Welcome to the 200th episode of the School of Laughs podcast! What an amazing journey this has been. Two hundred? Yes indeed. We made it. To be perfectly honest there were many times where I thought about moving onto something else. The amount of time invested in this show was preventing me from doing some…
Marty Simpson joins us today to talks about hard lessons learned in stand-up comedy. From getting his first stage time at five hour talent show, to auditioning for Last Comic Standing … it’s all here. He also shares with us insight into his weekly online open mic “Punchlines in Pajamas”. Info below: Join us for…
Dusty Slay joins me on the podcast today to discuss all things comedy. Dusty was born and raised in Alabama. He moved to Charleston, SC and got started at first by performing Improv comedy. He tried a little stand-up comedy. His first set was great. But then the following shows were not that good and…
Aspiring comedians huddle up after a stand-up comedy writing class to ask a variety of questions about pursuing stand-up. From writing and performing to horrible road gigs – we cover a lot of ground! Questions include: Is there a line that you cannot cross in comedy? What was my worst heckling situation? When writing jokes with…
Christian comedian Mike Hickman joins me on the show today to discuss his comedy journey. Mike is a versatile performer who can entertain at a retirement home one day and a youth group the next. HIs comedy goes beyond just the stage. As an ambassador for Compassion International, he uses his platform to help…
Are you trying to emulate your favorite comedians? Have you already determined your comedic style before your third open mic? If so, you may be limiting yourself and shortchanging your potential. In this episode, Dan Swartwout (or “Swarty” as his friends call him) and I discuss how our influences are like training wheels. They help at…
Ever wondered … “should I move to a bigger city for comedy?” Ever struggled with, “Should I go full time?” Keith Alberstadt joins us this week to discuss how he made the jump from an office job to a 24/7 comedy career. Keith makes his comedy relatable and approachable while delivering it in a confident…
– 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”)…
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,…
Like it or not, part Of the job of a comedian is “sales”. You are constantly selling your act, selling your professionalism, selling yourself to bookers, owners, managers, agents and audiences. If you can’t spend some time to develop that skill, you will struggle. It’s plain, and simple. Check out this episode! Whether you represent…