Ten New Year's Resolutions for Stand-up Comedians

As a professional clean corporate comedian for 25 years, I've learned that starting the year out with New Year's resolutions will help to propel your career forward.  Here are ten New Years resolutions that provide a definite boost to monthly bookings.

1.  Write ten new minutes of clean stand up comedy to be used for auditions, showcases and live taping opportunities.

2.  Open a constant contact account for monthly comedy newsletters.

3.  Start a comedy mailing list by printing postcards and sign up sheets shows.

4.  Keep social media current - Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon, Reddit, Digg, Tumbler,  Squidoo, etc.

5.  Videotape all shows - review them, edit them, post them on YouTube.

6.  Blog regularly

7.  Submit press releases

8.  Write a book, record a CD or DVD

9.  Update your site regularly - maintain a professional look

10.  Promote, promote, promote!

Teach Yourself to Smile

 

 A Christian Comedian Learns to Smile

     As a Christian comedian who enjoys studying human nature, I am firmly convinced that there are two types of people who wander the earth - (1) natural gifted smilers who willingly and effortlessly smile throughout the day and (2) those who don't.   The gifted smilers are the people to whom you are immediately attracted because a big smile is a sign of acceptance. Gifted smilers tend to make friends easily.  They’re most often outgoing and fun extroverts.   Those who are not natural smilers feel like they are smiling, but guess what – they’re not!

     I was not a gifted smiler and my husband, Bert, made it very clear I had to make the effort to learn to smile if I wanted to be a successful performer and an approachable female Christian comedian.  

     Smiling and happiness do not go hand-in-hand. I know many very happy people who don't show their internal happiness through facial expression.  I recognize these people because for twenty-five years, I was one of them. Happy on the inside, I had no idea it wasn’t reaching all the way up to my face.  I really thought I was smiling and I was shocked to find out that I wasn’t.

      My husband, who is also in the comedy business, insisted I teach myself to smile. I began forcibly making myself smile on stage and in the company of friends. It was a major and constant initial effort.  It felt completely unnatural and insincere because I was always thinking about forcing a smile and it seemed contrived.  I felt I was putting on an act and not truly being myself. However, I quickly realized the irony!   If I feel happy on the inside, a smile on my face is actually a truer reflection of my spirit.  It was time to catch up to the gifted smilers and to discover what it felt like to portray true happiness.  The effect was instantaneous!

     I immediately found putting a smile on my face changed my interaction with friends, family, acquaintances and even my Christian comedy audiences!  As I learned to smile my confidence grew in both my personal life and on stage.  People more willingly approached me and I experienced a notable influx of positive energy.  Smiling also provided a tremendous improvement in communication skills.  Making the effort to smile has made me more comfortable in my own skin.

      Do you know someone at work or in your neighborhood whose expression rarely changes?  Don’t be too quick to judge these people.  They may feel joy on the inside and do not realize they’re communicating gloom and doom on the outside.  A stock line of the comedy club comic is “Sir, are you having a good time?  …. Then why don’t you tell your face about it!”

     Smiling is a gift from my husband and I am incredibly grateful for his lessons. I no longer envy the natural smilers and their inherited gift. I believe smiling is a genetic blessing and it also can be a learned behavior. How wonderful we can learn to smile as easily as those who are gifted! It is a positive way to live and grow.

     Look in the mirror.  If you’re happy on the inside but you see no smile on the outside, you might want to tell your face about it!

The Secret to Staying Happy in Your Comedy Career

I've been performing stand up comedy for twenty-five years and this is long enough to see comedy careers go up and comedy careers go down. Simply checking out a comedian's timeline on Facebook will give a quick peek at the cycle of stardom and the toll it takes on a performing career.  The most desperate/depressing posts are generally by comedians who made it "big" at the start of their career and feel it will never get that good again.  They spend the rest of their life floundering as they try to regain that feeling of greatness achieved by way of a coveted television spot or sitcom.  Of course, there are also the comics who feel they've never really "made it" and traveled a misguided road only to be met with one disappointment after the another.

