Steve Serra: A Stand Up (comedy) Kind Of Story

The video in the bottom of my blog is my set that I do all over New York City. I change 1-2 jokes here and there (always 1-2 new jokes, the adrenaline of a new joke working is like no other). I'm leaving it for people who come to read my Hubpages account and think my hubs are funny or even inspiring. For the people whom also think "If this kids a comedian, how come I haven't seen a video!?". You have to read that last comment in a mobster voice because that's how it popped in my head. For the person who comes across this some how and all he/she wanted was a pointer on how to do Stand up comedy or wanted information on it. This is for you. As well as for me because it is the best recording of my set. Except for the ending...you'll have to see why. DUHN, DUHN, DUHNNNN!!!!!!! Spoiler alert: A guy gets in front of the camera for 5 seconds.

I say it's the best set I've recorded because Stand-Up comedy is not about just BEING funny. Being funny with your friends and people around you is what makes you think about going up on stage and being a comic. I have been doing this for 7 years now (Rodney Dangerfield was one of my inspirations and he died on the night I first did stand up October 5th, 2004. I take it as a sign from someone out there, it's one of the things that gets me going on shit days). Stopped in the beginning for about 6-7 months because I met some comics on the way that pretty much made me give up on my dream. They were envious, I am not saying "OHHHH, I AM SOOOO GOOD!". Trust me at that time...I was NOT good. Like if there was no laughter after a joke, I felt like I was about to blow up because my heart was pounding SO fast full of nerves. I was barely confident to go up.

They would talk shit behind my back (If you pursue a career in Stand Up comedy you will encounter some people on your path that will do and say things to put you down, don't listen to them. Listen to the voice that's pushing you towards your dream) . Heckle me at open mics. Laugh only at each others jokes at the mics and talk over mine and not laugh (not laughing is actually normal for a open mic. Most of the time they're looking over their jokes before they go up, BUT a lot of the times...it's because you're a comedian just like them.) all because they invited me one night to their friends frat's house for a comedy night and the award for the best comic was a red solo cup with beer...that I won, SUCK IT BITCH (Steve dances on his bed and uses his lap top as a guitar). I stopped, but I met this girl. Lauren, she was my first real girl friend. Beautiful, sweet, just a nice person. Ok, a little on the coo-coo for Coco Puffs side like I've mention before, but none the less, if it wasn't for her I probably wouldn't be pushing for the dream as I am now. One thing she did that I would love to thank her if I ever saw her again is to thank her for pushing me to do Stand-up again. She kept telling me to go back. I would tell her I missed it, but I didn't have the courage to go up. One day, she booked me on a show without me knowing at Stand-Up New York Comedy Club on West 78th street (great comedy atmosphere and a simply nice place, nothing out of the ordinary, but it's simplicity is what makes it great). I went on and killed. I still get chills when I think of that day. I hadn't done stand up in forever and I killed that day at an actual show!...There were 9 people there...1 of them was my girl friend.

Now, I would NEVER actually do a show with out doing stand up for 7 months. It's just stupid. You have to constantly be doing open mics and perfecting your skill. Seriously, it is NOT about just being funny. Then for 3 years I would only do 2 shows a month SOMETIMES 3 shows a month. Once again I will say this. YOU HAVE TO DO STAND UP ALL THE TIME IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS! EVERY WEEK! AS MUCH AS YOU FEEL IS ENOUGH FOR YOU!

I would only do it at places where I thought "I could make it" which is utterly stupid. Bringer shows (they're shows big comedy clubs have where the "up-and-coming" comic has to bring usually 7-10 people to get 5-7 mins of stage time). The secret to stand up after 7 years of doing it is this...You just have to find a mic and do it. Bars, cafe's, where ever. Don't worry about "Making it" just do stand up and listen to your comedic voice. My writing has gotten so much better compared to when I first started. My first years I would write a sentence and thought I'd remember the joke. Now, I write how I'm going to say it, how I'll act it out, put pause lines, what voice to use, etc. It's that in depth for me now. Whatever you think is funny, write it down. It is your comedic voice. In time you will find your voice more and more. I'm not saying it will always be funny, but you don't know how many times I've written a joke and it blows at 2 open mics, but after the second open mic. The joke changes completely to something else and actually becomes a great joke.

