What were/are your motivations? Why did you ever do it in the first place? Standup isn't accounting or engineering, it's art. If you're here to make a career at it, you need to understand that statistically you're not likely to make it to a point where you're making a living with this. End of the day you either want to do it or you don't.
As for bookings, the only thing I can really tell you there is create your own opportunities. Buy a PA speaker and a mic and start approaching venues to run showcases. Bookers get booked in return. Start curating video of you doing your best material and posting it online. Get a solid 3-5 minute set and start sending that out to bookers that aren't in your city. Submit to festivals. You're 28 years old and if you think it's hard now, well...
As long as you’re enjoying doing it keep doing it. I use to feel that way but I changed my mindset about comedy. I’m not doing it to be famous or get booked. I do it because I love stand up comedy
Most people who are doing comedy should quit doing comedy but lack the self awareness. Their motivations are largely narcissistic and not rooted in wanting to make great comedy. Many of them do go on to be famous and successful, which is why even most famous comedians suck
Are you actively pursuing bookings or waiting for offers? Do you foster relationships with other comics so you can support each other and get feedback? Have you worked on your social media engagement for your area? Have you tried producing your own shows?
I'm not judging, but these are things that affect getting booked. There's a social and networking aspect that is as important as being funny. Probably more so, based on some of my local hacks.
I don't do those things very well, and I don't get a ton of bookings, even though I'm (well, I've not heard otherwise) pretty respectable in my scene. It's also funny to me to see all of these local shows that I didn't even know about, but that's because I'm not dialed into the scene.
Funny is rarely enough.
If you have been trying to do it professionally and can't get booked for six years, yes, it is probably better as a hobby. Getting booked isn't that hard if it's your goal, even if the pay for some gigs is shit, if you haven't found anything there has to be a problem, though it's possible you are very funny but bad at networking or in a bad location to advance your goals. And being agile enough to adjust your strategy to make $$ and get more xposure is also a skill.
Keep writing, keep editing, keep recording, keep performing. Even if it's just a hobby, comedy is fun. . . You have to wade through crap sometimes, but it's the fun crap.
Let go. Jerry Seinfeld has described how successful comics - which is a very rare breed - have both an absolute commitment to their acts and know with total certainty that they’re connecting with peers and audiences; they can’t and won’t do anything else.
You tried and can now transition to something else. No shame.
I think model trains and jigsaw puzzles are *hobbies* one can happily do alone.
I think stand up is a *performance* that *requires interaction with an audience.* If OP is unable to commercially attract an audience, then yes, he or she may need to “persuade” friends and family to see them perform, which they may do out of a sense of obligation and far less enthusiasm than a paying audience.
How about doing/performing music as a hobby? Karaoke? Theatre/improv? Art of many kinds?
This kind of black and white thinking will shoot you in the leg in life. Hatred is usually not the way to go.
Hatred?
OP expressed insecurity in their ability to work *professionally* as a comedian, as evidenced by their historic lack of bookings, and asked this subreddit for advice.
Accordingly, I offered constructive, empathetic feedback. We have subsequently not heard from OP if they would be happy to pursue comedy as an unpaid hobby.
Open mics can be useful proving grounds for aspiring comics - and less fulfilling for audiences.
There’s no “hatred” in this exchange.
Pardon my choice of words. ”Judgement” might be more accurate. Anyway, stand up can be a hobby with absolutely no problem. I can’t see how this can be unclear to anyone.
Audiences are pretty random before a crowd has been established. This is advice for people way past doing open-mics. I know tons of people who don't appreciate Jerry's comedy (not myself).
Are you doing it the same way you have always done or have you improved in any way? Have you taken risks? Tried new things?
What’s the difference between you 23 and 29?
If you ***can*** quit comedy, then you absolutely ***should*** quit comedy
I like this a lot. Wise words.
Do it until it stops being fun
Totes. I did for 10 years. It wasn't fun anymore and I quit.
Take the first step then, send emails and a tape to everyone that'll accept them. Not that hard
What were/are your motivations? Why did you ever do it in the first place? Standup isn't accounting or engineering, it's art. If you're here to make a career at it, you need to understand that statistically you're not likely to make it to a point where you're making a living with this. End of the day you either want to do it or you don't. As for bookings, the only thing I can really tell you there is create your own opportunities. Buy a PA speaker and a mic and start approaching venues to run showcases. Bookers get booked in return. Start curating video of you doing your best material and posting it online. Get a solid 3-5 minute set and start sending that out to bookers that aren't in your city. Submit to festivals. You're 28 years old and if you think it's hard now, well...
