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Okay let's address the elephant in the room first. Anyone, I repeat anyone with the guts to try, can become a standup comic, however becoming a good comedian is a tad more difficult. How many amateur nights have you watched several wanna be hopefuls tank like a lead balloon, the flop sweat pouring down their face, the palms of their hands so wet they could electrocute themselves holding the mic.

Once off the stage they pour over their material going over and over it, wondering where they went wrong. Now it might have been the jokes but maybe not for the reasons they think. So before you jot down those ten sure fire, killer anecdotes, that your friends laughed at and assured you would kill, stop, step away from the keyboard and ask yourself the million dollar question. What is it that makes me so darn funny?

Do I tell funny stories that make not only my friends but anyone I tell laugh so hard they spit out their false teeth? Or maybe you have the gift of snappy one liners and zany zingers that can set someone in their place. Perhaps you've got the gift of mimickry and can toss out an imitation of some one famous or create characters that take on full lives of their own. No matter what style of comic you are ther more familiar you are with the topic or the more original the concept the better the chances of it being funny at least to someone.

While imitation is considered the highest form of flattery, that only really applies to impersonations. Let me tell you why. Comparisons are made all the time just watch the entertainment shows when they are hyping some new on the scene comic and listen to the comics they are being compared to. The key difference is the ones that really know their stuff didn't imitate, they were inspired by their idols, but they brought their own flavor to it. Meaning there's a big difference in taking from a fellow comic that which fits and trying to just get up there and be that comic.

So after first establishing who your influences are let's figure out if your that type of comic. Are you a story teller, a one liner, A prop comic, Current events politcal humorist, An insulter or self deprecating, Cultural humorist using your ethnicity as a tool, lots to think about right? Ask yourself when do you feel the most in the zone where it all feels natural and organic, which one or ones from the list above seems to fit you then move on to step two.

Like a dedicated actor studies their craft your next step is to go to school.

Sit down in front of your

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