School Of Laughs

Last week you met John Branyan. He is the comic with an affinity for Shakespeare and the Three Little Pigs. After I hung up, I thought about a comedy challenge. John and I were both headed to the same conference that weekend (Christian Comedy Association). We were both slated to perform at the same showcase. This was a perfect chance to force myself to get some new material out of the notebook an onto the stage.

So I called back and issued the challenge. At first, I thought we would just hold each other accountable to do the bits. Then, I upped the ante and told him we would record the show and play back the bits on a future podcast. The new bit comedy challenge was on!

Today John offers up a decent size chunk of political humor. He has a method for writing jokes about ANYTHING. And since he hates political humor, he forced himself to use this system to write 5-6 jokes about the current presidential candidates.

On my end, I suggest a few jokes about planning a family vacation. Initially, a few observations about getting the funds together for the trip. Then the hotel stay. And eventually the trip to Sea World Orlando.

We are both happy with the potential of the bits. Since it is untested territory, we won't know until next week how it all shakes out! Let me know if you like this episode. If so, the new bit comedy challenge may become a regular feature.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting us through a monthly pledge via PATREON Below are a variety of levels and bonuses for keeping the show going.

Click the graphic above to learn even more!

If your stand up isn't getting the results you think that it should, the online comedy comedy writing course may be a great option for you. Check out the ONLINE CLASSES link at SchoolOfLaughs.com to find out more. Use the coupon COLDCASH20 to get 20% off the online SILVER course.

Last week you met John Branyan. He is the comic with an affinity for Shakespeare and the Three Little Pigs. After I hung up, I thought about a comedy challenge. John and I were both headed to the same conference that weekend (Christian Comedy Association). We were both slated to perform at the same showcase. This was a perfect chance to force myself to get some new material out of the notebook an onto the stage.

So I called back and issued the challenge. At first, I thought we would just hold each other accountable to do the bits. Then, I upped the ante and told him we would record the show and play back the bits on a future podcast. The new bit comedy challenge was on!

Today John offers up a decent size chunk of political humor. He has a method for writing jokes about ANYTHING. And since he hates political humor, he forced himself to use this system to write 5-6 jokes about the current presidential candidates.

On my end, I suggest a few jokes about planning a family vacation. Initially, a few observations about getting the funds together for the trip. Then the hotel stay. And eventually the trip to Sea World Orlando.

We are both happy with the potential of the bits. Since it is untested territory, we won't know until next week how it all shakes out! Let me know if you like this episode. If so, the new bit comedy challenge may become a regular feature.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting us through a monthly pledge via PATREON Below are a variety of levels and bonuses for keeping the show going.

Click the graphic above to learn even more!

If your stand up isn't getting the results you think that it should, the online comedy comedy writing course may be a great option for you. Check out the ONLINE CLASSES link at SchoolOfLaughs.com to find out more. Use the coupon COLDCASH20 to get 20% off the online SILVER course.

 

This episode is brought to you by Patreon sponsor Ray Price!

Today I catch up with comedian, writer, blogger and illustrator John Branyan. John started comedy in 1990. He just wanted to go to a club and try it and move on. Kind of an early bucket list goal. However, the set went better than expected. With some encouragement he went back again and again. Before he knew it he was part of the local scene in Indianapolis.

We talk about a lot of things, specifically we cover:

• The popularity of the Bob and Tom Show and it's impact on Indianapolis comedy
• How encouragement fueled the decision to continue comedy
• Why he chose to stay local early on in his developing career
• The types of shows that pay you in pasta dinners
• His popular take on the "Three Little Pigs"
• How it developed into a book
• How he became an illustrator
• How his dad could fly a kite with a fishing pole
• and much, much more!

John Branyan will be back in a future episode where we brainstorm a coupe of comedy ideas and then take them to the stage.

This podcast is a production of SchoolOfLaughs.com with support from listeners like Ray Price through Patreon.

