Today I’m interviewing Greg Aidala.
Greg is a National comedian who has performed from New York City to Los Angeles with comedians such as Colin Quinn, Nick DiPaolo, Kathleen Madigan and Charlie Murphy. In 2005, Greg formed his own entertainment company, Radial Gage Entertainment. Aside from performing around the country, he teaches stand-up comedy workshops in his hometown of Albany, New York. Greg is a regular at the New York Comedy Club in New York City and has been featured in commercials and short films. Learn more about him by visiting his website.
1. How are you using the internet / social media to promote your career?
Aside from having my own website, I use Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. Over the past 8 years of performing, I have also amassed quite a large e-mail list. At shows, if people are interested, I ask for their e-mail address to be placed on my mass e-mail list.
2. Have you noticed the payoff yet?
Absolutely. Aside from my e-mail list and website, the other networks have given me great exposure. Every time I post a show on the social networks, people come out to the show(s). They have proved very valuable to my career.
3. What do you think about posting videos of your sets online?
I do post sets online, but not the entire set(s). You don’t want to give too much of your act away – I find its good to pique the interest of the comedy fan, in order to have them come out to a live performance.
4. How do you think digital tools will change comedy?
I feel they have helped legitimate comedians spread the good word of the comedy community. I have seen a great growth of awareness even within the past 8 years of my career. Although I must say, that sometimes there are people out there that claim to be comedians and they are far from it. With the new technology, almost everyone can post a “funny” clip and consider themselves a “comedian”. This dilutes the comedy community – but the cream rises to the top. I’m not a hater, I’m a supporter of anyone who is willing to attempt stand-up comedy…anyone who is willing to work hard and realize that it is indeed a business too.
5. How much information do you tend to share on the social networks?
Honestly, I use the public network’s for comedy business only. I only post when / where my next performance is. As much as I dig the world of the Internet, I feel one must be careful how much information is divulged. There is some crazy folk out there!
6. What’s the weirdest stuff / “perks” that you’ve experienced due to your combination of technology and the internet.
Well, I’m not into drugs (not against them either) and I’ve never had anyone one send me naked pictures of themselves (although I’m not opposed to that…wink, wink to any women reading this). But I have been threatened via an e-mail. I was performing at a show and there was this “gentleman” at a table with his friends, and they kept talking during everyone’s set. I asked the manager if they would please quiet him down prior to me taking the stage. Now usually, a manager will do that, which this one did – but manager’s don’t usually point out the comedian who asked this person to be quiet. My set went well – and after the gig, I was checking my e-mails and received a death threat from this patron. He had visited my website and left the message there with a phony e-mail address. For the next three weeks of my shows, I seriously scouted the audience for this wacko thinking he may show up in any city in which I was performing. I learned later on that the guy was banned from the club because he was trying to sell cocaine to other members of the audience that night! I’m glad this douche bag does cocaine, because I think he forgot about me – I haven’t received a threatening e-mail since.
