Registered: Jun 2009
Location: i live in your dreams
Posts: 8

im keen on getting on this whole shindig of stand up comedy and one question is how do you start, but the thing is i dont live in a city, well it likes to call itself a city but its just a giant country town( a wonderful place by the way if ever you want a holiday in australia, cairns is the place to go) and it doesnt have any stand up comedy or anything, we where going to have a theatresports group started but the creator moved back to melbourne and i dont want to push for a comedy event or somethign like that at a venue in case i bomb i mean my material is good and i think its funny and its something i think people would find funny but if i go up there and lose it or it goes over their heads im gonna look like a total ahole, im starting to get a fair amount of material i mean ive got 9 pages or so and it feels like i need to get it out there. im probably going to have to move i think. or i could do some short films cause ive gotta whole bunch of other ideas for funny short films liek you see on funnyordie (great site).

also with parallel thinking or joke stealing as some people call it, i feel like there is so many stand ups out there be it proffessinal or your local joe at the tavern theres bound to be some accidental plagiarism or is it ok to sell a similiar joke if its worded or say delivered ina different direction

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2009
Location: i live in your dreams
Posts: 8

seemed like a valid question to me

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Pegram, TN
Posts: 2176

Cheesy,
Try using capitalization, punctuation, and paragraphs. Most people aren't going to wade through a poorly-written jumble of words to figure out what you're trying to say--especially if they're on an iPhone or Blackberry.

Best of luck,

LL

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1462

Just because it's a valid question doesn't obligate anyone to respond. As Landon points out, it was difficult to wade through your post and pick out a question to answer.

Seriously. Re-state the question and I'm sure you'll get some positive feedback.

__________________
www.ralphtetta.com

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2005
Location: NY
Posts: 948

Just out of curiosity, how old are you and what do you do for a living, if you're not a student?

__________________
www.BrainChampagne.com
Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for Smart Minds (sm)

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: May 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 252

best I can tell from what you kinda wrote. Yes you need to move. You'll never know if anything you have is good if you never perform it. The fact that you worry about bombing in front of your friends is something you will have to get over. So at least don't move until you get over a fear of performing in your town.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2005
Location: Warrington, PA
Posts: 92

I'd recommend this:

1. Find some other people who are interested in doing stand-up.

2. Find a bar that will let you have a show. Just try to put together an hour. Add in some other kinds of acts if you need to fill the time. You could even find a bar that will let you have a talent show. That way you can skip step 1 because you'll be surprised who will come out of the woodwork given a chance to get on stage.

3. Keep doing that at any bar that will let you put a show together.

Start now! You could be the godfather of Cairns comedy!

__________________
Phil Porter
myspace.com/philporter

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2010
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 27

Im a newbie too.I worryed about parallell thinking too.It sucked because a lot of jokes I made up that I thought were brilliant,I ended up seeing a comedian who already said it.As I understand it is if you don't flast out steal a joke you can use it.But if,like me,you make one up then hear its already been done and you get accused of stealing.Who are they gonna believe?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2010
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 27

Instead of flast.flat

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2005
Location: Your Momma's House
Posts: 1507

Hey Doob. You're kinda not supposed to post and revive threads that have been asleep for over a few months. (Check the date of the last post)
Just start a new thread if there's something you want to talk about.

__________________
-Mike Mack

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: New York City
Posts: 2722

I'll reply to you Shoob.

There are a lot of premises that are 'high concept', meaning that they are so obvious anybody could have come up with them. These concepts are always going to be up for attack under the parallel thinking umbrella. When going for a 'high concept' premise, here are some things to think about:

1) Is this really your take on the subject or are you just repeating an obvious joke using different words than the person before you.

2) Is the criticism of parallel thought or even joke stealing worth the laughs you get from the joke.

3) Does the joke add to your set or does it just eat up five more minutes before you get off stage.

4) Is it in your voice, or are you forcing a joke for an easy laugh.

5) Does this joke have longevity or is it a flash in the pan.

6) Do I want to do the same topic the last five comics have done, or do I want to be original.

__________________
www.mikesiscoe.com

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2005
Location: Your Momma's House
Posts: 1507

Great input Mike.
Where were you last year?

__________________
-Mike Mack

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2010
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 27

Thank you guys.I won't do that again.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged