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Drving down the laugh track:

Comedy may be your calling according to spectators who laugh hysterically as you ramble on about life's extremes. When your unique expressions and enlightening perspective provoke cheer, listeners applaud. Be forewarned, jesting is not a field for the faint of heart. Pitching laughter to a heckling mob is much more than telling a joke you heard at the neighbor's Christmas party.

A comic must possess an understanding of the human condition, coupled with the ability to parlay that into witty anecdotes about everything from asteroids to zygotes. This trade requires more than talent. Dedication, discipline, and backbone are essential for attempting success as a comedian. Here are suggestions to help you follow your funny bone.

1. Watch, listen, and learn. Rent DVD's of famous comedians. Pay close attention to timing, tone, and style. Individuality is a crucial in the entertainment industry. Sign-up for classes available in your area. Drama, improvisation, public speaking, and writing courses will aid your mission. Diversity offers you an edge in the comedic community.

2. Brainstorm and create. Ideas flow from every direction at all times. Inspiration derives from experience, and is often lost in the shuffle of life. Invest in a voice recorder and a notepad. Carry these with you at all times. This allows you to capture your brilliance at conception. When you have gathered enough material, sit down and form a routine that is unmistakably your own.

3. Perform. Seek out opportunities to showcase your talent. Various nightclubs hold open-mike nights. Generally, you must sign up in advance for a five-minute time slot. Explore other avenues as well. Events such as wrestling matches, birthday parties, weddings, fundraisers, and company functions exploit comedians. Experience on stage in short bursts builds confidence and presence.

4. Network. Spend a significant amount of time marketing your best asset, you. Chat with club owners, fellow comedians, and everyone that shares your purpose. Barter your services with established comedians. Schedule repeat performances with club owners. Take advantage of referrals. You never know whom you will meet.

5. Persevere. Like most careers in the amusement trade, the road is lengthy, and paved with bumps and gaps. Plan on running upon crossroads, roadblocks, and tollbooths. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Know that you will never be primed enough. Keep going anyway. The hours seem endless and the pay is horrible, not unlike normal life. Why not opt for abnormal? It makes for great material.

6. Have fun! However broken, impromptu, and erratic your pathy may be, you are living your dream. Finding humor in everyday life is the comedian's gift to the world. The curtain is rising. That is your queue. The crowd is quiet, anticipating you. As you dazzle the crowd with your brand of wit, remember laughter is a prelude, an intermission, and the ending. Make yours unforgettable.

Learn more about this author, TC Crumpton.
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