Primetime

Leaving Tulsa, we were excited for Fayetteville. We primarily do open mics and showcases, but this show got our blood pumping because it was a real gig. Along with two Fayetteville-based comics, we were opening for a headliner out of Des Moines. Real gigs are the light at the end of the tunnel, and the journey to get there is a long slog through a shit tunnel.

The longer we’ve been on the road, the better things have become. Not only comedically (getting on better shows, becoming more comfortable on stage, etc.) but also in terms of living more comfortably in the van. It’d be great to say the improvements just happened, but the reality is every lesson learned came through a (sometimes painful) process of trial and error.

We’re not the brightest guys or the quickest learners, but when we learn little tips or tricks, we’re happy to pass them along. A lot of beginning comics, ourselves included, have asked “How can I get on better shows?”. We’ll attempt answer that question but before doing so, let’s rewind a bit.

Throwback

If you’ve been reading since the beginning then you know our first mics and shows were far from ‘dream gigs’. They were the kind of shows every comic reading this article knows all too well. The shows where you arrive hours early to sign up for a good spot, only to be told “There’s actually a showcase first” and then “we’re not going to follow the order”. Eventually, at 2 a.m., you get to perform to no one. Those shows are rough, but you take whatever stage time you can get.

We recently started doing something which landed us better shows and we’ll tell you what that is -- but before that, we just want to say we’re far from experts. We’re still anonymous mic’ers. We’re figuring shit out on the fly just like everyone else. All we can do is share our experience and hope our failings can save you some suffering. If you can wring even a drop of motivation or inspiration out of our experience, awesome.

As far as we can tell, there’s no linear path to success in comedy. If there was, we’d be staying in fancy hotels instead of a leaky van. Either way we love the process and want every fellow aspiring comic to live their dream too. We’re happy to share any small bits of knowledge, but remember -- our approach to getting better could be terrible. So take what we say with a grain of salt.

Ask and ye shall receive

To get on real shows, our suggestion is simple: just ask. If you see gigs you want to be a part of, contact the host and ask to get on. You may get rejected 9 out of 10 times, but try anyway. Who cares? If you’re worried about rejection, you may want to consider doing something else.

It’s hard to imagine an endeavor more flirtatious with rejection than standup. Every single joke puts you on the razors edge between rejection (silence) and approval (laughter) — and even when you get approval, you have mere seconds until you’re back on the chopping block.

In the beginning we thought if we grinded it out and waited hours upon hours, we’d magically be tapped on the shoulder and told “You’ve been selected for the big show. You’re the best! Can I suck your dick?”. That may happen for some people, but most of us need to make our own luck.

*Disclaimer* Asking for and getting on better shows hasn’t removed us from open mic. We still do several per week -- some great, others nightmarish. We still face rejection when asking to be on shows. The point isn’t to never get rejected, it’s to be rejected less and less.

That’s all!

People are nicer than you think. Will you encounter dickheads who rule their scene like tin-pot dictators and revel in the failure of others? Sure. Are there jerks out there with narrow views of what’s funny, and who think everyone else is a hack? No doubt. But here’s the thing: fuck those people. Don’t worry about assholes. There are far more friendly, supportive comics out there than jerks.

That’s our humble suggestion. Ask. Network. Meet new comedians. It’s been helpful for us, and it may work for you. Try it out if you please. Or, if you’ve got a better method, let us know - we’ve still got a lot to learn, too! And for those who are happy as-is, keep on keeping on. Who knows - maybe someone will come along and give you that magical tap on the shoulder.

Showtime

The show was a blast, and not to beat a dead horse but we only got on because we sought it out and asked.

The show was at a bar/restaurant that had an artsy feel to it with paintings, instruments, and albums coating the walls. The stage was set in the back corner and used for hosting various live performances. We were introduced to the other comedians when we arrived and spent a lot of time chatting. Hanging out and shooting the shit with other comedians is equally as fun as shows themselves.

All openers had 12 minutes each. Dan and I used our time to test new material and tweak old jokes. It was a great show and it was truly enjoyable to sit back and watch all the other comics shine too. Doing a real show like that reminded us why it’s so important to bust our humps at mics, even if they are ‘bad’ and we don’t feel like doing them.

When it was finished we thanked the host for putting us on, exchanged information with the other comics, and prepared to hit the road. Our next stop was Dallas, a mere six hours away.