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HB! Live #043 - Bill Burr's Take on Modern Comedy, Corporate Comedy Stories, + MORE

This episode of Hot Breath focuses on the evolving landscape of comedy and the challenges faced by both new and experienced comedians. Joel Byers and Yoshi dive into a thought-provoking discussion sparked by Bill Burr's critique of modern comedy, highlighting how the emphasis has shifted away from honing comedic skills to navigating social media and analytics. They reflect on the importance of being a good comedian and the pressures of performing in corporate settings, sharing personal anecdotes and lessons learned from live gigs. The conversation also touches on the necessity of networking and understanding the expectations of gatekeepers in the industry. Ultimately, this episode aims to educate aspiring comedians on how to adapt to the changing environment while maintaining authenticity in their craft.

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Takeaways:

  • Corporate comedy gigs often have poor setups but pay exceptionally well, making them worth it.
  • Understanding the audience and context of your performance is crucial for success.
  • Engaging with the audience through crowd work can elevate an otherwise challenging gig.
  • Bill Burr emphasizes that modern comedy often prioritizes social media presence over honing craft.
  • Young comedians should focus on networking and building relationships within the comedy scene.
  • Creative fulfillment in comedy should not be sacrificed for trends or pressures from the industry.
Transcript
Joel Byers:

What's goody?

Joel Byers:

Hot Breath averse.

Joel Byers:

Welcome back to Hot Breath Live, your weekly comedy tune up with comedians Joel Byers and Yoshi.

Joel Byers:

So, hello.

Yoshi:

Hello.

Joel Byers:

We just wrapped up a corporate comedy masterclass with Hot Breath OG Stephen Dyer.

Joel Byers:

You can check out on the podcast or on our YouTube channel, Straight Fire.

Joel Byers:

We live streamed on our YouTube channel, so if you want to get in the know on these bonus events.

Joel Byers:

We do.

Joel Byers:

And much more, join our email list linked in the show notes.

Joel Byers:

Because if you were on the email list, you would have heard about that live stream about corporate comedy and then you would have gotten free access to my clean comedy workshop.

Joel Byers:

But you didn't.

Joel Byers:

So you don't.

Joel Byers:

Wow.

Joel Byers:

But it is still available if you would like to get it.

Joel Byers:

But we're going to get into today's Q and A.

Joel Byers:

And on the topic of corporate comedy, us talking about corporate comedy today really got me reflecting on some fun ones.

Joel Byers:

And there was one that came to mind that was a holiday party, because basically we were.

Joel Byers:

Corporate gigs pay so well because a lot of the times they're just terrible setups and people don't even care some of the time or a lot of the time.

Joel Byers:

And I think Stefan summed it up pretty well that, like, the only person that really cares is, like, the person that booked it.

Yoshi:

Yes.

Joel Byers:

And the only thing they care about is not getting in trouble.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Yoshi:

And don't make them look bad.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

Like, that's essentially all they care about is that you just don't make them look bad.

Joel Byers:

So that is a positive corporate comedy.

Joel Byers:

And what we talked about a lot in that masterclass was just there's so much more you can do than, like, oh, my gosh, I need to stand up there for an hour and tell joke, joke, joke.

Joel Byers:

There's a bunch of different ways you can do corporate events that Stefan really broke down to us in a very tactical way.

Joel Byers:

But this one holiday party I did was literally I'm standing in front of the buffet on, like, it was like, basically a Mr.

Joel Byers:

Microphone.

Joel Byers:

I mean, it's one of those sound systems that have, like, the briefcase handle that you can pull up and roll around and it, like, lights up, which is the one thing you want on stage, is a distracting thing that flashes every time you talk.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

And the mic cord was literally, like 4ft long.

Joel Byers:

So I'm like, in the corner by the buffet having to engage this large room of people in circular tables, which, with a wireless mic, I could weave and connect and, you know, like, make it all, like, an entertainment.

Joel Byers:

But there I'm just, like, stuck in this for an hour, and it just brought back so many memories of that check clearing and it all still being worth it.

Yoshi:

How was the gig?

Yoshi:

How was the actual.

Yoshi:

How was the actual comedy part?

Joel Byers:

The actual gig was actually good.

Joel Byers:

Like, the audience was into it, and I was still able to play with them and do crowd work and, like, engage with them, but it was just uphill.

Joel Byers:

And the venue that they had it at apparently forgot that.

Joel Byers:

Or the caterer.

Joel Byers:

Something with, like, behind the scenes.

Joel Byers:

The caterer forgot or the venue didn't coordinate it.

Joel Byers:

Basically, the events started an hour late, so then it's already starting late.

Joel Byers:

And then they still had to eat.

Joel Byers:

And then I had to do comedy after all that.

Joel Byers:

But they did pay me for that extra hour that I was just, like, waiting around.

Joel Byers:

So that was good.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

But, yeah, it was just one of the many, many, many adventures in corporate comedy.

