Gary Gulman is one of my favorite stand-up comedians. Strangers hate it when you waste their time: Friends and family will laugh or smile at your jokes '" they want you to feel good and to like them back. I have always been curious to find out how much money stand up comedians make. A book about improvisation that's great for stand-up comedians.
I have always been deeply impressed by the bravery (and, in my mind, slight insanity) displayed by people who actually want to get on a stage to try and make a room full of unknown randoms laugh. As someone who regularly self-sabotages due to the crushing guilt I feel for ruining people's evenings by waving a flyer in their face, I say pull every trick, use every gimmick, stage every publicity stunt and call in every favour you can.
Personally, I would find out how long an open mic set is in my city (differs by city) and try to write 1 minute less than the time. Between remembering your set and feeling the stares of strangers, a huge part of a successful set is keeping a connection with your audience, and a key to keeping a connection is making eye contact.
Thus, a lot more comedians became popular and started performing various live and TV shows. Unfortunately that's not always the case, but with a few tips and a little guidance, you can have a successful first stand-up experience. In other words, you need to practice your stand-up comedy act extensively before an audience every sees you perform.
Keep practicing - Jerry Seinfeld, one of the greatest comedians of our times, is a testimony of remarkable consistency and entertainment of an incredibly high standard. Whether you want to pursue comedy as a hobby or a potential career, it all starts with the writing process.
Therefore, if you want to "seriously" sharpen your sense of humor, start keeping a journal or notes on what you think is
funny videos American or witty. For the best results, place a high-quality microphone on a stand somewhere near the stage, pointing back towards the audience.