So you’ve written that hilarious set and you’re rocking show to show. You get a lot of love after each performance, but in the end you take your funny ass home broke. It’s the life of a comic…at the beginning. We’ve all been there. Nothing used to be more irritating than performing, being funnier than either the feature or the headliner, and being the only one not collecting a check. For me, that ish had to stop. Not only was I penniless, but I had to, (1) go home to a wife that saw me leave out yet another night to “follow my dreams”, and (2) give away my talent for free.  I wanted to get paid…I needed to get paid…fuck it, I deserved to get paid.

The question was, how? How do I get to the next level of comedy – getting paid to be funny? I knew a few things. I was funny, but nobody knew it other than a couple of  close comedy friends. I wasn’t really rocking any spots that would further my comedic career. I would never get where I was going doing bringers (shows that you “bring” the audience). I hated traveling and didn’t branch out much which also limited my visibility. My mindset was, “I’m not driving out there to do a stupid open mic I’m not getting paid for.” But that’s exactly what I needed to do!

At that point, I needed some new spots to perform in and I put the word out to the Facebook audience. A friend I started in comedy with mentioned that there was an open mic in upstate NY that he frequented. I thought, upstate? That sounds far and useless. It wasn’t. It turned out it was only a half hour away and well worth the drive. It was a packed bar that night and turned out to be the beginning of my getting paid days.

I made a bunch of comedy peeps and rocked the room. They welcomed me with open arms and invited me to come back, which I totally did. The next time I performed there was even better than the first time! I altered my set and made it funnier and made it work for me. A couple days later I received a Facebook message from one of the comics that heard I was funny and asked if I would like to perform at a show for $50. I never got paid so $50 was cool. The problem was the show was in Albany – 2 hours away. To most new comics, this show would be a waste, but I needed to up my presence, so why not?

That Albany show led to a few others in the upstate that didn’t pay much but I hoped and prayed it would pay off. And it did. I was asked to perform at The Egg in Albany. It was to raise money for cancer, so I did it for free. I did my damn thing! After the show I was approached by a couple folks from the area that were forming their own comedy entertainment company. They asked me to headline their show and I did. Finally, a good paycheck for my talents! Not only was I paid well, but they paid for my hotel and limo ride to the show! I felt like a superstar! I knew right then and there THIS had to continue! And it did.

I have continued to get paid by doing what I consider the formula for new jack comics. First of all, open mics are an absolute necessity for perfecting your act and meeting new comedy connections. If you are truly funny, these comics will either book you for their shows or refer you to other bookers. I’ve said before that an open mic should be used for what it’s for – honing your talents, but new open mics can also be used as an audition platform to show new comics and audience members your abilities. Another great reason to use open mics to your advantage is you can host. Then you can rock your set and work on your crowd work – an absolute necessity if you ever want to be a pro comic.

Another way to start getting paid is to UP your virtual presence. Having a website, in my opinion, is still an absolute. You need that real estate to post your bio, witty blogs, photos, schedule and videos to let everyone know that your making moves and definitely someone they need to book. Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In and the myriad of other social sites to also up your game. Keep them updated! Nothing worse than someone going to your website to check you upcoming shows and you haven’t updated it since 2011!

Record your set. Not only for your own purposes of getting better, but you need either a DVD or audio file that you can promote. I used to miss out on a lot of bookings because I wasn’t ready when the opportunity presented itself. Now, when a booker, fellow comic, or anyone for that matter asks to see my performance, I send them my video link on my website. They see my set and if they like me, then can then click on my event page to see what dates they could possibly book me. Websites are important…did I already mention that?

That’s how you can begin to get paid in the world of comedy. Remember it’s different for all of us.

1. You have to be funny.  VERY funny. I mean HILARIOUSLY funny.

2. You then need to be an incredible marketing team for yourself.

3. Rock every open mic available. Research which open mics are worthwhile. There are often write ups on the better mics. Talk to your fellow comics – they know where the good and bad rooms are.

4. Build a website, it’s free now.

5. Update often and stay relevant!

It’s working for me and I see the end result. Next step…fulltime comic!

I’m Out!

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