Joel Byers:

But still work it still worth it?

Yoshi:

Absolutely.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

Frank.

Joel Byers:

Frank Herrera said in the live chat he had to perform in a food court with a football game playing on a screen behind him.

Joel Byers:

Got paid to be miserable for 25 minutes.

Joel Byers:

Oh, yeah.

Joel Byers:

I've done several where it's like, every TV is on and you're just in there.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

And this was before I knew to, like, request just to turn the TVs off.

Yoshi:

Yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

You don't know till you get to that situation.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Yoshi:

You know, it'd be great if no one else is distracted by this.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joel Byers:

It's a lot of fun.

Joel Byers:

But that just.

Joel Byers:

That just brought up good corporate comedy memories.

Joel Byers:

But I think people definitely should go listen to that.

Yoshi:

It's so good.

Joel Byers:

It's.

Joel Byers:

It's one of the best.

Joel Byers:

It's one of the best we've done.

Joel Byers:

I think it's one of the best pieces of content we've created.

Joel Byers:

I think it's.

Joel Byers:

And the first time we had Stefan on was another one of the best.

Joel Byers:

So, yeah, he's on a roll.

Joel Byers:

He.

Joel Byers:

He's kind of.

Joel Byers:

He's gonna.

Joel Byers:

He's gonna become.

Joel Byers:

He's gonna become annoyed with us, because every week we're gonna be like, stefan, come back and tell us what to do some more.

Joel Byers:

Stefan, tell us money.

Joel Byers:

Tell us.

Joel Byers:

I just love connecting.

Joel Byers:

It's always important, and that's why this community is so valuable and that you really are the sum of the people around you.

Joel Byers:

So that's why I love this community being so positive and supportive and collaborative, because that just wears off on you, and you become that, and you start to exude that energy into your Own comedy scenes, which is the whole goal of people joining the hot breath of verse and then going and telling their fellow comics out at open mics.

Joel Byers:

So when you get to talk with someone like Stefan.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

And just learn from them and share different ideas on what we're talking about and be like, oh, I do this.

Joel Byers:

Oh, you do that.

Joel Byers:

Cool.

Joel Byers:

How can we learn from each other?

Joel Byers:

It all.

Joel Byers:

All rising tide lifts, all boats, as they say.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

So we appreciate Stefan for coming on and we appreciate y'all for hanging out with us on this live Q and A, which we do have some good questions coming in.

Joel Byers:

But I do want to get to this Bill Burr situation, go and ramp it on Reddit.

Joel Byers:

I saw talking about the young guns in comedy, and I think it's worth.

Joel Byers:

I think it's worth listening to for the peeps to hear and get their opinion on maybe what Mr.

Joel Byers:

Burr said about this neck, this young.

Joel Byers:

This young generation of comics out here.

Yoshi:

Yeah, I like that.

Joel Byers:

So let me cue that up.

Joel Byers:

And here we go.

Bill Burr:

The product gets her.

Bill Burr:

I see it in stand up comedy now.

Bill Burr:

You know, like, you see when I was coming up, it was like there was always.

Bill Burr:

Look, there was always people trying to, like, write an act to get a sitcom or to get on the Tonight Show.

Bill Burr:

Like, they had an angle.

Bill Burr:

But, like, most people were trying to get good at being comedians.

Bill Burr:

And I feel like my generation would be doing what this generation was doing if what they have available to them, you know, they would do.

Bill Burr:

But now, like, analytics has even gotten into, like, standup comedy, and it's just like, okay, crowd work, okay, get some more numbers.

Bill Burr:

I got to sell tickets, get a special, chop up the special, post the clips, do this, do that or whatever.

Bill Burr:

And it stops being about, like, you know, becoming a good comedian.

Bill Burr:

You know, I'm not shitting on younger comics either.

Bill Burr:

I'm just saying because my work now is affected by that.

Bill Burr:

People are telling me, oh, you know, you got to do this on Instagram.

Bill Burr:

You got to post.

Yoshi:

That's why.

Bill Burr:

That's why I'm posting those fucking stories on the thing.

Bill Burr:

People, you got to do this.

Bill Burr:

All right, I guess I got to fucking do this.

Bill Burr:

I don't know.

Bill Burr:

So I think.

Bill Burr:

I don't know what I'm saying here.

Bill Burr:

I just think I'm kind of going to fucking tap out.

Yoshi:

That's so Burr.

Yoshi:

That's such a Burr moment right there.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, it really is.

Joel Byers:

It's an interesting point of view coming from like an OG like that to where he's basically like, you know, man, it's not even about being a good comedian anymore.

Yoshi:

Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think it's.

Yoshi:

It's a.

Yoshi:

It's a.

Yoshi:

It's a interesting perspective because I think very similar to what Stefan said about corporate comedy is that the expectation is just different.

Yoshi:

I think we have this high expectation that it has to be polished.

Yoshi:

You got to do 45 minutes.

