For people who are interested in performing and ultimately succeeding in comedy, there are many good books and courses -- both online and off -- that you can benefit from. (Check the ones listed in the right hand panel of this blog, for example.) There are also countless articles freely available on the internet. This one by Paul Merton is typical of them. They include advice on how to get your first laugh, find your style, develop material, etc. Such information from industry insiders is very useful of course.
But success in comedy is not just about being funny on stage, and doing that consistently. It's about getting known by and making connections with the right people. The old saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know" is crucial here, just as it is in pretty much any industry.
You can also easily find many resources to help you with this aspect of achieving success. These include guides on networking, goal setting, branding and all the rest. Sure, not that many are tailored specifically to the comedy industry. But they are around. And there are many such guides for actors and musos that can be beneficial here.
Then there's a third element. And it's just as powerful as the aforementioned. But I don't think there's ever been a guide written about it, and you'll hardly ever even hear it said -- even by your peers in the comedy scene.
It's extremely powerful and pervasive nonetheless. Basically it relates to the culture of the comedy crowd you're in. You absolutely have to fit in with this "dominant paradigm". If you don't, you are almost sure to fail to realize your goals, or to only reach the bottom rungs of the industry at best.
Of course each individual comedy scene will have its own qualities, rituals and requirements. But there's one thing that will almost always be present. And that's the general political feel of it. Odds are that no matter what city you're in, left-wing or liberal ideology will dominate.
This will have ramifications for what you do both on and off stage. Obviously, if you do politically themed material, you 'll find it a whole lot easier if you do more politically correct stuff. The comedy audience, much like the performers themselves, will just feel more comfortable with this. You can be a bit risque from time to time, but only if you make it clear that on most issues -- particularly frequently talked about ones like global warming and gay marriage -- you still lean more to the left than the right.
You can also do completely apolitical stuff. Actually, that's probably the best approach if you want mainstream success. It will have the widest appeal, after all.
But if you are overtly right-leaning or conservative, then watch out! Not only will the audience feel uncomfortable with this choice, your peers will be less welcoming. Some will be openly hostile. But most won't tell you why they don't see you as one of them. Nonetheless, you'll get to know this after a while.
Certainly there are exceptions to this rule. I'm sure that in a populous nation like the USA there are some places where it doesn't apply. It may even be reversed. But these definitely constitute the exception that proves the rule.
But success in comedy is not just about being funny on stage, and doing that consistently. It's about getting known by and making connections with the right people. The old saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know" is crucial here, just as it is in pretty much any industry.
You can also easily find many resources to help you with this aspect of achieving success. These include guides on networking, goal setting, branding and all the rest. Sure, not that many are tailored specifically to the comedy industry. But they are around. And there are many such guides for actors and musos that can be beneficial here.
Then there's a third element. And it's just as powerful as the aforementioned. But I don't think there's ever been a guide written about it, and you'll hardly ever even hear it said -- even by your peers in the comedy scene.
It's extremely powerful and pervasive nonetheless. Basically it relates to the culture of the comedy crowd you're in. You absolutely have to fit in with this "dominant paradigm". If you don't, you are almost sure to fail to realize your goals, or to only reach the bottom rungs of the industry at best.
Of course each individual comedy scene will have its own qualities, rituals and requirements. But there's one thing that will almost always be present. And that's the general political feel of it. Odds are that no matter what city you're in, left-wing or liberal ideology will dominate.
This will have ramifications for what you do both on and off stage. Obviously, if you do politically themed material, you 'll find it a whole lot easier if you do more politically correct stuff. The comedy audience, much like the performers themselves, will just feel more comfortable with this. You can be a bit risque from time to time, but only if you make it clear that on most issues -- particularly frequently talked about ones like global warming and gay marriage -- you still lean more to the left than the right.
You can also do completely apolitical stuff. Actually, that's probably the best approach if you want mainstream success. It will have the widest appeal, after all.
But if you are overtly right-leaning or conservative, then watch out! Not only will the audience feel uncomfortable with this choice, your peers will be less welcoming. Some will be openly hostile. But most won't tell you why they don't see you as one of them. Nonetheless, you'll get to know this after a while.
Certainly there are exceptions to this rule. I'm sure that in a populous nation like the USA there are some places where it doesn't apply. It may even be reversed. But these definitely constitute the exception that proves the rule.
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