Being a standup comedian might be one of the toughest jobs out there. Seriously, who wants to speak in front of a lot of people, who EXPECT (and have paid for) you to make them laugh? Many people dread standing in front of a room full of their friends and family to make a toast, let alone a bunch of strangers who are going to give you shit if you don’t meet their expectations.
We wanted to share a story of reality and what it’s really like to be a comedian, so we found this article from Business Insider and thought it was a perfect fit! Interestingly enough, it turns out that this profession parallels to any other type of art profession, in that you must be very passionate about what you’re doing and take that starving-artist mentality because it can be rough to find your voice, especially in the beginning.
JR Berard, who was interviewed for this article, shares his personal experience of being a stand-up comedian and journey down his career path thus far. When asked about those times when jokes don’t work and you’re left standing alone on-stage with nothing but the sound of crickets, here’s what Berard says that feels like:
“Imagine a room full of every girl who ever denied you a date (and you ASKED the hell outta them, like flowers and stuff, you even wore a bow tie cause you’re a moron). It’s freezing cold, they’re all wearing parkas, and you’re naked on stage in front of them. Oh, and now you have to RE-ask them all out at the same time. Sucks, huh? It’s a lot worse when you’re new and don’t know how to handle it yet. In reality, its just people you’ll never see again.”
Yeah, that sounds terrible. But hey, someone’s gotta do it.
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Website: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-to-be-a-stand-up-comedian-2013-3
