Introduction

One of the things that virtually all new comedians want to know is this:

Is there any way to know if the stand-up comedy topics, bulk comedy material or my finalized comedy material will get laughs BEFORE I deliver it to an audience?

The short answer to this question is no, there is not. But…

There are definitive factors that have a direct influence the likelihood that new comedy material based on the topics you choose to develop into stand-up material will generate ample laughter.

So in this lesson I want to explore these factors because I firmly believe that if someone has:

• Used and applied the natural comedy talent they have to select the best comedy topics and bulk comedy material to begin with
• Used and applied the natural comedy talent they have to flesh out, create or otherwise fully develop their comedy material
• Structured their comedy material to generate 4-6+ laughs every minute and
• Prepared extensively to deliver that comedy material like a professional in their own natural expressive way

Then they will generate laughs with their new stand-up comedy material UNLESS the comedy material itself is simply not funny or otherwise does not appeal to audiences.

Confidence is the key to winning as a comedian – confidence in your natural comedy talent and in the process that you use to prepare and package that comedy talent for audience consumption.

So let’s take another look at how you use and apply your sense of humor with confidence in everyday conversations.

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When You Use Your Sense Of Humor

Here’s a question I want you to answer:

When you use and express your sense of humor spontaneously in everyday life during casual conversations, do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are going to get laughs when you do?

The answer is no, you do not. Anytime you make the decision to use your sense of humor in everyday conversations to get laughs you take a risk.

However, whether you realize it or not every single time you use your sense of humor you are actually taking a very calculated risk.

The reason I say that is simple…

You have already gone through a lengthy and constant “trial and error” process since you started talking as a child in order to organically figure out how to use and express your sense of humor in the most effective way possible.

Each time you choose to use your sense of humor, you actually conduct a split second “risk analysis” before you open your mouth.

Note: This same risk analysis is also what keeps you from speaking when you detect that your spontaneous sense of humor reactions/comments may be inappropriate, hurtful or otherwise unacceptable.

The most important point I want to make is this:

Even though this split second risk analysis takes place every time you use your sense of humor, there are times it does not work to get a laugh.

As a matter of fact, it could cause others to get irritated or angry (and this has literally happened to everyone).

However, most funny people have a significant amount of confidence when they use their sense of humor. Why?

It’s because the majority of the time, the split second risk assessment they make is correct and a person’s sense of humor works as it was intended – it generates the laugh as intended.

It is this aspect that provides a person the confidence to use their sense of humor even though there is a chance it won’t work to get a laugh.

Note: People who DO NOT have confidence in their sense of humor lack it because the opposite is true – the times that they use and express their sense of humor tends to NOT produce laughs, so they tend not to use it as often.

So let’s establish that you have confidence when using and expressing the sense of humor you have right now when it comes to casual conversations.

Let’s also establish that when you do engage your sense of humor, MOST of the time it works to generate laughs from others you are speaking with.

So why shouldn’t you have the same confidence when it comes to using your sense of humor/comedy talent to select the best comedy topics and bulk material — particularly when it comes to those that you have already tested and gotten laughs with?

The problem is called doubt which results in a lack of confidence.

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Causes Of Doubt

Here are some primary reasons why a new comedian has doubt about the comedy topics that they choose to work with (and associated stand-up material they produce using those topics):

1. They don’t believe that their natural comedy talent will work for audiences — they are under the impression that some sort of “different”, “better” or “special” sense of humor is needed to get audience laughs as a comedian.

2. They assume some sort of special “writing” method is needed to produce comedy material that is funny for the stand-up comedy stage.

3. Their stand-up comedy topics, ideas or other material do not engage or trigger their true sense of humor or expressive comedy talent.

Contrary to popular belief, it is difficult if not impossible to “make” something funny that doesn’t trigger one’s sense of humor.

4. They assume their stand-up comedy material is not “original” or “original enough”. This was covered in the previous lesson.

There are probably more reasons than this for why someone could have doubt leading to their lack of confidence at any stage of stand-up comedy.

I have done everything in my power to provide you with solid information to overcome issues involving doubt and lack of confidence when it comes to identifying comedy topics and bulk comedy material that is ideal for you.

But it doesn’t matter how much comedy talent you have or how well you are able to select topics that will render great stand-up material for you if you don’t have confidence in the process you use to get that material to the stage.

