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Zanies GM speaks on diluted comic pool

Back on July 30, we posted about a Houston Chronicle story in which Houston Laff Stop owner Jeff McFerrin bemoaned the “diluted comic pool” facing modern club owners and which also quoted Cap City Comedy Club GM Margie Coyle. (That post is here.)

We immediately heard from Zanies big cheese Bert Haas, who expressed an interest in addressing some of the issues raised in the story and in the post. Here is is two cents:

Dear Shecky Magazine:

In response to the article about a shortage of talent,
I would respond that too many funny comedians exist
for there ever to be a shortage of talent.

There is always a shortage of comedians who are well
known enough to sell tickets, but this has been the
case since about 1985.

A current development in the industry that is
noteworthy is the movement away from comedy clubs and
toward venues. By comedy club I mean a club that
sells tickets no matter who is appearing based on its
reputation for presenting great comedy. Zanies in
Chicago, FunnyBone in St. Louis, Comedy Works in
Denver, Punchline in Atlanta, and the Ice House in
Pasadena are comedy clubs that come to mind. These
clubs are traditionally well run, well booked, and
provide a supportive environment for the comedians.

By venue I mean a room that books only acts that are
expected to sell tickets – the big barn venue that
customers do not attend except to see a specific act.
The problem is that comedians who can sell that many
tickets are most in demand and thus less available.
Only at this level is there a shortage of comedians.

Too often I am hearing from fellow bookers, “he
doesn’t sell tickets.” Unless the comedian is
commanding top dollar, he is not expected to sell
tickets. (And please understand I use the all
encompassing “he” rather than the more clumsy “he/she”
but the rule applies to male and female acts.) It is
the responsibility of the comedy club to sell tickets.
That is why the club keeps the lion’s share of the
revenue because the club carries all the
responsibility of paying rent, buying advertising,
staffing the room, providing the sound equipment, etc.
What the comedy club provides are great shows for its
customers and a great place to work for the comedians.

My question to my fellow bookers is this: When was
the last time you booked a show just because it was a
great show and not because you thought it would sell
tickets? If the answer is over a month ago, then the
shortage of talent exists only in your mind, not in
the market. And there will always be a shortage of
talent.

Bert Haas
Executive Vice President
Zanies Comedy Clubs, Inc.