043 COMEDY CONTESTS - GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY [podcast]

No doubt about it, at some point in your comedy journey you will be invited to - or thrown in the middle of - a comedy contest. In response to a listener question (thanks Brent!) we spend this episode weighing the pros and cons of participating in comedy competitions.

My first inadvertent night onstage, I found myself the lowest ranking comic in an ongoing contest. Looking back, it was hard to lose since I didn’t know I was even playing. Now, with 23 years under my belt I have some strong opinions on what makes these events worthwhile.

We talk specifically about:

Challenging the idea of even judging an art form in the first place
Weighing the results of “audience response” based contests
Potential benefits of a night judged by industry folk (bookers, agents, etc.,)
Why having only one goal can set you up for failure
The benefits of having to prepare “your best set”
Leveraging that seven minutes onstage for other opportunities
Why the green room may not be the best place to hang during the show
How a contest can help raise your profile
Why you should choose to focus on things that you can control
Using a contest to “set a stake in the ground” to mark your progress
How the contest may pay off several years down the line
Off stage goals you can set to help propel your career
One mindset to help you far beyond winning a contest

And much more!

I hope this episode gives you plenty to think about when you sing up for a competition. I would love to hear you success stories!

Best wishes!

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