“I’m not for everyone” is a valuable position (and other great tips from Gary Gulman)
My favorite standup tips from Gulman: Record every set. Start a joke by writing a funny/interesting sentence. Listen to strangers’ conversations. Write about your mistakes. And more...
Record every set. Start a joke by trying to write a funny or interesting sentence. Listen to strangers’ conversations. Write something funny about your mistakes. Mine your obsessions. “I’m not for everyone” is a valuable position. Being vulnerable is vital to creating memorable comedy.
That’s just some of the great advice you’ll find in Gary Gulman’s Comedy Tips. That link has the complete collection of 366 bits of wisdom, advice, and encouragement the Gul offered over a year. It’s a great resource.
Below, some of my fave tips:
Tip No. 1: Record every set. The hard part: Listen to it, and transcribe everything you want to say again. It’s sometimes depressing, but it gets you to do the hardest part, which is to sit down and write. Usually you’ll think of something to add or change. This works for me. As good as you think your memory is, you frequently forget key components of your jokes or strong ad-libs. This is especially helpful early on in your career, when you’re trying to build time.
Tip No. 15: You know that joke you’re sick of telling? Write/type it with a space in between each sentence. Add some details, change a word, or unpack an idea. To me, unless it’s on a special, a joke isn’t done. When the audience is mouthing the words with you, it’s done.
Tip No. 269: I usually start a joke by trying to write a funny or interesting sentence. It takes away the intimidation of writing an entire joke. Just play around with a few versions of your sentence and maybe say them out loud to get the feel for which is best.
Tip No. 143: Listen to strangers’ conversations. (I tell myself it’s not impolite if they’re being super-loud.) I got “How Dottie is that?” when a supercilious woman named Jodi bragged “How Jodi is that?” “So Jodi,” her friend replied.
Tip No. 297: One of the miracles of comedy is that you can get redemption for suffering, small and large, by making something funny with it. When you are ready, try to write something funny about your mistakes, setbacks, or even tragedies.
Tip No. 157: Need new joke ideas? Be sensitive. If you’re uncomfortable with that word, use “irritable” (or grow up). A lot of good comedy comes from reaction to injustice or discomfort large and small, which requires being hypersensitive to those feelings.
Tip No. 24: There are things you’ve become expert in because of passion. List them and write jokes about them. Writing informed by a vast knowledge in unusual subjects will lead to original, compelling jokes. Patton Oswalt is king of this. Today, mine your obsessions.
Tip No. 127: “I’m not for everyone” is a valuable position to acknowledge and embrace. You can have great success by being appealing to the type of audiences you enjoy. I’ve heard it said that trying to please everyone is a certain path to failure and frustration.
Tip No. 136: I believe being vulnerable is vital to creating memorable comedy. For the first few years, just getting onstage is vulnerable. As a pro it means sharing a part of yourself that makes you uncomfortable and, just as important, committing to the joke.
Tip No. 210: Early on, those esoteric jokes that a handful of “weirdos” laugh uncontrollably at and the rest of the audience stares at you? Over the years, there will be thousands of these “weirdos” who will thank you for being “odd” by showing up to see you live again and again.
Tip No. 223: Train yourself to ignore the obvious punchline. We rely on surprise to make people laugh, so generally, use the third+ idea that comes to you. No heckler should be able to yell out your punchline. If it’s too esoteric, you can always pull back next show.
Tip No. 16: Be the comedian you wanted to see. Think about the things that you wished someone made jokes about when you sat in the audience. Make a list of topics and ideas that you’d be excited to see someone discuss. Become that comedian. You’ve got 30 years.
Tip No. 37: My favorite writer Kurt Vonnegut said he wrote for an audience of one, his sister Alice. I write for a 21-year-old me. Today, think about your ideal audience member. This should help you narrow your writing focus and help you find your voice.
Tip No. 286: In memorizing a precise order of jokes for a long set, I found it helpful to write the set list as quickly as I could over and over again. While I did have a set list placed in an inconspicuous spot front of stage, I didn’t need it by show night.
Tip No. 130: When you’re building an act or writing a new hour, it helps to keep an inventory handy. I think separating into: (1) Jokes that work, (2) Jokes that need work, (3) Jokes to try. Refer often so you ruminate over the ideas. Put most effort into 2.
Tip No. 144: Having a tough time figuring out a joke? Try switching perspectives. Tell the story from another person’s point of view, or even from an object or animal. You can even time travel and tell it from the perspective of a younger or older you.
Tip No. 222: You don’t have to do the really vulnerable stuff in front of the rowdy or small or tough audiences. You’ll risk losing confidence in your most important work. Or, kill for 20 minutes with easier jokes and then ease into the tough stuff.
Tip No. 83: Frustrated with a joke? (1) Keep writing. The next sentence could crack it, or (2) write about something else for a while. Sometimes when you return, the subconscious has solved it. It’s frustrating, but when you solve it, it’s exhilarating.
Tip No. 357: Writing on consecutive days is important. Two hours/day > eight hours twice/week. I have read again and again that if you can write every day at the same time you can engage your subconscious faster. Writing from the subconscious is how “genius” happens.
Tip No. 301: Collect joke fragments and one-liners (unless you tell one-liners) in a file/folder. Friend and super comic Tom Ryan calls it “The Parts Store.” Review the collection regularly to see if anything is useful in another bit or you have something to add.
Tip No. 186: “Practice any art … no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow. Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for the rest of your lives!” — Kurt Vonnegut
Read the rest of Gary Gulman’s Comedy Tips.
Substance
Watch my new “Substance” special.
What happens when a control freak decides to lose control? That’s the question at the heart of Substance. In it, I perform four standup sets, each one filmed a week apart, in a different state of mind: high, drunk, tripping on shrooms, and sober. And I took the mission seriously – and got seriously f*%$ up. The resulting sets were unlike any comedy special you’ve ever seen before. Think Jackass meets Michael Pollan meets George Carlin.