When starting out in stand-up comedy, it’s hard to feel confident. What if you forget your material? Will the audience laugh or not? You often don’t feel in control. So here are some tips to keep in mind that might help:
– Practice your jokes and whole routine out loud. The first step to coming off confident is feeling prepared. So before you leave your house or get out of your car, say the jokes you plan on saying out loud until you feel you know it. This will help much more than you think.
– Go up on the stage looking at the audience and smile before starting to talk. Let the audience take you in for a couple of seconds before you start. Don’t focus on getting the mic out of the stand. Focus on the audience. This makes them feel like you’re there with them, instead of a puppet whose string was pulled when you start talking.
– Start with a greeting like “hello” not with the word “so” or “ummm.” If you were talking to a new person at a bar, your first word wouldn’t be “so” or “umm” – it’d be “hey” or “hi”. Comedy should feel like talking to a friend or new pal at a bar.
– Talk slower. Confident people talk slowly because they believe what they have to say is so important, people won’t interrupt. Nervous people talk a mile a minute. If you think you’re going too slow, you can still slow down!
– Sound excited about what you’re sharing. While you shouldn’t talk quick and nervously, you should still change the inflection in your voice and sound excited about your material. If your tone is “oh god here are the words that need to be said” you’re screwed.
– Look people in the eye. Or at least look at their forehead, they’ll think you’re making eye contact. People with low confidence look at the floor or over the audience.
– Look at different spots of the audience. But don’t scan nervously. Pick three friendly faces – one in the middle, one a little to the left, and one a little to the right. Pretend like you’re facilitating a four person conversation, where you want everyone to feel included as you’re talking. But not in a nervous “oh god are they still listening or are they now on their phone?!?” sort of way.
– Take pauses in the middle of sentences, as well as after the punchline. But don’t “freeze” as you wait for laughs, laugh to yourself or do some sort of physical action that matches your bit. A lot of comedy is timing, picking your spots to pause helps increase anticipation of the funny part.
– Mental bonus: Before going up, remind yourself that you’re a funny person, and that it doesn’t matter if the crowd “seems bad” before you – that’s just because they’re waiting for you to make them laugh and you will impose your hilarious will on them.
Whether it’s your first time ever on a comedy stage or you’re a stand-up veteran, there’s gonna be an occasional punchline or entire set where the audience barely laughs, doesn’t laugh at all – or it at least feels like they’re not laughing.
So what should you do when the audience doesn’t laugh – besides die a little on the inside? Welcome to the art of bombing gracefully!
DOs:
1. Pause longer. Keep your face engaged in the joke, but don’t talk. Give the audience an extra second or two to get the joke.
You should only do this if you’ve done the joke dozens of times before and are pretty certain it almost always gets a laugh. if it’s a drunken late-night show, or a very tourist/foreign crowd, this may be enough to get the laugh back. This is easier said than done and requires practice because not talking for one second when nobody is laughing will feel like ten minutes.
2. Admit that a joke missed. A save line like “Cool I’m never saying that one again,” or “You’re right, that wasn’t funny,” will often get the audience to laugh and let you move on to your next joke gracefully.
Caution – only do this once. An audience does not want to hear ten versions of “that didn’t work either, huh.”
3. Shift topics. If an audience doesn’t laugh at a few jokes in a row that are all on the same theme, and you want the rest of the set to go well, be ready to change gears. If you did five jokes in a row about “dating is hard” and they’re not feeling it, try talking about your childhood instead or a completely unrelated topic. For whatever reason, certain audiences will not wanna hear certain topics. Have more material in your head than time you’re alotted on stage so you can shift gears as needed.
4. Shift to crowd work. If you keep changing topics and still get nothing, perhaps the audience doesn’t want to hear about you. So make it about them for a minute or two. Then slowly bring it back to you.
5. Do your best to close strong. No matter how awkward most of the set goes, as long as you’re able to close with a few big laughs, people will mostly only remember that. So save your best, most consistent joke for last, that way you’ll keep your confidence even when other material isn’t hitting as hard as you’d like.