How is it possible to stay happy and focused without encountering a lifelong roller coaster ride of those ups and downs?  I can tell you that I see that answer with complete clarity.

First, ask yourself, "What is a comedian?"  The answer most people give is quite obvious. "A comedian is someone who makes people laugh."

It is not complicated.  A comedian is not described as a "star"; a comedian is not described as someone who has their own sitcom; a comedian is not described as someone who has the most YouTube hits or followers on Twitter.

A comedian is someone who makes people laugh.  If you take your own ego out of the equation and appreciate the fact that you were given the awesome gift of making people laugh and feel happy, you will learn to appreciate and love your craft regardless of ups and downs.  A comedian changes a person's life for the better.  How fortunate we are as comedians to be given this gift.  Comedy is about your audience.  They are the true stars of your own show.  If a comedian can appreciate this very basic concept, they will always feel successful and blessed and no longer be a victim of their endless internal struggle.

The sweetest sound to me are the words, "I haven't laughed this hard in years!"  That is truly the sound of success.

Female Clean Comedian - Sally Edwards
ComedyBySally.com

Shopping Jokes

Friendship Christian Reformed Church, Byron Center, MI (+playlist)

Female Christian Comedian performs clean comedy at Friendship Reformed Christian Church in Byron Center, MI.  Fun and Funny!

Dogs That Make a Comedian Laugh

I'm a longtime dog rescuer, foster and adopter but it wasn't until this weekend that I realized that some dogs have a superior ability to make me laugh.

My name is Sally and I am a dog-aholic.  It seems I can never get enough interaction with my canine friends.  Owning four dogs and visiting the nearby 65-acre dog park five miles away on a daily basis should confirm anyone questioning how much I just love to be around dogs.  I find them endlessly fascinating and almost always gentle.  And even after this type of daily submersion, I still found myself wandering into a local animal shelter on Saturday imagining that day I could set someone free.

The weather this past weekend was beautiful and after my two trips to the Wauconda Dog Park with my pack I wanted to see more.  I had just fostered a beautiful white pit bull named "Beau" who I had nursed back to health from a severe case of mange.  However, when she began to feel spunky she decided that extra strength could send her to the head of the pack.  After numerous scuffles and eventual attacks, I made it a priority to get her into a dogless home.  Now I was feeling the emptiness of her absence which caused me to head to a nearby animal shelter.  I needed the "fix" of a young dog's exuberant company that would bring me joy like Beau did.

The first dog I brought out to the play yard was a Tree Walker Coonhound known for their gentle disposition and their love of running.  This coonhound had arrived at the shelter three weeks prior after serving two weeks on death row in Southern Illinois where he had been picked up as a stray. To say that this dog, "Beech", was untrained would be a vast understatement.  As I led him to the play yard, he whirled and swirled on the leash, over-powering me at every step.  As I took firm hold of the leash, he scrambled between my legs.  Regarding myself as a sure-footed dog trainer, I couldn't help but double over laughing as I saw my reflection in one of the shelter windows.

When I brought Beech into the play area, he was off like a flash full of energy and excitement.  I wasn't even able to remove the choke chain and leash.  I didn't stand a chance against this boy. For ten minutes he ran like an insane creature who was blinded by the light of day.  I sat on a bench and let him roll. Beech's next trick was to find a ball and throw it to himself endlessly. Throw, jump, catch.  Throw, jump, catch.  Boy would I love to see this guy play in the snow!  With every throw and catch, I burst into laughter and he'd stop and look at me.  It was very apparent he saw himself as a genius fellow who could act, and get a reaction, with every step.

Not to be completely dominated, I did throw in a quick lesson of "sit" - a major feat with this free spirit.  Grabbing a hold of his leash, he threw me off-balance.  The joy in his moves was inspiring.  I hadn't laughed this hard since Beau left our home.

The next dogs I took out for exercise were a gorgeous well-behaved American Bulldog, a snow white senior husky mix who was scheduled for eye surgery and a pitbull/lab mix.  Each dog had fantastic traits in his or her own way but none of them brought me to my knees in laughter.

