Joke thieves are everywhere. Just when you least expect it, your favorite routine that you’ve worked years to perfect is stolen. And it’s on TV nonetheless! What do you do? Drop the joke? Confront the thief? Check out this episode! As long as there have been stories, there have also been “raconteurs” who have…
This Post Is Not About The New England Patriots So, I really didn’t want to write anything related to the recent accusations against The New England Patriots. NFL investigators found 11 of 12 footballs were under-inflated in a 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in he AFC Championship game. The story seemed to have run…
At some point you will discover that your jokes appeal to a certain type of audience. Hopefully, that group will be full of people you enjoy performing for. When this happens, you have found your “Ultimate Audience”. Check out this episode! Early on, I don’t want you to get to hung up on finding out…
by Rik Roberts | SchoolOfLaugh.com It’s funny looking back at when I first started. I thought I knew exactly who I wanted to be on stage. From recent discussions, it turns out many other comics felt the same way. They thought they knew what style they wanted to have on stage, what type of material they would get into, etc.,…
There is a bit of a science to creating a stand-up comedy set that flows. It takes a little planning to put together a show that starts quick, builds momentum, and finishes with a closer that rocks the room. A pile of great jokes performed in a haphazard order will frustrate both you and the…
We launched July 1st 2014 and it has been a tremendous journey. Getting to know the listeners and readers of the School Of Laughs podcast and blog has been a really, really cool thing. From connecting with folks in over 49 countries, to meeting many new comics through the site – Gavin and I have…
by Rik Roberts (www.SchoolOfLaughs.com) Is your comedy career better than it was one year ago? Are you where you thought you would be? Take a minute and think before you answer. Wait. One … more … second. Okay. If you immediately answered YES – congratulations! You are moving towards your goals and making progress. Let’s keep that momentum going…
Six time Letterman veteran Jeff Caldwell is a prime example of what a comedian should be. He’s smart, insightful, observational, opinionated, and clever. On top of that, he’s clean (unless a brawl is about to break out). We talk about: His take on David Letterman retiring Process for working in new material His comedy…
by Rik Roberts (www.SchoolOfLaughs.com) This question was asked as a follow up to the post on hosting tips last week. As with nearly every comedy topic the short answer is, “find what works best for you by experimenting and see how it goes.” So that’s one answer. More specifically, I feel the host (or as…
by Rik Roberts (www.SchoolOfLaughs.com) Performing stand-up comedy is one of the most exhilarating jobs on the planet. However, the job of the emcee (or host, or as they say across the pond “compere”) is often overlooked. I am here to tell you that having a great host can make a bad show good, and a…