The Comedy Mistake That Closes Doors
The Audition You Didn't Know You Were In (Comedy Mindhacks #119)
A few days ago, I posted a simple request in a Facebook group of comedians and comedy fans. I was looking for clean comedians to feature on my podcast. The post wasn’t complicated and there wasn’t a lengthy application process at all. I was simply looking for comedians who might be a good fit for my “Messed-Up To Set-Ups” podcast. In other words, I was actively looking for an opportunity to give away.
The responses, which numbered into the hundreds, immediately sorted themselves into categories. Some comedians expressed interest professionally and followed the directions in the post. A few tagged friends they thought would be a good fit. Several reached out privately, which is exactly what I requested, and introduced themselves in a way that made me curious to learn more. Those responses accomplished exactly what they needed to accomplish because at the end of the day they communicated competence, professionalism, and genuine interest.
Other comedians approached the situation very differently. Some used the comment section to advertise themselves without actually responding to the request. Others mocked the clean-comedy requirement. A few treated the comments like an open mic and simply fired off whatever response came to mind. None of the comments were especially offensive, but many of them completely missed what was actually happening. And that’s the part that really fascinated me.
Many of the comedians I know spend a tremendous amount of time looking for opportunities. They want consistent bookings, introductions, guest spots, referrals, recommendations, podcast appearances, and stage time. Yet, right here was a situation where an opportunity was sitting directly in front of them, and some people seemed completely unaware of it. Some people responded as though they were straight blowing up a chance rather than interacting with someone actively looking for guests.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized this is a professionalism problem but it’s also more than that. At its core it’s ultimately an awareness problem. Many comedians imagine opportunity as a phone call from a booker or an email offering a paid gig. And, once you’re well established, sometimes opportunity looks like that. More often, however, opportunity arrives disguised as an ordinary interaction.
Later that same day, I watched a clip from comedy manager Barry Katz, who was a guest on my podcast a few months ago. If you’ve spent much time around comedy, you know Barry has worked with some of the biggest names in the business. In the clip, the interviewer asked for one piece of advice to offer comedians and he gave an incredibly simple answer: “Don’t be an a-hole.” His point was that opportunities often disappear because a comedian becomes difficult to work with, and eventually that reputation catches up with them.
I think there’s another version of that lesson worth discussing, too: Sometimes opportunities don’t disappear because someone is rude, arrogant, or openly difficult. Sometimes opportunities disappear because a comedian fails to recognize that he’s standing right inside one. Nobody sends a follow-up message explaining what happened or announces that a door has closed. The opportunity simply vanishes, and the comedian never realizes it was there in the first place.
I’ve seen this play out repeatedly. I’ve seen comedians get recommended because somebody enjoyed working with them. I’ve seen comics get invited back because they were prepared, respectful, and easy to work with. I’ve seen introductions happen because a trusted person felt comfortable attaching their name to someone else’s reputation. Those moments often look small when they’re happening, but they have a way of creating momentum months or years later.
Many comedians assume they’re only being evaluated when they’re holding a microphone. That’s simply not true. People notice how comedians treat staff members, handle disappointment, interact with other comedians, and respond when things don’t go their way. They notice whether someone builds people up or constantly tears people down. They notice whether a comedian makes situations easier or more complicated.
On stage, everybody is trying to be funny. Off stage, people reveal who they actually are. That’s where you discover how someone talks about absent comedians, how they react to success, how they handle failure, and whether they’re the kind of person others genuinely want to spend time around. Character tends to reveal itself long before the show starts and long after it ends. Of course, the point isn’t to become fake or overly strategic. The point is to recognize that opportunities rarely arrive wearing name tags. They show up disguised as conversations, comments, introductions, emails, green room interactions, and casual encounters after shows. Most opportunities don’t announce themselves as opportunities. That’s precisely why so many people miss them.
I think that’s the hidden obstacle many comedians never see. They keep asking why opportunities aren’t showing up while failing to recognize the opportunities already sitting in front of them. The audition often starts before the booking and the evaluation often begins before the microphone. All the same, the relationships often matter before the referral. And that’s exactly why professionalism matters. It’s not because it makes you look good or helps you play some networking game. Professionalism matters because it keeps you ready when opportunity appears unexpectedly. Sometimes the door opens before you realize you’re standing in front of it. And sometimes the audition starts long before anybody hands you a microphone.
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