What quality do these dog-clowns have that is generally under-appreciated by humans?  It has been 24 hours since I saw this wild uncontrollable former stray and I just can't stop thinking about him.  The fact that his presence in this senior pet/cat household would be nothing short of totally insane has yet to deter me from imagining the fun.

Beech

When the Law of Attraction Collides with the World of Stand Up Comedy

I am a big fan of The Secret.  Ever since my first viewing of the tremendous video of the same name, I always seem to have a bit of "universal attraction" floating in the back of my mind.  If nothing else, it's just plain fun.  I tend to have strong focus (sometimes more than I'd like judging by the number of rescued dogs in my house) and a clear picture in my mind of the goal I am trying to attain.

     A couple of weeks ago, I had one of those "secret" moments which really caused my jaw to drop!  As I drove in my car from errand to errand throughout the northwest suburbs of Chicago, I listened to WGN Radio.  I am fascinated by the humor and interaction of Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder.

     As I listened to the two co-hosts interact I imagined how absolutely wonderful it would be to co-host a show on WGN Radio.   I absolutely love being a guest comedian on WGN Radio and whenever I leave the Chicago radio station after an interview, I feel like the kid who has to leave the birthday party early.  To me, being a guest on the radio is very much like having an endless conversation with a girlfriend on the phone.  Chat, chat, laugh, chat and laugh.  What's not to like?!  Let's just say I was basically consumed by these thoughts of co-hosting on WGN Radio as I ran errands this afternoon and could not let them go.

     When I came home from running my errands I sat down at my computer and there was an email from Rick Geiser who is the publicist for Zanies Comedy Clubs.  Right there in front of me in black and white was an inquiry as to whether I would like to co-host an hour home improvement show called The Down and Dirty Show with Frank Fontana!  Would I?!

     Have you ever had the Universe work so diligently for you?

Christian Comedy - 90 Year Old Grandma Dances to Stage and Diapers Baby Pig

This is the reason why I love performing as a female Christian Comedian.  Here is a video of a 90-year old grandma who was sitting in the audience at my Christian Comedy show in Louisville, KY.  I don't think she ever expected to be the star of the comedy show that night. When I pulled her from the audience to come on stage to diaper a stuffed pig, she grabbed her cane and danced little steps to the stage.  She then diapered that baby stuffed animal like a pro! This senior lady had a positive attitude and lit up the room.

Some Christian women would never see a comedy show unless a Christian Comedian came their church.  I am so happy to be able to share my funny world and laugh with them.

Christian Comedy - Performed Near Louisville, KY

ComedyBySally.com

Christian Comedian Jokes About Her Husband

Female Christian Comedian Sally Edwards

My husband is always claiming that I'm going deaf.  I proved him wrong!
(Female Christian Comedian performs clean comedy at St. John's United Methodist Church in Louisville, KY)

http://comedybysally.com

The Down and Dirty Show - Frank Fontana Welcomes Clean Comedian Sally Edwards - Home Improvement News

I was honored to co-host the "Down and Dirty" Show with Home Improvement Guru Frank Fontana this week.  In addition to being a wonderfully nice person, his radio persona is very engaging and he has the talent to allow a comedian to set up a joke and deliver it well!

And - he takes a nice picture.  Thanks Frank!

Click Here to go to The Down and Dirty Show with Frank Fontana

Also on the Show were two Incredible Women!

Jill Paider - Jill travels the world and specializes in photographing food, people and architecture.  Photos on her web site are nothing short of stunning!

Kelly Rizzo - Kelly is hosting a new television show based in Chicago called "Food Junkie" in which she visits restaurants and discovers all sorts of tricks-of-the-trade from a back door perspective.

Stand-up Comedians and Marketing - Know Your Value

Zanies Comedy Club

Young comedians are eager to please comedy club owners and they know the importance of writing new material on a regular basis.  However, this is only one element in the larger picture of comedy as a business and career.  It is equally important to develop business skills and good marketing habits. Surprisingly "being the funniest" will not necessarily propel you to a headline spot.  There is something much more important that will make you shine and get you booked often and for increasingly good pay.

