I learned very early in my career the importance of great sound on the comedy stage. Nearly every comedian recognizes the sweet sound of a good mic that will make jokes soar. Well-planned comedy clubs provide sound that makes the voice sing and the laughter comes back to the performer's ears like waves.
Unfortunately, when you walk outside of the boundaries of the comedy club and into the realm of private parties that luxury fades quickly.
Nothing is more exasperating to a comedian than bad sound. A comedian's voice is his instrument and the betrayal of a bad microphone will take away confidence as the voice is lost in crackles and electric screams. Rather than being lured into this bad scene by the private party paycheck, plan for it. Being prepared to fix acoustical problems is one of your most important jobs.
It is a dilemma that is easily solved. Bring your own microphone and your own amplifier. They will pay for themselves a hundred times over. The great news is that a stand up comedian doesn't need the exotic equipment of the musician. A simple microphone on a long cord attached to a small amplifier does the trick for an average size private party - 50 to even 300 people.
I also recommend a small stage light especially if you anticipate videotaping and posting to YouTube to increase your social media presence. Anticipating problems will increase your value as you easily problem-solve for any environment. With a bit of pre-planning, it is possible to make the private party a very fun and rewarding experience.
HumorousSpeakersBureau
Sally Edwards is the president of the Humorous Speakers Bureau and a professional corporate comedian.
Showing posts with label stand up comedians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stand up comedians. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Saturday, November 16, 2013
The Radio Interview - What Stand Up Comedians Need to Know
I'll never forget my first radio interview as a stand up comedian. I was on the road in a small Ohio town and I was asked to go to the local radio station to promote my stand up comedy show at a nearby comedy club. I had strict instructions from the radio station. "Write out five questions that will lead into jokes. Tell the jokes." End of instructions.
What the radio station failed to mention is that many radio hosts may step right on every one of those five set-ups and/or punchlines and completely ruin the timing of a joke. That can make a radio interview very painful. Comedians know that the best hosts are either highly sensitive to the talent of their individual guests or they are former stand up comics themselves.
This type of radio interview remained the status quo until the day that I walked into the WGN Radio studio and handed my sheet of questions leading to jokes to Steve Cochran, a true veteran of outstanding radio (and a stand up comedian). Steve, looked at me, unsmiling, and said, "Oh you can throw that away. We're going to wing it." My heart stopped. "Wing it," I thought. That's what I've been trained "not to do" by countless radio personalities. I was totally unprepared mentally. That day, I began to "wing it" in shock. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
Years later, I still recall this first unrehearsed radio interview every time I walk through the doors of a new radio station. This past week, I co-hosted the "Down and Dirty" Show with Frank Fontana. I could not have been more at ease. Frank is a wonderful host who knows how to interview effortlessly. I've learned a lot since my first encounter with Steve Cochran of WGN Radio and I now interpret the experience of a live radio interview on my own terms: Talking on the radio is an experience nearly identical to talking to an old friend on the telephone. You listen, you laugh, you chat, you laugh. What could be natural?! Would you talk to an old friend with a handful of prepared notes? Of course not. Hearing a natural and fun exchange is what makes radio enjoyable and engaging. The listeners become caught up in that camaraderie.
If you are being interviewed on the radio, throw those notes away. Look at the interviewer as if he is a long lost friend. Catch up on news. And as Steve Cochran most brilliantly put it, "Just wing it!"
What the radio station failed to mention is that many radio hosts may step right on every one of those five set-ups and/or punchlines and completely ruin the timing of a joke. That can make a radio interview very painful. Comedians know that the best hosts are either highly sensitive to the talent of their individual guests or they are former stand up comics themselves.
This type of radio interview remained the status quo until the day that I walked into the WGN Radio studio and handed my sheet of questions leading to jokes to Steve Cochran, a true veteran of outstanding radio (and a stand up comedian). Steve, looked at me, unsmiling, and said, "Oh you can throw that away. We're going to wing it." My heart stopped. "Wing it," I thought. That's what I've been trained "not to do" by countless radio personalities. I was totally unprepared mentally. That day, I began to "wing it" in shock. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
Years later, I still recall this first unrehearsed radio interview every time I walk through the doors of a new radio station. This past week, I co-hosted the "Down and Dirty" Show with Frank Fontana. I could not have been more at ease. Frank is a wonderful host who knows how to interview effortlessly. I've learned a lot since my first encounter with Steve Cochran of WGN Radio and I now interpret the experience of a live radio interview on my own terms: Talking on the radio is an experience nearly identical to talking to an old friend on the telephone. You listen, you laugh, you chat, you laugh. What could be natural?! Would you talk to an old friend with a handful of prepared notes? Of course not. Hearing a natural and fun exchange is what makes radio enjoyable and engaging. The listeners become caught up in that camaraderie.
If you are being interviewed on the radio, throw those notes away. Look at the interviewer as if he is a long lost friend. Catch up on news. And as Steve Cochran most brilliantly put it, "Just wing it!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)