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Talk of resurgence on NPR
National Public Radio has, for the second time in a couple of weeks, turned its attention to standup comedy. This time, they’ve noticed a resurgence in the New York in “New York Sees a Comedy-Club Renaissance” by Mike Pesca.
With so many venues, it’s possible for a working comedian to fill up a weekly schedule by making the rounds-— and even make some money doing it. A good, but unknown, comic can earn $1,000 a week just by playing the city’s clubs.
We haven’t the bandwidth to listen to the entire report, but the text on the front page of the report manages to indulge in at least one timeworn cliche.
Even with all of these venues, comedy can still be a soul-crushing profession. After all, you need to get that humor-fueling discontent from somewhere.
Yeah… that humor-fueling discontent is what it’s all about, dontcha know. (And “soul-crushing” has become a alterna-hack phrase that makes us cringe!)
There’re a handful of links to past comedy-related pieces that might be of interest.
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How is it possible for a “good, but unknown, comic” to “earn $1,000 a week just by playing the city’s clubs” when the only shows available for “good, but unknown” comics in New York are “bringer” shows, where the comic is essentially paying the club for the “privilege” of being able to perform? Or maybe that’s just my “humor-fueling discontent” talking.
Let’s see:$85 for weekend spots. $20 for weekday spots.How can that add up to $1000 a week?
All these years I had figured it was the drinking, drugs, and lack of sleep that made me feel like shit. Now I come to find out that my soul has been crushed. Answers a lot of questions.
I think that the term “good but known comic” might refer to being known outside the general comedy community… to a lot of people unfamiliar with the scene, the only “known comics” would be folks like Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Larry the Cable Guy. So that’s how an “unknown” comic like Ted Alexandro or Russ Meneve or Jessica Kirson could be making money playing clubs in New York. (In my interpretation.)Also, as far as the math goes… If one gets $85 for one show on a weekend, imagine if one performed several shows on each weekend night. 5 shows on Friday and Saturday each would make $850, plus weekdays…Anyway, it IS humorous to think of doing comedy as the profession that’s “soul-crushing,” especially in comparison to the many 9-5 day jobs, that apparently have everyone skipping to work with a spring in their step and a song in their heart.
5 shows each on Friday and Saturday is not only ambitious in terms of scheduling (slow subways, hard to get a taxi in the rain, even harder to park near clubs…) but very difficult to achieve on any consistent basis given how many comics are in the city and how few spots there are at each club. So while someone could in theory pull that off on a particular weekend, they wouldn’t be able to do that every week– a club isn’t going to put the same comic in every show.
Yes, I agree that there are many “good but unknown” comics hitting the barter or bringer shows, or the open-mic circuit, and not making any money at all. People who could possibly be making $1,000 a week are the “name” comedians like Jessica Kirson, Ted Alexandro, Judah Friedlander, Dan Naturman, etc. But these people have been on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show, Last Comic Standing, Letterman, etc. So you wouldn’t call them “unknown” comics. And most clubs only have 2 or 3 shows a night on the weekends–tops. And most clubs wouldn’t have the same comedians at the same clubs week after week. So I would estimate that there are very, very few people who are actually making $1,000 a week doing comedy in NY, especially “unknown but good comics.” On the contrary, the only way for most NY comedians to make any money is to get out of the city and tour.
you’re forgetting about the table dances. That’s where Ted Alexandro makes the bulk of his cash.
That’s true about Ted — but it’s all worth it. Truly it is. He really works for those Golden Dollars. In fact, his junk is now writing Indian treaties to get Sacagaweas without the middleman. “Soul-crushing” is only funny if it refers to the weight that Rosie O’Donnel’s feet must endure.As ever, I remainthe White K-Fed
Randy–I was just pointing out that the concept of “known” vs. “unknown” is a relative one.My point was that people WE know as “name” comics, even ones who have been on Comedy Central or Letterman, would be considered “unknown” to the majority of the public. Which seems to be how the term was used in the article.Additionally, here’s Laurie Kilmartin’s schedule from last year– http://kilmartin.com/schedule.html –if people want to see how many weekend spots a good (but unknown to a lot of people) comedian can get. Maybe not 10 every weekend, but it can be close.
myq, I see your point, and you’re right: Laurie was a busy gal last year. I noticed how she also did a lot of out of town gigs.On another note, I am going to bring a lot of singles for the next time I see Ted Alexandro!!