What I Learned: From Doing Standup Comedy | Tarreyn Land: What I Learned: From Doing Standup Comedy

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

What I Learned: From Doing Standup Comedy

Last week I did something I've been wanting to do and dreading for a long, long time - Stand Up Comedy.
I went to an Open Mic night at a bar in town, and had the amazing support of a bunch of friends of mine showing up to cheer me on.
I honestly don't think I've ever been that scared about a performance in my entire life. I am SO glad I did it and knocked down the massive mental block I've built around it. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. 
I hope I do it again at some point, but for now here's what I learned:
  • The only thing to fear is fear itself
  • BE FLEXIBLE
  • "You are braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think." ~ Winnie the Pooh
  • Take deep breaths
  • You're your own harshest critic
  • Comment and move on
  • ALWAYS be writing things down - never let an idea slip away
  • Get off the sidelines and into the game
  • Don't make fun of anyone who's doing something you're too scared to do
  • Comedy, like almost everything else in life, is totally subjective
  • Steer into the Skid
  • Believe in Yourself and Commit to your Material, no matter what medium!
  • "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious"
  • NEVER tone down your intelligence to please a crowd - especially you, ladies
  • It's ridiculous to expect to be amazing at something the first time you do it
  • Try to dress in a way that makes you confident and happy all the time
  • Not everything has to be a home run - just get on base
  • It's necessary to have a sense of humor about yourself
  • You can be clean and smart and still be funny
  • Set expectations lower and you'll be less disappointed 
  • You know you have really good friends when they wait 2 hours in the cold through a bunch of horrible comedy to see you perform for 5 minutes
  • "With comedy, you have no place to go but more comedy, so you're never off the hook."
  • Be yourself and say what you think
  • The most successful moments in dealing with people are the relatable ones
  • Ignore the hecklers of the world
  • Don't ever apologize for your thoughts and ideas
  • Trick people so the only person who know's you're afraid is you
  • Seize that fucking day
  • Don't judge your audience
  • Don't judge yourself
  • No matter how complimentary people are, NEVER accept shots of Scotch. 


No comments:

Post a Comment