CNN asked me to write an op-ed. Here is that thing here.
Kyle Ayers says it’s OK to share conversations publicly as long as the people involved are kept anonymous.
A lot of my dog followers have been hitting me up, telling me that they want to try out stand up comedy, and asking me if I have any tips for them to get started. So here’s a quick list of things I think all of you dogs out there should keep in mind when getting into stand up:
1) Be yourself. - A lot of new stand up comics spend all of their time imitating their idols. Try and be yourself, and work on finding a good, honest voice.
2) Have thumbs.
3) Write, write, write, and then write more. - Find what situations you write best in. A coffee shop, your home, morning, evening, etc. Many comics keep a notebook with them in case they have a spurt of inspiration while on the go.
4) Don’t piss on the stage during your sets - It’s not your territory, it’s a shared space.
5) Be nice. - It’s good to have friends doing what you want to do. Be nice to other comics. Good boy, good boy.
6) DON’T STEAL JOKES - This is the biggest faux-paw possible in the stand up world.
No bones about it, you’re barking up the wrong tree if you think it’s going to be easy.. Sure, it’s a ruff business, but don’t flea the scene, and stick with it, and you can make it. You may not fetch much cash early on, but some people went at it for canine or ten years before they got any traction. It may be a bitch, but yorkie to happiness is doing what you love. If you find yourself around veteran comics, put on a muzzle and listen to their pointers. Some of them will have a good tail to tell.
