Just thought I’d add to this discussion from a slightly “foreign” point of view. I do stand up in New Zealand and the USA, mainly Los Angeles, but all over the USA when the opportunity presents itself. Although I’ve written comedy for individuals and contributed to TV and film scripts for “punch up”, I only started performing my own material in 2004, in New Zealand. Performing comedy is more an avocation for me at the moment, a tool to help my writing, but I’ve been getting more and more paid gigs and working my way up the chain to the point where I am getting to a decent “mid-level” area. I’ll never headline – don’t have an ambition to or the talent for it – but I’m happy in my niche of political/topical humour and warming up an audience or filling a gap.

The “process” of comedy is as varied as the individuals who perform it. Every person has a different method, although there are some points in common. There are comedians that rely primarily on their personality, those on the strength of their material, but mostly it’s a mix of the two, again, depending on the individual. Some are topical, some are observational, some do more a “performance art” thing. Some tell “jokey” jokes, some sing comedy songs. Some perform as a developed character or persona.

New Zealand is rich in all of these areas. After observing many comedians in New Zealand and America, I’m kind of ashamed to have to say that in Los Angeles, most comedians are really auditioning to be in the next hit sitcom, rather than pursuing true comedy. There are exceptions, of course, but that is the trend. I am very impressed with the overall quality of comedy in New Zealand.

It’s rare to find a comedian that is strong in several categories – Brendhan, Jeremy, and Michele are good examples. It’s up to the individual to balance his or her routine with old and new material. One has to read the audience to a certain degree to find the best mix on a given night, but when you are performing a show that has been advertised, one that promises (or implies) a certain set of expectations, there’s a bit less latitude there. That’s one reason why festivals can be much more hit or miss than a gig at the Classic or other venue which promises no more than you’ll see a certain performer on a given night.

One trap I’ve noticed a lot of new comedians fall into (and some veterans) – they work very hard to develop a solid six-minute set, find they get a good response to it – and then their incentive to create more disappears. I think a lot of artists can fall into this trap. Once you are no longer starving, either monetarily or by signal of appreciation, the incentive to work very hard is somewhat lessened. Also, once a comedian has learned what pleases an audience, you want, as a responsible artist, to make sure your audience gets their money’s worth from a show, so “guaranteed” laughs offer a great temptation to be repeated.

For me, as I’ve read elsewhere on this thread, the “sweet spot” is to have enough material in the tank that can be drawn upon for a given audience in question. Once you find the level of your audience, you can supply accordingly.

An example: Whenever I gig at the Classic, I always observe the audience, from the lobby or the theatre. One night, we had a large party from a New Zealand company, Pacific Retail Finance. When I cam out on stage, I said: “I understand we have a group from Pacific Retail Finance in the house tonight – should I consolidate my jokes into one big joke or just put them on an installment plan?” It got a big laugh from the group, also a nice response from the general audience who knew the company, and now this large group was “on side” with me because I acknowledged them and made them laugh. It effectively broke the ice. Now, was that evil and contrived, or simply clever and responsive to the paying crowd? You could probably argue for either viewpoint.

Comedians often do a similar thing. And it’s all a balancing act. We, or at least most of us, really do try our best to make sure an audience leaves a show in a better mood than when they came in. After all, our futures depend on it!

If a comedian continues to be a draw and sell tickets, he or she may not be EVERY punter’s dish of tea, but that particular level of success is very tangible. When audiences are tired of a routine, a comedian, or a given show, they’ll stop coming.