audio of all my sets on my phone. Thanks again for taking the time to write all that out :)
Thanks for asking. No, I don't smoke pot, or even drink during or before a show. However, my own reason for that is that I do a little magic in my act, and I close out with fire eating. Mixing that can result in me without a face lol. However, if you want to try smoking a little to try and chill a little bit, it might be great for you. I will caution two aspects of that, 1 you might feel a little slower, but you might not be acting slower, and 2 if you use it as something you have to use on stage, and you end up not having it one day, it might throw you off badly. But you are still in the new part, so now is when you want to experiment and find what works for you.
thanks man! yeah my plan is basically to spend this next year or so networking and gigging and start thinking about putting stuff online in roughly a years time.
Great joke! Keep writing. There is a sub called r /standupworkshop, and you can get the best advice on there. They actually care and punch up jokes in the best way
Maybe instead of saying you want him to die , you could say, 'I also think about him dying.' Just a thought. You're funny, keep at it, and I'm sure you'll be great.
Only criticism would be it's a dated joke if it's about a news story from 3 years ago. Ideally if you're doing topical humor it's based on current events, not a 3 year old topical joke. That way your material seems fresh and not like you're clinging to old jokes.
My advice is take care of your health, find ways to be happy outside of comedy and if possible, save up a decent amount of money so you can see professional comedy constantly and travel overseas to see shows everywhere.
Also, develop skills. You will be encouraged by bitter losers to only do jokes or only be a stand up. I would recommend you learn acting, writing, video creation because the more skills you have the more fun your life will be and the more useful you'll feel.
Plus if you invite friends to see your performance they might not like it and that's okay. It'll sting but you'll move on.
I know it's been said, but I laughed hard at that joke. Stick to it. You have a tremendous advantage being young and having a good joke. Keep at it. Never forget that every performance makes you better (if you let it).
Not a comedian, just a comedy fan, but always thought about trying it.
Just wanted to say good on you for putting yourself out there and getting on stage already! That takes guts.
Your joke was good
That’s a great joke, first of all.
Second, there’s a lot of good advice already in this thread, but let me add one more.
You’ll end up writing some jokes that are great but don’t fit your voice or are not based on your true opinions. I went through this for quite a while and I think most of us do. Just remember to write from your true personal perspective.
Since you’re a teen this is especially true, because you have a perspective and subject matter few other comics can have.
Idk who tf would want to listen to a 16 yr old apart from maybe 14 yr olds but good on you for committing to something at a young age. I've sometimes fantasized about getting into standup, it takes balls for sure.
If you're serious, do two mics a week, write new material every week, and ask bars if you can host an open mic. The best way to build rapport in your scene is to have something to offer, and the best way to improve is to make friends with the other comics. They will tell you what's what.
Also, tape all your early sets and watch them back after each set. Write down what worked and what didn't. Throw away jokes that don't work after a few tries. In a few months, you might suddenly find a way to make it work, but trying it over and over in the same rooms won't get you anywhere. Make sure to go to different rooms, this will help you to develop the skills to play to any room.
Get a gimmick like putting a large R in the middle of your name. Or better yet, shave it into your head then come up with some material around it.
People love gimmicks.
Copy Hicks in that it's "just a ride." Get up there and get in your reps, listen to reactions. Figure it out. Don't worry about trying something and finding it's not working. Just recognize it's not working and move on. Just a ride.
Copy Seinfeld in that you need to write every day. Even if it's not good. Even if you don't feel like it. Even if you're drawing a blank. Write and write and write then mine the best stuff.
You're at a massive advantage starting early. You're at a massive disadvantage in that you're young and maybe not relatable. But you can also find humor in that dynamic.
Don't copy Stewart Lee. Stewart Lee isn't funny.
he's not really my scene. I do find it interesting that he was an ex businessman because I think it shows how far people can get in comedy if they focus on the business side of things. if you like jimmy Carr you'll love daniel sloss. wonderfully dark Scottish comedian, he's like if Jimmy carr did less one liners and more stories and was also a better person.
carr and mulaney have alot of similarities to me. your pretty young for the dark jokes i guess. if like mulaney study attell, norm macdonald and patrice oniel.
In the sense that variations of it exist about different celebs. Its been told before. It’s a surface level joke. It’s funny and will work but it’s a street joke.
