I guess I’m a fanatic about preparation. When I take a comedy gig, the first thing I do after I put it on my calendar is schedule clusters of hours for writing, planning my set list, and rehearsing. First, I take all my material that I want to use (or could use) and put it in a set list on the computer. It takes time to put things in an order that makes sense and that I’ll be able to remember. Proper standup has to be original AND memorized. I write out word for word every

In my last blog I talked about how I love to tell people I’m a comic, even if I haven’t had a gig in months. I’m not sure if they are intrigued, envious, or amazed that an old gal like me is still pursuing the stage. (I also told what I hate about being a comic. Take a look back.) I love being around other comics and sharing our horror stories of hecklers, faulty sound systems, and audiences of three or four people. Comics have got to have thick skin because they take a g

One of the hardest obstacles when getting comfortable with standup comedy is to know who you are. What is your persona? Some comics never find it. Will you be a whiney disgruntled housewife like Rosanna or a foodie like Jim Gaffigan. The first bit I ever wrote was about being retired. I performed it once and ditched it. The second bit I wrote was about always getting the squeaky wheel on my way to Las Vegas: on the shopping basket, the taxi, the airplane and the luggage

About 10 years ago, we hired a comic named Nick Arnette to perform at our church. I don’t think I’d ever been to a real comedy show, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I did grow up watching all the wonderful old comics like George Burns, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Carol Burnett, Betty White. I think I always wanted to be like them. Nick suggested that when we set up the room, it was important to set up the chairs so that the f