What I want to do now is provide you with yet another perspective to help keep you on track and minimize any doubts you may have along the way.

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The Process You Use Matters

I don’t care to rehash the issues associated with trying to “write” stand-up jokes and create a routine like most new comedians do – you can find all about that in Training Module One of the Killer Stand-up Online Course.

So let’s take a look at what you know right now as a result of information provided in this course that puts you head and shoulders above other new comedians and should enhance your confidence:

• You know what your comedy talent is and how you use it to get laughs when you talk.
• You know how to identify TESTED comedy topics and bulk material that you have already used to get laughs when you talk.
• You have the screening guidelines you need to narrow down your best comedy topics and bulk comedy material to transform into a tight stand-up routine.
• You should have a good understanding about what constitutes original comedy material.

Most new comedians never get access to this sort information and most so-called stand-up comedy experts provide virtually no information about what has been provided in the primer course.

If you don’t believe that, just sit through ANY comedy open mic ANYWHERE in the world and see for yourself just how poorly most new comedians perform.

But keep this in mind as well…

It won’t matter how well you are able to identify the best comedy topics or bulk comedy material if you don’t know how to turn them into a tight, professionally delivered stand-up comedy routine.

Note: While there is a lot to know about how to do this, it is NOT difficult. As a matter of fact, the most difficult part to me is nailing down what to talk about in the first place.

There is another related factor that also has a great influence on your confidence…

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The Power Of Preparation

I think everyone at one time or another has failed to study for a big test and as a result did not do well as a result) I am no stranger to this myself). Think about how you felt during that process.

Well, the exact same thing happens to new comedians. Not only do they struggle to create and develop stand-up material that they have confidence in…

They are also ill prepared to deliver a stand-up comedy routine that will generate laughs – if any at all.

Note: That is NOT a haphazard statement. Again, this can be verified night after night at ANY stand-up comedy open mic.

While there are a number of issues associated with a lack of preparation (and subsequent poor delivery) when it comes to delivering a stand-up routine that works to get laughs, I am only going to focus on one in this lesson which is this:

The funniest and tightest stand-up comedy material CAN BE RENDERED UNFUNNY with a less than professional delivery of that material.

Note: For example, simply taking your eyes off an audience to look at notes during a performance can and will dramatically reduce your ability to generate laughs with your stand-up material.

Needless to say, this situation can lead to doubt and a serious a lack of confidence with new stand-up material. More importantly…

It can lead a new comedian to assume that they didn’t choose the right comedy topics or bulk comedy material to start with when that WAS NOT THE CASE AT ALL.

What should be noted is that moderately funny stand-up comedy material can generate noteworthy laughs with a solid, professional delivery that uses all of an individual’s expressive comedy attributes.

The same cannot be said in reverse – exceptional comedy material simply cannot overcome a substandard delivery of that material to generate the laughs a comedians wants.

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Wrap Up

I want to end this lesson with a brief story from my own stand-up comedy career.

In late 1995, I recorded a CD of my stand-up as a headlining comedian in front of a packed house of 450 audience members at a venue in San Diego. I had started my stand-up comedy career a mere 30 months earlier.

Of interest to note:

The opening bit for this CD recording performance was brand new and had never been performed in front of an audience. But the audience didn’t know that because that material was just as tight as rest of my act at that time.

Did I have confidence as a comedian? Without a doubt.

But what I really had was a process that I had great confidence in from start to finish – one that allowed me to easily capture, develop and deliver stand-up material that was actually reflective of my real comedy talent.

Did all the comedy material I bring to the stage generate the laughter levels I wanted? No, it did not. However…

Virtually ALL the new stand-up material I delivered to audiences generated some level of laughter. But I was in a great situation few comedians find themselves in which was this:

I always had enough comedy material to be able to pick and choose what material stayed in my act and what got discarded — without losing my credibility as a pro comedian in the process.

It wasn’t about whether it would generate laughs – it was always about how big those laughs were that determined whether I kept any completely developed, tightened and ready-to-deliver stand-up material in my act or not.

So just like the process you use impacts your confidence in the comedy topics you choose to turn stand-up material, effectively preparing to succeed directly impacts your confidence as well.

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