Yoshi:

It's got to be corporate clean.

Yoshi:

And then Stefan takes corporate comedy and does 15 minutes of comedy and then sprinkles it with improv and things that make the company look good.

Yoshi:

And it's like, oh, you're just redefining what the experience is.

Joel Byers:

Right.

Yoshi:

And I think that's kind of what's happening with comedy, is that.

Yoshi:

I mean, whatever you want to call it.

Yoshi:

But the influx of comedy technology, social media, is redefining what people find funny and redefining what people find to be the standard definition of a comedian.

Yoshi:

So even established comedians that have material to get people to come to their shows, you got to put clips out, and you don't want to burn your material because that's your bread and butter.

Yoshi:

So you put out crowd clips to get people interested, be like, oh, he's funny.

Yoshi:

That'd be fun to go to a show.

Yoshi:

And then you get to the show, you're like, man, he's a real comedian, bow kind of thing.

Yoshi:

But also our attention spans are smaller.

Yoshi:

Like, it's.

Yoshi:

I mean, I think it's all just about shifting with what's happening in the world itself as well.

Yoshi:

Like, we are where we are because the world is where we are.

Yoshi:

So, yes, you can go back to the way that it used to be.

Yoshi:

But can you survive doing that?

Yoshi:

Probably not.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

But not all times are they saying, oh, we saw their social media, let's go see them live.

Yoshi:

Very true.

Joel Byers:

It ain't.

Joel Byers:

It ain't there.

Joel Byers:

Happens a lot of the time.

Joel Byers:

Not all the time, but there are several comics.

Joel Byers:

So, you know, I like to keep.

Joel Byers:

Keep my ear to the ground.

Joel Byers:

And I've gone and watched several comics, big on social media.

Joel Byers:

And then you get there and it's some stand up and then a lot of crowd work.

Joel Byers:

And then sometimes it's literally, all right, it's the crowd work portion of the show.

Joel Byers:

And then they just like, prompt the crowd work.

Joel Byers:

I saw one recently.

Joel Byers:

Oh, my gosh.

Joel Byers:

This guy's, like, super known for crowd work and by the way, selling out shows, moving tickets, like, these comics are killing it.

Joel Byers:

And their fans love them.

Yoshi:

Absolutely.

Joel Byers:

And they're making money and they're happy like the fans are happy with the experience.

Joel Byers:

The comic, like, it's, there's no fault here.

Joel Byers:

I'm, I'm, you know, I, I skew in Bill's point of view of just like, man, don't you just want to be good and just murder all the time from like a, that perspective?

Joel Byers:

But like you said, the medium is evolving or devolving.

Joel Byers:

You can look at it either way progressing or regressing.

Joel Byers:

It's what you want it to be.

Joel Byers:

We're now game show hosts more than stand up comedians.

Joel Byers:

But there was basically, he was, I guess some of the people in there didn't want to be crowd worked.

Joel Byers:

So he was like trying to do crowd over them and the lady was like, I didn't consent to crowd work.

Yoshi:

That's so funny.

Yoshi:

And here's the thing, there's probably so used to it because now when you walk into a lot of comedy shows, there's usually like a thing on the, on, on like a, like a consent form that says if you walk in here, you are consenting to crowd work.

Yoshi:

Basically because this comedian does crowd work.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, we're being filmed because comics will have a camera on stage with them now just filming the audience know.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Yoshi:

So basically, yeah, it's like a legal document that basically says if you enter into the space you are now being recorded and anything you use, we can use or anything you say can be used for the sake of, you know, crowd work.

Yoshi:

But it's like, I actually wonder if that might come and bite us comedians in the back when people are just like, all right, I'm tired of going to shows where everything is crowd work and I just want to hear something funny rather than what kind of job this dude has.

Yoshi:

Oh, dude.

Joel Byers:

I saw a clip one time that made me cringe where it was a comic trying to do crowd work to the front row.

Joel Byers:

And then the audience member was like, oh, the other comic already asked me that.

Joel Byers:

And they were like, oh, well, now I'm asking you.

Joel Byers:

And they like doubled down on trying to crowd work.

Joel Byers:

This person that was not wanting to be crowd worked asking the same question the comic before them asked.

Joel Byers:

And you could tell it was like a younger comic and it can just become a crutch or a bad habit.

Joel Byers:

But gosh, if it's working and it's selling tickets, it's hard to tell a comic.

Joel Byers:

Come on, pay your dues, hate yourself for 10 years, get bitter, and then you know it.

Joel Byers:

It's so tough to, you know, hate yourself on the road.

Joel Byers:

Stay at a Motel 6 for eating sardines and, you know, with a spork.

Joel Byers:

So it's just.

Joel Byers:

It was interesting perspective to hear, you know, Bill say that.

Joel Byers:

And, you know, Bill and I are on a first name basis.

Joel Byers:

So, you know, he told me actually to play.

