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Pacing & Crowd Burnout
I have received some thanks and kudos after my last post about things to keep in mind while writing jokes, so here is another comedy nerd article about something that isn’t often talked about; or at least I haven’t heard much discussion on it: pacing. I’m not talking about the speed at which you disseminate your jokes, though that is important. I’m referring to something that you really only have to deal with when headlining. When you are doing 45-50 minutes up to an hour, you will notice that you usually can’t just plow straight through with material. The attention span of the average decent crowd can’t handle listening to a host (10 min), guest spot (7-8 min), feature (20-25 min) THEN you (45-hour). This is why comics will get feature swollen head syndrome. Enough people come up to them after the show and say, “I thought you were better than the headliner.” If you’re not careful, you’ll start to believe it; and maybe it is true, but at the very least there’s an asterisk or two that you have to consider. For whatever reason, crowds don’t want to like the host, and all the pressure is on the headliner to make it a great show. That leaves the lowest of expectations with the most amount of time in the middle of the show when you really don’t need to consider pacing or wearing them out, and the host has warmed em up (or dug a hole) for 10. You can just drop hammers for 25 minutes and blow the crowd a kiss on your way off stage. Well, don’t go into your first headlining gigs thinking you’ll do the same thing but more of it.
In terms of pacing, in a set that is 10 minutes or less, you can jump around all you like. In a 15-20 up to 30 minute set, you probably want to start chunking your material for your own sake, and it will make you easier to listen to; plus you’re definitely going to have to chunk your material for headline sets, so you might as well start early. If you have 5 minute chunks of material, that means a 45 minute set list will only be 9 words. That is much easier to remember or to digest than 45 different words for every minute long joke. Now, on this theoretical 9 word set list, you may want to put a bold dash after the 5th or 6th word to mark when to pull back.
What is pulling back? Jesus, I’m gonna tell you (jk). That is what I have defaulted to for lack of a better term to describe the point in time in a headline set when I pull back from doing material and riff around a bit. If all goes to plan, I won’t be sacrificing any laughs, I’ll just be getting laughs from different types of things other than material. For me, I usually riff about the room itself if it is kinda weird, or the town we’re in, or crowd work in the rare case that I feel that is what is necessary to wrangle their attention. What this does is gives the audience a break from listening to material without them really noticing. Usually I will do one of my story type bits after this 2-3 minutes of riffing to ease them back into my set.
I find the best time to “pull back” is about 25-30 minutes into the set. I will even do a closer of sorts at the 30 minute mark, almost like I’m doing a feature set, then pull back and riff, then story bit, then jokes up until my merch pitch if I have merch, then the closing chunk. I have found this is the best way for me to get consistent laughs throughout the set without having a good bit die due to the audience being burnt out on listening. I have called an audible before and pulled back to riff earlier in the set because it just felt like it was the right time to. I have also riffed around and did crowd work for longer because it seemed like they needed the break, or I had stumbled onto an interesting conversation with a crowd member. That is pretty rare for me though because I normally abhor crowd work. I do it when I need to and find usually that I am pretty good at it, I just hate putting so much in the crowd’s hands. If you are a crowd work comic but not sure when to go into it, I would recommend the pull back method.
When doing an hour+, I will pull back twice. Once at 20 minutes in, and again at 40 or 45. You can do whatever you want, but I would definitely recommend you do something, because audience burn out is a very real phenomenon and only the headliner has to deal with it, (along with a check drop at a lot of clubs). If you didn’t know anything about it, you may mistakenly think you just suck and that people wouldn’t burn out if you were funny enough. I have been able to step on the gas for an hour straight, but I can count the number of times that has happened on one hand. I think it’s a safe bet to count on some crowd burn out and prepare for it because there is no downside to getting extra laughs from riffing anyway. I think the best sets for me are ones that coincide with shows where people ask me, “you did an hour? No way,” because it went by fast. Riffing at the right time has that effect of making someone feel like even the non-jokes were funny. When riffing is just a different joke muscle. It’s all jokes, but only I need to think about that, ya know?
Well, that’s all the thought for food I have for y’all.
Toodles!
