It’s a Really Sad State of Affairs When…
A comedian takes it upon themselves to steal material from other comedians.
Unfortunately, it’s a reality in stand-up comedy.
Any comedian who has the ability to effectively deliver original material on stage should never have to resort to stealing jokes — ever (make sure you check out the video at the bottom of this article on how to prevent theft of your stand-up comedy material).
So, Why Does It Happen?
It happens because…
Comedians who are “joke thieves” really don’t know how to quickly and effectively develop their own original material. It’s that simple.
And honestly, this doesn’t surprise me at all. Most comedians are stuck trying to write “jokes” the hard way.
I will be the very first to tell you that conventional joke writing is not only incredibly difficult, but even the most popular comedy teachers can’t seem to teach folks how to “write jokes.” I know I can’t, and I won’t pretend that I can.
Ask Yourself This…
The last time you made someone laugh in a casual conversation:
- Did you think about what type of “joke formula” you were going to use?
- Did you write out your response to what somebody said, hand it to them, and then they laughed?
Of course not! That’s not how we make people laugh in real life, and it’s not how you’ll get laughs on stage either.
Joke Writing vs. Joke Structuring
I don’t show comedians how to “write jokes.”
I show them how to structure what they want to talk about on stage.
There’s a huge difference between that and trying to write jokes one by one like digging a swimming pool with a spoon.
When I was actively performing, I saw comedians perform pieces of my own material — word for word — while I was sitting in the audience. And yes, I approached them about it after the show.
Parallel Thinking vs. Theft
There’s a big difference between stealing material and parallel thinking. The nature of comedy means that many comedians talk about topics audiences can relate to, so there can be overlap in material development.
But if your material is personal to you, you’ll encounter far fewer issues with parallel thinking.
Let me break this down further:
- Comedians can and do talk about similar things.
- What makes stand-up original are the unique, personal details each comedian brings from their experiences, observations, and opinions.
So, why steal when you already have HOURS of original material to tap into, just waiting to be structured for your stand-up act?
Stealing Comedy Material in the Age of AI: The Ultimate Bonehead Move
Stealing stand-up comedy material is about the stupidest thing any comedian can do. And, as if you thought it couldn’t get worse, we’ve now entered an era where stealing jokes is not just lazy — it’s an ultimate “hold my beer” moment.
Why? Because now, with the advent of AI tools, there is simply no excuse for not generating your own original, high-level material.
AI can help comedians — whether you’re new or experienced — to rapidly generate, edit, and refine original comedy with minimal effort. The tools are out there, and they’re free (if you know where to look).
If you thought stealing jokes was a bonehead move before, imagine how much more ridiculous it is now that AI can provide an endless stream of unique comedy material at your fingertips.
It’s Not Just Untalented People Who Steal
Here’s the thing — it’s usually not the untalented comedians who steal. Often, it’s the ones with talent who are struggling to generate original content at a high level.
And that’s where AI comes in as a game-changer.
We’ve left the days of excuses behind. With AI-driven tools, even the most talented comedians no longer need to struggle or resort to material theft to stay fresh.
We’re now in the “no more excuses” era.
The Bottom Line
Don’t steal material. Ever.
Instead, use free AI tools like Comedy Prompt Pro to easily generate prompt-driven, original headline-level comedy material that’s personalized to your voice and style.
AI can help you do in minutes what used to take hours, ensuring you always have fresh, original content at your disposal.
And when you’re ready to take your comedy to the next level, it’s time to look into the Killer Stand-up Online Course—designed to help you truly master your craft and go pro.
Related Video:
If your act is unique enough then joke stealing is nothing to worry about. Comedy is all about the delivery! They may take the joke but they will NEVER deliver it like you did…unless that person is a damn good actor.
According to these two law professors, courts pretty much refuse to recognize jokes as intellectual property or punish those who steal jokes from comedians, no matter how clear cut the facts are, so it’s basically up to the comedy community to prevent joke stealing. This is mainly done by making pariahs of known joke thieves (along with the occasional beat down).
http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2008_fall/comedy.htm?ntype=feed&docid=NT000049FE
I can certainly understand this PROVIDED a comedian has taken no formal action to protect their comedy material, such as writing up a one person act and submitting it to WGA (costs $20). They then have the same legal protection as any other play, screenplay, movie script or whatever via WGA. FYI.
If you heard a comedian’s routine (only once), about how people can say a particular phrase at inappropriate times and ways. Then you honestly, have someone say that phrase inappropriately to you and you joke about that experience from stage. Is that stealing another comedian’s material? To me, its not. I am not doing his routine. I am telling a story of what someone said personally to me! Where does a comedian draw the line?
The line is drawn when a comedian does another comedians material word for word.