Advice for doing your first standup comedy set

Expect failure.

A wannabe comic asked me for advice on doing an open mic last night. I told ‘em to expect failure. Go in knowing you’ll probably eat it. That’s how life works. You don’t expect to get in a pool for the first time and immediately swim great. Be upfront with the crowd about your nerves (it’ll probably get ‘em on your side). Don’t be overly scripted (acknowledge whatever you’re feeling/thinking instead of being a robot doing a script). And if it happens to go well, be pleasantly surprised. Also, just do it and stop thinking about it so much. When you make plans, the comedy gods laugh.