The Next Stand-up Comedy Boom Is Here
Most comedians won’t recognize this before it’s too late, but just know that you heard it here first…
We are at the beginning stages of the next stand-up comedy boom.
How do I know that? Here’s how…
I have been studying stand-up comedy trends for years. Historically, stand-up comedy “booms” typically occur in the US when the economy takes a turn south, like we are experiencing now.
The last comedy boom started in the early 80’s, when inflation was rampant and interest rates were at an all time high. Because stand-up comedy is a relatively inexpensive entertainment option, more folks head to live stand-up comedy.
But wait, it gets better…
As the economy continues to soften and hard ecomonic times are present, more and more folks will also stay home more and focus on TV as opposed to going out. You only have to look at the significant increase in stand-up comedy over the last 12 months on Showtime, HBO and Comedy Central to see what I am talking about.
Now you will hear many comedians say that it was TV that killed the last stand-up comedy boom. In reality it was unfunny stand-up comedy on TV that helped to squish the last stand-up comedy boom.
I worked with comedian Mick Lazinski who told me that in 1984 the demand for stand-up comedians was so high that if you lived in New York and had a head shot—you were a comedian.
But there were other factors as well that lead to the demise of the last stand-up comedy boom…
As more and more less than funny stand-up comedy was being shown on TV, the price of TV’s and VCR’s was plummeting, which took away the home group dynamic for watching TV.
Inferior stand-up comedy on TV, coupled with an emerging trend of individual TV viewership from dropping TV and VCR prices is what killed the comedy clubs and stand-up comedy on TV.
So, it has taken over 20 years and a crappy economy to get to this juncture again.
The good news is that there has been a glut of very talented comedians since the last boom. The Killer Stand-up Comedy System was developed since the last boom.
The bottom line:
If you are truly funny and have developed your stand-up comedy skills to a high level…
There are, and will continue to be, more and more TV opportunities now and for at least into the near future–24-48 months I would venture to guess.
So, you had better be prepared and ready for the “big game” if getting on TV is your goal. New stand-up comedy stars will be born from this boom. Will you be one of them?
Like I said, just know that you heard it here first.
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.
A lot of not so funny guys are working at the clubs because of long standing relationships. Being funny is only part of the equation, politics is everywhere. Right now work in clubs and bars is down everywhere, not booming.
Fact is all the bookers I work for have way less work than they had two years ago. Many week long rooms have contracted to weekend rooms. The clubs and one nighter-bookers prefer to work with comics they have established relationships with. With less places to work the experienced guys are taking up ALL the work at existing places. It is much harder to break into an agency or club’s rotation now than two years ago. With out audiences for feedback it is almost impossible to develop a quality act. At current feature pay and transportation cost it IS impossible to support yourself via the road. No body gets to “headliner funny” without experience in front of a audience, PERIOD. Show me the work and I’ll believe in your “boom. I see no evidence that the boom is happening.
Get funnier and you will get work — I don’t care how old or new you are in the business. Question: Are you one of those people who is just sitting around, whating for a comedy club hand out. If so, you are in for a long haul, boom or not. Sorry to be so brutal, but stand-up comedy is a business. It’s business that fuels the comedy, not the other way around like many people falsely believe.
thank-you for the information you have been sending me and i am certainly interested in your book but economics has reared it’s ugly head. numerous numerous times i have had strangers, co-workers,cousins family (except for one) bar tenders over-hearing conversations, suggest that i should do stand-up comedy. This last info you sent me on July 28 2009 about lousy comics certainly hit home with me. In fact like a lot of other people i get a knot in stomach everytime i watch a new comic on tv. i recently had the opportunity to do a mock interview that was filmed in regards to job interviewing skills. the pretend job intervier surprised me with with a question that i flubbed magnificently ( I’M IN SALES) and the eleven people viewing this all had tears in their eyes. I was watching it also and although i only saw it once (maybe i can get a copy) i don’t know how funny it was. I think i am fairly quick and most people would say i have a good sense of humour. I have a passionate subject and i was glad to read that you should have your own style. What you see when i go on a sales call is what you get.If i am acting i do not know it. Hopefully, i got lucky when i came across your web-site ( i am rather new to computers)I have had a life-time of experience (all bad i might add)on this subject but looking back on this subject it is laughable though somewhat tragic, but if comedy comes from tragedies this does has all the earmarks of having some potential. I do not know the first thing about proceeding and it is unlike me to not mention the subject but i find myself laughing when i am writing things down. it is hard to grasp this subject and confusing, but i am gaining more and more info everyday to understand this subject. thank-you for your help and i have a job interview next Tuesday i feel confident about. Hopefully no more surprise questions, as i just can not help myself.
I completely understand. Keep you head up — all will turn out as it should. FYI: I have a condensed version of the system as well that is less expensive. The Prof