When Jokes Hurt Personal Relationships

What to do When Jokes Hurt Personal Relationships?

I have a student who talks about her husband having a hard time getting aroused in the bedroom. "Unless he’s watching porn, he can’t get it up." It really bothers her. She wanted a joke to respond to him.

Now as part of her act, after setting it up, she says...

"One time, me and my husband were at Disneyland at one of those ice cream kiosks... The guy said, “Would you like some soft serve.” I said, “No thanks. (points to her husband) I brought my own.”

She debated whether or not to keep the joke, because she was afraid that it would hurt his feelings. That’s an honest dilemma. It is a very personal thing and she's still in a relationship with this man.

So what do you do when your joke hurts personal relationships...

trump-make-america-hate-again

Is Trump’s Election Changing Stand Up Comedy?

The Trump voters—who during the campaign seemed quiet, almost a little embarrassed about admitting they were voting for Trump are now emboldened in post-election. They have no problem booing comedians, heckling them or threatening them now that their guy is going to be the president.

Some comedians, like Wanda Sykes, was booed when she called Trump an “orangutang,” and Amy Schumer had 200 people walk out of her show when she condescendingly questioned a Trump supporter after inviting her on the stage--

Stand Up Comedy Clinic

What Do Comedy Bookers Mean When They Say They Want it ‘Clean?’

There is no absolute definition for clean. Here's something you should never do...

I was on the road with this comedian from Salt Lake City and we got a call from a booker in the middle of the week to do a corporate show for a bunch of gold miners. It was a dinner and everyone was well dressed. The pay was $1000 for the headliner and $500 for the feature act.

When we got to the event this huge dude in a tuxedo comes up to us--There's something scary about a huge dude in a tuxedo. Like, first of all, what tuxedo company rents shirts with a 22-inch neck?

Anyway, he says to us, "We need this show to be clean because the wives are here." The comedian I was working with was told by some other comedian that when they want it clean all you have to do is ask the audience, "Do you want the clean stuff or the dirty stuff?"

So He got up onstage and said...

why comedians think their way into being broke

How the ‘Broke Artist’ Mentality Keeps many Talented Comedians Broke

A large percentage of comedians today have that 'broke-artist' mentality. They actually think their way into staying broke. It's exactly that mentality that keeps them broke. I think part of the problem is reality vs. perception. Here's the reality: If you can get laughs consistently and work in almost any environment, you are a valuable commodity. Here's the perception: It's an art, so you shouldn't think about money. The problem with that approach is that if you're not thinking about making money, you ARE thinking about being broke.

“The Nightly Show” with Larry Wilmore Canceled by Comedy Central Provides New Opportunities

Where some people see failure, I see amazing opportunity!

I mean what a perfect time to self-produce a show that has that edge.

If I was new writer trying to break in, not only would I be writing and submitting packets every three to six months, I would be collaborating and self-producing a 5 min. edgy variety/talk show just like the Daily Show with the same type of enthusiasm and gusto that was ever-present at that show.