While many comedians think that the only way to measure success is whether or not they get a laugh after their punchline. While this is a simple method if you want to take your comedy career to the next level you can apply several other measurements to ensure your comedy is as dialed in as possible.
The amount and quality of jokes per day, the duration of laughter following a joke, the quantity of time during which one’s listeners are showing interest determine how successful a person is as a comedian. Moreover, the number of people that appear to be interested, the kind of response one gets, are some major factors to consider as a comedian.
The foremost important element that one requires is the natural way of telling jokes, it may be that one has it in their genes or they might have excellent adaptations to new learning material. Whatever the reason and cause of one’s relaxed approach at comedy, the next thing is a self-check for how well or how bad one is producing the quality of output. A critical and engaging time to time check is essential to overcome any errors that may be obstructing a comedian’s full potential.
Metrics Of Comedy
The art of eliciting laughter and applause as a reaction from the audience through one’s words or deeds is how one might define “comedy.” It is difficult and a task that requires vigorous efforts, because not everybody likes what comes out of another’s mouth. Therefore, this talent has to be nurtured and processed before one launches it as their career.
Stand up comedy is a brilliant example of humor spoken for a live audience. It requires Confidence, Presence of Mind, Loud Enough Audibility, Alert and Easy Going Body Language, and obviously Impressive Commentary. The subject or topic may vary according to receiving persons’ age, interests, tastes, mentalities, etc. In short, it’s a vast area of work, and likewise, requires considerable expertise upon speaking.
Let us now submerge into these aspects, necessary for a successful journey of any comedian performing stand up comedy.
Number Of Jokes
The number of jokes that one should be making depends upon the response from the audience. It is simple, in essence, the stuff that has received the maximum applaud or a satisfactory appraisal must be stretched just enough to satiate everybody’s pleasure.
On the contrary, the lowest-rated content should be minimized. In each of these scenarios, further sarcasm and comedy would be decreased and increased concerning viewers’ taking of the preceding ones.
There should also be a proper link between all these jokes, some interrelation so that it is not a new topic after every sentence. It does not appear suitable to have a completely random delivery.
Because jokes demand the audience’s comprehension every single time to understand that which goes on. That is why, for an excellent stand up comedian, it is necessary that a person should plan out this time, and should know what comes next in their set.
Types Of Jokes
The quality of any joke determines it’s place in a show. The best ones should be delivered in the beginning, in the end, and in case of a strain. The start helps gain or lose the interest of listeners. The last nail adds another final star or removes any negative impact that might have been made because of some lull in the delivery.
Moreover, if there come bad times, when most of the audience are observed to be losing their appetite for your set, a comedian may very well insert some highly applauded remark. One might as well create a quick and witty joke about himself or the people present in order to win back the crowd.
Although, this has to be kept in mind that highly personal and partial comments do not surface regarding the audience. Because, while the crowd may enjoy fun and wit, they may not take roasting of the audience as well.
Active Attention
The time when the majority of the audience is engaged up to their fullest is a comedian’s set. Believe it, because for those, who aim at the profitable gain of awaiting crowd and of their own selves, are ultimately on the lookout for the maximum amusement of their audience.
It is to be tackled and tracked, that for how long the people appear to be fixated and to be hanging onto one’s words. Next, the topic is to be looked at, which helped gain that interest. This will help in the future practice of the comedian’s material. This will help you see which topics keep an audience laughing and which make them disinterested.
The hooking up of crowd, their allure, and their charisma is a critical component in the success of comedians. Whether one is a stand up comedian, an improver, a teacher, or humorist, the magnetic enticement of the public is always appreciated by one’s own ego.
Captivated Vs Disinterested People
While speaking to a crowd of people, one shall have every sort of mind and taste. That is why different jokes will appeal differently to different individuals. Amongst these all, the ones who appear to be affected the most should be a priority of the attention of the standing joke maker. They then ought to direct their majority of dedication towards these members.
But, others should also be paid the necessary attention. And that should be granted after the majority of the audience is engaged and laughing.
There must be an equilibrium between these two classes of people. Another critical point is that there should be an endeavor to be attentive to all across the room. The complete compass of the audience should be covered, and the necessary eye contact must always be present. The more you connect the more people will take interest in what you are saying.
Verbal Reactions
When somebody or some group of people shouts out their reaction, a comedian must respond to it actively. How they do that is up to the comedian. Usually, a quick one-liner like Steve Martin’s famous “I remember when I had my first beer.” is often enough to shut down anymore conversation.
As to the positivity or negativity of such comments, and the comeback depends precisely upon that. The crudeness should be ignored, and an easy-going attitude should be adopted to convince the offended of the lightheartedness of the comedian.
