Category Archives: Women in Comedy

I don’t like to brag too much, because you seem like a jerk and people don’t like you, but I’ve really been doing great at comedy over the last few weeks.

Of course, if you don’t promote yourself then people undervalue you and this is a business where you need to promote yourself. So stick it.

Other comics have been kind enough to tell me and I’ve felt myself that I’ve moved up in my comedy. From an external viewpoint I seem more confident and relaxed. Internally I’m seeing key decisions and risks pay off, my skills are picking up, I’ve done awesome with a long joke I didn’t think up in advance, and I’ve learned that I’m starting to develop intuition about people.

From early on I’ve been good at shifting a cold room to being more laugh friendly, but now I’ve completely reset a room that seemed hopeless and have that carry through for the rest of the comics to have a great foundation to work with and really do well.

I’ve been flattered to see some other comics pick up on some things I’ve done or decisions I’ve made in the moment and use it to really make it their own and a thing for them. Which is of course, something that I have been doing all along: learning from other comics.

My confidence on stage has started to entrench, beginning from the Comedy Bar show. At that show I was really able to drive an audience and own the room. I haven’t been consistent with that because a) I haven’t focused on it enough and b) I have been trying out some variations on my act (which haven’t worked as well consistently). I was able to do it to an extent again last night, and it’s where I need to be every night. That’s the ball. I need to run with it. If I can do that I’ll really have something, and I know that by thinking of some of the headliners I know. If I were swimming I’d be in the right channel, anything else needs to be kicked to another lane.

Last night in Brampton was a kind of turning point for me in dealing with people. Two things comics are probably most worried about starting out is leaving their scripted jokes and dealing with hecklers. I decided that I would pick on one of the guys, which invites interaction and possibly heckles. The guy was great to interact with me positively while still taking a ribbing but more importantly I always had funny banter to leave the exchange on top.

I also picked up on a relationship between him and a woman in the room. I responded to something she said and I just had a sense that the two of them had dated, so I asked and there was a good exchange on that. I was told later that the two of them had just broken up a few days before. People in the room who knew were really impressed that I picked up on it and I think that helped make their night. I bet I could have made another five minutes out of that. I need to carry those moments further, but I am finding them, which is something.

Every now and then a guy will come up to me after a show and give me a big compliment and tell me he thinks I’m really going to do well. Last night was one of those nights. A guy told me that I was the funniest female comic he had ever seen. I’m thinking I should probably keep that to myself because it’s an annoying thing to share, but at the same time, that’s a moment. That’s an achievement I’ve worked for, and I should get to own it, just like a man would. And I know I’m not the funniest female comic, but I am a good comic, of any gender. And to have that moment with that one person is something. And yes, he did give me his number. I’m still taking the compliment at face value. When I get a compliment like that I partly see it as the respect that comes from recognition that women comics can compete with the men and do well. And I do see that respect from male comics for female comics in general.

It was also, incidentally, really cool to have that moment that apparently a lot of guys imagine when going into stand up of doing really well and someone tries to pick you up after the show. It’s never been one of my motivations, but it’s funny to me that I’ve basically had the equivalent of “getting chicks.” [And I'm still laughing at Chris Roberts' comment on that of "there you go!"  I like feeling like the other comics' adopted puppy.] Of course, it helps that I do siren calls on stage. Or it could be those super sexy Mark’s Work Wearhouse long johns I’ve been wearing poking out from my ever-sparkly jeans.

Okay, enough bragging and jerkiness. Sometimes you have to toot, even if it makes a stinkie. And it’s not like I don’t see other people getting better in their comedy as well. Their toots may just be more silent, but still possibly deadly. :/

Now I have to go to a wake. But it is a wake for a fun man who was always laughing and making jokes. I think he would approve of me doing well making others laugh. Even if sometimes my dad doesn’t :/