Letters From Comedy Hype

There was a time that when it came to laughs fans would go to the pros and watch some live stand-up. They still do now but the comedy stage is no longer the only premiere platform for a good laugh. With technology and cellphones, laughter now happens wherever there is a wifi-connection. Much good has come from the internet but it seems that many comedians have not yet realized it’s full potential. Opportunities for stand-up comedians in the urban market have always been low especially after the disappearances of platforms Comic View, and Def Comedy Jam.

Since the early 90’s a usual casting for a comedy would consist of a casting director making a trip to a few comedy clubs. While at the clubs the casting directors would scout and see some of the potential talent. As the internet became more prevalent, casting directors have now decided to save gas and check out the talent from their laptops. As that happened more of the rawer and gifted voices in comedy began getting overlooked.

If you look on the internet now via social media, majority of the comedy personalities with the largest followings don’t even come from a comedy background. They like many have pressed record on their cameras and started producing what they felt was funny. In return for their productions people have created a demand for the talent which helps get the attention of executives and casting directors. As these amateurs continue getting roles and comedy opportunities, stand-up comedians across the country are watching from the sideline in confusion. If you think about it, the pros are getting beat at their own game.

Unlike the Hip-Hop industry, comedians have yet embraced the full dynamics of hustling their way to the top. Rappers tend to praise the beauty of independence. They supply fans with mixtapes, visuals, interviews, pictures and a total package to keep people interested on their career. The old recruitment process seems to have blurred today’s comedian perspective. Many honestly still fantasize about executives with contracts swooping down from the clouds and changing their lives. Those days are slim. There are some hard-working executives and casting directors who do frequent comedy clubs but it definitely has slowed down. Like most movements, it always has been about word of mouth. The internet moves solely off of references from friends and family. Understanding the importance of giving fans something to talk about should help any comedian feel empowered on the speed and direction of their career. In simpler terms, stand-up comedians need to produce projects of quality that can be shared. Choose your platform.

Let’s play Math for a second. At an average comedy show there might be a range of 100 – 200 people in attendance. An unknown comedian might perform for a total of 500 people in a week. Now with the internet, you have social media platforms that are becoming new comedy stages. Twitter has a membership of over 250 Million people, Instagram is slightly ahead with 300 Million, and Youtube has 1 Billion users. Now it’s no guarantee that you will reach a large percentage of those followings on social media but the potential is there. 1 Billion Vs. 500, add it up. Those Billion people are online for a reason, maybe ignoring them isn’t the smartest thing to do.

Keeping your craft sharp on stage should be a priority but adding more viewers on your point of view should be just as important. Wether you launch a scripted web-series, a full film, video on your comedy journey, clips of your stand-up, you are now in full control. Embrace this new potential because no one is coming to save you but yourself.

– Comedy Hype