Top 10 Fears of Comedians

And Some Tips for Dealing with Them (Comedy Mindhacks #96)

Comedy has a way of exposing things in oneself you didn’t necessarily know were there, especially fears. When someone starts stand-up, they think they’re signing up to write jokes and get laughs, but pretty quickly they realize they’re also dealing with a whole bunch of scary crap. They have to come to terms, for instance, with the fact that some fears will be loud and obvious, while others will just sit in the background, deep in one’s head or chest, shaping how they think and perform. Over time, I’ve started to consider the notion that these phobias aren’t random but are actually pretty consistent across the board. And once a comedian can name them, they can start to work with them instead of just reacting to them. So, here’s a list of what I consider, generally speaking, to be the “Top 10 Fears of Comedians.”

1. An Empty Calendar: I’ve said it before, quoting Joan Rivers who said it years ago, that nothing quite messes with a comedian’s head like looking at their calendar and seeing nothing booked. When the calendar’s empty, a comedian’s mind fills in the blanks with all kinds of questions and doubts. That’s why this one sits at the top.

2. Stage Fright: This looks different for each person. Some can completely overcome it while, for many, it’s always there. Sometimes it’s nerves before a show or the thought days ahead of a gig, that everything can go south and fall apart in the next five minutes. When seasoned comedians appeal to “stage time” as a key to improving, this is a large part of the reason why.

3. Being Unoriginal: This one kind of creeps in the backdoor pretty stealthily the longer you do comedy. At some point, a comedian realizes that their “unique” thought might not be as unique as they’d hoped. They hear a bit that sounds close to their own, or they catch themselves leaning on something easy and familiar. But the fear of being unoriginal can force comedians to get sharper and help them catalyze ideas into something that actually sounds like them.

4. Bombing: No one signs up for it, but everyone goes through it to one degree or another. Just like there’s nothing quite like standing on stage and having an audience roar with laughter, there’s also nothing like standing on stage and feeling a joke die in real time. It’s brutal, but it’s also one of the fastest ways to learn. If a comedian can survive that, they can survive a lot…not just in comedy, but in all of life.

5. Forgetting Jokes: This one is pure panic when it hits, absolute panic. When a comedian’s mid-set, things are moving, and then their brain just…stops, it’s the worst. It’s like someone pulled the plug on their thoughts. It’s possible to recover from it, but in the moment it feels like everything’s unraveling. This fear is why preparation matters more than people think and why having a stable system is key. That said, you can check out my custom system in my online course “The Comedian’s Memory Lab.” Use it and never go blank on stage again.

6. Getting Heckled: It happens in clubs, theaters, and any venue out there. It even happens online. Some hecklers want attention or control, and some just don’t like whoever’s on the mic. Either way, it forces comedians to learn to respond in real time. There’s now hiding from it and, while “savers” are good to have, it can’t be scripted. How a comedian handles hecklers says a lot about where they are as a professional performer.

7. Getting Canceled: This is actually a modern version of a very old fear. A comedian might fear saying the wrong thing, being taken the wrong way, or having something pulled out of context, and suddenly everything shifts. Their career, name, and livelihood come under fire. That kind of pressure can make a comedian cautious in ways that don’t always help the work. So, figuring out how to navigate that tension is part of the grind.

8. Getting Rejected: This one comes from everywhere and should be expected. It comes from bookers, festivals, clubs, and opportunities you thought were a sure thing. A comedian puts themselves out there only to get a “No!,” or sometimes no response at all. And it’s easy to take it personally, even when it’s not. But let’s be real: Sometimes it 100% is a personal issue. Anyone who acts otherwise is lying. Over time, however, comedians have to realize that rejection is just part of the process.

9. Plateauing: This is one many might not think about. When comedians are getting laughs and getting booked but nothing is really moving, it can get concerning. The same set works, so they keep using it, but deep down they know they’re not growing. Then comes the realization that, at some level, it’s not failure. And that almost makes it worse. It’s just…being stuck. I’ve developed resources to help comedians avoid this altogether. The Joke Writer’s Lab, a self-paced, online course will give writers structure and tips for staying fresh. I’ve also created a weekly newsletter, “The Round-Up,” that’s full of tips, and which you can get when you pick up my FREE booklet called “The Joke Blueprint Playbook.” More resources are in the works!

10. Burnout: This one also sneaks up on comedians. What started as something fun turns into driving, promoting, coordinating, and dealing with crappy people. Comedians will keep performing, but deep down something feels off. Maybe the joy isn’t gone, but it’s buried under everything else. If comedians don’t pay attention to that, it’ll catch up with them.

Here’s a hard truth: Most of these fears don’t go away. Comedians don’t “beat” them and move on. They must simply learn how to carry them without letting them take control. Every one of these fears points to something that matters, which means they’re not just problems, they’re signals. So, if I’m paying attention, they tell me where I need to grow, where I need to adjust, and where I need to keep showing up. And in comedy, showing up is still the whole thing, but some people are scared of that, too.

Are you ready to level up in your comedy journey? Check out these resources:

• FREE - “The Round-Up”: My weekly comedy newsletter, choc-full of insights from videos, articles, and so on. This’ll also give you FREE access to “The Joke Blueprint Playbook.” Get the newsletter HERE.

• FREE - The Joke Blueprint Playbook: Act now and get an exclusive, 17-page toolkit that I designed specifically to solve some of the biggest joke-writing struggles comedians have. This comprehensive guide is packed with actionable advice, and it’s entirely exclusive to this community. Get it HERE.

• The Joke Writer’s Lab: Stop guessing at what makes people laugh. In this self-paced, online course, you’ll get the tools to find your unique comedic persona and learn the exact mechanics of writing a bulletproof joke. Get it HERE.

• The Comedian’s Memory Lab: Never blank on stage again!!! Learn my insider method to build and flawlessly memorize your entire set, whether you are doing 3 minutes at an open mic or headlining for an hour. Get it HERE.