So, despite how it may seem (and I understand that from someone who writes a weekly essay about what’s in his dumb brain, this is pretty rich) I don’t love the spotlight. There’s a reason I gravitate towards writing and not acting or performing. I’d rather be able to take my time, work out some content, realize it’s dogshit, edit the hell out of it, still be unhappy with it, and then hand it off for someone else to deliver and either get cheered or booed for it. That’s why, despite the fact I write jokes for money and despite the fact I write jokes every week for this publication, I’ve never once gotten on a stage and told jokes to strangers. Well, that changed this week. For the first time ever, I tried standup comedy.
Fear of failure is, to me, the OG of fears. It's not a once and done fear like having your wisdom teeth pulled. Trick is making the act of facing fear an accomplishment all its own. At least that's how I've sold it to myself. It's worked at least forty percent of the time.
Will, I loved this article. I felt the same way when I did stand-up for the first time at the Comedy Store back in 1977. My heart was beating out of my chest. You could see the ripples in my shirt. My first line saved me, "I know what you're thinking, $5 for a Budweiser and a two drink minimum, this fucker better be funny!" Good for you going out of your comfort zone! Stand-up comedy is the scariest thing anyone can do! Congrats for doing something few will even attempt to do! Derek
Putting your ego on the line is one of the more courageous things you can do in civilian life. Whether it's auditioning for a play or musical gig, addressing a group of your peers at a conference, or trying to sell your great idea for a business to the bankers, it takes a lot of gumption. Some people shy from the spotlight, and some will do anything to capture it. But if you survive it, you've probably earned a heck of an endorphin high for your efforts. Like the song says: "There's no business like show business." Personally, my scariest experience was facing a hostile crowd opposing a development project I reviewed for the Wisconsin DNR. We had to have armed wardens stationed in the room to keep the citizens from lynching us.
Bummed to miss it. I'm sure it was great. When you eventually get a Netflix special, what's your intro going to look/sound like? Calmly walking down the street and into the comedy club to rock music? Sitting around laughing and hugging friends before going on stage to old school hip hop? Putting practice backstage? Paint me a picture.
Congrats, Will. You’ve now become a much stronger person because of your courage to make a fool of yourself. But it sounds like you successfully got through it. Well done! Standup would terrify me. I must say, I have always been terrified of doing improv in front of an audience. The fear of trying to creat a funny scene in the moment and not getting any kind of reaction from an audience was and has always been a most frightening thought for me! So, do yourself a favor…stick with standup!!
In my book there’s going to war, getting into a boxing ring, playing any kind of football beyond flag, and doing standup. I would have put proposing marriage at four, but the worst that happens there is you only get rejected by one person, not an entire roomful. I am still in awe of the fact that you did it. Bravo! The closest I’ve ever come to facing that kind of terror was when, in 7th grade, I auditioned for a junior/senior high school talent show. And even then I didn’t write my own jokes. I memorized a comedy routine off of a record by a famous comedian and performed it word for word. I can’t imagine what Roger Hytinen, the football coach/hygiene teacher who’d been roped into running this circus, must have thought as he watched this…4’9?…bespectacled, bracing wearing, second soprano portraying a guy in his mid to late 30s waking up so hungover from a party that he is calling people to find out what he did and said the night before. I’ll never forget the typewritten general purpose rejection note I got in my cubbyhole the next day. “Thank you for auditioning. Unfortunately, we have no room for your particular kind of talent this year.” “Particular kind of talent…” I loved the artful way the phrase allowed me to think, “Yes! They recognize it. They just don’t know where to put it!” And four years later I was Phineas Fogg in “Around The World In 80 Days!” So I guess I showed them!
i am so so impressed!!! standup is absolutely terrifying and i don’t think i could ever find the guts to do it. bravo!!
I genuinely think skateboarding is terrifying and one of the scariest things I’ve ever done but I think stand up would be scarier. And you did great!
Fear of failure is, to me, the OG of fears. It's not a once and done fear like having your wisdom teeth pulled. Trick is making the act of facing fear an accomplishment all its own. At least that's how I've sold it to myself. It's worked at least forty percent of the time.
Will, I loved this article. I felt the same way when I did stand-up for the first time at the Comedy Store back in 1977. My heart was beating out of my chest. You could see the ripples in my shirt. My first line saved me, "I know what you're thinking, $5 for a Budweiser and a two drink minimum, this fucker better be funny!" Good for you going out of your comfort zone! Stand-up comedy is the scariest thing anyone can do! Congrats for doing something few will even attempt to do! Derek
Putting your ego on the line is one of the more courageous things you can do in civilian life. Whether it's auditioning for a play or musical gig, addressing a group of your peers at a conference, or trying to sell your great idea for a business to the bankers, it takes a lot of gumption. Some people shy from the spotlight, and some will do anything to capture it. But if you survive it, you've probably earned a heck of an endorphin high for your efforts. Like the song says: "There's no business like show business." Personally, my scariest experience was facing a hostile crowd opposing a development project I reviewed for the Wisconsin DNR. We had to have armed wardens stationed in the room to keep the citizens from lynching us.
Bummed to miss it. I'm sure it was great. When you eventually get a Netflix special, what's your intro going to look/sound like? Calmly walking down the street and into the comedy club to rock music? Sitting around laughing and hugging friends before going on stage to old school hip hop? Putting practice backstage? Paint me a picture.
I feel like throwing up just thinking about it. Good for you Will!
It was braces, but you get the idea.
Way braver than I could ever be. Nice job! And now it will be easier to do it a second time. You game?
I totally admire you!! I could never do that!!! I am sure it was funny the end! You are FUNNY!!!
Congrats, Will. You’ve now become a much stronger person because of your courage to make a fool of yourself. But it sounds like you successfully got through it. Well done! Standup would terrify me. I must say, I have always been terrified of doing improv in front of an audience. The fear of trying to creat a funny scene in the moment and not getting any kind of reaction from an audience was and has always been a most frightening thought for me! So, do yourself a favor…stick with standup!!
In my book there’s going to war, getting into a boxing ring, playing any kind of football beyond flag, and doing standup. I would have put proposing marriage at four, but the worst that happens there is you only get rejected by one person, not an entire roomful. I am still in awe of the fact that you did it. Bravo! The closest I’ve ever come to facing that kind of terror was when, in 7th grade, I auditioned for a junior/senior high school talent show. And even then I didn’t write my own jokes. I memorized a comedy routine off of a record by a famous comedian and performed it word for word. I can’t imagine what Roger Hytinen, the football coach/hygiene teacher who’d been roped into running this circus, must have thought as he watched this…4’9?…bespectacled, bracing wearing, second soprano portraying a guy in his mid to late 30s waking up so hungover from a party that he is calling people to find out what he did and said the night before. I’ll never forget the typewritten general purpose rejection note I got in my cubbyhole the next day. “Thank you for auditioning. Unfortunately, we have no room for your particular kind of talent this year.” “Particular kind of talent…” I loved the artful way the phrase allowed me to think, “Yes! They recognize it. They just don’t know where to put it!” And four years later I was Phineas Fogg in “Around The World In 80 Days!” So I guess I showed them!