From the producers of the esteemed Advanced Punch-Up Workshop, the Boot Camp Writing for Comedians Workshop will show intermediate-level comedians and writers how to use the elements of comedy to sharpen their writing skills and develop killer material.

The instructor was able to zone in on common problem areas which was great, because time was not wasted and instead was respected, which is extremely important to me. Also, I have seen the instructor in movies and television, so he is able to share the knowledge of how he accomplished that, rather than a bitter comedian heading a workshop who hasn’t accomplished much. “It’s not what I say. It’s what I know.”

STAGE TIME founding editor Tasha Harris will sit on the judges panel at the 4th annual New York's Funniest Reporter Show as part of the New York Underground Comedy Festival Sunday, October 4 at The Comic Strip Live. The New York's Funniest Reporter Show is produced by Ryan McCormick.

Comedian Jason Andors will produce and host a surprise comedy benefit show to help “one of the best comedians on the New York comedy circuit get back on his feet.” Andors, whose television credits include P. Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy, White Boyz in the Hood and BET’s Comic View, has enlisted the help of comedians Marc Theobald (Chappelle’s Show), Dean Edwards (Saturday Night Live), Kevin Brown (30 Rock), Ruperto Vanderpool (BET’s Comic View), Angelo Lozada (1st Amendment Stand Up) and Mark Overton, all of whom will perform on the show for free.


Comedians Giving Back...

Today, STAGE TIME Magazine editor Tasha Harris discussed the state of stand-up comedy on 99.3TheJoynt.com with hosts Todd Lynn and Marc Theobald.

Brief Recap and Talking Points:

STAGE TIME Magazine introduction: Magazine's goal to bridge mentoring and educational gap between veteran comedians and new talent with craft-driven interviews, commentary and advice.

State of Stand-Up Comedy: The comedy business is booming with opportunities in television, comedy festivals, competitions, and new clubs. However, comedians, in particular new comics are in a rush to fame. Lack of creativity and work ethic replaced by social networking. Last Comic Standing further lowering the standards of comedy. (Esther Ku) Also discussed DIY comedy festivals in which untalented/mediocre comics produce shows featuring their friends and call it a "comedy festival."

State of Urban Comedy: The creative growth of urban comedy and why black comics aren't allowed to grow in mainstream clubs. Double standards as to how bookers and club managers treat black comics compared to white comics dating back to Chris Rock: Being held to a higher standard and required to kill from start to finish, while other comics working the "cushy" spots can coast by with chuckles or bomb without being taken off the schedule.Other obstacles black comics face in mainstream comedy clubs include being booked only for the closing spot and expected to "save the show," and working back-to-back spots when the next comic is late and not being compensated for it; black veterans being booked only on the 12:30/1am shows at top headliner clubs. Being labeled as a troublemaker or banned from the club if you speak up or voice concerns.

Check out our latest Comic Spotlight on Tom Green. The comedian-actor discusses facing Donald Trump on Celebrity Apprentice and offers advices to aspiring comedians.

Tom Green Interview

Check out the latest comedy career advice interviews in STAGE TIME magazine.

Comic Spotlight: Jim David on the Art of Social Commentary, Why Comics Should Never Attack an Audience Member

Careers in Comedy: Dave Reuben, Comedy Resource Guide & Publisher of The Comedy Green Room. Reuben talks about the current state of comedy in the US and Canada and what's next for The Comedy Green Room

We want to hear from you! Send us your news, tips and questions about stand-up comedy and you could be our next featured story.
Email us at tips@stagetimemag.com.

STAGE TIME will sit on the judges panel at the 3rd annual New York's Funniest Reporter Contest as part of the New York Underground Comedy Festival at Gotham Comedy Club, Sunday, October 5th. Last year, STAGE TIME's founding editor Tasha Harris competed in the contest produced by NYUCF publicist Ryan McCormick.

Phase Two: The Empowerment Series

By Tasha A. Harris, Editor-in-Chief

"How important is developing a fan base?" is just one of the questions we answer in the second installment of the newly created "Empowerment Series" dedicated to providing career tips in the effort to encourage up and coming comedians. Please feel free to join the discussion and offer suggestions.