Comedy Club owners are interested in headline comedians who fill their seats.  Ultimately, that is what will keep the comedy club open and thriving.  To recognize this is a new talent is invaluable.  Building a mailing list and a successful social media campaign will connect you to friends, family and fans.  If a club owner sees that you are motivated to bring patrons to his door, your value has increased tenfold.

Because comedians are prone to creativity, they generally focus on "funny."  The reasoning is that "funny" brings rewards.  "Funny" gets the emcees spot.  "Funnier" gets the feature spot.  "Funniest" gets the headliner spot.  I have performed as a stand up comedian for over 20 years and I have seen some of the "funniest" never quite make it.  The brilliant comedians can fall by the wayside, appreciated for their genius only by other admiring comedians.  This occurs when business sense does not quite catch up to creative sense.

Last year, I booked a small comedy room and I experienced first-hand what comedy club owners see as "value" in a comedian.  The comedy room was new and desperately needed patrons.  I initially made efforts to create the funniest show possible.  With a limited budget for advertising, I was reliant upon word of mouth and basic internet social media to get the word out in a very short amount of time.  Ironically, the "funniest" no longer had the same value to me when I was on the other side of the booking fence.

The comedians who were most valuable to me were the ones making an all-around effort.  They were contacting friends, making mentions on Facebook and Twitter and writing blogs.  My most valuable act of the year was a new comedian who did a great guest set and invited thirty friends.  He did his homework, created a buzz and got the laughs.  The club had a great night and made me understand the true value of a working comedian.

Comedians and Halloween

Am I performing in a comedy club tonight.   Nooooo...  Halloween is one of those nights when people (as in "audience") love to dress up and make scenes.  There are some holidays to steer clear of in the entertainment world and I think Halloween is a formidable challenge.  A costumed adult will takes advantage of his or her anonymity when watching a comedy show.  A mask or a well-painted face is tempting enough to bring out the heckler in even the most reserved customer.

Halloween is well-suited to bars where there is loud music and dancing.  Since effective comedy relies so strongly on good lights and good sound (and good jokes), it is better for the ghouls and goblins to make their screams and shrills in a party atmosphere.

Tonight I'm dressed as a cowgirl and I'm waiting for the doorbell to ring!

Web:
comedybysally.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ComedyBySally
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ComedybySally
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Comedians and SEO Marketing

By Sally Edwards at ComedyBySally.com

As a clean female comedian, I am often approached by church groups to ask me to perform clean comedy for women.  They find me in a number of ways including mailings, word-of-mouth and SEO (search engine optimization).  Therefore, I spend many hours each day trying to get to the top of that very important Google search.

In addition to finding the ideal keywords, meta tags and descriptions for my site, I am continually searching YouTube videos regarding the most recent developments for optimizing websites.  Ironically, the YouTube video I discovered today discussed the optimization of YouTube videos!  This video offered a wealth of information which will be of great benefit to me when promoting myself as a clean female comedian.

Dave Bowen is very clean in his instruction and he offers daily tasks for serious students of YouTube SEO.  I recommend his videos to other funny clean comedians hoping to advance their videos for promotion.

Radio Interviews and "Winging It"

As a corporate comedian who performs clean comedy for women's groups I know the fear, stage fright and insecurities that arise that first time on stage.  However, years of experience in front of new audiences have given me the tools to handle unexpected elements that occur during a live performance. When I was asked to appear on a WGN Radio station in Chicago, I thought my years of stage experience would make an on-air conversation a fairly stress-free experience.  However, I learned that I would need to implement a new set of skills to make radio conversation both comfortable and fun.

Generally, radio stations ask you come prepared for the interview with a list of questions for the host to ask.  Comedians most often give questions that provide set-ups for jokes.  The interviewer asks the question and the comedian has something funny to say.  Up until five years ago, that was the only type of radio interview I had encountered.  That all changed the day I was booked on WGN Radio in Chicago with host Steve Cochran.  When I walked into the studio and extended my hand to give Steve my questions, he looked at me and very casually said, "Hey let's wing it."  My stomach turned a full circle at the thought of being interviewed as if I was totally unprepared!