-Andy
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This dude saw I was wearing my @boogiemonsterpodcast @samuelleeturner shirt at the #aibf2019 and we had a nice little laugh.. 🛸🕴👽 . #sasquatch #squatching #balloonfiesta #albuquerqueballoonfiesta #cryptid #southwest #albuquerque #newmexico #comedynerd #podcast #podcastproducer (at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3hrfbMg4kd/?igshid=1r252l64s7iqk
#aibf2019#sasquatch#squatching#balloonfiesta#albuquerqueballoonfiesta#cryptid#southwest#albuquerque#newmexico#comedynerd#podcast#podcastproducer
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#Wednesdaynight let's have a wild #humpday party. I'll be performing at the Van Nuys Comedy Club alongside a killer #comedy lineup. Show starts at 9. #NoCover https://facebook.com/events/1021189748273401/?ti=cl #goth #comedy #standupcomedy #standupcomedian #comedynerd #ComedyClub #VanNuys #noho #studiocity #shermanoaks #encino #Tarzana #reseda #funny #lol #lmfao😂😂😂😭😭😭💀💀💀💯💯💯 (at The Van Nuys Comedy Club in Springbok) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5BOc9egH6u/?igshid=agrycyfop8q6
#wednesdaynight#humpday#comedy#nocover#goth#standupcomedy#standupcomedian#comedynerd#comedyclub#vannuys#noho#studiocity#shermanoaks#encino#tarzana#reseda#funny#lol#lmfao😂😂😂😭😭😭💀💀💀💯💯💯
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This is a clip from The Martin Lawrence show!!!! Enjoy.
#comedy #comedyroom #comedynerd #comedytour #comedytostrong #comedyanima #sitcoms #friends #friendstv #sitcom #friendsforlife #friendstvshow #monicageller #like #share #follow#likes #likesnowlikesback #likespalermo #likesinsecond #likesty #likessister #likesandcomments #likess #likesforlikesapp #likesmegazine #likesfast #likesbeer
#comedy#comedyroom#comedynerd#comedytour#comedytostrong#comedyanima#sitcoms#friends#friendstv#sitcom#friendsforlife#friendstvshow#monicageller#like#share#follow#likes#likesnowlikesback#likespalermo#likesinsecond#likesty#likessister#likesandcomments#likess#likesforlikesapp#likesmegazine#likesfast#likesbeer
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A fan of "Whose Line is It Anyway?" (It says, "Drew Won.") #licenseplates #comedynerd https://www.instagram.com/p/B0TbfBSlL7F/?igshid=d72ovpfvetw1
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So great to see Kevin and @comedyrosso7 together! #kidsinthehall #kith #comedy #comedynerds #clowns (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiXs9DgrEJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pdsfpvpf3ek8
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i started three discord servers and was hoping some of y’all might wanna join ‘em.
comedynerds - to talk about comedy related things, post memes, chill
kidsonbikes - for the tabletop rpg kids on bikes. a stranger things-esque rpg. to talk about it, arrange games, etc.
emotional parkour - for mental health support, to talk to other mentally ill people, etc.
click on the names to join, and spread the word. i’d love to have more people in these gcs!
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Saw the absolutely brilliant @gearoidfarrelly perform at Comedy Crunch at Dublin’s Stag’s Head tonight. I don’t know how people do what he does without absolutely losing their shit, but he exceeded expectations. Again, if you like comedy and pop culture and don’t listen to his Fascinated podcast, you must. We chatted for a while afterwards and he was nicer than expected. Gearóid, it was a real pleasure meeting you and chattering (by the way, I forgot to ask you: how’s Boots?) #comedy #comedynerd #irishcomedy #gearoidfarrelly #dublin (at Stags Head Dublin) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpQH9oUHd2N/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xsqq4ffprlrt
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If you haven't checked this out, you should!! So funny! @chrisdelia is by far my favorite comedian! #comedy #podcast #favorite #itunes #apple #comedynerd #funny #funniest (at Virginia)
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Laid back monday nights @themakingbox It's my first time at their new home open mic night hosted by @daina.lynn and @casknihnisky it's v. Good room to work on bits outside toronto worth the drive you won't regret it. #guelphcomedy #themakingbox #comedynerd #comedyblogger #guelpharts #guelphdowntown #openmicers #mics #comedylife #youngemodernlaughs (at The Making-Box)
#youngemodernlaughs#guelpharts#guelphdowntown#comedylife#comedynerd#openmicers#comedyblogger#guelphcomedy#mics#themakingbox
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Standup Musings: Openers
Openers are probably the weirdest part of stand up to me. Whatever I say seems disingenuous, because the audience came to see comedians, and here I am, a comedian doing my comedy. I don’t know why but it’s just weird, and only the opening is weird to me. A comedian never looks silly just doing comedy to me, except for the opener. My best openers have either mocked the idea of an opener, or got past the opener hump so quick and smoothly that boom, we’re somehow past that already. I like when ya get em with a good opener, but I dislike having to, ya know? I’m sometimes tempted to open with, “don’t worry, I’m good.”
Two of my favorite openers are from Kyle Kinane: “so, this is what I look like.” And Myq Kaplan: “Thank you for that round of applause. Let’s have another one when I’m done.”
Ever since my second or third year of doing comedy, I have purposely written as many openers as I can. All of which with the same goal of sounding like something a comedian would open with and then taking a turn somehow. Some that I remember are...
-”It’s good to be here right now, because earlier, I was back there *point to back of the room* and NO ONE noticed I was telling jokes.”
