How Do You Work Up Courage?

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I have to work up some courage to try and go on this standup comedy thing. I know I would do well, I ave great material but I am terrified of the stage. What should I do? get a nose implant & and put someone else on the balcony? help.

― nellie (minna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Uhm yeah, to the Answered Questions shall this thread go!

― nellie (minna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Go ask the Wizard! He shall gladly give you some. But pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Minna you're a comedian?

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Hmmm, I find that just clearing my mind and just doing it helps. If I start thinking about things it all goes horribly wrong. So, I guess it's a state of automatic pilot that helps.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:20 (twenty-three years ago)

nope. Her sister this is.

― nellskies (minna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah! That explains so much. I thought Minna was having Dark Half issues.

Okay, nellskies, tell us a joke.

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Trust me, it doesn't work written down..If I could do that I'd be cool... it's mostly visual.. but some excellent words in between.. I know it's funny.. because I know good comedy. I just need someone to try it out on, but I don't trust anyone enough.. And I'm supposed to get up on stage & do this? argh!

― nellskies (minna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:25 (twenty-three years ago)

have a few drinks before hand? or one?

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:27 (twenty-three years ago)

A tip: don't talk about airline food.

I'm no comedian, though...

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:28 (twenty-three years ago)

My chief topic is Bikini Waxing.

then pubescent breasts.
then running around the city trying to run away from commercial tv cameras trying to capture your obese arse.
hidden buildings that may or may not be transformers to save us from terrorists.
then Jane Austen + Clare Swire = Fun Fun Fun.

― nellie (minna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Would having a few drinks be damaging?

Other than that those Bach remedies people were talking about on the 'how do you show you're nervous' thread. My best friend failed her driving test 12 times due to nerves, but passed on the 13th after taking some of that.

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Thanks. The One I need is called The Larch.. very Pythonesque.. this can only bode well.

― minna (minna), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Good luck! Have you ever seen an open mike comedy night? If you ever have seen one you will have no shame.

I think the thing with any public performance is that it takes about ten minutes before the audience knows what to make of you, so if you can fake confidence for that long, the audience starts to agree with you. That's what I do at work, anyway.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Bikini waxing? You have found your spiritual home.

― Mark C (Mark C), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:11 (twenty-three years ago)

drink a bottle of jack, yo.

― g-kit (g-kit), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:43 (twenty-three years ago)

I found (in my extremely brief spell of standing on stage and trying to be vaguely amusing, even if it wasn't stand-up as such) that actually working out a script beforehand and semi-rehearsing it in my head made all the difference.

If I had only a rough idea about what I wanted to say and tried to wing it I ended up being shit, but if I had the lines to fall back on that kept me going through the scary first minute or so. Then you can still ad-lib away from that once you've built up the confidence.

A few drinks helped as well.

― James Ball (James Ball), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 17:05 (twenty-three years ago)

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