DONTs:
1. Don’t get mad at the audience. It’s not their fault they’re not laughing. (I mean, it is, but it’s also not.) Save the “I hate them” until you’re off stage. Your goal is to amuse them, so keep the internal negativity to a minimum.
2. Don’t have a panic attack. Even during the best of sets, a punchline or two can miss and the only person who’ll really notice is you. If you keep talking without dwelling on a line or two, you can still have a great set. Even if you have a slow minute or two, as long as you keep talking and smiling without hyperventilating, the odds are you’ll still land your set successfully.
3. Don’t speed up and start talking faster. Talking super fast is a sign of nervousness and will subconsciously dig a deeper hole with the audience.
4. Don’t keep doing the same joke the same way. If a joke doesn’t work with a few different audiences, it’s time to cut or rework the joke. The larger an audience is, the more useful their response. It’s a lot harder to get 3 people to laugh (especially if they’re comics) than it is to get 30 or 300 people to laugh. So the better the crowd, the more you should trust them not laughing at a specific line.
The most fun I’ve had doing live comedy in years has been as a judge on “Snark Tank” – a show where tech entrepreneurs pitch their new products to be questioned by investors and roasted by stand-up comedians.
But as a comedian, it’s painful when the tech startup founders present their ideas.
These innovators often have great ideas that could change the world, but they can’t explain, let alone sell their products. And so they fall flat before we can have fun roasting the idea.
If you’re ever doing a tech pitch – whether it’s to be roasted by us, or to raise actual money from actual venture capitalists, here are some basic public speaking and presentation concepts to apply – lest your pitch die.
1. Give It Proper Structure!
The order of your presentation matters. A lot.
I don’t care about your qualifications until I understand and like your idea.
Here’s how I suggest you structure your pitch:
1. Tell me what the problem is
Pick one of the following:
a) Give a quick statement of fact. Make sure it’s something most people wouldn’t instantly disagree with.
For example: Most men want to dress well but don’t want to spend the time learning how.
b) Do a “quick show of hands, who here (insert something most people will raise their hands for that’s related to your product)”
For example: “Fellas in the room, quick show of hands, who here would change their clothes if it was guaranteed to make you look better and get compliments, without you having to learn anything about fashion?” (most hands will go up!)
c) Tell a QUICK, COMPELLING story. The story can be personal if it applies to the product you’re pitching.
For example: “I didn’t have a girlfriend until I turned thirty. Then my fashionable friend gave me a makeover, and I’ve been unstoppable ever since. And I thought, is there a way to automate his fashion knowledge to the masses of misdressed men?”
2. Tell me what the hell your idea is and how it will solve the problem you just described.
Explain your idea to me like I’m a fifth grader. Not because I’m dumb. But because I want to get excited about the idea first before my analytical brain starts processing it. Also, save the tech mumbo jumbo for the Q&A. Just get me to understand the idea.
For example: “My app takes a few photos of you, asks you some personality and budget questions, then displays killer outfits that will actually look good on you. And it displays the clothing on a photo of you.”
3. Give me details and screen shots
Now that I’m excited about your idea, I want to see and learn more! Plus this establishes you’ve actually done some work and haven’t spent all your seed money on foosball tables.
For example: “Here’s some screenshots of the questions. And here’s the output. And when you adjust the budget, the clothing changes. And we can keep suggesting outfits forever. We also train the data one what you’ve previously liked, we have something like a Netflix recommendation system but for clothing.”
4. Briefly mention the market size and competitors
Personally this one is optional and I would skip it. Unless you’re pitching in an area nobody has heard of, we’ll assume it’s a large market and people want it. Don’t waste your time or our attention on details. You can also just throw this fact into a sentence without having a whole slide on it.
For example: “Men’s clothing is a ten billion dollar industry.”
5. Tell me why you and your team are the right people to make it happen.
Keep this as brief as possible. And make it interesting. I don’t really care to hear your whole resume.
For example: I’ve built and sold two previous apps for seven-figures a pop. And my co-founder was voted GQ’s most fashionable lawyer.”
6. Ideally wrap it up with something cool that ties into your opening story.
Everyone loves a good story. If you can tie up something from the start of your presentation it’ll feel like a strong ending.
