Make big profit

PeguinBackPacker asked:


I am not looking to be made like Jeff Foxworthy. I want to know what it would take and long it would be to earn a steady and decent income so I can pay my rent and earn my meal ticket? Say some where 600 to 1200 a month doing stand up or reading poetry?

Category: Performing Arts by admin

2 Responses to “What would it take for me to earn a steady income as a stand up comedian?”

1. Sage, on December 7th, 2008 at 6:01 pm Said:

   Well, you would have to be funny. I think that’s the key. As for how long it would take, it would depend on how funny you are, lots of auditions and getting your heart stomped on. You have to have very tough skin to make it in the business. It’s very competitive and back-stabbing.
   But if it’s your dream and you want to follow it just be prepared. You’ll probably have to do a lot of “paycheck” jobs in the meantime (waiter, busboy, fast food, etc.) just to pay the rent; success rarely comes overnight.
   Good luck, though, I hope you make it.

2. cconsaul, on December 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pm Said:

   Steady bookings, which would probably require a booking agent. You need enough material to change up your act if you go back to a place that you have been to recently. You are shooting low on the income side however. With the travel involved, maintaining a residence while you are gone, and quarterly returns to the I.R.S. as an independent contractor, you will need at least four to five thousand a month to make ends meet. You are also going to have to give a percentage of that income to the agency that books you, and when things start doing well, you will need an accountant or financial planner, along with an entertainment lawyer to trademark your routine, as well as dealing with lawsuits from other comedians and performers that inevitably arise over similar material that clashes. You are going to have clubs that don’t pay, accidents which as an inevitable part of travel, missed luggage as well as missing luggage, lawsuits due to the increased racial and cultural sensitivity a charged atmosphere like that generates, and eventually you are going to have to hire at least one writer, maybe more. I hope this gives you a clearer picture of life on the road. You’ve got hours of boredom before the gig (made a little more palatable these days thanks to cable TV) and the rush of adrenaline that you have to dissipate before you can sleep after a good concert. You are going to go through some lean times as you get started, but set your sights much higher and get the help you need going in. The number one thing that kills performers is drugs and alcohol, number two are travel related accidents, but number three is not having the business sense or advice they need to survive on the boards. Get what you need.

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

CAPTCHA Code *