Joel Byers:

He's like, hey, hey, Joel, would you play that clip on your podcast?

Joel Byers:

Let these kids know the truth.

Yoshi:

That's a pretty good impression.

Yoshi:

That's solid.

Yoshi:

I did.

Joel Byers:

I've never done a billboard impression.

Yoshi:

I did a gig with Karen Mills, who opens for Leanne Morgan.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joel Byers:

OG master.

Yoshi:

Master class.

Yoshi:

And just like, just a com.

Yoshi:

Like just a con.

Yoshi:

Just watching someone, you're like, oh, you do this, do this, right?

Yoshi:

And like at the beginning, we were trying to figure out, like, the time or something like that, and she was like, so how much time am I doing?

Yoshi:

I think they said 70 minutes, just no flex.

Yoshi:

She was like, oh, yeah, that's okay.

Yoshi:

Like, just.

Yoshi:

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Yoshi:

And does 70 minutes of killing.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

Killing comedy.

Yoshi:

And just.

Yoshi:

I.

Yoshi:

I watched her from the back, I watched her from the side.

Yoshi:

I was like, oh, my God, this is like.

Yoshi:

It was just such good comedy.

Yoshi:

And I love just what I think for me, it is hard to watch an hour of clean comedy.

Joel Byers:

What?

Yoshi:

For me.

Yoshi:

Yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

Like an out.

Yoshi:

Like, even if it's funny, it.

Yoshi:

It's like, it's got to be like, bargazzi level for me to, like, as I would say this.

Yoshi:

I can watch an hour, like, at a club, but at home, it's hard for me to stay, like, attuned to an hour.

Yoshi:

Except maybe like, Gaffigan or somebody like that.

Yoshi:

It's got to be like, top tier.

Joel Byers:

Oh, well, that goes for any comedy.

Joel Byers:

Watch an hour of bad comedy.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Yoshi:

But, like, I just.

Yoshi:

I wasn't expecting how much I was going to enjoy this.

Yoshi:

You mean?

Yoshi:

And like.

Joel Byers:

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

And it was just like, oh, this is.

Yoshi:

It was just so good.

Yoshi:

She was so good.

Yoshi:

And also just read her crowd and the crowd just, like, was just eating it up.

Yoshi:

But it was so.

Yoshi:

It was so good.

Yoshi:

It was just like well written material.

Yoshi:

Very good, like, engagement with the crowd.

Yoshi:

She barely did any crowd work, but when she did, it was still magical, but just watching like an OG in the game.

Yoshi:

She's probably been doing it, like 30, maybe 30 plus years.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

Started in Atlanta as well, so I.

Joel Byers:

Didn'T know she started in Atlanta.

Yoshi:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

She.

Joel Byers:

She's friends with, like, probably at the punchline.

Yoshi:

Yeah, at the punchline.

Yoshi:

She's friends with Andy Sanford, mom or something.

Yoshi:

So, like, they're like, best friends.

Yoshi:

I think I'm hilarious out there.

Joel Byers:

What's the tea, Yoshi?

Yoshi:

Yeah, basically, it was just like, oh, this is like, this is like a professional.

Yoshi:

And it's just like.

Joel Byers:

And there's a difference in, like, younger comics can tell when they're like, oh, man, I've been doing crowd work.

Joel Byers:

I need to get my material game on point.

Yoshi:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi:

Like, I went home and wrote, like, a lot.

Yoshi:

I was like, I need to step my game up.

Yoshi:

Like, when you watch somebody like that and be like, oh, my God, like, that was just.

Yoshi:

It was, like, effortless how.

Yoshi:

How well she did it.

Yoshi:

So it was just awesome to watch.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

And it's not just, like, young comics doing the crowd work.

Joel Byers:

You know, Pete Lee was on the podcast.

Joel Byers:

This is a vet who popped on social doing crowd work.

Joel Byers:

But this is a guy who has the show to back up the clips, you know, so he developed and then started, like, doing the clips.

Joel Byers:

So it's all, you know, there's no one way.

Joel Byers:

There's just really your way in this game.

Joel Byers:

So.

Joel Byers:

And, you know, and Burr was specific about saying he's not hating on the young comics.

Joel Byers:

He's just saying, as an og, it's like, oh, man, it's not even about being good anymore.

Joel Byers:

That's not even the goal for comics.

Joel Byers:

They're not like, oh, I want to get good.

Joel Byers:

They're like, oh, I want to get on.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Yoshi:

But I think that's part of it now is that I.

Yoshi:

I think I've.

Yoshi:

I've mentioned this to you.

Yoshi:

I feel like comedians, we've made this look so easy.

Yoshi:

Like, we make comedy look so easy to do.

Yoshi:

Oh, you just get up on stage and talk with the crowd and then make it just work.

Yoshi:

And you're like, oh, God, you have no idea.

Joel Byers:

Like, it's so hard you had to.

Yoshi:

Do to get to this point.