For example, “And I’m happy to report, that although we’ve only been in beta for six months, we’ve had our first user that upgraded their wardrobe report getting engaged. Automate your wardrobe, find your wife.”
7. End by saying, “Thank you. Any questions?”
Make it clear that you’re done. Instead of mumbling and meandering until someone has to interrupt you.
2. The Pitch Deck
Everyone hates a long, boring pitch deck with lots of text. Yet for some reason, almost everyone creates a long boring pitch deck with lots of text.
Have 5 words per slide max. 2 words is better. Just give me a heading and a related picture and then talk.
Don’t ever read a slide. Type out what you should say for each slide into the notes and memorize it. But don’t put it on the screen for everyone to see. Otherwise, people read the screen instead of listening to you.
3. Presentation
Sound excited about your idea. If you’re bored by it, why should we care?
Memorize but don’t read it like a robot. Know your product and how to explain it but just talk like a person. You don’t have to get the words written perfectly. Also deliver your pitch like we’re two buddies at a bar, not investors in a big, formal boardroom. Do this even if you’re presenting in a formal boardroom!
Time out your presentation. Even if you’re allowed five minutes, three minutes is better. If people are excited about the idea, they’ll ask follow-up questions.
Bonus: Specific tips for presenting on Snark Tank
Don’t respond to each roast point. Only reply if one of us asks a legit question, or if you’re sure you have a funny or insightful response. Otherwise, let the judges get their jokes in and be a good, smiling-sport about it.
Don’t take it personally. Our job is to get the audience laughing. Sometimes that might come at your expense. Welcome to the arena 🙂
Want private coaching to properly prep your tech pitch? Contact us.
You’re performing your prepared jokes, when all of a sudden, someone in the audience yells something out. What do you?!? Oh, and you have one second to decide, no pressure!
First, make sure the comment isn’t just someone muttering in the front row that nobody else heard but you, as you can often ignore such minor interruptions.
Next, repeat what they said into the microphone. This gives your brain an extra second or two to assess the situation and makes sure everyone in the audience heard what was said, which increases the odds that your response will get a big room laugh.
Next, quickly figure out what kind of “audience member yelling things out” interruption it is you’re dealing with, then respond accordingly.
Heckler Identification 101 – Types of interruptions
Someone responds to your jokes by saying something out loud that they think is helpful to the joke (but almost always isn’t) Acknowledge their suggestion and either riff off of it, say something witty or show how it’s unfunny and sarcastically thank them
Someone doesn’t realize your statement or question was rhetorical and that they weren’t supposed to actually answer it This is similar to #1. After you acknowledge the comment, start taking shorter pauses than usual between setup lines so they don’t jump in again. Some audiences are more A.D.D. than others and can’t handle any silence, especially if it’s right after a fake question.
Someone says something along the lines of “Jesus Christ” or “Oh God” when you do an edgier joke You can either smile and laugh extra without really addressing it. Or you can say something along the lines of “it’s gonna get worse.” Or admit “You’re right, that’s a rough one” and then make your next joke even edgier. Showing the audience you understand you’re crossing the line, and then crossing it even more can cause a bigger laugh because going further after apologizing isn’t expected.
Someone is drunk and just yelling out sounds or words that don’t make any sense Admit to being genuinely confused about the sound, maybe even mimic the sound, but don’t give them time to respond. If they do respond, it’s usually so nonsensical you can just laugh or stare at them and then move on without another response. You can always make a comment about them needing another drink too. The key here is to get back to your material ASAP. The audience tends to tolerate these kinds of heckles less than any other, so you can ignore it after the first time and talk over them.
Someone yells out, “You suck”, “I’m funnier than you”, etc. This is what most people think of when you mention hecklers. These are also the least common ones. In this case, it matters if the rest of the audience has been laughing and is with you, or if they’ve all turned on you. Assuming the rest of the audience likes you, try to agree with the heckler while one-upping them. Don’t resort to insulting them unless they’ve yelled out more than once.