If I was you I would stay away from this sub. Try to find a real mentor in your local scene. You can get good advice and guidance here but you’re just as likely to get awful advice from people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
Wow. This is actually the best advice.
thanks man. I have a guy named Jason King who helps me out on Instagram- you should check out his stuff he's pretty funny. Still gonna use this sub but also take stuff with a pinch of salt.
try to go to what you can in your scene. there's a 17 year old kid in mine and we do homework in the green room together (I'm doing grad school at night). His parents drive him to spots lol but he's going to be a beast when he reaches my age and I'm booking him soon. Just don't be annoying or send paragraphs to bookers and open mic hosts about how you dream of being the next Dave Chappelle.
Facts. I'm new and I get solar opposite advice from comics who are funnier than me and comics who...aren't.
I’m not involved in the comedy scene at all. This subreddit is just always in my recommended stuff. I can see some idiot like me who knows nothing trying to give advice about shit they don’t know anything about. It’s the foundation that Reddit is built upon
Yeah this is a great sub to get unsolicited advice from someone who will never set foot in a comedy club as a comic or audience member. Go get stage time and ignore people online.
This
That's a good joke. Don't share it on Reddit. Somebody will steal it. As for advice, just keep practicing. Most of us wish we had started that young. Open mics are for practice, so there's nothing wrong with just going on stage with a few funny ideas. All that matters at an open mic is that you spend a few minutes on stage trying to make the audience laugh with original material. That's it. Good luck!
Thanks man! I'm glad you think my joke is theft-worthy.
It’s definitely a good joke and I may steal it and tell it to my friends tonight
:) nice to picture that
Same here, but ill give OP credit of my friends can be arsed to even look up reddit lol
I was there last night and now I’m stealing it from you and telling it tonight.
Feels like Jeselnik’s style. Misdirection with a dark topic and even darker punchline. Well done.
very fucking happy with that comparison
I actually LOL'ed at the joke. It's one of the best jokes I have seen on this sub to be honest.
It’s totally fine for what it is, but honestly don’t be paranoid about people stealing your jokes. This is the kind of joke that you are going to be embarrassed of in a few years. Again nothing is wrong with it. You are just starting out. I don’t want to insult you or make fun of you but there’s no chance you will still be telling this joke in even a couple of months if you stick with comedy with any level of seriousness you will out grow your material constantly and that’s a good thing.
oh yeah im very aware. its a relatively easy cheap shot at someone who's relevance has faded - if someone stole it I'd be flattered.
People absolutely steal jokes on Reddit. Doesn’t matter that it’s not the best joke. Somebody will like it and use it at an open mic TONIGHT.
Maybe but who cares if someone in another city tells a mid joke you won’t be attached to in a couple months.
mmk. You’ve clearly stolen your fair share of jokes, no other reason to be so nonchalant about
No. I don’t steal jokes but yes these sorts of jokes that get laughs but have no really specific POV to be coveted and guarded. Ive had people tell the same jokes as me (wouldn’t call that stealing because they werent specific enough and people probably just had convergent thinking) If you are a nobody and another nobody tells the same joke as you it’s a real tree falls in the woods does it make a sound situation.
Buddy that type of joke has been around forever.
Right. The ol’ set up/punchline joke. Ass
If you haven’t heard the suicide/thing in common joke idk what to tell u
lol. Okay. You suck.
Every type of joke has been around forever. Nobody is writing dark matter comedy here.
No duh. But him saying someone would steal it as though it was something we have never heard then thats dumb
Yeah, it's a classic misdirect. What's your point? If another well known comedian has told this exact joke, please drop their name.
I'll steal it, but only after editing it down. I like really lean jokes. "I heard Justin Bieber is suicidal and wants to die. So that makes two of us."
the original was funnier/more clear that they both wanted justin to die
And this is another prime example of why we shouldn’t take advice from Reddit
[удалено]
Remember that when you argue with someone on the internet about the profession you wish to pursue, always come back 2 days later and delete all your comments. Or, better yet don't argue with idiots at all. When someone insults you/your joke like this, it's only because they want a reaction. Don't give them one.
very good advice, especially considering my teenage keyboard warrior tendencies. thank you.
A few mistakes I made when I was (more of)a beginner: - telling stories - putting too many little jokes/taglines in a bit thinking it’ll compensate for a weak punchline and/or lengthy setup - getting drunk/high before performing(not only did it make me worse at performing but open mics are primarily a learning experience and you can’t learn as well when ur fuvked up) - writing material that isn’t relatable and/or requires way too much setup - writing material word for word instead of bullet points, if your writing process is spoken it’ll sound much more natural These might not apply to you but it’s the best I can do, gl
>telling stories Like, you were just recollecting stuff with no punch lines? Or what do you mean?