Yoshi:

But it also makes it, like, hard because people think it's so easy.

Yoshi:

They go on stage and they're like, not good.

Yoshi:

And then you also, to your point, you see these social media people sort of try to just redefine it.

Yoshi:

I like the fact that people redefining what comedy is.

Yoshi:

I think the hard part is there is no longer, like, rules of the game.

Yoshi:

And it's also taken out, like, a lot of gatekeeper level stuff, which I think was also the thing that was holding a lot of people back.

Yoshi:

Like, people were.

Yoshi:

To his point, people were just writing to try to get onto the Tonight Show.

Joel Byers:

Right.

Yoshi:

Something to get on a sitcom or whatever.

Joel Byers:

Right.

Yoshi:

And now the game's different is they're not really worried about getting on a sitcom.

Yoshi:

They're worried about, can I.

Yoshi:

Can I get to a show?

Yoshi:

Can I do shows?

Yoshi:

Can I also, like, make my numbers pop?

Yoshi:

Can I do other things outside of just comedy?

Yoshi:

Which I appreciate.

Joel Byers:

That's true.

Joel Byers:

It.

Joel Byers:

It has leveled the playing field in terms of, like, gatekeepers, and really, the power is in our hands more than ever.

Joel Byers:

So, yeah, it's just kind of what you want to do with that and what you want your comedy to be built on.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

You know, I mean, the content game is a whole other hustle that anyone who listens to this show consistently hears me complain about more than doing anything about.

Joel Byers:

Oh, I should be posting more.

Joel Byers:

Or I'm.

Joel Byers:

Here we go.

Joel Byers:

Well, I remember we.

Joel Byers:

When Leah Rudick was on here, I was like, this is it.

Joel Byers:

This is the time.

Joel Byers:

I.

Joel Byers:

I just learned everything I need to know about social media.

Joel Byers:

I'm gonna.

Joel Byers:

Here we go.

Joel Byers:

And then, like, three days later, I posted the same clip.

Joel Byers:

I posted the clip once, and then I was like, ooh, let me edit that.

Joel Byers:

And then repost it like, an hour later.

Joel Byers:

And then we're just like, I'm not doing this anymore.

Joel Byers:

And you could say that every time I've interviewed a social media comedian, I was like, this is the time I' all in.

Joel Byers:

So I respect the game and the hustle because, like, it's a mental barrier that for sure, I'm currently working on.

Joel Byers:

And we're getting more consistent on the hot breath page.

Joel Byers:

So we're posting.

Joel Byers:

We're posting clips on there.

Joel Byers:

Y'all can go follow on Instagram at Hot Breath Pod.

Yoshi:

We getting there.

Yoshi:

We moving, man.

Yoshi:

We moving.

Yoshi:

Like, we're doing things differently.

Joel Byers:

It starts with one.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

But it is a weird.

Joel Byers:

It is a weird mental block to just show up.

Joel Byers:

I don't know what it is.

Joel Byers:

It's very interesting.

Joel Byers:

It's very vulnerable.

Bill Burr:

But.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, that was Bill Burr.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Yoshi:

Billy Burr.

Joel Byers:

Oh.

Joel Byers:

And we do have some questions coming in, but I cut you off for you.

Yoshi:

No, no, no.

Yoshi:

I wasn't going to say anything.

Yoshi:

I was just looking at some of the questions.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

So.

Joel Byers:

Oh, Jerry Kroll asked if we saw Leah on hiking with Kevin Nealon.

Yoshi:

No, I have not seen that either, but she's great.

Joel Byers:

She's like.

Joel Byers:

I went in.

Joel Byers:

She was in Atlanta, and I went and, like, did, like, a guest spot on her show and got to watch her.

Joel Byers:

She's like a carol Burnett.

Joel Byers:

She's wild.

Joel Byers:

She's.

Joel Byers:

She's so good.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, she's so good.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

Leah Rudick.

Joel Byers:

Check her out if y'all haven't.

Joel Byers:

She's awesome and super nice.

Joel Byers:

But the next question I'm seeing here as we get into the questions, and we would love to hear your opinion on the Bill Burr clip as well.

Joel Byers:

If y'all want to tag us on social media, we'll be sure.

Joel Byers:

We love seeing y'all sharing clips of the show.

Joel Byers:

We love getting dms, and I love when people do, like, screen records of this podcast and share them out and whatnot.

Joel Byers:

That's always.

Joel Byers:

That's always fun.

Yoshi:

Always.

Joel Byers:

We're all in this together, kids.

Yoshi:

Yes, we are.

Joel Byers:

So, Mike Becurt asks the best apps for organizing jokes.

Joel Byers:

Jokes and sets, which I think this was a topic in our Facebook group, actually.

Yoshi:

Yeah, I mean, I think I'm starting to become, you know, not even become, but, like, I really do enjoy Notion and I use Up Note as well.

Yoshi:

Those are the two that I.

