Stand up Comedy

[canveyshrimper]

Ok fellow Zoners, I've been asked to do a stand up comedy routine for a New Years Party. They want me to do a routine for about 20 minutes or so and my reward will be that I will be fed and watered all night (which sounds fine by me).

However I have doubts whether to do it or not, although I've always fancied the idea of doing stand up.

My questions are, should I do it, and what sort of structure should I have in the routine. Bearing in mind that there are bound to be young 'uns present and possibly some who may not like me taking recourse to profanity.

Your advice is welcomed, thanks.

Harry

 

[fatshrimp]

Look up Tim Vine gags. They're suitable for all ages and there should be plenty to chose from.

20 minutes is a long time. Have you experience of this?

 

[Davros]

have a routine, and start with it, but if some 'in' jokes etc start, work with that, and then go back to your routine as and when you need to, or where appropriate. I was listening to an interview on radio 1 the other day, cant remember who the comidien was, but he said his best gig was when he used only half his material, because something funny happened at the gig, and it become a sort of in joke, and he played off that.

 

[Nobby Snide]

good luck mate....maybe do a bit of Bill bailey, and just make noises for half the gig....?

 

[Mad Cyril]

Why not throw in a few songs to fill up the time?

Jim Davidson does this and every song replaces five minutes of p!ss poor 'comedy' so that has to be a good thing.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Look up Tim Vine gags. They're suitable for all ages and there should be plenty to chose from.

20 minutes is a long time. Have you experience of this?

Thanks. I know 20 minutes is a long time to fill, and I've got a sort of an outline routine drafted.

Why not throw in a few songs to fill up the time?

Jim Davidson does this and every song replaces five minutes of p!ss poor 'comedy' so that has to be a good thing.

Not with my voice, it may be best to stick to "comedy".

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Make sure you want to deal with the drunken hecklers (it is New Years...). I was at one of Robin Williams' gigs a couple of weeks back, and he absolutely caned Peter Kay when the fat northerner decided to start.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Go for it Harry, the best format is to go for the Ben Elton style of delivery of using loads and loads of material and delivering it quickly so as not giving time for any one to heckle you :)

Also talking about things that folk can relate to is a winner, another Ben Elton method as well. Subjects such as, politics, celebrities, global warming, family relations, Silly, crude sex jokes or 'knob-gags' as they're known, are unfailingly popular.
racism, sexism and most other 'isms' are generally considered bad taste.

But above all, Practise, practise, practise. Memorise your material, you're doing stand up comedy, not a poetry reading. Time your act, if you're supposed to do 20 minutes, then do 20 minutes, not 25 or 15.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Make sure you want to deal with the drunken hecklers (it is New Years...). I was at one of Robin Williams' gigs a couple of weeks back, and he absolutely caned Peter Kay when the fat northerner decided to start.

Speaking of that reminds me....try to write your own material. You'd be amazed how many people still remember that joke from your favourite 1970's sitcom.

Although if you are going to steal one stand up sketch.....this is the best i have seen in years mate...a true classic among classics. Only about two and a half mins of material but good to break the ice.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mwzFagy7i3E

 

[MK Shrimper]

How about a long windy story that you can embelish as per people like Danny Williams or Dave Gorman?

 

[McNasty]

Harry, if anyone questions you being " a stand-up comic" tell them you are standing up !

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Harry, if anyone questions you being " a stand-up comic" tell them you are standing up !

Good job it is not Cricko doing it.....he could set up a new category for himself.

Stand up (for 30 seconds then have to sit down coz i am old) Comedian!!

 

[MrB]

Just stereotype every race, creed, colour, sexual preference and suchlike you can think of. You're bound to make someone laugh.

'So what about those heterosexual males then? Not very gay are they?'

Cue raucous laughter from the gay male element.

'So you two' *points to two elderly ladies* 'I bet your friend wants to lez the arse off you'.

Cue raucous laughter from the lezzer element.

It can't fail.

 

[OldBlueLady]

You could do a Jethro type of routine, but based on Essex, probably enough material there to fill 20 minutes quite easily.

 

[Nobby Snide]

You could do a Jethro type of routine, but based on Essex, probably enough material there to fill 20 minutes quite easily.

and call it 'Kevin'..with a gf called 'Sharon'?

 

[MK Shrimper]

Just stereotype every race, creed, colour, sexual preference and suchlike you can think of. You're bound to make someone laugh.

'So what about those heterosexual males then? Not very gay are they?'

Cue raucous laughter from the gay male element.

'So you two' *points to two elderly ladies* 'I bet your friend wants to lez the arse off you'.

Cue raucous laughter from the lezzer element.

It can't fail.

Missed your calling B :stunned:

 

[duncan bulgaria]

I done a stand up gig one night , only me being me could do their one and only show at the Alziemhers Federation annual ball .

My first joke caused so many laughs , i thought fcku it i'l tell it again , well after telling the joke about 100 times and still getting the same high levels of laughs i called it a night .

The Chairman came up to me at the end and asked me how i could remember so many jokes for my age and that i was a natural , i thought to myself , thats cruel what i done there , but don't worry chaps they had the last laugh ........................they forgot to pay me !!!

 

[Pubey]

remember, AIDS, Maddie McCann and Diana are all now "officially funny"

 

[Napster]

remember, AIDS, Maddie McCann and Diana are all now "officially funny"

baby P's still a raw area, I found out this week.

 

[Pubey]

baby P's still a raw area, I found out this week.

my SMS inbox has been quiet this week... I wait in anticipation!