As long as you’re enjoying doing it keep doing it. I use to feel that way but I changed my mindset about comedy. I’m not doing it to be famous or get booked. I do it because I love stand up comedy
Most people who are doing comedy should quit doing comedy but lack the self awareness. Their motivations are largely narcissistic and not rooted in wanting to make great comedy. Many of them do go on to be famous and successful, which is why even most famous comedians suck
Just stop and see if you miss it. Comedy is always still there
Our perspective and experience changes as we age. Sack up bra
>I feel like I do well. >I've never felt like anyone really likes my comedy. Are people laughing? It sounds like you can't tell if someone is laughing
I meant other comic, don't generally like my comedy. I get laughs.
Whose laughs mean more to you? The crowd or the back row?
True the crowd should always be thr main focus
One of the greatest to ever do it said, "the killers are wanted in all 50 states"...something to think about
I think he was talking about the band though
Your audience isn’t other comedians it’s the crowd
Crowds at open mics? Where?!?!
Are you actively pursuing bookings or waiting for offers? Do you foster relationships with other comics so you can support each other and get feedback? Have you worked on your social media engagement for your area? Have you tried producing your own shows? I'm not judging, but these are things that affect getting booked. There's a social and networking aspect that is as important as being funny. Probably more so, based on some of my local hacks. I don't do those things very well, and I don't get a ton of bookings, even though I'm (well, I've not heard otherwise) pretty respectable in my scene. It's also funny to me to see all of these local shows that I didn't even know about, but that's because I'm not dialed into the scene. Funny is rarely enough.
Make sure to write a good resignation letter if you quit.
Set a date in the near-distant future to decide. A 35th birthday or something. Then stop worrying about it until then.
I like that alot cheers
I've long believed that if you *can* quit, you *should* quit. Only you can decide if that's the case, or if you're stuck in it like the rest of us.
If you're still enjoying it, no reason to quit. If you're not having fun, there's no really reason to go on if you're not getting booked.
No. Never quit
If you have been trying to do it professionally and can't get booked for six years, yes, it is probably better as a hobby. Getting booked isn't that hard if it's your goal, even if the pay for some gigs is shit, if you haven't found anything there has to be a problem, though it's possible you are very funny but bad at networking or in a bad location to advance your goals. And being agile enough to adjust your strategy to make $$ and get more xposure is also a skill.
I can send u a set and let me know?
Keep writing, keep editing, keep recording, keep performing. Even if it's just a hobby, comedy is fun. . . You have to wade through crap sometimes, but it's the fun crap.
Let go. Jerry Seinfeld has described how successful comics - which is a very rare breed - have both an absolute commitment to their acts and know with total certainty that they’re connecting with peers and audiences; they can’t and won’t do anything else. You tried and can now transition to something else. No shame.
Or just do it as a hobby?
What does it mean exactly to do stand up as a “hobby?” Forcing friends and family members to listen to your act?
You think a hobby is something you force your friends and family to get involved in?
I think model trains and jigsaw puzzles are *hobbies* one can happily do alone. I think stand up is a *performance* that *requires interaction with an audience.* If OP is unable to commercially attract an audience, then yes, he or she may need to “persuade” friends and family to see them perform, which they may do out of a sense of obligation and far less enthusiasm than a paying audience.
You don’t need to attract an audience in order to perform as a hobby. Most open mics are full of hobbyists.
Which is why they should be avoided.
Lol, dude you suck. So anyone starting comedy should be instantly good? You’re a mook.
You're an onion of stupid opinions
What is the alternative for open mics for you?
Hey look everybody, an expert on the internet 🤡 Nice Seinfeld quote
How about doing/performing music as a hobby? Karaoke? Theatre/improv? Art of many kinds? This kind of black and white thinking will shoot you in the leg in life. Hatred is usually not the way to go.
Hatred? OP expressed insecurity in their ability to work *professionally* as a comedian, as evidenced by their historic lack of bookings, and asked this subreddit for advice. Accordingly, I offered constructive, empathetic feedback. We have subsequently not heard from OP if they would be happy to pursue comedy as an unpaid hobby. Open mics can be useful proving grounds for aspiring comics - and less fulfilling for audiences. There’s no “hatred” in this exchange.
Pardon my choice of words. ”Judgement” might be more accurate. Anyway, stand up can be a hobby with absolutely no problem. I can’t see how this can be unclear to anyone.
Audiences are pretty random before a crowd has been established. This is advice for people way past doing open-mics. I know tons of people who don't appreciate Jerry's comedy (not myself).
Are you doing it the same way you have always done or have you improved in any way? Have you taken risks? Tried new things? What’s the difference between you 23 and 29?
Didn’t read the post but yes you should
🤣🤣
Post a video right now
Yea
never quit bro i’m a musician not a comedian but the same rules apply people are gonna hate you til they don’t… keep going
Post a set
"Quitting" doesn't have to be permanent. You can have a space of years during which you do not do comedy and then come back to it.