Be A Comedian

Work in an office is intense. Employees have to either reach sales targets or deadlines and if none of these are met, someone will get fired. If a company really cares about its employees, extra-curricular activities can be planned.

This may be done by scheduling a company cookout or a retreat somewhere up in the mountains. Should this exceed the budget, something else can be planned in the office such as hiring an outside consultant to act as a corporate comedian.

What is a corporate comedian? This individual is someone who can write a few jokes that don’t have any malice compared to those often-heard in humor clubs. This means no harmless remarks on color, race or gender making it clean and fun.

These professionals are great to achieve team bonding within the group and at the same time make learning fun. The only thing the company has to do is provide some information making it fun for everyone to watch.

Where can a company find such a professional? Some of these people can be found in the phone directory while there are those who advertise such services online. If the person is that good, it may be hard to book given that a lot of firms have already made reservations in advance.

Does it cost much to hire a corporate comedian? If the specialist is from out of town, then the firm will have to shoulder travel and lodging expenses. Other than that, it will be easy to get the professional at a reasonable price.

The company will be able to get the money’s worth from the performance by having everyone get a good laugh. This will keep the moral high and make everyone more open to new ideas.

Some corporate comedians are able to tell a good joke as well as perform magic tricks at the same time. Those who want the best professionals in the business should scout around clubs or check out some websites to get the person to perform in the conference room.

Should the performance of the employees improve, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to call on the corporate comedian quarterly to do something for the team. This will be something the people can look forward to keeping the spirits high in the highly competitive business environment.

In some sports, the true test of an athlete is when they are able to overcome a certain fear and succeed. Other people consider this to be the breaking point that separates the men from the boys and believe it or not, everyone has this just like how some comedians have to deal with stage fright.

Can a comedian overcome stage fright? The answer is yes. After all, the increase in heart rate or the butterflies in the stomach will only occur minutes before the act, which will gradually disappear later on in the performance.

Here are some tips that will be useful when the spotlight is pointed and you have to make everyone laugh or be booed off stage.

1. Even before going up the stage, most comedians rehearse through every part of the act. Should you choke, its over. This can be avoided by knowing the material by heart and sticking to the plan no matter what happens up on stage.

2. It is normal for the heart rate to go faster as the time to go up on stage draws near. A good way to stay calm will be to take deep breaths until the emcee calls.

3. Another way to get the mind to relax will be to think of something such as a favorite time or place. Remembering that special moment does the trick in some cases also making you feel relaxed until the act is finished.

The comedian should remember that the brain is able to function better when the body and the mind are relaxed compared to someone who is so tensed.

4. Some people get stage fright because of fear of what the audience will say during and after the act. You should keep in mind that the show has not even started yet and the possible outcome will still unfold in the next few minutes.

This means things can still change and pondering on the worse doesn’t help so it is best to be optimistic.

The first few minutes feels like forever for anyone performing in front of a live audience. You can choose to use one of the tips mentioned or try a combination to be able to make an excellent performance before going on stage.

When the show is over, this is the only time you will be able to breathe normally again and assess how things went. It isn’t the end of the world if things didn’t go too well. After all, it takes practice to overcome stage fright to become one of the best comedians.

Ever experienced a bad day at work and don’t know how to rebound from it? There are those who drink while others need some time alone to think. One way of feeling better would be to watch a funny movie especially when laughter is the best medicine for almost anything.

Studies have shown that laughter takes away stress preventing strokes and other sicknesses so if this can be used for major problems, it can also be used to handle small ones.

You can go down to the video store and rent one of those unforgettable classics like Nutty Professor or The Mask. It wouldn’t hurt to ask for help from the sales clerk given that there are so many to name given that there are so many movies released annually and some of these are even made by foreign countries.

If the you have satellite television at home, you can check out what is showing on pay per view and be able to watch one of those films that will surely save some money and gas that will be spent driving to the video store.

What is so magical about comedy movies? Regardless if it is a romantic or an action film that has humor in various scenes, the best thing it does it take the mind away from what is happening in the present even if it is just for just an hour and a half.

It doesn’t matter if you are the only one in the room or there are others watching the same thing. The only thing you should be focused on is what is happening in the scene and how the events go forth making it funny.

Unfortunately, comedy movies can’t last forever and people have to come down to reality. This will happen when the film reaches its ending credits and the DVD is ejected. The escape for just a brief moment can help give you insight into what happened, think about what can be done and on what areas may this help improve.

