How To Be A Comedian-Actor and Book More Gigs

What do I mean by "comedian-actor?" Well, in my years as an actor/comedian, I've never seen the acting business be so competitive as it is today. 

My actor friends are constantly complaining, (and rightly so), that they're not working as much as they used to. Nobody is, really.

There are valid reasons for that: more reality television, less scripted content, would be one reason. But another reason is competition. 

Think about it: years ago, we used to be submitted to jobs by our agents, who used a messenger to drop off headshots and resumes at casting offices. 

As actors, we were usually up against anywhere from 100 to 600 other actors for one job.

Now, everything is done electronically. Submissions are done with the click of a mouse, and we now find ourselves competing with 1,200 to 1,600 submissions and more. 

How do you stand out?

One suggestion: Don't just stand out, Stand Up! That's right. I studied acting for many years both in New York and L.A. My father was a successful character actor for 60 years, and I learned that you could be out of work for a stretch. 

That was why I originally started doing stand-up. So I could work when I "wasn't working."

I found that doing comedy kept me busy and also kept me on the radars of casting directors I had built relationships with. 

Why? Because, for the most part, industry decision-makers revere comedians. They have enormous respect for what we do, partly because they fear doing it themselves. 

When a casting director, creative director, or rep sees you doing comedy and having a good set, they equate that laughter to laughter coming from an audience in a movie theater or a living room.

Another reason comedians stand out is that directors for both commercials and TV series want to save time. Instead of wondering whether or not an actor can play a scene comedically, they look for comedians who already have a proven track record of bringing comedy to the scene. 

Casting a comedian eliminates the guesswork. Directors know they’re bringing someone in who understands timing, delivery, and how to make the material shine.

As Dick Cook, former Chairman of Disney, said, "Funny is money."

I've had several actors take my course and wind up getting some great traction in their careers. Several have booked jobs or gotten agents.

One of my favorite stories is Michelle Gomez. She took my class, and I helped her develop a 10-minute comedy routine that she performed at the Comedy Store. 

She had a lot of industry attend, and she wound up booking two pilots. And in the year prior, she couldn't get arrested! 

After she booked the pilots, she sent an email to me that said, "Jerry, thank you for single-handedly restoring my confidence." 

That is a lovely compliment, yes?

What's my point? Stand-up comedy is an excellent showcase for an actor. It shows that you have confidence and poise and demonstrates that you can deliver the goods and get laughs. And after all, funny is money, right?

So what are you waiting for? Add a spark to what you offer as an actor and take a comedy class and start doing stand-up today. 

Who knows, you might wind up making a director's job that much easier.