– Rik Roberts | www.SchoolOfLaughs.com Many aspiring comedians don’t feel welcomed in their own town. The most common complaints are: “I can’t get any spots.” “It’s like a good ol’ boys club.” “They ain’t letting nobody else in.” I hear ya. We’ve covered this topic a little bit in the past. (See: “Cracking the Comedy Clique”)…
Going to your first comedy open mic? Welcome to the jungle, baby! In this episode we offer up 11 song titles that perfectly describe a comedy open mic night. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t all bad. But man, you do see a common thread unravelling if you attend a dozen or so. CLICK…
In episode 036 “Live Comedy Writing Session – Idea to Premise” I asked Gavin Miller (brand new aspiring comedian and our excellent producer) to bring in a few joke ideas to the School Of Laughs headquarters. He did. We took three joke ideas and selected one for him to write. The premise, in essence,…
With the talk of presidential candidates in the air here in the United States, I got to thinking about what I want in a leader. Oddly enough, many traits we identified are also traits of great comedians. Candidates are definitely characters. Comedians are as well. But what are the common links that cross over from…
You may feel like you are making huge strides in your comedy career, but are you? Most performers find a comfortable little comedy “safe place” and never wander beyond it. We all know comics who could be SO MUCH BETTER. Maybe, that comic is yourself. This episode gives more than 23 actionable tips you can…
Check out this episode! In episode 36 “Live Comedy Writing Session” our producer (and aspiring comedian) Gavin Miller brought in a few concepts to brainstorm. After he pitched a few ideas we decided to work on one that was inspired by a friend of his. In a nutshell, the friend wanted to give homeless people…
Former student Paulina Combow stops by the studios to inspire and inform us of her progress. Paulina attended college in a small town in Western, KY where she learned Mass Communications. After graduating, she felt a “comedy internal clock” ticking and decided to berth that comedy baby. She started in the Fall of 2011 and…
A common question I hear is “what do I do if I feel my comedy has leveled off, or plateaued?” Check out this episode! It’s a great, insightful question that infers both frustration and aspiration. To help relieve the first and achieve the second, we’ve put together a podcast and a “scorecard” to help you…
Okay, no doubt there is room to disagree on this topic. Everyone has the things they like in a club – and things they hate. This episode is chock full of what I would LOVE to see in a comedy club set-up. From the floors to the ceiling, the sound and lights, to the stage…
This week, in honor of LaughFest you get two bonus interviews. Last year I was honored to perform in the clean comedy showcase during the festival. It was a blast and I got to work with several great comedians. You’ve already heard the interviews with Andy Hendrickson, Pat McGann, and James P. Connolly. This week I am releasing…