Didn’t write for a while, mostly because I hate writing.
Things are good tho! Finally getting paid spots in NYC!!! finally getting consistent
laughs and not hating myself after every set. I don’t tap myself in the back enough (did I write it right??) I do sometimes have to remind myself when I do well and when I don’t that I started doing comedy from scratch, my english was good, but my first language is Hebrew and iv’e only been here for 8 years, and today i’m getting paid to make people laugh in my second language, which is pretty fucking cool. And trust me, I wanted to quite time and time and time and time again, but every time I decided to quite I got more gigs and was like Fuck it, I’ll keep doing it.
So as you know, I host open mics and produce shows,I see all of you hard working trying to formulate a joke, trying to get that laugh at this sad open mic.. Well let me try to help, I don’t know anything, but maybe this could help.
95% who come to my mic keep doing NEW JOKES every time, every week new jokes, this is not how this works. I book people for shows who keep doing new jokes every week and they can’t even come up with 5 solid funny minutes . YOU HAVE TO MASTER you jokes, you have to to the same joke, that you love, and can do forever, over and over and over again, until you squeezed every aspect of that joke. Stop caring if people already heard that joke, if it’s funny they will laugh again .. You have to build up from one little premise to unlimited tags for a joke. Stop running from topic to topic, stay and BREAKDOWN a topic, keep asking, why this why that.. A lot of you go to mics and think that that’s the reaction you will get in a real show. This couldn’t be father from the truth. Unless your jokes really stink, which is possible and the only way for you to tell is to keep doing the same joke and try it in different open mics, even if you get a chuckle thats pretty good!! built on that. Try to find some real stage time, you will have to SOCIALIZE for that, like actually go outside and talk to other comedians who produce shows.
There’s so much stage time in NYC. But honestly, the more you do your jokes the funnier those jokes will be.
When do you start writing new stuff ? when you have SOLID HILARIOUS 15 MIN that you can say while you sleep. Get those TIGHT 15, of course start with tight 5, challenge yourself make it clean, or not, and then keep going, once you have those killing 15 you will know exactly why you getting paid because you know this shit works and will kill everywhere you go.
NOW, i’m not expert, i’m no CK or Prayor, but I started just like you guys, I’m still not where I want to be, but I am making my steps towards it.
These days I headline around NY, get hosting gigs and feature spots. Never in my life I thought that would be my job. So believe in yourselves … keep going, be nice to everybody, stay humble no matter what, and help to those you can. We all need help, & you never know it might be you one day.
Sorry to sound kitchy but fuck you guys, it’s my blog.
Anyways, come to my mics, come to my shows, i’ll help if I can, but if you can take anything from this blog is do the same jokes until it’s hilarious. If you think it’s funny, then figure out how to make them see it.
Good luck
xoxox
Ricki Sofer