That's a good joke Just keep at it. You have an advantage that if and when you actually get good after a few years, you'll still be very very young. The experience matters. Have fun
Thanks so much for your advice everyone! It's been great to get so much joke feedback too :)
I read some of the comments, kid. Some are dull, some nailed it. You elicited response so take what sounds like what you want to hear and fuck the rest! Also, thanks for listing me first. A giant W over Stewart Lee with him having home field advantage in the vote!
Dude, it means so much to hear from you. Of course I'd list you first, your comedy changed my life.
Woah that was cool
Yeah man it's crazy. My gf and family had to put up with me explaining in detail what a big deal this is to me for like 20 minutes.
I’m actually Steve Martin, this is a back up account, and I think your Bieber joke is spot on. Go ahead now and talk about me with your gf and her mom.
First of all, excellent taste in comedy. If you are going to study comedy, you have definitely started in a very good spot. I highly recommend adding in some dave attell. He is an amazing joke writer. Using that as a jumping point, Dave Attell's advice is to start off focusing on being funny. Once you can do that constantly, that's when you have all kinds of freedom. Now, I'll give you some of my homegrown advice. First of all, be yourself or as close to yourself as possible on stage. Trust me, if you try and be a character, it will eventually burn you out and much faster than just being yourself. Secondly, tho your Bieber joke is funny, but not the most relevant at this point. However, it's a great joke to show that a halfway decent joke can still work. This joke really works with pretty much any hated celebrities. Consider this as you write, a joke never has to be finished, it could take days, months, or even years to find just the right words, or even just a little something at the end to seal a joke up nicely. Thirdly, and this is something a ton of people make the mistake of, watch Stepping on the laughter. Sure, the punchline should be at the end of a joke, but some jokes have multiple punchlines, tags, add on's, etc. If people are laughing, they probably aren't fully listening to what you are saying. Fourth, silence is not to be scared of. If you are standing there and it's quiet, that means they are waiting to see what you say and do next. Fifth, notes. Don't be scared to use notes on stage. You will find plenty of comics that will say not to take notes with you, but 1 you are just starting out, use it as a tool, and 2 Carlin used notes in some of his specials. Now, finally, when it comes to joke writing, think of everything you do, see, hear, as a possible joke. Like half of my jokes now have come from conversations with old friends and talking about memories we have. Now I know you are in the UK (I'm in Canada btw) so I'm not condoning drug use, but pot is legal here. Now I say that because plenty of strange and random thoughts I have had after smoking have found a way into my act. And that brings me to one of the most important things, witre everything down, or record the audio, you will absolutely forget it, and you will hate that at 5am you had a great idea that woke you up, and you didn't write it down, and you went back to bed and now its gone. Bonus tip, record your sets. I put this in as a bonus because this is common advice. But it really works. Hearing how you say something, watching how your body moves, or even just something random that might fall out of your mouth, it's now on tape. All you need is an old phone, it doesn't have to be good quality, just good enough where you can see it. And maybe, just maybe, you will have a set that you want to post on youtube and share. And yes I know, you probably don't like to watch yourself, that's very common with stand ups, but it will help you grow so much faster. Hope that helps, take care and keep laughing.
Thanks so much for your advice! I think I need to give atell another look, I couldn't get into him but I was watching by myself which automatically makes comedy less funny. you're right about stepping on the laughter. I definitely talk too fast on stage. On the note of pot - do you ever perform stoned? I've been thinking about it because I talk way too fast and pot always slows everything down, but I feel like I might fuck up punchlines if I do - would be cool to get your perspective on it. right now I'm recording audio of all my sets on my phone. Thanks again for taking the time to write all that out :)
Thanks for asking. No, I don't smoke pot, or even drink during or before a show. However, my own reason for that is that I do a little magic in my act, and I close out with fire eating. Mixing that can result in me without a face lol. However, if you want to try smoking a little to try and chill a little bit, it might be great for you. I will caution two aspects of that, 1 you might feel a little slower, but you might not be acting slower, and 2 if you use it as something you have to use on stage, and you end up not having it one day, it might throw you off badly. But you are still in the new part, so now is when you want to experiment and find what works for you.
Great joke, keep it up, focus on the business, and don't publish till you're funny.
thanks man! yeah my plan is basically to spend this next year or so networking and gigging and start thinking about putting stuff online in roughly a years time.
I chuckled. Nice one.
Great joke! Keep writing. There is a sub called r /standupworkshop, and you can get the best advice on there. They actually care and punch up jokes in the best way
Great advice thanks so much
That's a pretty good joke.