Yoshi:

That I use, and they're basically, like.

Yoshi:

One is, like, organizing all of, like, my.

Yoshi:

My material into one place and then picking out which one I want for, like, a specific thing.

Yoshi:

And then I use Up Note just as, like, a quick.

Yoshi:

Just notes about anything and everything.

Yoshi:

So everything kind of starts an Up Note, and then it makes its way into Notion for me.

Yoshi:

So to organize it when it's like.

Yoshi:

So basically, and it's like, final draft form, that's when I move it over and then I organize it there.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, I've been using Notion as of late.

Joel Byers:

Oh, and Mike.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

This was in the Facebook group, so people were saying Google sheets, Google keep.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, there's a standup writer app.

Joel Byers:

There's an app called the Gag that used to be known as Bits.

Joel Byers:

So, yeah, there's a few options out there.

Joel Byers:

Honestly, it's like the one you're going to use at the end of the day.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

You know what I mean?

Yoshi:

And I still use a notebook, even, like, just a straight up.

Joel Byers:

Right.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, me too.

Yoshi:

Got me this thing a while back.

Yoshi:

I'll say I'm like 50, 50 on it, where I can write notes, like, in it, and then I can transfer it over to, like, my Google Notes or transfer it over to, like, Evernote or something like that.

Yoshi:

And I use it for, like, a little bit, but it doesn't transcribe.

Yoshi:

And does it, like, take my handwriting?

Yoshi:

Because I think some other ones do.

Yoshi:

And so it just comes in as images.

Yoshi:

So that was good for, like, a couple of Times, but I was like, I don't want to rewrite twice or, like, copy and paste twice.

Yoshi:

So I did that for a little bit, but I like it just because it helps with, like, my daily.

Yoshi:

And then I just take it off and then write in there whenever I'm, like, working on, like, a long set and I actually want to write it down.

Yoshi:

But, yeah, it's.

Yoshi:

Whatever you use is the best thing for you.

Joel Byers:

Mm.

Yoshi:

Yeah, just.

Yoshi:

I would say just find a way to organize your material to where you're not going back to it, trying to organize it later on, because then it just becomes a cycle of, oh, I'll do it this weekend.

Yoshi:

Oh, I'll do it next weekend.

Yoshi:

And it's hard to catch up.

Yoshi:

So when possible, just find a system that works for you.

Yoshi:

Find like a.

Yoshi:

Like, just an organizational structure that works for you.

Yoshi:

If you organize your stuff by tags, tag it as soon as you write the joke.

Yoshi:

Is it a family joke?

Yoshi:

Is it a about material?

Yoshi:

Is it about dating?

Yoshi:

Whatever you want to use, do that.

Yoshi:

And then when you look up your material, be like, oh, what dating material do I have?

Yoshi:

You can find it easier as well.

Joel Byers:

Yes.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, whatever.

Joel Byers:

Whatever best fits your creative process.

Joel Byers:

But we all need some sort of structure, even though we're artists and creative man, and just do what I feel.

Joel Byers:

If you want comedy to be your job, you gotta treat as a job.

Joel Byers:

And these jokes are assets that can pay dividends for years and years and years and years.

Joel Byers:

So you really want to honor the work you're putting in to develop them by keeping them organized.

Yoshi:

Let them know.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

And Michelle.

Joel Byers:

Oh, Michelle said I could do a funny gardening with Joel, where I dig in the dirt and get dirt from comedians.

Joel Byers:

That would be fun.

Yoshi:

That would be fun.

Joel Byers:

Be a good way to get help in my garden.

Joel Byers:

Just, hey, my wife has five more roses she wants me to plant.

Joel Byers:

Come on over.

Joel Byers:

Let's do content.

Joel Byers:

How can we monetize this?

Yoshi:

That's great.

Joel Byers:

I love that, though.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, I definitely want to host a gardening show.

Joel Byers:

That's the dream right there.

Joel Byers:

Okay.

Joel Byers:

Minor Zadon Z.

Joel Byers:

What are the minimum requirements I should ask before accepting a gig?

Joel Byers:

Besides actual money, we want to make sure that they have, like, sound.

Joel Byers:

Or if they don't, you can.

Joel Byers:

You can provide the sound and charge extra for that.

Joel Byers:

That's something that I'll do if someone wants me to do an event for them and they don't have sound.

Joel Byers:

I do have, like, a system that I can charge extra for them for me to bring it.

Joel Byers:

But, yeah, I mean, you Want to get as.

Joel Byers:

And this is something we talked about in the corporate comedy masterclass, you really want to get as much context as possible for the event.

Joel Byers:

You don't want to go into the event blind.

Joel Byers:

You want to know as much as humanly possible.

Joel Byers:

So I mean, of course you want to know when, where, who's going to be in the audience.

Joel Byers:

You want to get a feel for the demographic, what's the location, so you can get kind of a feel for that area and what kind of people are there socioeconomically and things like that.

