• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Print Subscription
  • Contact Us

stand up

Trade Secrets of Stand-up Comics

March 5, 2013 by The Inside Press

authorBy John DeBellis

Whether you’re a would-be stand-up comic, a public speaker or just telling jokes to friends many of these tips will help you get bigger laughs:

10. Don’t be too audience conscious, which means do not grade yourself by your audience’s reaction. There are times I’d be working to a tired audience, or one that’s way too drunk, or one that really likes me, but are listeners rather than laughers. Woody Allen said that some of his best sets were ones where he didn’t get many laughs, but afterwards audience members told him how much they enjoyed his show.

9. Whenever possible, we always video recorded our sets and watched them no matter how painful, especially the bad ones. This way we could compare what worked and didn’t worked. Sometimes, the difference in getting a laugh or not is just a syllable or an added word, a look, or you waited just a beat too long in the delivery of the punch line or set up.

8. If I’m rolling alone, getting steady laughs and suddenly a joke doesn’t get a laugh (it’ll feel like an hour of silence), I never comment on it. Most of the time, the audience won’t even notice. There have been times, when a prolonged silence caused me to bring attention to it, but I always made sure what I said was funny. The audience wants the comic to be in control.

7. I was taught never to use vulgarity to deal with a tough situation, like a heckler or an unusual interruption. I’ve worked through black outs and fights in the audience. It’s best to stay clean and original. By closing off the easy avenues it opens up better avenues. You learn to think creatively on your feet and find smarter ways to turn a bad situation into a good one.

6. I was told early on from comedians like Elayne Boosler and Richard Lewis to watch other comics–especially your peers–not to emulate, but to see what works or doesn’t work and to help your fellow comics with advice or even a punch line. It’s one of the fastest ways to learn.

5. For comics it’s important to let the laughs breathe and not to step on them by going into your next joke too quickly. At the same time you also don’t want to wait too long and leave too much space between jokes. Finding the correct timing every time comes with experience.

4. This can also apply to public speakers. Don’t worry about hecklers. Most young comics, unnecessarily, fear them more than any single thing. You naturally learn to deal with hecklers as you gain confidence. You’ll relax more and become even more confident; at that point hecklers can even become tools rather than hindrances.

3. Don’t be afraid of failure. This can apply to other walks of life, but it’s imperative for comedians. Most newbie comics almost always bomb. Although it’s tough to stand there (you feel your life forces being squeezed out of your sweating paws) and not get laughs, you have to realize that bombing helps you determine what’s funny or not. Because of the pain you build a tough crust that will give you the strength to turn a bad audience into a good one.

bookjacket2. For a comedian, it’s important to go on stage as much as possible–even if there’s only one person in the audience. It is still stage time and subconsciously it counts. From a wide range of situations we develop the tools we need in order to be a good comedian. In most cases stage persona takes time to develop. Jerry Seinfeld says it takes ten years.

1. As in many professions, growth as a stand-up comic comes in stages. I’ll be having great sets, and then suddenly I’ll bomb for a week or more. All that meant was that I was between levels ready to break through a wall to advance to the next stage in my development. Knowing that can be the difference between quitting, or becoming a success. I was taught by Rodney Dangerfield never to compare my growth to that of other comics. We all learn at our own pace.

John DeBellis’ STANDUP GUYS: A Generation of Laughs is a comic’s memoir that puts the reader on and off stage with a unique group of young comedians: Larry David, Richard Lewis, Richard Belzer, Bill Maher, Gilbert Gottfried, Elayne Boosler, Rita Rudner, Larry Miller, Joe Piscopo, Robert Wuhl, Paul Reiser, Jerry Seinfeld and several of the most neurotic, lovable characters who survived and thrived due to talent, passion, and, most importantly, camaraderie. It’s a memoir rich in humor, pathos, and insight.

STANDUP GUYS

“A Generation of Laughs”

John DeBellis

johndebellis@gmail.com

201-286-4083
www.920spot.com

Twitter@misterpitiful

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Top Ten Anything! Tagged With: Comedy, stand up

Primary Sidebar

Please Visit

William Raveis – Armonk
William Raveis – Chappaqua
White Plains Hospital
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Briarcliff
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Raveis: Lisa Koh and Allison Coviello
Purple Plains
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Korth & Shannahan
Douglas Elliman: Chappaqua
Wonder food hall
Play Nice Together
Compass: Natalia Wixom
Armonk Tennis Club
New Castle Physical Therapy
Temple Beth El
King Street Creatives
Dr. Briones Medical Weight Loss Center

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Armonk Inside Chappaqua and Millwood Inside Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Publisher’s Note Regarding Our Valued Sponsors

Inside Press is not responsible for and does not necessarily endorse or not endorse any advertisers, products or resources referenced in either sponsor-driven stories or in advertisements appearing in this publication. The Inside Press shall not be liable to any party as a result of any information, services or resources made available through this publication.The Inside Press is published in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertising or sponsor driven stories that appear in this publication. The views of advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher’s.

Opinions and information presented in all Inside Press articles, such as in the arena of health and medicine, strictly reflect the experiences, expertise and/or views of those interviewed, and are not necessarily recommended or endorsed by the Inside Press. Please consult your own doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2025 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in