Ignoring it indicates the ignorance of the discomfort or dismay. Rather than getting all silly and crying, pay the sayers due respects. This is to be done by joking about your own fault or celebrating some part of their content in order to keep moving through your set.
Laughs Per Minute
How many laughs are procured from the joke in a minute, denotes the quality of that joke. That is why the less is the worst, the more means it is better, while the most is the best. The degrees of adjectives refer to the product of the comedian. In this way, the lower the quantity and quality of laughs per minute, the lesser is the weightage of a joke. Whereas, the more the people engage in laughter, the better is the material that brought it forth.
Laughs Per Minute or LPM is a great indicator of how well your jokes land and how well your set is structured. If you have lulls with no laughter it will indicate either bad punchlines or long setups which are killing the laughter in the room and potentially destroying future laughs.
This technique should be brought into use during and after the show or concert. It could help in the reduction of irrelevant and useless talk. Besides, the most amusing things could be made more elegant, its style enhanced further, and the medium of speaking simplified even more. The secret of a killer joke is brevity. Short and funny beats long and winded any day.
Location and Venue
The event should be held in an easily accessible place. Those places that are remote, even if the hotels are highly valuable, should be avoided. Because people like to have ease in commodities. That is why the venue should be in a majorly common location of a city.
The room that holds the setup is also another essential aspect of judgment by people that can reach the place. It has to be cozy and small, with low ceilings and brick walls or any such surface that helps in the resonation of the voice. In this way, the laughter and claps shall seem louder, and so shall your voice be echoed. Because of which, the public will not feel left out or disconnected.
Besides this, there should be an effort encouraging the comfort of audiences far more than that of the hosts. So, go to places that are more awarding for the audience. Which means that those who are offering better catering needs for the people, tend to have better audiences.
Stage Time
Looking out for the time of delivery of the presentation also speaks about the quality of the material. The improvement and enhancement of the quality of performance are directly in favor of an increase in one’s stage time.
The duration of time that one stays in the spotlight sheds light upon their performance. The more the audience delights in his material, the more will they want the show to be prolonged. And in the very same manner, a boring show will seem like an eternity and an exhausting never-ending trauma.
One should not exaggerate the evening when they are aware of the lack of fun in performance, or if the audience is not engaging. It is best to cut a set short if the audience is not having fun and you are not getting laughs. Ruining everyone’s night is not the goal of a comedian.
Observation Of Crowd
Whenever you perform to a group of people, you must first be aware of what sort of people they are. This means that a stand up comedian ought to perceive and make a note of the general behavior (which includes their taking, responding, and interest), needs, likes, and dislikes. This could be done before coming on the stage, during the set, and after having performed.
The human expressions are a fantastic means for the demonstration of one’s inner mind. The excellency at reading them is what any stand up comedian, too, must have, to cater to the audiences’ needs. Because people appreciate it when they are being given an attentive and acute service.
After The Show
While the show is being delivered, it could go sideways, up, or down the drain. All this should be examined after the show ends. If there were problems with your set, take them out, and try and find a solution. Otherwise, in case of any issues related to the public, then, look out for feedback and critically explore it.
Honest and brave feedback should be looked out for, and the audience must be encouraged to write for real. Proud or pompous behavior results in a negative or even intimidated reaction. While a generous and down to earth approach makes people eager to be engaging attentively.
Tip: The Seinfeld Strategy
The Seinfeld Strategy is a beneficial and easy technique that one might adopt for regular bases testing. After having set a daily goal, there are the following three steps involved;
- The first one is the keeping note of every day if one’s potential is being developed; keeping a regular count on a calendar, regarding practice,
- The next thing is to maintain an unhindered sequence of days where you have been practicing
- The last essence is of not breaking the chain of productive days.
This is a very efficient way through which a stand up comedian may keep track of their intellectual advancement. Hence, the responsibleness of this strategy can be counted upon for the training of one’s punctuality.
This unique methodology deals with the procrastination of one’s goals. It is, therefore, apt at the removal of the problematic causes of procrastination.
Conclusion
The type of comedy or an activity that involves a live crowd requires a big deal of confidence. Even the quality of the performance comes next to the self-esteem of the performer. Besides, there are skills and mediums through which one may polish up their talents. But, experience and practice are what always make one perfect.
Taking time to review each set, show, and joke will allow you to find the flaws in your comedy and measure them in a way that will let you see if the changes you implement in future performances made your performance better or worse. A comedian must be like a mad scientist and experiment their way to a better and monstrous amount of laughter.