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About Stand Up Comic

A Stand-Up Comic uses jokes and anecdotes with punchlines to amuse and surprise their audience.

Who is a Stand Up Comic? 

“When you grow up, the idea of enjoying yourself becomes different. If you tell me to go enjoy myself, I will go to sleep for 3 days” - Biswa Kalyan Rath, Stand Up Comic.

Most people believe that Stand-Up Comedy is all about being ‘funny’. It is. But not all of it.

This being said, Standup Comedy is one of the most intimate and intimidating forms of performance out there. Mastering standup comedy requires years of hard work and dedication—not to mention a thick skin and the will to persevere, no matter how many times you mess up.

Just because you think you are funny, you may not be funny enough to have what it takes to become a good stand-up comic.

Having a good sense of humour is the prerequisite of a good comedian, but some things are to be learned before you step on the stage. Getting on stage requires writing your jokes, that needs time, patience, and skills.

“Stand Up Comedy is a Science. Every comedian is a Psychology major, naturally” - Eddie Griffin.

There are many types of stand-up comedy that over the past years have gained popularity. Some of them are:

  • Slapstick Comedy
  • Deadpan
  • Self-Deprecating
  • Topical Humour
  • Character Comedy
  • Musical Comedy
  • Improv
  • Socio-political Satire
  • Sketch comedy

Now, if you have decided to become a stand-up comedian, that is half the job. The other half is understanding where to start. Most stand-up comedians in India and abroad showcase their comic sets at various locations.

  • Comedy Clubs
  • Open Mics
  • Festivals
  • Specials

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Top Colleges

To pursue a career in Stand-up Comedy, there are no particular courses or degrees offered by colleges. Most stand-up comedians, however, have been seen to have a formal bachelor’s degree in various fields. 

(The colleges and universities mentioned here are based on the Bachelor’s Degree in Communication)

India

Duration: 3 years

Fee per course/annum: Rs.75,000 - Rs.2 Lakh Per Annum

USA

Duration: 4 Years

Fee per course/annum: Rs.20 Lakh Per Annum

UK

Duration: 3 Years

Fee per course/annum: Rs.20 - Rs.30 Lakh Per Annum

Canada

Duration: 4 Years

Fee per course/annum: Rs.16 - Rs.20 Lakh Per Annum

Career Prospects

Stand-Up Comedian

We all understand comedy's value, and everyone enjoys a good laugh, but comedy is not only about entertainment.

When you laugh at some joke, you admit there is some truth to it, and comedies are typically used to convey important ideas.

It might also take the form of satire, in which the writer employs exaggeration and humor to expose the foolishness of institutions, individuals, political parties, to name a few.

What does a Stand-Up Comedy set consist of? Let’s take a look at some of the elements of a stand-up comedy routine:

  • Opening - The opening of a stand-up set often dictates how the show will go. Start with a great joke to get the audience laughing from the first line.
  • Bits - Bits are what comedians call jokes. Every bit has a setup detailing the characters and situations they’re in and a punchline. The punchline—or conclusion—is the funniest part of the joke and almost always goes against the audience’s expectations.
  • Transitions - Transitions are short conversational bridges that connect one joke to the next.
  • Closer - The final joke in the show. It might be a callback—a reference to an earlier joke. Wrap up your set with a solid close that leaves the audience laughing.

Scriptwriting

Today, with all industries going digital, Stand-up comedy is no exception. With the rising popularity of stand up comedy, the demand for shows, digital and live has gone higher. This is not only in India but in other countries as well.

So who will be writing these shows?

Well, who better than the Stand-Up Comic?

With a detailed overview of what they will be performing and what they will be talking about, a Stand-up Comic is the perfect person to write the script of the show. And, so they do.

Not only their own shows, there are many Stand-Up Comics who have written scripts for other kinds of shows as well, such as award shows or reality TV shows.

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Jobs & Salary

Coming to the job scope of a Stand-Up Comic, it goes beyond the usual performing at solo shows. There is a high demand for stand-up comics to perform not only within the comic circle, but for other audiences as well.

Today, Stand-Up Comics host popular TV shows, perform at award ceremonies, sports events, music festivals, and also corporate events.

Apart from this, most comics aim to establish their social media and online presence as well by taking part in various online events.

When we talk about the salary of a Stand-Up Comic, most often, people assume that they don’t get paid enough. However, they do earn an average of Rs.50,000 per month depending on the shows lined up, paid partnerships, etc.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Fulfilling Job
  • High Paying Job
Cons
  • Low Job Security
  • Slow Job Growth

Famous Personalities

Abish Mathew

Abish Mathew started his career as an RJ in Red FM, Delhi before switching to stand up comedy. His show Son Of Abish is quite popular on YouTube where he has hosted a number of guests including several YouTube stars and Bollywood stars.

He has been a part of the comic sets of many other comedians that include Tanmay Bhatt, Kanan Gill, etc. Not only so, he has also written scripts for many award shows for the film industry.

Vir Das

One of the earliest stand up comedians of India, Vir Das has appeared in several Bollywood movies, television shows and has participated in prominent comedy festivals across the globe. He has also written comedy columns for several publications that include Femina, Maxim and Tehelka. 

Appearing in a few international TV shows as well, Vir Das has gained immense popularity outside India as well, performing at top venues in cities such as New York, London, Paris, and more!

Chelsea Peretti

Most famously known for her role as ‘Gina’ in popular TV series, ‘Brooklyn 99’, Chelsea Peretti is American comedian, actress, television writer, singer, and songwriter. 

She is also known for writing for Parks and Recreation and Saturday Night Live.

Timeline

1840 Stand Up Comedy got its start.

1950 - 1960 The ‘New Wave’ of Comedy began.

1970 The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live gets popularised.

2007 An UK-based comedy firm brought a revolving line-up of international comedians to Mumbai.

2008 Famous Comedian, Russel Peters performs in India.

2011 All India Bakchod (AIB) was introduced in the Indian Comedy circle.

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