The crowd was antsy.  They seemed excited for the show to begin.  As I perused the room, every person looked as if they were there to have a good time, and I was ready to give it to them.  My excitement level was through the roof as I checked my watch yet again.  I already knew what jokes I wanted to use, and after the last 2 shows I performed, I couldn’t miss.

Study Your Crowd.

As a comic and the HOST (read this blog for hosting advice), I learned quickly to survey each and every patron in the audience.  This is a tactic used for “crowd work”, or simply, engaging the crowd.  This could mean watching individuals for eccentric behavior or fashion, couples, talkative people, etc, etc.  This not only helps to build a rapport with the audience, but helps to create segways between jokes, extending the length of your act, and to sometimes give those few minutes to remember our jokes…but not me.  OK, sometimes.

The time had finally arrived and the manager of the club began making his announcements.  He introduced the headliner, the feature comic, and of course, me.  As he yelled my name, I thought to myself, “It’s showtime.” I jumped up to the stage and grabbed the mic.  I was amped.

“What’s up everybody?” I said confidently.  I looked around to notice only a few people were clapping.  There was a general nonchalant, malaise over their faces.  I again asked, this time being loud and demanding in my tone. “What’s up people!”  The crowd laughed a bit then they cheered uproariously.

Things were looking up, or so I thought.

I began my set with a few ice breakers.  Usually, these jokes work…usually.  This time they barely made a splash.  I heard the low grumble of laughter and realized, “I could have gotten the same response if I told them what the hell I had for breakfast.”  This wasn’t good.  I thought to myself, “Aw shit, my opener barely got laughs…I’m fucked and I’m bombing!”

I was exaggerating, though.  I wasn’t fucked and I wasn’t bombing, I was just not what this crowd wanted. I actually didn’t do that bad.  I received laughs on the punchlines, but there was no camaraderie between me and the crowd. It was like the audience was thinking, “Look, I’m the audience and you’re the entertainment.  Make me laugh…now.”  It happens.

I suffered through my act and left the stage after introducing the feature act.  He too got less than expected laughter.  So after 30 minutes of lackluster reception, he exited the stage and I returned.  I didn’t want to deal with the cold reception I had received the first time around. While the feature drudged through his set, I was studying my set wondering, ” What tactic should I use to wow these bastards?”

I knew what I had to do.  Ditch my usual set and use instinct.

This time I reacted differently to the crowd and brought even more energy.  Seeing that my act wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do, I decided to freestyle.  Test some jokes I never tried before.  Why not?  It’s obvious the “winners” weren’t winning. I rocked each joke with confidence. Though, the laughter was no greater than it was before, I had accomplished something bigger.  I had the foundation for 3 new jokes that were untested and now tested and proven for a crowd of ninety peeps.  Success!!

When I finished my set I poked out my chest.  I was happy.  With renewed confidence, I introduced the headliner for the night.  He tore the crowd a new asshole.  A funny guy with 40 years in the business and a very polished act. I handed him the mic and walked through the crowd to return to my seat.  As I passed the audience members, I was greeted with “great job” and “you are funny!”  On a night like this I didn’t believe them, but it felt good nonetheless.

Returning to my seat, I grabbed my still icy cold club soda and took a sip.  Then I looked around for the waitress because I was starving and still waiting on my order of chicken fingers and french fries.  Moments later, the feature comic joined me at the table.  “Man, that crowd sucked!” removing his blazer.  “Their attitudes sucked and they just sat there stone-faced while I did my thing!!”

I did not share the comic’s negative opinion toward the show or the crowd.  Matter of fact, I loved that the audience was tough on me.  I know I could have done better and been quicker and more fluid in my delivery.  I sucked, I know it, and I was willing to accept it. But there is something to the way an audience works.  No matter how much success you may have had in the past – any night can be the worst night of your life.  Simply put, the audience is a weird dynamic.

The comedy crowd can love you on Tuesday and despise you on Wednesday.

I don’t know what causes this dynamic. Maybe it’s the venue (whether a club or VFW hall), the day of the week, the town you’re in, the social status of the audience members, the diversity of the crowd, or simply your style of funny….something motivates that crowd. It’s almost as if they feed off one another deciding collectively whether you’re funny or not.

Study Your Ass Off…and Practice

Have you ever laughed because someone else did?  Or joined in on an applause break simply because everyone else was doing it?  Even if you don’t think it was worthy of it?  Well, there you have it. Look, you will never kill every room nor have every audience member pissing their pants. Not going to happen.  The crowd reminds us that we are not the greatest thing since sliced bread and that practice is an absolute necessity. What you will do though is study and I mean, study your ass off.

No matter how you look at it, the crowd is the determining factor as to whether your set is funny or not. They decide whether you’re on cloud nine or reconsidering dad’s offer to join him in his house painting business. The quicker you learn the rules of comedy and abide by them, the quicker you savor the good nights and shake off the bad ones.

As I’ve often said to the crowd after a joke bombs, “I don’t know what the hell is wrong with yall, but that shit is funny!”

Click the Image Below and Join My Youtube Channel! If You Like, LIKE  COMMENT  SUBSCRIBE