The last 3 years I've been going to open mics every week, 3 times a week, it's what I like the most. I would do it every night if I lived in New York City, but I live in New Jersey and I'm unemployed. Money is tight, but I'm living the artistic dream. The last 2 and a half years of my "comedic" career I have been doing more shows. More confident, crowd work easily comes to me now, I can make fun of myself if a joke doesn't work and not sweat when it doesn't and go in panic mode. I'm still learning and I can/have to get better, but to look back and see where I was to where I am now. I cherish it so much. I still have so much to learn, but going up on stage is such a drug. The feeling of hearing a crowd laugh after a joke (especially when they applaud) is better then being with anyone's dream girl. Follow your dream, you're really living life if you do.

Remember this career takes years of sharpening and learning who you are as a comic. You are pretty much a one man band and only you can make yourself better. I am still a nobody and I'm still doing it after so many years and will continue until my opportunity comes and I encourage you to do so.
NOTES:

1. Do Stand up shows where ever. A friend asks "wanna do a show?" just say yes with out even thinking. Where ever there's a mic, do it.
2. Open mics are important. If you feel like 2 is enough, fine it's enough. I would recommend 2 or more a week, but as I said. As long as you're doing it every week, you'll be fine. I only learned this in the last 3 years. A professional football player doesn't go to a Monday Night Football game without practicing all week. Don't worry about comics not laughing, it's just how it is. Believe in yourself like I've said a shit load a times (hehe I said shit).
3. Network with people you meet. Say Hi and bye. Even if the guy's a dick or she's a bitch say hi and just look at your jokes and study them and pay no attention to them. Let there negative energy stay with them. You never know if you make friends with the next Chris Rock or Daniel Tosh.
4. When you first start, watch comedians who inspire you. Get and idea on how you'd like your stand up style to be. DO NOT go out and do his set and actually act like him. That's being a hack and every comedian will hate you. Just watch him and get an idea. I use to watch Dane Cook before every show. I'd move around like him and try to be hyper. 3 years ago I learned. I can be funny without moving a lot. Watched other comics like Daniel Tosh, Demetri Martin, Gary Gulman, Mitch Hedberg, Old school Jim Carey, Jim Gaffigan, TJ Miller, Louis CK, Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin, Rodney Dangerfield, Robert Schimmel and list goes on. I learned from each comic. That and a mixture of my comedic voice, I'm finding my style more and more as I go on this journey.
5. Write WHATEVER you think is funny. Carry a little note pad or if you have a memo pad on your smart phone, use it and write it down. Try the jokes at open mics and don't throw it away if it doesn't work, use it at a few mics. Don't wait for 10 mics, if it's no good...throw it away. More jokes will come.
6. Create a Twitter account. Conan O'brien said that Twitter helped him keep his comedic writing sharp when he left NBC. He mentioned how the 140 characters that Twitter allows you to use makes you sharper with comedic writing because a lot of comics know. If there are words that do NOT need to be there, throw them away. Less words the better. Most of the time the audience will give you their ear for the first joke or two. IF the first joke is long and has no premise or takes too long to get to the punch line. Guess what? They're on Twitter looking at Conan O'brien's Twitter account.
7. Believe in yourself. Do not let anyone or anything get in your way. We are all in this world for a reason and it's to find our dream and live it. What's most important about any dream is PERSISTENCE. Things take time and with time the rewards will come. I've gotten a lot of scars during this voyage and they're there so one day I can remember where I came from. You will get them too. Life isn't easy, but you're living it by going after what you want.

I hoped you enjoy this. This will be my last blog for awhile. Looking for a job and doing stand up comedy is all I wanna do for now. I need the job to pay the bills while I pursue my dream. I wanted my last hub to be inspiring. It's what I love doing most. I feel like I can write for days when I want to inspire especially if I write about comedy. I'll miss you guys. Be safe and fulfill everything you want in life.

Love,

Steve Serra