Well done, Jason!
Let me sum up everything you need to know in one sentence: if you can get 'some good laughs' on a gong show, you can make a living as a comedian.
That's not to say you will - but you've made an audience laugh and what you can do once, you can do again.
And again.
And again.
(Apart from losing your virginity, of course - but I digress)
Accentuate the positives.
Eliminate the negatives.
And you can make it.
WHY WOULD YOU START OFF AT A GONG SHOW? Are you a massochist?
thanks Ming, positive vibes are exactly what I need to hear right now, I feel really a bit weird at the moment.. like one minute I'm buzzing, then I feel really down about it, then I'm buzzing again...
I guess I went straight in for a gong out straight away out of pure naivety really but I don't necessarily regret it.... I've learnt some valuable lessons, and the compere gave me some really good advice and encouragement afterwards too. I also thought that maybe stand up doesn't do too well at open mic compared with music acts whereas a comedy night is geared up to it... but the other acts were recommending open mic to test out material and develop ideas sothat's exactly what I'm going to do.
it felt really good on stage when it was going well.... and I was really looking forward to getting into my second piece but in the transition from 'toilet humour' to 'zany humour' I tried to dabble in a bit of dry humour... at which point the knives came out.
I'll be back.
Do you realise they mean comedy open mic nights ? Different to music and caberet open mic. Don't do mixed open mics as a new comic. Where are you based? There are loads of standup forums which have lists of open mics.
they recommended specific places... some were mixed and some were 'strictly comedy.... I agree that strictly comedy might be better
I'm in Manchester area, last nights gig was in Preston...
There are LOADS of open mics around Manc! Join the Manchester Comedy Forum.
Gongs are odd, don't take what happens there as much of a guide. There tends to be a (as you'd expect) judgemental attitude to every line you give, in isolation. If you're a good on linerthat's fine but try and work to any sort of narrative and it can be grim.
In my few short months I've had (what I regard as) a reasonable amount of success....done well in all the competitions I entered, getting lots of offers to do 10mins+ sets and starting to get expenses paid at a few gigs - yet in the 2 gongs I have done I died in under 2 mins at both. For me, not something I'd bother with again.
L
Sound advice I think there Mr. Lewis, especially given the kind of stuff I want to do. One of the things the compere mentioned was about "leaping into a complex narrative" straight away... he suggested you have to 'start with a bang' in order to get the audiences trust to let you get away with bits that are building up or don't work out as well as hoped.
Manchester Comedy forum... I'll do that.. cheers Nat
Quote: Jason Bumford @ October 22 2010, 6:22 PM BSTSound advice I think there Mr. Lewis, especially given the kind of stuff I want to do. One of the things the compere mentioned was about "leaping into a complex narrative" straight away... he suggested you have to 'start with a bang' in order to get the audiences trust to let you get away with bits that are building up or don't work out as well as hoped.
Manchester Comedy forum... I'll do that.. cheers Nat
in my experience if you don't mention cock or wank in the first 15 seconds you are, in the minds of a gong show crowd, already head first into a "complex narrative" !
Right, I haven't managed to pin down any open mic nights yet but I'm up to do a gong at a much bigger audience in Manc in a couple of weeks. I've been on the waiting list for ages so I may aswell do it.
But I need help on my opening line....
I'm going to do a sketch about crocodiles first this time. I'll be leaping into an an all out impression of Steve Irwin fairly early. I think I'll ditch my (ahem) "complex narrative" that I did to lead into it... and replace it with something short, punchy and friendly (its only my second time and I feel like a sell out already).
Any ideas for an opening line? What would happen if I shouted, in that lame way that everyone seems to do,.. "give me a cheer if you like crocodiles?" Thoughtless cheers? Silence?
Depends on the gong show. Most you will just get silence.
Are you sure you want your first gig to be a gong? That's very brave.
Does anyone mind if I use this thread to see if a joke is funny?
Has it ever stopped you before?
I was being polite
Who rescues the aristocrats from Oddbins?
The Scarlet Zinfandel!
I like the punch but not the setup.