Don't waste time with open-ended questions
Audience not clapping (or laughing)? You've got to guide them there.
Jay Jurden (funny NYC comic) offered up some advice on comics asking open-ended questions:
Whenever the comic ask the audience an open ended question and they don’t respond bc of the nebulous nature of the prompt
don’t do that - also you have “the script”as a comic why don’t you just continue
“I can’t believe they hesitated to answer my ‘wassup?’”
HAVE A REASON
HAVE A PLAN OUT
TIE IT TO YOUR NEXT JOKE
STOP STOP STOP HUNTING FOR CLIPS IT’S SO OBVIOUS
Made me think of one of my comedy pet peeves:
Whenever a comic says “clap it up” or encourages applause and the audience doesn’t do it and then the comic gets mad at them for not clapping. Frequently, this scenario goes down because the comic didn’t sell the applause line. You have to say it like you mean it.
Truly egg them on to clap instead of just mumbling it or saying it in a wooden way with no energy. Give it a little oomph. The words you say matter but so does your body language, tone of voice, volume, etc. If they didn’t clap, that’s usually ‘cuz they didn’t really clock they were supposed to.
And actually, the same thing goes for punchlines. Sell ‘em a little. You don’t have to do a full-on lean-forward-and-yell thing, but let ‘em know: This is the time when you’re supposed to laugh. You can do that with your tone, volume, a look, a rim shot, straightening your tie, or hitting yourself on the thigh with the microphone. (OK, those last few were just to make a point, but you get it.)
Indicate to the crowd what’s supposed to happen next. You’re the guide. Should they clap, laugh, shut up, lean in, or other? Convey it to them before you blame them for not going there with you.