Develop a fan base.
This is the most vital step to sustaining a successful career in stand up because it's the comic's lifeline. Long after Hollywood stops calling and your TV show has been canceled, your fans will still flock to see you perform at their local comedy club or theater. They are your life support.

When your schedule allows, interact with your fans. When they compliment you after a show, see it as an opportunity to solicit feedback from them. Talk to them. Leave them with a postcard or a free promo item. Better yet, leave them a pleasant exchange that they will always remember and share with their family and friends. (Nothing beats word-of-mouth marketing, which can exponentially expand your fan base).

Find creative ways to keep in touch with your fans (comment cards, guestbook) so you can keep them posted on your upcoming shows and projects. Keep them abreast of your latest developments. You can plan special promo activities such as an online chat or a pre-release listening party for your CD, or a special screening for your DVD. You can surprise a few lucky fans with swag bags, free tickets or even a phone call.

Keep your fans involved and don't be afraid to ask for their help in spreading the word about your comedy. Make them a part of your success. One of the best examples of this is Dane Cook, who was catapulted into stardom due to having a huge, devoted fan base support the release of his chart-history making album, Retaliation.

Create multiple streams of revenue.

One of the most disheartening stories I've heard from comedians is when a club booker has called a comic at the last minute to inform them that their spots have been canceled. The comic is outraged because he has lost hundreds of dollars for spots that were booked weeks in advance, and has no time to secure spots anywhere else to compensate for the loss. I've also seen comics plead with the booker for spots because they need the money or because they're accustomed to having a certain number of spots every week.

It's sad to see that comedians have allowed themselves to become dependent on club bookers for their livelihood. The club's primary concern is meeting their bottom line, not the comic's. The comic is responsible for his own bottom. Therefore, as artists working in a fickle business such as comedy, you should be creating multiple sources of income. Comics can achieve this in a number of ways: writing for other comics, producing shows, securing work in radio, television, publishing, booking feature/headliner gigs and speaking engagements. Established comics can teach classes, hold seminars or work as creative consultants. If you have other talents, (photography, graphic design, editing, etc,) you can parlay that into a side hustle to generate extra cash. You can also earn passive income selling CDs, DVDs, books and merchandising. Working the local club circuit is an option and should never be confused with earning a regular paycheck.

Avoid comparing your career to other comedians.

This is perhaps one of the quickest routes to becoming a bitter comic, because comics are always looking at their peers (those who are more or less talented )to see how they stack up. Unfortunately, the bitter comic spends more time griping about what other comics are doing, instead of investing that time to revitalize their own career. In the comedy world, it's any man's game. A comic's career can take off at any time. For some it's less than five years, for others it might be 10 years or longer.

A few comedians will reach superstar status (Seinfeld, Rock, Cook), some will be successful headliners with comedy specials and film, TV and radio credits, some will be successful film/TV writers and producers; others will be successful road comics, and many will be working comics. I've interviewed many comedians and all of them have different career paths. Some comics start out the same: a friend dared them, or they entered a contest, but their journeys are different.

Wherever you are in your career, embrace your journey. Embrace the creative process of learning your craft, becoming funnier, finding your voice and building your audience. Be thankful that you have a coveted gift to heal and make people laugh for a living. Everyday that you breathe is an opportunity to be funny, create, grow and take another step towards greatness. Stay encouraged. Persevere. And focus on writing your own chapter in comedy history.

THE 2008 COMEDY OLYMPICS!-->4 Events, 4 Clubs, 40+ Comedians Compete. Teams of 4 battle before packed houses & a panel of Olympic Judges for the Gold Medal! Events include- One-liner Competition, Crowdwork/Heckler Handling, Storytelling & the Tight 5 (best 5 minutes of material)! Tickets $10 friends and fans online in advance, Free for comedians, 2 drink min  www.LIKE2LAUGH.com

Phase Two: The Empowerment Series

By Tasha A. Harris, Editor-in-Chief

In the past several months, we've addressed the rampant spread of mediocrity that has plagued stand up in several "call-out" editorials and featured blogs. In addition, we are presenting a new series of career advice articles to motivate new talent and up and comers to become better comedians. Please feel free to join the discussion and add helpful tips.

