Stand-up comedian Chris Grace discusses the challenges of crafting jokes, finding gigs, and improvising based on audience reactions. They delve into his worst bombing experience and the concept of a 'bringer' show. They also explore the life and business of a stand-up comedian, the profession of stand-up comedy, comedy terms, audience size, and the intense feedback loop of stand-up comedy.
The importance of audience readiness and tone in a comedy show, as highlighted by Chris Grace's worst bombing experience at a gay bar.
The necessity for comedians to take initiative in booking gigs, building relationships with clubs and agents, and showcasing past performances to secure paid opportunities.
Deep dives
Challenging experiences on stage and the impact on a comedian's career
Chris Grace recounts his worst bombing experience on stage at a mixed bill gig in a gay bar. The silence and lack of response led him to quit stand-up for four years. This example highlights the importance of tone and audience readiness in a show and how negative experiences can shape a comedian's career trajectory.
Securing comedy bookings and the business side of being a comedian
Chris Grace discusses the process of booking comedy gigs, highlighting the need for comedians to take initiative in reaching out to clubs and building relationships with booking agents. He emphasizes the importance of having small business acumen as a comedian, including maintaining contact lists and showcasing past performances to secure paid gigs. He also explains the financial challenges faced by new comedians, who often pay to perform at open mic nights and bringer shows.
Crafting material, improvisation, and observational humor
Chris Grace shares his process for coming up with jokes, which involves accumulating ideas in his phone and using obsidian, a note-keeping app. He talks about his two approaches for working on new material: improvising on stage and sitting down to write and refine jokes. He also discusses the therapeutic aspect of comedy, where comedians explore relatable truths and observations, such as struggles with feeling happy for others' success or the desire to have experiences for the sake of identity credentials. Chris's material often revolves around his experiences as a gay Chinese American, addressing racism and stereotypes in a light-hearted manner.
Crafting jokes that kill, hustling to find gigs, and improvising based on the audience's reaction with Chris Grace, a stand-up comedian. What's the worst he's ever bombed? And what is a "bringer" show?
NEW BOOK ALERT! You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help you and your team get unstuck, to overcome the gravity of the way things have always worked. Learn more about the book or preorder it here.
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What do people think your job is like and what is it actually like?
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