Comedy Mom

It's easy to start dismissing open mics when you start getting "paid gigs." Some people see open mics as only auditions for bookers. I am making a passionate case for why this is not true. All stage time is good stage time. Get all the stage time you can! Besides, you need to go see your Comedy Mom at least once a week. She misses you. 

We are talking all about self deprecating humor. What it is, how it helps, and how to keep it from going too far. Using examples from her own material, Katy Ipock helps demystify writing jokes about yourself. Plus, Comedy Mom gets a little passionate at the end talking about the true purpose in the world as stand up comedians. 

Got a question for your comedy mom? E-mail us at [email protected]. Or Send us a message on instagram at @comedymompodcast.

When sports teams want to get better the coach sits them down and makes them watch game footage. Watching yourself play is the best way to see what your doing and where you can improve. Comedy is exactly the same way. The best way to see where you can get better as a performer is to watch (or listen) to your sets. Truly and honestly analyzing your sets will help you grow your talent and skills. Seriously. Record every set. 

This episode could also be titled "How To Stay On A Booker's Good Side." Acting professionally isn't dependent on your talent and/or skill level. Whether you are an open micer or on the road, you can follow this guidelines and behave like a true professional. You are probably an open micer if you are listening to this, so definitely get into these habits now. "Practice How You Play" is great advice for sports teams, but also great advice for comedy. 

Joke Theft is the only hard, fast rule in Stand Up Comedy. There are no "covers" in stand up. This episode is all about joke theft, parallel thinking and hack jokes. We talk about why it's important, how to avoid it, and how to handle being called out on it. 

We delve into what it's like to be married to a comic. Kris Ipock is Katy's amazing husband and co-owner of their production company, Ipockolyptic Productions. They talk about what it's like to be married to a comic, and Kris's role in helping to book shows. (Hint: Katy is not the only booker you have to impress in Central Oregon.)

Stuart Wilson and Jubal Chaplin sat down with me after an open mic. We talked about their first open mic, advice about cannabis and performing, and general comedy chit chat. 

It doesn't take long for any "open micer" to ask, How do I get booked for a paid show? This episode is all about what I look for when booking someone and how to get yourself on a show. Keep in mind, it can take YEARS before you get your first paid gig. Comedy is a long game, and there is no reason to be in a hurry. You are an artist, so focus on your art. The $20 gigs will come when they come. This episode will help you understand the initial goal of going from open mics to paid gigs. But, again, there is literally no hurry. 

Everyone wants to know how to write a joke. After every show there is usually one person who asks where I get my material. This episode isn't about the actual technique of writing, but how to generate material to write about. This is great comedy mom advice for those just starting out and for any comic who has come up against writer's block. 

Comedy is an art form. It's hard to tell, in a concrete way, how well a set lands. Over my 5 years of performing I have found a way to analyze my sets that gives me actual numbers to look at. Not everyone  will want to do it this way, but it helps me make my sets stronger. These are also the factors I am thinking about when I'm considering booking someone for a show. 

Break Down:

Laugh Ratio: The percentage of time the audience spends laughing versus your total time on stage. The goal at this level should be 15%. ( I got this from The Comedian, a documentary about Jerry Seinfeld.) 

Hit Rate: How many punchlines you throw out versus how many of them land. The goal is 100%

Hit Strength: The average strength of all our punchlines. Your average should be around 3. (If you are assigning strength on the same scale I do. Obviously, whatever scale you want to use is up to you.)