One of the things I like to do is try to figure out what lies in store for stand-up comedy from a futuristic perspective.

Well, let me assure you, the future I am about to predict is just around the corner and will actually affect all forms of live entertainment.

So, let your imagination run wild for a minute as I describe my version of how stand-up comedy will be delivered in the not-so-distant future. But you won’t have to stretch too far because the technology already exists for what I am about to describe.

First, a little background. Most everyone is aware that stand-up comedy has its most powerful impact in the live environment and simply doesn’t translate well as far as individual viewership is concerned.

That’s because laughter is a shared response and with no one in the vicinity to share that laughter with—well, it just doesn’t happen like in the live audience environment.

But what if you could put on some head gear and have a seat among other real audience members watching a comedian perform—right from the comfort of your living room?

While the process may be complex in operation, it is not a conceptually difficult concept to grasp.

One would need a special camera, a sort of circular affair that captures footage from the stage AND the periphery of a live stand-up comedy performance while stationed among other live audience members.

In other words, this camera would be an “audience member” placed among a closely seated group of real audience members, capturing their real reactions on audio and video as the performance takes place, as well as the performance itself.

The special head gear I referred to earlier would allow an individual to actually watch that performance from their TV as an audience member, from the digital footage captured by the special camera. If you look to either side while wearing the head gear, you would be looking at the real reactions of real audience members as the stand-up comedy show (or other performance) was presented.

Think of the video game DOOM, all presented from the shooter’s perspective only instead of cartoon-like characters, you see real people while you are actually “seated” at the event, “virtual” style. As you move your head to look around, you are looking at real audience members, responding just as they did at the actual event.

And like I said before, this concept could be applied to any live audience entertainment performance, replicating the live performance experience.

Of course, this would be a pay-per-view type of service, which means…

There’s ton of money to be made from stand-up performances that are some of the lowest cost to produce for TV when implementing this virtual live performance experience.

Imagine this…

Let’s say that it costs roughly $40,000 to produce a high quality stand-up comedy special for TV.

Now if you can rent the virtual experience of this performance for $6.00 (like PPV movies now) and 500,000 people watch it from home—that’s $3 million dollars of revenue from a single stand-up comedy special.

Individual viewers (which is what multiple TV households and the Internet have produced) would be VERY likely to use this virtual service, especially since it replicates the live experience and group dynamics on an individual basis.

Trust me—stand-up comedy specials DON’T make $3 million dollars in revenue. They are a programming expense as a medium for either advertising dollars or for paid cable station content.

Households will have multiple headsets for this “virtual live performance” so that Dad can watch his favorite football game on the 50 yard line, just as if he were sitting in the stands, while Mom is watching her favorite stand-up comedian perform his or her latest comedy special. Meanwhile, the daughter is watching an episode of American Idol, just as if she were a part of the live studio audience.

Of course the “standard” programming would still be available.

That’s what I see as the future for stand-up comedy. And it will open up more opportunities than ever before for comedians who are currently restricted by individual viewership of TV and Internet video performances that currently don’t replicate the live audience experience or dynamics or truly represent a comedian’s true ability to entertain a live audience.

Exciting, huh?

Cheers,
Steve Roye
The Professor of Funny for Money

About the Author/Founder of The Stand-up Comedy Professional

Steve Roye is the author of the Killer Stand-up Comedy System and author of the content made available in the Comedy Pro Membership Program available on this site.

Over the past decade, Steve has established himself as a leading, globally recognized expert in the field of stand-up comedy material development, delivery and entertainment business strategies for comedy entertainers as well as speaking professionals.

For more information about Steve, please check out the About The Author section on this site.