# Standup Comedy Is Hard, I Am Learning **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 13, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455 "2011-01-13T15:07:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/102 "2012-02-10T21:24:18Z")
The sports joke didn’t get me, but that joke about “your look”? That cracked me up. The rest just made me smile, though the fish clothes made me smile bigger than you’d expect. And, to be fair, I liked the “your look” joke so much that I paused the video to start writing this post, so I may have just lost the momentum. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/103 "2012-02-10T22:02:46Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The sports joke didn’t get me, but that joke about “your look”? That cracked me up. See, I liked the Blue Jays one. “The 2012 Blue Jays… theoretically.” But I agree with you about “This is my look.” **Rick** ’s delivery on that one is really what made it so funny. I also chuckled at the Harry Potter joke. Definitely shows improvement from the first one (which already made me smile). **RickJay** , I hope you’ll continue to post these as your comedy career progresses. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/104 "2012-02-10T22:32:45Z")
And break a leg. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/105 "2012-02-11T04:53:55Z")
I finally got around to watching the new set. Nice! When is the next gig? How is the joke writing going? If it were me, I’d set a goal of, say, ten jokes a day, whether I used them or not. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/106 "2012-02-11T16:02:22Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > I finally got around to watching the new set. Nice! When is the next gig? How is the joke writing going? If it were me, I’d set a goal of, say, ten jokes a day, whether I used them or not. I’m playing two small rooms tonight; Spillin’ The Beans at the Full of Beans coffee house at 1348 Dundas St W and then at the Crown and Dragon on Yonge. Feb 17 at the famed Club 54 in Burlington; that will be a challenge, as I have been asked to do an actual opening set of 12 minutes or so. That I’ll get a tape of and post. Feb 23 at Yuk Yuk’s Hamilton. I certainly don’t write ten jokes a day, but I am constantly updating and adding material. My customary thing is to record or write down premises as they come up (I carry a notebook) and then talk through them in the car when I’m driving - I drive a lot. Then I update my Premise Worksheet. I have an Excel workbook with a worksheet for all my jokes as well as worksheets for contacts, shows and venues, etc. So it kind of goes in fits and spurts, but I make a point of returning to my work sheet five days a week and deciding what routines I’m going to talk through. Jokes arise, and are refined, from that. ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/107 "2012-02-11T16:23:08Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ve had numerous co-workers and acquaintances and students and others over the years who’ve tried to get me to to try stand-up. I think I’d bomb at it. In a conversation I’ll make you pee your pants- I’ll start telling a story about an experience or a family member (one of the stories I won’t put into print for reasons of plausible deniability) or most other subjects and it can be perfect- but I don’t have an actual act. I don’t tell jokes, my stories tend to be long and involved, I like “audience participation” (if you can call it that when it’s not technically an audience) and other things I don’t think you’d get on a stage. > > That said, it is on my Bucket List. please dont ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/108 "2012-02-11T17:28:08Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > please dont Why’re you telling someone to NOT try something that’s fun and rewarding? If you want tocrap on your own dreams by all means do so, but kindly don’t in my thread. Sampiro, give it a shot. It’s fun as hell. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/109 "2012-02-11T17:46:39Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > please dont Why? He’s funny as hell. Who are you? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/110 "2012-02-11T18:28:28Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Why? He’s funny as hell. Who are you? Yeah, Sampiro is a funny poster. Wry and intelligent. Don’t be a downer. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/111 "2012-02-11T18:32:43Z")
**RickJay** , I have seen famous comics that couldn’t hold a candle to your short piece there. You have improved your delivery, timing and on-stage mechanics since the first video. You were funny then. You are funnier now. I agree with the positive criticisms from others: you look down too much, some of the timing is a bit rushed and especially the timing on the Chardonnay joke was off by a beat. But, I laughed and enjoyed your performance quite a bit. Thank you for doing this and for being gutsy enough to present it to your peers. That takes some intestinal fortitude. Congrats! ETA: Oh, and removing the ants from the fish joke was a very good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/112 "2012-02-11T18:33:26Z")
Congratulations. Will you be changing your custom user title accordingly? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/113 "2012-02-11T18:38:16Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > That I’ll get a tape of and post. Lookin’ forward to it. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/114 "2012-02-11T19:34:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Why’re you telling someone to NOT try something that’s fun and rewarding? If you want tocrap on your own dreams by all means do so, but kindly don’t in my thread. > > Sampiro, give it a shot. It’s fun as hell. After all, why the hell not? Go for it! Although, **Sampiro** strikes me as more in the storyteller’s vein (ie [The Moth](http://themoth.org/), [Story League](http://www.storyleague.org/), etc.) Just something else to consider. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/115 "2012-02-11T19:50:02Z")
Good stuff! “Blue Jays…theoretically” got a laugh, although generally sports aren’t my thing. “My look” was delivered perfectly. The wrapping presents bit felt a little weak, but “Santa was drunk” was a good line. “Ausfish” was funny as hell. You might get some offended people with that, but it’s a damned good pun. The only thing I’d suggest is removing “Let’s review.” That would work well if you had a pretty long logic chain to step through that tied like 10-15 minutes of material together, but really it was just a quick punchline for the last 3 minutes. “So the _fish_ (beat) were being _converted_ (beat) into _more cat shit_!” It’ll work just fine without “Let’s review.” ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/116 "2012-02-11T20:24:19Z")
I lost it at “…Chardonnay?” Perfect. Now I’m picturing you trying out “Riesling? No. Shiraz? Close. Merlot? Fuck no.” until you got it right. I would pay the cover to see you live. ---
**Author:** ![Greekfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@Greekfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greekfreak)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455/117 "2012-09-05T03:57:05Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I do. I did it for about 18 months. Placed 11th in a field of 110 comedians in a citywide competition for charity. I have my Improv performance preserved for all time - I killed. > > I couldn’t sustain for a lot of reasons, but the biggest was that I bored myself- after I’d told a joke a few times I stopped being able to sell it. Since I wasn’t anywhere near prolific enough to overcome that, I had to give it up. That is a huge problem with keeping stale material fresh. I co-host an open mic in Korea and the audiences are so hit and miss (not to mention diverse) that it’s really hard to judge your material on one night alone. Sometimes it really is because it’s a shitty crowd. One thing that doesn’t get discussed is “likability” on stage. We have one guy we call “frat boy” because he’s reasonably good looking and his idea of humour is making fun of “fat chicks” and “fags” while going on about how much poontang he gets. He’s got some good jokes somewhere in that noggin of his, but his personality sucks onstage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standup-comedy-is-hard-i-am-learning/567455.md?page=5)