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:
Great example of how “funny” doesn’t read from the page, Bazbo and Steve!! 🙂
Seriously, in relation to this article, I sometimes wonder if worry too much much about others stealing our material. I mean, can they really steal OUR bits and OUR sets if we develop them from OUR observations, OUR experiences, OUR viewpoints, OUR convictions? Sure, they may use our wordage, but even if they use our routines or large sections of it, but if all they are stealing is “jokes”, the kernels of Truth at the core of those sets are still ours — and cannot be taken away.
I know it happens, and I know it’s very frustrating and unfair when it does, but I think SOMETIMES we waste too much precious time and creative energy worrying about it. IFor example, some wrote a comment to a different article on this website And suggested we use our B material for open mic performances and “save” our best stuff for when bookers and scouts are present. But don’t we especially need to be practicing and fine-tuning our A material? Maybe, we can find even more creative ways to express the ideas others “borrow” from our acts.
Or perhaps the comedy gods are telling us to move on! 🙂