More Heckling Factors
Don’t get too mean, too quick If you acknowledge the situation and respond with something that isn’t too mean the first time, they’ll usually stop. A lot of times the person (and rest of the audience) thinks they’re just being helpful (situations #1 and #2 above) so they don’t understand why you went from likeable to jerk.
If you don’t have a witty in-the-moment response something like “Thank you for your opinion sir, I can take it from here” or “Ok, no more alcohol for that one” usually works for the first interruption.
Don’t get mean, call the audience member names or tell them to shut up until they interrupt for a third time. And make sure the rest of the audience is against them at that point.
Ignoring the problem makes it worse If you ignore the first comment, then they’ll almost certainly say something else. Plus the audience starts wondering why you haven’t responded to the comment and while they’re thinking about that, they stop listening to you and your next joke.
If you respond to the interruption and the audience member says something again, try to not respond directly. Stare at them for a second or two and then say “annnnnd back to me” or just a “that’s nice.”
If the audience member or audience in general has already been chatty before you Some audiences are just talkative and want you to talk and interact with them instead of just listening to you do material. This isn’t really “heckling,” this is crowd work, even if you’re not the one who decided to start it. When you’re trying to work on new material having to spend time talking to the audience can get annoying but you just gotta go with it. It’s also important to make it seem like the interruptions are “fun” and don’t bother you.
If the comedians before you were doing so much crowd work that the audience thinks it’s supposed to be a back-and-forth Sometimes the comeidans before you talk to the crowd so much, the audience starts chatting with all performers, even those who just want to do material. In such an instance, you want to be extra nice when responding, as this is how they were trained and will be confused if you verbally attack them.
Use the improv rule of “yes and” Agree with whatever the audience member says and then add some additional information. This usually works because if you seem defensive, you’ve lost. Even something like, “You suck!” can be turned into “Yes, I do suck. And you can’t afford me. Why are you propositioning me anyway?”
In Conclusion
Heckling is just like with the rest of stand-up, you best learn by doing it. It still helps to read, ask questions and be prepared, but you need the actual game reps.
If you’ve ever been scared to speak in front of a crowd, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Even the pros started somewhere, and trust us, they’ve had their fair share of shaky hands and awkward pauses. Here are five tips to get rid of stage fright:
#1 Breathe Deep: Five minutes of deep breathing before showtime is your secret weapon. Picture your fantastic performance, hear those laughs, and feel the positive vibes. It’s like a comedy meditation that’ll calm the adrenaline and set the stage for your hilarious triumph.
#2 Skip The Booze: While alcohol, pot and other drugs might get you to relax, it often comes at a cost of slurring your words and not thinking as fast as the audience. We’ve found that while a comedian might have more fun on stage after a drink or two, the audience doesn’t. And if you want this to be your job, the job is for the audience to have fun.
#3 Turn Nervous Energy Into Comedy Magic: Being nervous in and of itself isn’t bad, it’s what you do with the nervousness.
Tina Fey said it best, “I tell myself I’m not nervous, I’m just excited. And sometimes, right before SNL goes on the air, I get so excited I want to pee my pants.” So reframe those nerves into excitement!
Or follow this ESPN article quoting Tiger Woods, “The day I’m not nervous is the day I quit… Of course, I’ll be nervous. That’s the greatest thing about it, just to feel that rush.” If the greatest golfer still gets nervous (and he doesn’t even have to speak!), it’s okay if you feel it too.
#4 The Inner Game of Comedy: Read “The Inner Game of Tennis.” This succinct yet brilliant book isn’t just about tennis; it’s a life-changer. Turn off that overthinking mind, trust your gut, and get into the zone. It’s your backstage pass to confidence, both on stage and off.
#5 Embrace the Reps: There’s no real shortcut, getting over stage fright all about practice. The more you hit the stage, the less nerves will bug you. Relish the silence and soon you’ll own that mic like a stand-up rockstar.
In conclusion, accept that you’re going to have some nerves. Breathe deep, skip the booze, remind yourself that it’s natural and that you’ve gotten through it before (unless it’s your first time on stage) and when that adrenaline hits, reframe it as excitement.