JUNE LIVE STAND-UP SHOWS - TICKETS ON SALE NOW June 17th Jackson, OH 8PM The Markay Theater / Southern Hills Arts Council (740) 577-3841 of show $15 / $17 day http://www.markayjackson.org June 30th Nashville, TN 7:30PM Zanies Comedy Showplace (615) 293-3629 $15

This episode is brought to you by Patreon sponsor Ray Price!

Today I catch up with comedian, writer, blogger and illustrator John Branyan. John started comedy in 1990. He just wanted to go to a club and try it and move on. Kind of an early bucket list goal. However, the set went better than expected. With some encouragement he went back again and again. Before he knew it he was part of the local scene in Indianapolis.

We talk about a lot of things, specifically we cover:

• The popularity of the Bob and Tom Show and it's impact on Indianapolis comedy
• How encouragement fueled the decision to continue comedy
• Why he chose to stay local early on in his developing career
• The types of shows that pay you in pasta dinners
• His popular take on the "Three Little Pigs"
• How it developed into a book
• How he became an illustrator
• How his dad could fly a kite with a fishing pole
• and much, much more!

John Branyan will be back in a future episode where we brainstorm a coupe of comedy ideas and then take them to the stage.

This podcast is a production of SchoolOfLaughs.com with support from listeners like Ray Price through Patreon.

    JUNE LIVE STAND-UP SHOWS - TICKETS ON SALE NOW   June 17th Jackson, OH 8PM The Markay Theater / Southern Hills Arts Council (740) 577-3841 of show $15 / $17 day http://www.markayjackson.org   June 30th Nashville, TN 7:30PM Zanies Comedy Showplace (615) 293-3629 $15  

This episode is brought to you by Patreon sponsor Greg Smrdel.

Aspiring comedians huddle up after a stand-up comedy writing class to ask a variety of questions about pursuing stand-up. From writing and performing to horrible road gigs - we cover a lot of ground!

Questions include:

• Is there a line that you cannot cross in comedy?
• What was my worst heckling situation?
• When writing jokes with other comics, how do you decide who gets to keep the joke?
• What is the worst experience I've had on the road?
• Is it hard to do all the traveling and still maintain a solid family life?
• After 25 years working in comedy, who are some of my favorite comics to work with? And why?
• What can I do if there are no comedy clubs or open mics near me?

I talk openly about a few "I'm over this" moments where I could have lost a club booking for standing up for myself. (Would you ask for a new hotel if you looked out your window and saw two guys with guns sitting on the hood of your car?) We also cover the time an entire arena was ready for comedy and ... they weren't getting it.

On the brighter side, I talk about some of the "comedy stars" I got to work with over the years and more fun stuff.

This podcast is a production of SchoolOfLaughs.com with support from listeners like Greg Smrdel through Patreon. Learn more at Patreon.com/SchoolOfLaughs

LIVE STAND-UP SHOW - TICKETS ON SALE NOW June 17th Jackson, OH 8PM The Markay Theater / Southern Hills Arts Council (740) 577-3841 of show $15 / $17 day http://www.markayjackson.org

This episode is brought to you by Patreon sponsor Greg Smrdel.

Aspiring comedians huddle up after a stand-up comedy writing class to ask a variety of questions about pursuing stand-up. From writing and performing to horrible road gigs - we cover a lot of ground!

Questions include:

• Is there a line that you cannot cross in comedy?
• What was my worst heckling situation?
• When writing jokes with other comics, how do you decide who gets to keep the joke?
• What is the worst experience I've had on the road?
• Is it hard to do all the traveling and still maintain a solid family life?
• After 25 years working in comedy, who are some of my favorite comics to work with? And why?
• What can I do if there are no comedy clubs or open mics near me?

I talk openly about a few "I'm over this" moments where I could have lost a club booking for standing up for myself. (Would you ask for a new hotel if you looked out your window and saw two guys with guns sitting on the hood of your car?) We also cover the time an entire arena was ready for comedy and ... they weren't getting it.

On the brighter side, I talk about some of the "comedy stars" I got to work with over the years and more fun stuff.