Sometimes, people need to fall to be able to get back up again and try harder. After all, life has its up and down and when the worse is over, they will probably look back and smile just like a scene from one of those comedy movies.

Just like in writing, an effective comedian never runs out of stories to tell, especially those who are doing a stand-up stunt. Why? It’s what brews the fun for the audience. You can’t just stand like a dead fish in front of an eager audience. Some fun story must be told. And what best will prime up the audiences’ laughing belly than with a well-thought of anecdote.

There are scripted anecdotes that keep on getting told whenever a comedian starts a routine. A good comedian will not tell an anecdote the same way he has executed it during his last show. It just isn’t healthy for the business. You will never know when one of the fans who just showed up during your last show will turn up on your next to just be disappointed with your stale jokes. So, yeah, it’s important to mix things up often.

So, how does one make sure that an old anecdote doesn’t make you lose your old audience? Here are some tips:

Change your anecdotal character’s names
Since anecdotes are more of biographical stories, changing the names of the characters is one way.

Change the location
Wet your audiences appetite with telling a story of the same kind with a different setting. Creativity should lead you the way. From a city to a fairy tale place or whatever suits your audience’s taste or your joking stamina should do it.

Change the direction of the story.
Varying your anecdote’s results or climax can be fun if your creativity will let you pull it off. Say, if you are telling a joke about a nun who’s riding a bike, which is normally known as a green joke, you can make it more wholesome if you are in front of kids. Backup plans must always be prepared.

So, what if a heckler tells you that he’s heard of that joke before, you can easily say, “I don’t think so, you’re mind is just fooling you. That must be just some de jav ue.

Proper delivery or timing counts if you want anecdotes to shine as gems while doing stand up comedy. However, old jokes can be tiring. It’s up to you how you can recycle your old jokes.
To make things easier for you, getting your mind well-stocked with anecdotes is the best way to do it. Refreshing your mental joke library is no joke but it surely pays. Pun overly intended.

Hitch, There’s Something About Mary, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Sleepless in Seattle, and The Wedding Planner.  Now how about George Carlin, Chris Rock, and Bill Cosby?  What do these all have in common?  You’re right.  They have all made us laugh…or cry with laughter.  Whatever.

Chances are, you have seen most of the romantic comedy films mentioned above, or you might have attended a stand up performance of Chris Rock.  But what really makes them, make us laugh?  We laugh at comedians because we need to.  Life is ,at times, stressful so we need to release the steam.  That is where comedy enters.

Historically, it all began in Greece.  Yes, it was not William Shakespeare that started it all but the Greeks.  The types of comedy: there’s black comedy (no, this is not the African-American comedy, haha) which makes a horrific situation seem funny.  An example is Beetlejuice, an 80’s film that showed two spirits/ghosts(?) that have wedded ;SATIRE which makes fun of the errors of politics, morality and the society in general.  Shakespeare was highly effective at stirring the mind using this type of comedy; SITCOM (situational comedy) which floods our TV sets daily.  Say hello to Will and Grace, Still Standing, etc; STANDUP which made a celebrity out of Chris Rock and even Eddie Murphy; SLAPSTICK (anybody here who remembers the 3 stooges please raise your hand?) Well who will be able to forget the mallet strikes on Moe’s head? This type of comedy shows much horsing around and gags; and, of course, ROMANTIC COMEDY.  Two thumbs up for Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, who are all but a few names of those leading women who made us laugh and cry at the same time.  No need to explain the last one, huh, we’ve seen too many of those films, haven’t we?  All of these have the elements of comedy which make them tickle our funny bones all the more.326And what are these?  Timing, a pregnant pause (or shall we call it the gasp moment?), and let’s add confidence.

Timing is everything, most comedians would say.  Hell, yes.  Even a good joke would turn sour if told prematurely.  The professional comedian would deliver the package once the audience is asking for it.  Which also calls for the other element: pregnant pause.

The pregnant pause is that moment between the delivery of a joke and its success.  Yes, it is that moment when the comedian stops and waits…then delivers.

So, looking at the long list, we need comedy to make life a little better for us.  But since there is a big smorgasboard of comedies, it all depends on our taste on what we would want to watch. Whether we would want to stimulate our visuals or our minds, it is all up to us.  Anyway, comedy has been there far too long, we just need to do the picking.

For most comedians, having a good voice is a plus to an already exceeding performance as a comedian. It is a fact that having a good voice is a natural talent but having a professionally sounding voice is a product of a continued practice and committed discipline to excellence.