Joel Byers:

It all to help build context for who you're going to be performing for.

Yoshi:

Sure.

Joel Byers:

Really, the questions you want to be asking, if they have any limitations on what they want you to talk about.

Joel Byers:

Are there certain topics you want me to avoid?

Joel Byers:

Certain words you want me to avoid?

Joel Byers:

Things like that.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

Is another good thing to ask as well.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Yoshi:

Ask if it's clean or dirty show, depending on where you are.

Yoshi:

Ask if there's gonna be kids there.

Yoshi:

Surprise, surprise.

Yoshi:

You just never know sometimes if there's gonna be kids at the event.

Yoshi:

When you get to the event, ask that they turn off the TVs.

Yoshi:

I know we talked about this earlier.

Yoshi:

Ask that they turn off the tvs.

Yoshi:

Turn off the music, especially if it's in an area where like, it's like super loud.

Yoshi:

That does not help out your set to have music in the background at all.

Yoshi:

And before, I would say before you book, always ask, like, what kind of marketing they do to promote the show as well.

Yoshi:

So you know, whether you're going to be doing all the promotion and marketing or they're going to be doing it.

Yoshi:

And the goal to making it work is that this is a partnership.

Yoshi:

To think of it as a partnership rather than you're doing everything, they're doing everything.

Yoshi:

If you're both doing stuff to make it work, then that's a true partnership because you go.

Yoshi:

You both got some skin in the game, as they say.

Yoshi:

But yeah, ask about the marketing.

Yoshi:

Ask about the venue, the space.

Yoshi:

Do they have a stage?

Yoshi:

Like, is it going to be properly lit for actual comedy?

Yoshi:

And yeah.

Yoshi:

And I always say before you do the show at a venue, go to the venue.

Joel Byers:

Oh, yeah.

Yoshi:

Like, just take in something else at the venue.

Yoshi:

Helps you recognize, like, what kind of space you're in and the kind of crowd that you may likely get for that evening as well.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

The least amount of surprises as possible.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

Is really what you're going for there.

Joel Byers:

So you can go in with as much confidence and preparation as possible.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

And it looks like the final question I'm seeing here.

Joel Byers:

Oh, and congrats.

Joel Byers:

Go.

Joel Byers:

Like Personality said they just came home from their first open mic and it went great.

Yoshi:

Yay.

Joel Byers:

Very nice.

Joel Byers:

Congratulations.

Joel Byers:

We love hearing these victories.

Joel Byers:

And earlier, I think before we started the live, Frank Herrera was talking about doing his first English open mic in Sacramento, which is awesome.

Joel Byers:

We love hearing these wins, so thank you for sharing.

Yoshi:

Let's go, baby.

Joel Byers:

So the final question I'm seeing here, actually, we did the apps.

Joel Byers:

We did that one.

Joel Byers:

I thought there was another one.

Joel Byers:

Perhaps not.

Joel Byers:

Oh, Minor asked about dealing with gatekeepers as a young comic.

Yoshi:

Which, I mean, I think gatekeepers are going to be there.

Yoshi:

I think the key to really handling gatekeepers is sort of just to think, as part of your job as a comedian is also to always network, no matter where you are.

Yoshi:

So are there because they've got their own show, they've got their own thing that they're doing.

Yoshi:

They might be a producer, they might own a club, whatever you want to call it in terms of what you consider to be gatekeeping, just know that they're doing something else likely other than just looking for talent.

Yoshi:

So it's all about.

Yoshi:

Always about putting yourself in the right situation.

Yoshi:

One thing to always ask gatekeepers, I.

Yoshi:

This is a helpful.

Yoshi:

Is to say, how can I get in front of you?

Yoshi:

So you can book me, or are there places that you go to that I can be seen that you consider for booking, basically.

Yoshi:

Or you can ask them, can I send you a tape?

Yoshi:

That's always a proper request as well.

Yoshi:

Just say, hey, can I send you a tape?

Yoshi:

I'd like to get on your show.

Yoshi:

And especially with gatekeepers.

Yoshi:

And I know I'm bucking them in, like gatekeepers and comedy club owners and people who are bookers, but go to their venue, don't just show up and just be like, oh, can I get you a tape?

Yoshi:

And then they don't see you at all.

Yoshi:

It just doesn't help.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

And these people are getting just heckled with gimme, gimme, gimmes all the time.

Yoshi:

All the time.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

So, you know, be mindful of that.

Joel Byers:

And how can you separate yourself from every other annoying comic?

Joel Byers:

And it's being professional and empathetic and just, yeah, don't try to work with them and not get something from them.

Yoshi:

Boom, boom.

Joel Byers:

But yeah.

Joel Byers:

And otherwise it's focused on what you can control.

Joel Byers:

Because I have.

Joel Byers:

I've done the dance, I've played the games and done exactly what certain gatekeepers say and then nothing.

Joel Byers:

Still nothing.