This podcast is a production of SchoolOfLaughs.com with support from listeners like Greg Smrdel through Patreon. Learn more at Patreon.com/SchoolOfLaughs

  LIVE STAND-UP SHOW - TICKETS ON SALE NOW June 17th Jackson, OH 8PM The Markay Theater / Southern Hills Arts Council (740) 577-3841 of show $15 / $17 day http://www.markayjackson.org

This episode is brought to you by Patreon sponsors: BRIAN BATES & RHONDA COREY

As you move along the path of becoming a professional comedian will encounter many crossroads. Places where decisions must be made. Points where you have to make a careful choice on how to proceed. These tough decisions comics have to make can go either way. Hopefully, they go in a way where you can sleep good at night. Ideally in a way that benefits your career longevity.

In this episode, I cover about a half dozen of these pivotal moments. Specifically, moments when you realize ...

• A club "double booked" you and you lost the gig
• You have a better offer for a night you are already booked
• You seem to have gone as far as you can in the clubs
• You are gone more than you want, but still like to work
• You aren't getting the money you think you deserve
• The road has flat out destroyed your health
• You've been at it so long you don't have any other skills

In each case, I discuss what steps I took to stay the course. Some of the decisions were quick and painless. Others, I really had to spend some time to figure out. Through trial and error I found ways to navigate the obstacle and continue to be funny and live the dream.

And I realize these are just a few of the potentially tough decisions you might need to make. Please let me know some others that were not part of this episode. We all have a different journey and some are trickier than others. I would love to hear your "tough decisions". Shoot me an email at [email protected]. Let me know if it is okay to share on the air either with your name or anonymously.

====== Quick shout out to the Savage and Starbuck show for having me on this past Wednesday night. To hear that interview please visit the following link:

http://bit.ly/SavageAndStabuck

LIVE STAND-UP SHOW - TICKETS ON SALE NOW June 17th Jackson, OH 8PM The Markay Theater / Southern Hills Arts Council (740) 577-3841 of show $15 / $17 day http://www.markayjackson.org

This episode is brought to you by Patreon sponsors: BRIAN BATES & RHONDA COREY

As you move along the path of becoming a professional comedian will encounter many crossroads. Places where decisions must be made. Points where you have to make a careful choice on how to proceed. These tough decisions comics have to make can go either way. Hopefully, they go in a way where you can sleep good at night. Ideally in a way that benefits your career longevity.

In this episode, I cover about a half dozen of these pivotal moments. Specifically, moments when you realize ...

• A club “double booked” you and you lost the gig
• You have a better offer for a night you are already booked
• You seem to have gone as far as you can in the clubs
• You are gone more than you want, but still like to work
• You aren’t getting the money you think you deserve
• The road has flat out destroyed your health
• You’ve been at it so long you don’t have any other skills

In each case, I discuss what steps I took to stay the course. Some of the decisions were quick and painless. Others, I really had to spend some time to figure out. Through trial and error I found ways to navigate the obstacle and continue to be funny and live the dream.

And I realize these are just a few of the potentially tough decisions you might need to make. Please let me know some others that were not part of this episode. We all have a different journey and some are trickier than others. I would love to hear your "tough decisions". Shoot me an email at [email protected]. Let me know if it is okay to share on the air either with your name or anonymously.  

======   Quick shout out to the Savage and Starbuck show for having me on this past Wednesday night. To hear that interview please visit the following link:

http://bit.ly/SavageAndStabuck

LIVE STAND-UP SHOW - TICKETS ON SALE NOW June 17th Jackson, OH 8PM The Markay Theater / Southern Hills Arts Council (740) 577-3841 of show $15 / $17 day http://www.markayjackson.org

Do you ever have the feeling that this thing is going nowhere? Do you feel like you are pouring time and resources into a bottomless pit? Does it seem like everything and everyone is working against you?

SHOULD YOU QUIT COMEDY?

Maybe it is over. Or you may just have hit a rough spot in the road.

In this episode we will explore your options on whether or not to continue. I'll give you a few tips on pivoting to stay in the game. And I'll reveal a few signs that you may no longer be in it anyway.