The road to being a good comedian and singer is a product of experience, coupled with existing talent, exposure and perseverance. Below are just some of the effective advices ever received by every effective comedian-singer.

Focus on Your Goals

Goals are the foundation of your future. Without a solid goal to start with, you will wander through the sea of opportunities without being sure of where to fish.

Goals can be translated to guides and maps. If you are going to a certain place with something at hand to guide all the way, you will never be lost. The same is true with being a comedian. Your goal as a comedian is to share your talents, entertain people, and satisfy yourself for its fruits.

You will need to work on your disciplined vocalization practice and being updated on current events so that you will be able to connect to people once you start lashing that jokes and funny lines.

If you are having difficulty working on your plans, try doing a list of your personal goals that will serve as checklist on how much you progress on them.

Work on Your Plans

Try asking yourself if you are making your way to completing your checklist of goals. You may also try assessing if your actions and activities that you are working with are aligned and responds to your action plans. If they don’t, then work on using strategies that will surely help you hit your target goal.

Pull up an Inspiration

Every successful comedian singers have their own model people who they admire. They serve as the very foundation of their interest and enthusiasm.

Try digging into the very heart of your interest. Be inspired by people who made their way to stardom due to their dedication and expertise and sheer talent. You may also want to share the goals set by these people and emulate them to work for you.

The very essence of pursuing an interest is to be someone on your own right. People admire individuals who are champions in their field of interest. Try to work on knowing their works and their ways of coping up with the challenges set by them in this similar field.

There are thousands of professions out there that offer a stable salary but being a comedian could probably be one of the most challenging in terms of salary. Salary can be a compelling reason why people choose a path of career they would want to go into.

Comedy isn’t easy as they say. A character so difficult to mimic, but so easy to deliver just by having the necessary talent to show off. Many comedians have suffered many difficulties while making through their way to stardom. Planting can be very hard but reaping the fruit is just a sweet experience.

Salary

While salary can become an issue at the beginning, successful comedians are making the biggest money in the entertainment industry than any other performers do. One would have to think that most successful comedians started out as public performers and receives no money but for tips.

This activity is one good way to promote your talent in order to put emphasis on your skills and market yourself in the entertainment world. There are many comedians to choose from out there so if you aren’t as aggressive as what others are, you will surely be missing a lot in terms of promotion.

So how a comedian would make his salary upgrade depends on the amount of hardwork he puts in every opportunity presented to him at the time and how this opportunity is used as a key to one’s goal. The recommendations below help.

• Building a Base – Establishing a reputation in the world of comedians may be hard at first but is worth it when the goal is met. They go to small-time comedy shows with no base pay but would usually depend on customer tips.

• Building Networks – Building a network of friends and clients is one of the most important things that an aspiring comedian has to do. This will not only increase your marketability but will help you on extending your connections that will most likely increase your chances of meeting with clients that are far more interested in your craft and help you move up to the next level.

• Going BigTime - No comedians start big time. All professions, no matter how prestigious or descent, starts small time. Allow yourself for improvement by joining fellow comedians and going on bars you haven’t been into to gather some thoughts on how successful comedians do their own thing.

From there, you will be able to pattern your own strategy and insert your own style, thus, increasing your base salary and promote your talents as well.

Using puppets as part of a comedy act is a tried and respected way of sustaining a comedy routine, although with the popularity of stand-up comedy, this act seemed to have been relegated to a few comedians in recent years. However, some comedian-puppet acts have remained popular enough to sustain a loyal following.

If you’re planning to partner with a puppet for your comedy routine, here are a few tips to help you create your alter ego.

Handle with ease.
If you’re going to work with a puppet, then at least know how to do it comfortably. Nothing is more uncomfortable to watch than a comedian who fumbles with his prop. Practice as much as you can in front of the mirror or videotape yourself. Introduce your puppet to your audience only when you’re at ease with manipulating it.

Create a totally different personality for your puppet.
A great way to expand your routine is to create a puppet with a comedy personality that’s totally your opposite or something that is different from the way you are. You could explore your differences and create some really great, fresh material from them. Nothing spells boring than a puppet which reminds the audience of the comedian or vise versa.

Your puppet doesn’t need to be funny looking.
A puppet that already looks like a joke may be a good idea and it might work, but it could limit your comedy routine. Besides, not every successful comedian/comedienne used a puppet which was funnier than the joke. As long as the joke is great, the audience will laugh at and with the puppet.