- “how are you guys doin tonight?...uhh, ok I believe you.”
-”*set mic stand off to the left* how are you guys doin tonight? (crowd cheers) ummm, I was talking to them *point to a couple to my immediate left*...but ok”
-”Give it up for the comics you’ve seen...Now really give it up for me tho!”
- “Heyyy...how am I doin on time? Ok, I’ll leave you with these...”
- “I never know what to say up front. But comedy is a form of public speaking, and I read this book on public speaking once that said with most public speaking it’s good to start with something funny, like a joke...Damn, I shoulda done that.” (either works or bombs)
-(after following any comic who is nothing like me) “This is awkward, but the last comic just closed with MY opener. Guess I’ll have to wing it.”
-(brought on stage to very not-me song) “Thank you, thank you for playing the song I requested.” (fav song I did this to was “Ante Up”)
- “Good to be here, things are goin well for me career-wise. Last week, I shot a pilot. That’s nothing to brag about really, but, I also landed the plane... Again, not tryin to brag, but I killed a man, took his job. Not easy to do.” (was my opener on my album “Me the Whole Time”
- “Hey guys, here’s a lil joke I do...”
- “I’ll be honest, this is the first thing I’ve done all day.” (did this opener on Conan and I think it helped me get booked)
- “Feelin pretty good, just got my 4th Moderna shot.” (booster shots killed this opener)
Comedy is so fun when you have a perfect/fun/timely opener, and so frustrating when you don’t. I’m about done opening with “it’s been a few years but I think 2020 is almost over,” and I don’t have an opener I’m excited about on deck as of yet. Farting into the mic is such a risk, and makes it hard to follow yourself; And “I ain’t scared of you mfers” has already been done. I like telling jokes to people, but I don’t like initiating conversation in any context; even when it’s my favorite thing to do, and how I make a living. That’s what makes me come up with an opener at all: the fact that if you want to do a set, you have to have an opener. I could do the CK “open with your old closer” thing, but it seems weird opening with “ok, I’ll get outta here on this.”
Ok well I’ll get outta here on that.
Toodles,
-Andy
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@darkmarkshow is going to be so much fun this week as @gothcomedian and @hail_hannahbakk666 chat with #comedian/#podcaster @emilieknowseverything and #singer/apparent #extraterrestrial @staralien_ Join the party! Tune in #Fridaynight at 9pm pacific on @renagaderadio www.renagaderadio.com #radio #podcast #standupcomedy #standupcomedian #buffalo #hawaii #kawaii #popmusic #trailerparkboys #host #comedynerd #comedystore #youtube #hilarious #goth #funny #lol #lmfao😂😂😂😭😭😭💀💀💀💯💯💯 (at The Ruby) https://www.instagram.com/p/By8EYlJAdjq/?igshid=1fv7txlsormqn
#comedian#podcaster#singer#extraterrestrial#fridaynight#radio#podcast#standupcomedy#standupcomedian#buffalo#hawaii#kawaii#popmusic#trailerparkboys#host#comedynerd#comedystore#youtube#hilarious#goth#funny#lol#lmfao😂😂😂😭😭😭💀💀💀💯💯💯
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Hey check out these Good Times. And remember to download the Osmium Experience coming soon!!!
#comedy #comedyroom #comedynerd #comedytour #comedytostrong #comedyanima #sitcoms #friends #friendstv #sitcom #friendsforlife #friendstvshow #monicageller #like #share #follow#likes #likesnowlikesback #likespalermo #likesinsecond #likesty #likessister #likesandcomments #likess #likesforlikesapp #likesmegazine #likesfast #likesbeer
#comedy#comedyroom#comedynerd#comedytour#comedytostrong#comedyanima#sitcoms#friends#friendstv#sitcom#friendsforlife#friendstvshow#monicageller#like#share#follow#likes#likesnowlikesback#likespalermo#likesinsecond#likesty#likessister#likesandcomments#likess#likesforlikesapp#likesmegazine#likesfast#likesbeer
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Reposted from @underground_cult_theatre . . . . . . #spinaltap #thisisspinaltap #comedy #comedygold #comedynerd #chrisguest #christopherguest #nonemoreblack #crankitupto11 #classic #classiccomedy #funnyaf #hilarious #michaelmckean #harryshearer #robreiner #robreinerfilm https://www.instagram.com/p/CPPf0GeB_sh/?utm_medium=tumblr
#spinaltap#thisisspinaltap#comedy#comedygold#comedynerd#chrisguest#christopherguest#nonemoreblack#crankitupto11#classic#classiccomedy#funnyaf#hilarious#michaelmckean#harryshearer#robreiner#robreinerfilm
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I just picked up my copy of "Impro" and this fell out 😍 #kidsinthehall #impro #kith #keithjohnstone #comedynerd
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