Be funny - first.
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive from readers is, "How do I make it in comedy?" The initial response is that you should be funny first. As an aspiring or professional comedian, it your job to be funny. Pimping out your MySpace and marketing yourself as different (i.e. alternative, Latin, all-female, half-centaur, etc) won't matter if you are not funny. For those comics who want to do social commentary and political humor, remember that funny is the base. Fans pay to see you make them laugh, not give a lecture. Even George Carlin advised on the History of a Joke that to try to teach the audience is the kiss of death, but the key is to show them that you're thinking while you're making them laugh.

Know your strengths and weaknesses.
Are you better at performing than writing? Do comics ask you to write for them? Do you have a talent for producing successful shows? Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. Some comics are better performers than writers and vice versa. Some are better managers, web designers, photographers, marketers and promoters than they are comedians. You owe it to yourself to be honest about your talents and what you bring as a stand-up comic.

Ask your peers and mentors what they like about your stand up and in which areas you need to improve. One of the best examples is Judd Apatow, a former stand up, who realized early in his career that he was a better writer than a performer and went on to write for other comics and eventually write, produce and direct hit comedy movies.

Perform as much as you can.
This is one of most important steps to becoming a professional comedian because stand up is an art form based upon experience. One of the differences between the 80s boom/early 90s post-boom generation and the new crop of comics is that the earlier generation were willing to perform everywhere they could: dive bars, restaurants, shopping malls - any venue that hosted a "comedy night." The other major difference is that they were given more time on those shows. New comics could book "one nighter" spots that often ran 15-30 minutes.

Today, new comics are given an average 5-10 minutes, so they will have to work harder to gain more time. On the contrary, some new comics are opting to work only rooms in which they are most comfortable. But limiting yourself to certain rooms can ill-prepare you for when you face tougher audiences. You don't become better by being safe. Growth comes from challenging yourself and working outside your comfort zone. Push yourself to perform as much as you can. So what if it's a crappy open mike, a pre-dinner show or the toughest urban room? See every available spot as an opportunity to become a better comedian. It's not just about the amount of time that you are given for a spot, but more importantly what you do with it.

Write. Write. Write some more.
Writing can be an arduous and lonely process because it's work. It requires letting go of the old jokes that work and writing a new ones that might not work. Writing is essential to your creativity and becoming a better comedian. Many comics (new and established) are hooked on their old killer bits because it's a guaranteed laugh, but they are reluctant to see that those jokes have become crutches, most of which they have outgrown. One of things that comedy fans are starting to notice more is repetitiveness, especially if they're seeing the same comedians regularly.

Be confident and know that if you wrote a killer joke five years ago, five months ago, or however long it has been - know that you write another one. It's a matter of you exercising discipline and believing in yourself. Give yourself the chance to write some of the funniest material we haven't heard yet. Your best is yet to come.

Note: How you choose to write is up to you. Some comics write the traditional way with pen and paper and others write onstage. If writing is not your strength, I would suggest teaming up with a good writer or two.

Value comedy fans.
Comedy fans have a plethora of choices in entertainment: movies, dancing, live music, theater and art exhibits, not to mention free events. It's easy to take the audience for granted and forget that they are spending top dollar to see quality entertainment. (The average tab for a couple to see a prime-time Saturday night show at a top New York City club is roughly $90.)

You owe it to comedy fans to put forth your best effort each time you perform. For example, if you're booked for a show on a Monday night and there are six people in the room, it is your job to be funny and entertain those six people.

Your 5-15 minute spot is not solely about you. It's about the exchange between you and the audience. It's about them laughing and appreciating what you bring to the stage. And in return, it's about you developing and expanding your fan base. Think about the fans who come out to celebrate their life's milestones by seeing a comedy show. They chose to spend their special night to support comedy and see you perform. Show respect for them and for the craft, and they will show respect for you.

Feel free to comment and offer suggestions.