That interview made me a believer in impromptu interviews.  Rather than responding to Steve Cochran's questions in a semi-robotic fashion, I was able to totally be myself and enjoy the moment.  I also realized that speaking on the radio is a lot like talking to your girlfriends on the phone - just chat.  The only difference is that thousands of people are listening.  That makes your thoughts, ideas and humor seem tremendously important!  Since my interview on WGN, I am hooked on "winging it."  The experience could not have been more fun!

Three Top Chicago Comedy Club Showcases You Should Know About

Comedy Showcases allow a stand-up comedian to develop his or her comedy craft.  It is important for a comedian to continually develop new material throughout their career.  Listed below are three fantastic Chicago comedy showcase stages for comedians to deliver sets of approximately 10 minutes in length.  Comedy showcases generally require an initial interview and/or audition at one of the comedy club's "open mics."

Zanies Comedy Club - Chicago

The Rising Star Showcase at Zanies in Chicago features new upcoming comedians and is held the first two Mondays of the month with comedians delivering 10 minutes sets.  The Female Funnies are held the third Monday of the month and feature Chicago's funniest female comedians.



A new showcase venue was just introduced at Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont.  An intimate room with enthusiastic audiences, this comedy venue will give you a nice taste of an "A" comedy room.  Call Zanies in Rosemont to reserve a spot.  Sally Edwards hosts.

The Laugh Factory - Chicago

You must pass an open mic audition before you are able to showcase.  There are open mics on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.  Sign up is 6:00 p.m.  Material is limited to two to three minutes and should be clean.  Call 773-327-3175 for more info.




The Lincoln Lodge - Chicago

Showcases are Friday nights at 9:00 p.m.  Audiences are enthusiastic and there is great enthusiasm and support among the comedians.  To set up a showcase email:  bookings@thelincolnlodge.com

Series: Funny Keynote Speakers and Corporate Comedians Who Market Intelligently - Jim Richardson

Jim Richardson does it all:  

Jim Richardson (1) performs as a funny keynote speaker and corporate comedian at corporate events, (2) mentors new talent by way of his informative workshops and (3) sends out an informative and motivating newsletter. A tireless top talent, engaging writer on a global level and a reigning marketer, I am driven to say, "That's how it's done folks!"

Go to Jim Richardson's
Keynote Speeches and Seminars Page
jimrichardson.com/jimtalks.shtml

Those that can benefit from Jim's teachings are:

Stand-up comics

Improvisation and Sketch Groups, Comedy Teams

Writers

Business Keynote Speakers

Politicians 

Agents, Mangers, Casting Directors, Comedy Clubs and Comedy Producers

Radio and TV Hosts, DJs

Health Professionals

Lawyers

Salesmen

Educators and Students

Ministers

Actors, Filmmakers, Photographers

Singers

Ventriloquists,

Puppeteers & Other Solo Acts

Singers

To increase both the range and proficiency of writing and performing techniques -

Everyone can always use a little improvement!

What Jim Richardson wants you to know:

Steps to take before becoming Jim Richardson's client:

a)  Review information on Jim Richardson's web pages, especially

     1.  Check list of topics you need to master:

          http://stand-upcomedyworkshop.com/IntermediateAndAdvancedCourseTitles.html

     2.  Coaching and Co-Writing Procedures:

          http://www.stand-upcomedyworkshop.com/coach.html

          Scroll down for special investment discounts and convenient order form

b)  If you have questions, Jim Richardson will address them directly.  

     Contact:  Jim@JimRichardson.com.

Set up your free orientation appointment now for a phone or video chat at a mutually convenient time!

