Category: Performance Critiques

This is the writer’s mic.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMAgbw2BqBo

0m33s Rephrase to “Doctor’s say stress causes herpes outbreaks” – it’s less wordy

1m09s The elementary school line worked the previous night at a bar, so I decided to try it out

1m40s This isn’t set up right

1m49s The comics laugh at “learned English from a VCR instruction manual” but when I tried this in front of real crowds, they don’t seem to get it

2m19s I should say “Thankfully” instead of “Thank god” as there’s more “th” and “f” sounds

3m42s Such terrible improv that’s it was almost funny

Overall: The first few new jokes did well, but then my hangover kicked in. Apparently, drinking doesn’t effect my comedy the night I’m drinking, but it definitely effects the next night’s comedy.

I MCed this show after some day drinking.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YJZUDkehV0

0m20s The closer the crowd is, the easier it is to get laughs.

0m55s A better response to Detroit is “Oh, that’s a carload of fun”

1m28s That was terrible, but at least I apologized for the corniness right away

2m21s True story, I was at the beer garden all day, I love this job

3m28s I missed saying ‘If you do that”

3m48s Pretty good transition if I may say so myself

5m14s That bearded lady line doesn’t work, but I found it funny when the audience suggested it the previous night

5m37s I didn’t deliver this correctly. There should be a pause between each word: “It…. Costs…. Money!”

6m32s New joke seems to be working pretty well

7m17s No need for the words “a little bit”

8m05s Usually I’d address new people if they walk in during my time MCing, but they came in as I was finishing up my last joke

Overall: I did my job as an MC, talked to the crowd a bit, got some laughs and got the crowd warmed up. Also, this is the first time I’ve seen a tape where I’ve been drinking where I didn’t seem to do any worse than if I was sober. I don’t plan on making this a habit, but it’s nice to know I can do stand up in any condition.

I MCed this show. The entire audience was one group of 8 or 10 very energetic and chatty women.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dsthIXDa_U

0m43s Between watching this and the last clip, my delivery changes when there’s actual energy in the room. I need to find a way to generate my own energy regardless of the audience.

1m46s I love how one of the women responds with “I agree”

3m14s Yes I realize (after the fact) that “de-dignifying” is not a word

3m54s I love how she’s still responding to everything I say, “Alright, got it”

4m09s I tried throwing in the bearded lady line in future sets, it didn’t work

4m39s Normally I’d stop if the audience says something and address it, but when they’re this chatty, I just keep talking unless it’s really necessary to quiet them down

6m04s Nice philosophical discussion on the merits of snuggling

Overall: I had fun hosting this crowd because they were energetic and chatty, but not chatty to the point where you can’t do a single joke. Like I mentioned toward the top, I need to find a way to generate my own energy even if the crowd doesn’t have it.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxKDIVJ0DOc

0m34s First time this opener worked as well as it did, I think this crowd was predominantly male so I didn’t want to open with the model bit

2m05s The statement ‘you guys look like you like to smoke the drugs” works better when I just look around the room at everyone instead of addressing a group

3m14s Don’t shake my head, just throw my hand up and give the “what the f?” look

3m40s It’d be better to say “good, none of you are child molesters”

4m31s If someone replies with “yes” then ask them “isn’t that demasculating?”

Overall: Nothing too special or of not, just a standard set in front of a small crowd… A different opener worked which hadn’t previously worked. I was also able to save a joke (and maybe the set) by doing the “if someone doesn’t laugh, I just assume they’re deaf” line.

Small crowd of 6 or 8 people

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlNJ6swwaPc

0m08s I didn’t ask for this intro, but had to go with it

2m40s This crowd just isn’t feeling me

3m44s Look at the people I asked the question of when I start the joke

5m00s Smile a little after “just so you can drink for two”

6m02s No need to do two “if someone doesn’t laugh” jokes in a row

Overall: Either I didn’t connect with the crowd or the crowd just didn’t like laughing out loud. My delivery was more or less the same as usual, but it just didn’t work out well this time. You win some, you lose some.