"I THINK I CAN DO STAND UP"

It used to bother me when someone would say they want to do stand up. Whether it was a patron from a show or a friend, I would roll my eyes. But in all honesty, I sincerely think its a compliment when someone says that to me. It means I made it look so easy, when in reality its not. This coming from a person who took the LSAT, went to law school, passed the bar (first time) and played guitar and bass. Comedy is harder.

That being said, my journey to comedy was not traditional at all. Comedy was not on my radar until my 30s and even then it was just a hobby to keep me sane from the trials and tribulations of being a lawyer. (and by trials I mean REAL trials) For those who are really interested in doing comedy, I tell them to go watch an open mic- a full open mic- which usually runs about 2-3 hours. Then, if you still want to try comedy, come up with 2-3 minutes of material, usually a story and a couple jokes/observations and go back to that open mic. Make sure to record your set, either audio or video. Even if its just a "bucket list" item, you can try it!

If you still want to pursue comedy, more than just one time, its a grind. The common rule of stand up is do 6-10 sets a week. Other than during the pandemic, I did this and continue to do this. Record all your sets and write every day. I try to do this as well although writing everyday is difficult sometimes. Godspeed! #comedy #standup #careerchange #formerlawyer #formermusician