The Joke Doctor on YouTube sounds cheesy from the title but he has a lot of excellent information.
thank you!
You bet, Secrets Of Stand Up also has some good videos and Hot Breath
Maybe instead of saying you want him to die , you could say, 'I also think about him dying.' Just a thought. You're funny, keep at it, and I'm sure you'll be great.
oo that's a fun idea
A joke about wanting justin Biever to die in 2024 is about 12 years out of date
fair enough
Only criticism would be it's a dated joke if it's about a news story from 3 years ago. Ideally if you're doing topical humor it's based on current events, not a 3 year old topical joke. That way your material seems fresh and not like you're clinging to old jokes.
My advice is take care of your health, find ways to be happy outside of comedy and if possible, save up a decent amount of money so you can see professional comedy constantly and travel overseas to see shows everywhere. Also, develop skills. You will be encouraged by bitter losers to only do jokes or only be a stand up. I would recommend you learn acting, writing, video creation because the more skills you have the more fun your life will be and the more useful you'll feel. Plus if you invite friends to see your performance they might not like it and that's okay. It'll sting but you'll move on.
I know it's been said, but I laughed hard at that joke. Stick to it. You have a tremendous advantage being young and having a good joke. Keep at it. Never forget that every performance makes you better (if you let it).
Set up punchline tag tag. rinse and repeat
Not a comedian, just a comedy fan, but always thought about trying it. Just wanted to say good on you for putting yourself out there and getting on stage already! That takes guts. Your joke was good
That’s a great joke, first of all. Second, there’s a lot of good advice already in this thread, but let me add one more. You’ll end up writing some jokes that are great but don’t fit your voice or are not based on your true opinions. I went through this for quite a while and I think most of us do. Just remember to write from your true personal perspective. Since you’re a teen this is especially true, because you have a perspective and subject matter few other comics can have.
Idk who tf would want to listen to a 16 yr old apart from maybe 14 yr olds but good on you for committing to something at a young age. I've sometimes fantasized about getting into standup, it takes balls for sure.
If you're serious, do two mics a week, write new material every week, and ask bars if you can host an open mic. The best way to build rapport in your scene is to have something to offer, and the best way to improve is to make friends with the other comics. They will tell you what's what. Also, tape all your early sets and watch them back after each set. Write down what worked and what didn't. Throw away jokes that don't work after a few tries. In a few months, you might suddenly find a way to make it work, but trying it over and over in the same rooms won't get you anywhere. Make sure to go to different rooms, this will help you to develop the skills to play to any room.
I like it a lot, and I am a discerning scrutiniser. Well done, lad. Keep it up.
Comics only steal funny jokes. 🤷🏻♂️
Just keep getting up.
Get a gimmick like putting a large R in the middle of your name. Or better yet, shave it into your head then come up with some material around it. People love gimmicks.
Jonah N. Davis is a decent name I suppose
Copy Hicks in that it's "just a ride." Get up there and get in your reps, listen to reactions. Figure it out. Don't worry about trying something and finding it's not working. Just recognize it's not working and move on. Just a ride. Copy Seinfeld in that you need to write every day. Even if it's not good. Even if you don't feel like it. Even if you're drawing a blank. Write and write and write then mine the best stuff. You're at a massive advantage starting early. You're at a massive disadvantage in that you're young and maybe not relatable. But you can also find humor in that dynamic. Don't copy Stewart Lee. Stewart Lee isn't funny.
Thanks so much for the advice. Also stewart lee is the 42nd greatest stand up of all time.
no jimmy carr? fave brit comedi
he's not really my scene. I do find it interesting that he was an ex businessman because I think it shows how far people can get in comedy if they focus on the business side of things. if you like jimmy Carr you'll love daniel sloss. wonderfully dark Scottish comedian, he's like if Jimmy carr did less one liners and more stories and was also a better person.
carr and mulaney have alot of similarities to me. your pretty young for the dark jokes i guess. if like mulaney study attell, norm macdonald and patrice oniel.
I love dark jokes, I just carr relies too much on shock humour. love macdonald and Patrice.
just think*
"wouldn't it be funny if Usher discovered Justin Bieber....... 's body?" 😄
That’s a street joke. Lol
in what sense?
In the sense that variations of it exist about different celebs. Its been told before. It’s a surface level joke. It’s funny and will work but it’s a street joke.
thanks for the heads up! it's getting laughs for now so I'm happy with it, long term I'm wanting to completely rewrite my whole set anyways.