Becoming a Stand-Up Comedian: Creating Relationships from the MC Spot

If you've made it to the emcee level, you're in the first critical phase of your comedy career. For the first time, you're getting paid (if only enough to buy a beer or two after the show); more importantly, you have the opportunity for regular stage time in front of paying crowds. On-stage, you have the opportunity to develop your act and work on your presentation. Off-stage, you now have the ability to begin working relationships with the headliners and features you open for. How you comport yourself as an emcee can dramatically enhance your ability to make solid contacts and possibly even garner references to other clubs and booking agents.

Your goal, each week, should be to establish a relationship with the headliner and the feature. For all the thousands of tapes and DVD's (and I do mean thousands) sent out to comedy clubs and booking agents every month, references and personal contacts are still the most effective way to advance your comedy career. While you may not get a reference every week (and you certainly won't), establishing a relationship means you can get advice, learn the business, and increase the chance of getting a reference the next time you work with those comics.

The best way to do this is to present the image of a solid, professional, eager, and intelligent comedian, both on-stage, and, just as importantly, off-stage. Therefore, this article will discuss some rules for behaving as an emcee, not for the benefit of the club, the audience, or the other comics, but to advance your own career. Having opened for dozens of headliners, and made equally as many mistakes, I am passing along these words of wisdom.

1. Be Professional.

No matter whether you're opening for Chris Rock or some yutz you've never heard of, be professional. Remember that you are both comedians, both professionals, and act as such. If you're a big fan, keep it to yourself, or at least keep it short. If you like his (or her) set, compliment him - quickly. Say, "Nice set in there". Don't blabber on and on. Headliners hear that all the time from fans - they don't need to hear it from you.

2. Do the introduction as instructed.

In my first few attempts at emceeing, I was scolded on a couple of occasions by different headliners for adding to or changing their introduction. Whatever they tell you, write it down, and repeat it word for word. Even if you think you're helping out, or being complimentary, some headliners don't want to hear that they're "the funniest headliner we've ever had." As one said to me, only half-jokingly, "I don't want the bar raised that high."

I once opened for a relatively well-known headliner, and mentioned something before his introduction about how I was happy to open for him so I could put it in on my resume. I thought it was funny. The crowd didn't, but they did seem to enjoy the first five minutes of his set, during which he made fun of me mercilessly. Lesson learned.

In all seriousness, a few headliners are very serious about their introduction. Do it word for word, and avoid any potential problems.

3. Memorize the introduction.

"Are you guys ready for your headliner?" (cheers and applause) "All right!" (room crashes to a halt while you fish through your pockets for the napkin with his intro written on it)

4. Pronounce the comedian's name correctly.

This sounds easy enough, until you open for Costaki Economopoulous. Costaki's a great headliner, and a good guy, but his name takes some practice.

5. Say "Yes".

As an emcee, your only edge is the home-field advantage. You know the good bars, where to chase skirts, maybe a bartender or two who can give you a deal or a bouncer who can get you in a club for free. If the headliner feels like going out, for God's sake, go! This is your chance not only to create a personal relationship but to become useful to the headliner.

And, if you made plans with your boyfriend or girlfriend, too bad; they're going to have to understand eventually, so you might as well get it out of the way now. (Besides, if your significant other breaks up with you, you'll always find new material there, so you win either way.)

6. Don't speak shop unless spoken to.

This isn't an unbreakable rule, but tread carefully. Bear in mind, that at most clubs, the headliner has probably done something on the order of five thousand comedy clubs. He's worked with hundreds of emcees. Most of them were hoping for a reference, advice, even just a compliment. And right now, he's tired, he's been on the road for four weeks, and the last thing he wants to hear is some newbie emcee analyzing a joke that bombed or saying, "Excuse me, can you give me some advice?"

What is difficult to understand, particularly when you're just starting out, and you're excited every day just to be at the club, and in awe of every headliner who walks through the door ("Oh man, I saw him on TV!) is that comedians get tired of comedy. There are days when I walk off stage and just want the show to end. Please, no more jokes, no more customers. Just give me my money so I can go back to the hotel and watch TV.

If a comic wants to talk shop, by all means, listen, contribute where you can, and learn. But, bear in mind, many comics would rather talk about anything but.

7. Don't criticize other comedians.

You: I don't think that (random headliner) is very funny at all. He's overrated. Headliner: (Random headliner) is a good friend of mine. We started together in New York. You: I gotta go use the bathroom!

Even if the headliner doesn't know the other comedian, it doesn't look good for you, a nobody, to be belittling anyone further along the ladder. Keep it to yourself.

8. Work the feature.

If you're trying to learn the business, many times, the feature act is a better resource than the headliner. Older headliners may not work new rooms - they may work literally the same 30-40 clubs, year after year - and better-known guys may not even do their own booking, except in limited cases.

But the middle act, the feature - he has to book himself. He knows who the booker is at almost every club in the country. He knows which booking agents are nice, which are mean, which want references, and which want tapes. More importantly, he likely isn't long from being an MC himself, and may be more likely to help you out with a reference or information.

9. Don't ask for anything.

Again, not an unbreakable rule, but do it carefully. Remember, headliners are people, too. (Most of the time.) Some are great people, some are miserable and mean, and most are somewhere in between. But all headliners are aware of the power that they hold. One reference from a headliner can get you a week as a feature working with him or for a club or booker he knows well. Advice from a headliner can further your career. And even a simple, "You know, kid, you got some good stuff - keep working at it," can mean the world to a young comedian.

The headliner is aware of all this. But he's also tired, and worried about how many CDs he's sold, and the fact that he hasn't seen his kids in three weeks, and maybe especially pissed tonight because that club in Indianapolis just called to tell him his week in June got rescheduled. And if you ask him for advice, names of bookers, or God forbid a reference, he's not going to be pleased and he's not going to be helpful - even if he thought your act was solid.

The headliner is going to help you depending on three things: whether your act was funny; whether he likes you; and whether he feels like it. By asking him - for anything - you're not changing the first one and you run the risk of hurting the last two. Hang around, stay close, and do your best stuff on stage if you notice he's in the room - the rest is up to him.

To sum up, it is important to remember that comedy, like other forms of art, is not just about talent. You need networking skills, business savvy, creativity, and, yes, a few breaks here and there. If you are going to dedicate yourself to becoming a full-time comedian, you are going to face competition from literally thousands of other men and women. The margins between success and failure are quite thin, and using your time at a comedy club to your advantage can help you go further, faster.

This article was originally published on Suite101.com. Subsequent changes have been made.