Your puppet should be as funny as you are.
Considering that he’s your partner in crime, make sure that your puppet shares equal air time with you. You will have to interact with your puppet, so don’t hoard the funny lines. If you and your puppet will have to share a business life together, then you better have a good relationship, at least in front of the audience.

Be mindful of some sensitive issues.
Okay, so maybe you’ve heard and made those handicapped jokes before and have probably had a few successes with them, but to try to extend them to your puppet or worse, use these issues to design the look of your puppet might be a little bit too much. Sure, any subject seems to be fair game when it comes to comedy, but there are ways to tell a funny joke without hurting anyone’s feelings or sensibilities.

The old school of comedy dictates that a true comedian doesn’t use props. In fact, some comedy snobs might even dismiss props as something only magicians need. Before you throw away those Groucho Marx glasses and Pink Panther magnifying lens, here are a few arguments for comedy props and some tips on how to use them without losing your humor.

Props are a great way to tell stories and jokes about real stories. Props are just your way of setting the scenery or mood and for making a long story short (See, there’s this astronaut who broke his helmet while in orbit…).

You need props to make a character. Impressionist comics like Mike Myers and Dana Carvey needed more than their arsenal of wit and wise cracks to send their audiences into laughing fits. Wigs, fake teeth, rubber beer guts and stick-on body hair can work wonders especially when used to enhance a character’s personality and set his background without having to tell a narrative.

Use props depending on your audience
If you think it won’t work, then by all means, use a prop but only if it will help tell your story. Otherwise, your comedy act might look stale.

Use props to tell a story, not as a joke
Some of the funniest comedians who utilize props are those who need them to develop a character or to push a story along. The worst thing you can do is use them as a joke by themselves (Look, I got Ronald McDonald’s shoes on! Hilarious! Hahaha!).

To the last drop
Some props work so well that comedians can use them over and over again, but you can only squeeze a dead chicken so much. Most props have a shelf life, so if your act starts growing thin, then find another one.

Your best prop is…
Your body, actually. It’s all there – the gestures, the feel, the smell, the look. Almost any object, person or animal can be represented by your body. Whether it’s a car, an air balloon, a cheerleader, a mouse or even an ex-president, there’s no better substitute for a comedy prop than your body. Use it wisely.

You can’t win them all
If you’re familiar with the comedian Carrot Top, then you’ll know that there are people who like him and people who don’t. And Carrot Top uses props. Some people do appreciate the creative use of comedy props to enhance an act and if it works for this group of people, then you have nothing to worry about.

One thing to remember about contracts is that they may be written or verbal. Another thing, they are legally binding and a potential cause of some headaches later on in your career. If you’ve heard of Dave Chappelle’s legal tug-of-war with his former manager, then you’ll know this to be true.

Signing for gigs
When you sign in as comedian either to a one-night gig or a lucrative contract, there will be standards and add-ons in your agreement. The standards will include the type of gig (main act, opening, host/emcee, to provide entertainment, etc.), duration, pay (per gig, per hour, per joke, etc.) and pay schedule, bonuses (additional pay for sellout shows, for example), taxes and the kind of sharing you can expect, usually in the form of a commission.

If you work with booking agencies, they will handle everything for you, from communication with clients to collection. If a client chooses you or if the agency books you, they will simply send you a contract to sign, confirm the event and then send you a check as partial payment for your services less the usual 10 to 15% commission. Usually, you’ll receive the rest of the pay directly from your client after your performance.

Depending on your gig, your contract might also include your accommodation and transportation details, along with your technical requirements, if you have them. To serve as a protection for your services, you might also want to add your cancellation policy.

Signing with an agent, radio and TV
Know what your agent or booking company will and will not do for you and put it in writing. In case you’ll have an argument later on, you’ll know what your limits are and what to demand for if it comes to it.

Be sure you have an opt-out clause included. It’s a contract and it’s legal and binding, but it should allow you to exit gracefully and amicably if you want to. If the contract will make it difficult for you to get out of the deal, then you might want to revise it. The contract should be fair to both you and your agent.

Sometimes if you get lucky to sign with big agencies, you might encounter a ’standard’ contract, one that’s supposedly designed for every comedian in the company. However, if you’re unhappy with the contract, don’t be afraid to negotiate, but do it nicely. If your argument is reasonable enough, your agency will be more likely to amend it and you won’t be left high and dry in the future.