Jim@JimRichardson.com

Comedy, Coach and Co-Writer

Phone:  415-877-4424

Snail Mail:

Jim Richardson, Owner

Organized Comedy

P. O. Box 992

Mill Valley, CA  94942-0992

Discovering Your Special Gift

I understand it now. I understand how to recognize a unique "gift" within oneself. After years of soul searching I have been able to share my insights with my children and other adults. I find it funny that a personal gift should be so difficult to recognize. To our friends it can be quite apparent. It is best to listen to friends and family as they praise our uniqueness. It is difficult for us to recognize our own gift because we assume everyone shares our talents.

With my own children I was always on the lookout for clues. It was a daily fun exercise to notice repeated patterns of actions or words that were unique to each child. My oldest son, Brendan, was only six years old the first time he asked me, "Mom, what do you think of black holes?" Was I supposed to be thinking of black holes? My heart raced for a correct answer that wouldn't scar him with my lack of knowledge on the subject. Black hole questions were followed by comet and constellation questions. None of my other children were that inquisitive of the night sky. Today Brendan is an astrophysicist.

Our senior babysitter noticed our second son's gift when he was only 11 months old. "This kid is hilarious and he knows just how to make you laugh. He is the funniest baby I have ever seen." Steven established a pattern of making us laugh to tears. Today he lives in Los Angeles and is in an internship program for comedy sketch writing.  Last week, Steven came in first in a stand-up comedy competition at Flappers Comedy Club!

Our youngest, Christine, was a quick study. At nine years old she would take graph paper and draw sketches of the interior of her room. Every piece of furniture was measured and labeled. I said, "Christine, are you doing that for school?" Christine used graph paper for fun! Being a "math-o-phobic", I knew the clues were adding up quickly. Christine is now in San Francisco getting stellar grades. She is majoring in Architecture.

In retrospect I see my own life story was formed by the time I was eight. My parents signed me up for piano lessons and I began to teach myself to sing. I didn't stop singing. I started dancing and twirling and I loved making people laugh with my miniature shows. My older sister started bringing me to audition at community plays. Because of my lack of voice and dance training I did not get the parts. I worried I had no special talent. Fifteen years later, I walked on to the stand up comedy stage of Zanies Comedy Club in Chicago as a new talent. Within minutes I experienced the joy of being on stage and I knew I wanted to make people laugh. I discovered my gift and knew I was home.

Sally Edwards is a professional Corporate Christian Comedian who tours nationally. Sally Edwards' clean comedy has been featured on A&E's "Comedy on the Road" and Showtime's "Comedy Club Network."

Sally Edwards is the president of The Humorous Speakers Bureau in Chicago. For booking information see: http://ComedyBySally.com

Series: Ten Keynote Speakers and Corporate Comedians Who Market Intelligently

This week I am highlighting funny keynote speakers and corporate comedians who do it right!  Their successful careers are evidence of creative ability and good business sense.

Humorous Speakers Bureau

Customized Corporate Comedy Put-ons, Emcee, and Hilarious Interview Put-ons

Harry Freedman

      Harry Freedman will create the perfect fake industry expert for your group, that has everyone fooled until they are roaring with laughter!  Harry Freedman is the only individual ever to have been profiled in the business sections of The New York Times, Miami Herald, Newsday, and Int’l Herald Tribune.

     With nearly three decades of professional comedy experience, from the comedy clubs of Las Vegas to the corporate boardroom, Harry Freedman is a comic you can trust. As a speaker, he has performed for hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies, and is frequently rated ‘best speaker’ at conferences. As a stand-up comedian, Harry is often opening for Ray Romano; has appeared on “Everybody Loves Raymond;” and was a staff writer for “Caroline’s Comedy Hour.” Harry has also written and directed a short film, “30 Minutes,” which received terrific acclaim at the NY Int’l Independent Film Festival.

     In addition, corporate audiences enjoy Harry’s video shorts, where he interviews selected attendees (in character), to create a hilarious 8-10 minute piece that is played following his speech, as well as his humorous videographies of the whole conferences. So when you think of finding the right performer to give your people a laugh-fest they will love and thank you for, two key words make all the difference: HarryFreedman.