In general, here are seven signs to look for when you begin to consider quitting comedy.

#1 You haven't written a new joke in months.

#2 You haven't got a new booking in months.

#3 You spend more time worrying about getting on stage than actually being onstage.

#4 You have never spent time after show reviewing your set or rewriting material.

#5 Your calls don't get answered by the bookers or club managers.

#6 You just can't find the time with your work or school schedule.

#7 Not a single person is encouraging you or giving you helpful advice.

In each of these 7 instances, I also offer suggestions on how to solve the problem and move forward.

I would love to hear from you and if you had hit a point where you considered quitting, and what you did to get past it.

Send me a message [email protected]

CONSIDER SUPPORTING THE PODCAST VIA PATREON

A listener recently told me about Patreon and I totally love this concept.

In a nutshell, in exchange for a small RECURRING monthly donation of your choice, you gain access to many extra opportunities to interact with the show. My favorite bonus is our very own, private "School Of Laughs Patreon News Feed". Think of it as a Facebook page without all the drama. In this feed I will post exclusive articles, bonus podcasts and more. And of course, you will be invited to share ideas and support other listeners of the show!

The funds would help offset the costs associated with time incurred producing the show, and at the same time give you more of what I believe you find valuable. It's up to you as far as the amount. We average 4 episodes a month and are hoping you feel like the information is worth at least $1.25 a show. So, a monthly pledge of $5 is our hope. More is great, less is still helpful. If we reach the target of 200 patrons (which is just a fraction of the overall listener downloads per episode), I think we would be on track to continue the production of the show and creating opportunities for you to grow as a performer and see definite returns on your support.

In short, I want to continue to provide the podcast and reach out to bigger names, more helpful comics and incredible resources.

Please visit PATREON.COM/SchoolOfLaughs or check out the chart below to find out more.

Do you ever have the feeling that this thing is going nowhere? Do you feel like you are pouring time and resources into a bottomless pit? Does it seem like everything and everyone is working against you?

SHOULD YOU QUIT COMEDY?

Maybe it is over. Or you may just have hit a rough spot in the road.

In this episode we will explore your options on whether or not to continue. I’ll give you a few tips on pivoting to stay in the game. And I’ll reveal a few signs that you may no longer be in it anyway.

In general, here are seven signs to look for when you begin to consider quitting comedy.

#1 You haven’t written a new joke in months.

#2 You haven’t got a new booking in months.

#3 You spend more time worrying about getting on stage than actually being onstage.

#4 You have never spent time after show reviewing your set or rewriting material.

#5 Your calls don’t get answered by the bookers or club managers.

#6 You just can’t find the time with your work or school schedule.

#7 Not a single person is encouraging you or giving you helpful advice.

In each of these 7 instances, I also offer suggestions on how to solve the problem and move forward. 

I would love to hear from you and if you had hit a point where you considered quitting, and what you did to get past it.

Send me a message [email protected] 

 

CONSIDER SUPPORTING THE PODCAST VIA PATREON 

A listener recently told me about Patreon and I totally love this concept.

In a nutshell, in exchange for a small RECURRING monthly donation of your choice, you gain access to many extra opportunities to interact with the show. My favorite bonus is our very own, private “School Of Laughs Patreon News Feed”. Think of it as a Facebook page without all the drama. In this feed I will post exclusive articles, bonus podcasts and more. And of course, you will be invited to share ideas and support other listeners of the show!

The funds would help offset the costs associated with time incurred producing the show, and at the same time give you more of what I believe you find valuable. It’s up to you as far as the amount. We average 4 episodes a month and are hoping you feel like the information is worth at least $1.25 a show. So, a monthly pledge of $5 is our hope. More is great, less is still helpful. If we reach the target of 200 patrons (which is just a fraction of the overall listener downloads per episode), I think we would be on track to continue the production of the show and creating opportunities for you to grow as a performer and see definite returns on your support.

In short, I want to continue to provide the podcast and reach out to bigger names, more helpful comics and incredible resources.

Please visit PATREON.COM/SchoolOfLaughs or check out the chart below to find out more.