Joel Byers:

Happens.

Joel Byers:

I mean, I literally.

Joel Byers:

I mean, there was literally, like, one.

Joel Byers:

I.

Joel Byers:

We won't say names, but there's literally a place who was like, we want to do this with you.

Joel Byers:

Send us this on this date, and we want to make this happen.

Joel Byers:

Like, they reached out to me.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

So I did all of that, sent it to them on that day, and then they replied, oh, we're not doing anything until next year.

Joel Byers:

We're all booked up for the rest of this year.

Joel Byers:

And I was just like, okay.

Joel Byers:

A younger me may have been like, yeah, but I mean, now I'm like, oh, okay.

Joel Byers:

Well, I did everything within my control to set myself up for.

Joel Byers:

To take the most of that opportunity, and that's what came of it.

Joel Byers:

So, like, it happens at every level, and it's just.

Joel Byers:

You can do what you can control, and then beyond that, it's just putting yourself, putting your best foot forward with your best intention possible.

Joel Byers:

And then whatever happens from that effort, you can live with because, you know, you did everything within your power to make the most of the opportunity.

Joel Byers:

And everything else is out of your control there.

Yoshi:

Everything else is out of control.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

So let's.

Joel Byers:

Let's land this plane.

Joel Byers:

I know we have a little bit of a shorter one, but we.

Joel Byers:

This is the second live stream we've done today.

Yoshi:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

So y'all get on that email list.

Joel Byers:

Oh, and I see Lightning Rod asking if, are there limits to comedy anymore?

Joel Byers:

Like, Kill Tony style?

Joel Byers:

And it's really.

Joel Byers:

It just has to be funny at the end of the day.

Joel Byers:

I mean, that's all I care about.

Joel Byers:

It has.

Joel Byers:

There has to be jokes in their kids.

Yoshi:

And I think one thing to be just mindful of, especially in, like, the Kill Tony world, is there is a crowd for that.

Yoshi:

But sure, don't equate that.

Yoshi:

That crowd is what every comedy crowd wants.

Yoshi:

There's a certain type of crowd that wants that style of comedy, but that doesn't mean every crowd like that is out there wants that style of comedy.

Yoshi:

So just know that because you're going to start touring and start going to different parts of the country, you're going to try your Kill Tony material, and it's just not going to do well.

Yoshi:

You mean there's people that show up from Kill Tony, that this has happened in Atlanta, they do their Kill Tony type material and they hear crickets because it just doesn't work or it just is not the crowd for that type of comedy.

Yoshi:

And so just being mindful of that is a super important thing.

Yoshi:

So it doesn't mean that you can't do that comedy.

Yoshi:

Just know the audience that you're trying to do it in front of may not be geared towards that style of comedy.

Joel Byers:

Yeah.

Joel Byers:

And if.

Joel Byers:

And if that style is authentic to you, then go for it.

Joel Byers:

But don't feel like you need to try to be edgy because maybe I'll get on Kill Tony or I see it working there.

Joel Byers:

So maybe it'll work for me.

Joel Byers:

If that's your authentic style and that's where your sense of humor is in your head.

Joel Byers:

That's what the kind of comedy you like to create, you're not trying to put on some sort of character for the sake because it's popular.

Yoshi:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

Then, yeah, by no means don't feel like you have to do that style.

Joel Byers:

That is a style of the infinite styles.

Joel Byers:

And the whole goal we're trying to find is our own unique styles because that's when you find your voice.

Yoshi:

Yes.

Joel Byers:

Yep.

Joel Byers:

But great, great question.

Joel Byers:

Great questions all around.

Joel Byers:

Great live stream today, Yoshi.

Joel Byers:

I think we got a good talk about Bill Burst.

Joel Byers:

We'd love to hear Yalls feedback on that Bill Burr clip.

Joel Byers:

What do you think?

Joel Byers:

Let us know on social media at Hot Breath pod in our Facebook group.

Joel Byers:

Join our email list.

Joel Byers:

I mean, you know, we out you.

Yoshi:

We are.

Yoshi:

We are.

Yoshi:

We're putting in that work.

Joel Byers:

That's right.

Yoshi:

Work, baby.

Joel Byers:

We're here for your comedy fam.

Joel Byers:

We do these live streams every Tuesday at 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on our YouTube channel.

Joel Byers:

Your homework.

Joel Byers:

Tell one comic out in open mic this week about hot breath.

Joel Byers:

Yeah, that's all you got to do.

Joel Byers:

Say, have you heard of hot breath?

Yoshi:

Yep.

Yoshi:

Go tell them.

Yoshi:

Watch the Yoshi so American African special.

Joel Byers:

As well on The Hot Breath YouTube channel.

Joel Byers:

We love you all.

Joel Byers:

We'll see you all next Tuesday.

Joel Byers:

Hot Breath.

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Hot Breath! (Learn Comedy from the Pros)

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Joel Byars