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Support what you love

I love comedy, I always have. I used to watch stand-up any chance I got when I was a kid.

I remember the first time I ever saw it. It was Jack Dee making a funny drill noise and ripping up the carpet. I said to my brother, "What's this?" He said "Stand-up comedy." In that moment, something clicked. I was always making friends laugh and I thought maybe I could do that one day.

Fast forward 30 years and now I am. And I'd just like to say: support what you love.

You'd be surprised how little you actually get told that you're great in comedy. You have to spend most of your time telling yourself you're great.

For that reason, if you see a comedian online or at a show, approach them after the show and tell them you enjoyed their performance or like and comment on their video.

I always do. I'll always push through people to shake their hand and say, "That was great." I'll also say something like, "Hey, that bit with the giant penguin and the mayonnaise, really funny" - just to let them know it's not a hollow statement, I did really like what they did.

It means a lot to people - especially comedians. They could have had a run of bad gigs and your comment might lift them.

There's a lot of comedy online now - especially sketch comedy - and it's almost diluting the live stuff. Everybody is doing their own sketches online and building huge followings. This is great but, just like stand up, don't forget to go out and watch some live sketch groups do their thing and, if you enjoy it, go let them know.

I'm saying all this because every stand-up show I do the MC will ask, "Who's never been to comedy before?" - and most of the crowd cheer. It's crazy. It happens all the time, so if you haven't been to a show then go.

Watch the show to support the gig, buy a drink to support the bar, follow the comic online to support them. Pick up a CD or bottle opener or whatever from the merch table. It all helps.

There's energy in a comedy room. Electricity.

I bet some people watch a stand up clip online and think, "Why is everyone laughing so hard?". It's because they're in the bubble - they're in the room. It's hard to describe unless you're sat there side stage, drink in hand, throwing your head back and laughing.

I remember seeing Tom Stade a couple of years ago and I almost pissed myself. I lost all control of my spine, then started sliding down my chair. It was because I was there in the moment (and Tom does me in every time I hear him speak because he's hilarious).

I do stand-up now and sometimes I forget what it's like to sit in the crowd and just soak it in - so every now and again that's just what I do.

I grab a drink, sit back and look at it through the lens of an audience member, just wanting to laugh. Just wanting to forget about bills or my job - if only for an hour or so. The biggest compliment I ever got was someone saying, "I've had a really shit week and I needed that."

So, anyway: support what you love. Otherwise, it might die.

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