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HB! Live #039 - Marketing Your Comedy, Finding Authenticity on Stage, + MORE
We're back with another Hot Breath! Live answering all of your comedy questions. Don't forget to join our email list for reminders of future livestreams!
Join Yoshee's live special premiere here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwydfG2Qo50
Watch the $100 Joke Contest here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFmW-Y3qhiA
Join our email list here: https://hotbreathpodcast.com/vip
Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HotBreathComedyNetwork/
Key Takeaways:
- The importance of scheduling regular writing sessions to maintain creativity and inspiration.
- Utilizing feedback from fellow comedians can significantly enhance your material and performance.
- Marketing your special is as crucial as the content; start promoting early and effectively.
- Collaboration with others in the industry can open up new opportunities and insights.
- Being authentic in your comedy will resonate more with diverse audiences than pandering.
- Embrace the process of improvement, focusing on getting 1% better with each performance.
- Join our Patreon: http://patreon.com/hotbreathpod
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://youtube.com/hotbreathpod?sub_confirmation=1
- Check out our classes and workshops here: https://hotbreathmedia.com
Transcript
Hello, Hot Breath of verse.
Speaker A:We are back.
Speaker A:This is Hot Breath live.
Speaker A:Yeah, we do this every Tuesday.
Speaker B:Every Tuesday.
Speaker A:Every Tuesday.
Speaker A:Hey, this is our last one.
Speaker A:This is the.
Speaker A:This is our first time.
Speaker A:Our first and last.
Speaker A:I've been on vacation with family the past 10 days, so I am bouncing back into it.
Speaker A:This is my first day back in the mix.
Speaker B:Nice.
Speaker A:But we're here, just the two of us.
Speaker A:We've been having some guests on and I will say Yoshi, next week.
Speaker A:We do have a guest who's an AI expert.
Speaker A:That's going to be fun.
Speaker A:He was like the head of innovation at PayPal and then now he's doing all this AI and creativity stuff.
Speaker A:So this, that's gonna.
Speaker A:That's gonna be a banger.
Speaker A:That's next Tuesday.
Speaker A:So y'all be sure to tune in.
Speaker B:Yeah, you guys tune in for the guy who's gonna take all your gigs.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:Or you learn how to take them first.
Speaker B:With AI, where you learn how to take them first.
Speaker A:Well, we thought we would come back in and just do an internal EP where the boys just get back together.
Speaker A:The hot boys cistern and fellowship around the gospel of comedy.
Speaker A:Answer your questions live.
Speaker A:We did miss last week.
Speaker A:If you were on our email list, you would have known that.
Speaker A:So if you're not on our email list, join the email list.
Speaker A:That is where you're going to get all the up to date news and fun events and classes and podcasts we're dropping.
Speaker A:So join our email list.
Speaker A:And you also would have seen that I dropped an interview last week on the YouTube channel at the same time we do the live streams.
Speaker A:But instead of live stream, I live premiered an interview I did with Rome Green, who was in a group called Dormtainment.
Speaker A:That was the first comedy group on the Internet.
Speaker A:Really?
Speaker A:They had a YouTube show that got picked up by Comedy Central.
Speaker A:They were really like the first of their kind.
Speaker A:So that's a really good episode.
Speaker A:You can learn about the business side of comedy and how it merges with technology, but you got to join these live streams.
Speaker A:You got to get in on these goods.
Speaker A:So we appreciate everyone that's joining us live already posting questions.
Speaker A:I guess we should announce Yoshi's comedy special.
Speaker B:Let's go.
Speaker A:I guess that we should do that first.
Speaker A:We're dropping it on the YouTube channel next Monday.
Speaker A:Next Monday.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's funny.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:9pm, baby.
Speaker B:9Pm, baby.
Speaker B:It's going to be so exciting.
Speaker A:Monday at 9pm we are live premiering on the YouTube channel, which we will also be promoting in our email list and such.
Speaker A:But we really want to get the Hot Breath of Earth rallying around.
Speaker A:This is really the first of its kind.
Speaker A:We're really venturing out.
Speaker A:We're expanding the Hot Breath of verse into more than comedy education.
Speaker A:We're actually going to start the people who have been learning the comedy game and applying it, we're now going to start showcasing them.
Speaker A:And who better to start with than Mr.
Speaker A:Yoshi?
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So next Monday you can go ahead and I will have this up by the time.
Speaker A:Actually, I won't make any promises, but join the email.
Speaker A:It's like how you listen to a podcast and they're like, that'll be in the show notes.
Speaker A:That'll be in the show notes.
Speaker A:And then they've said like eight things that'll be in the show notes.
Speaker A:You go, the show notes.
Speaker A:And none of them are there.
Speaker A:Anyone who's ever tried a podcast understands and can empathize with that.
Speaker A:But yes, next Monday at 9:00pm Eastern Time.
Speaker A:So join the email list to get more updates there.
Speaker A:But how you feeling?
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:We pushed it back a month.
Speaker A:We really are.
Speaker A:We want to do it the right way.
Speaker A:And I think.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Going through this process, you know, tell us because, you know, I've interviewed several people who have gone through this process and yeah.
Speaker A:What has been your experience?
Speaker A:What it was surprising to you?
Speaker A:Maybe, like, what did you.
Speaker A:What was harder than you expected?
Speaker A:Or just what.
Speaker A:What are you going through right now?
Speaker A:We're about to drop it next Monday.
Speaker B:So honestly, I'd probably say the thing that I was most worried about was like, just the video and like just the editing and all that.
Speaker B:And I probably took way too long on the editing.
Speaker B:So that's a big lesson for me probably for the next time is probably just kind of like conquer down and do the editing sooner.
Speaker B:I was doing it like in spurts because I was just like, just it felt like I hate watching myself.
Speaker B:But then being forced to watch yourself for such a long time, I was just like.
Speaker B:And it just felt like painful a little bit.
Speaker B:But then once I hunkered down and did the editing, I was like, okay, now that the editing is done, I'd probably say, you know, you know, that interview that we did with Stephen really kind of kicked myself into gear and was like, yeah, let's make sure we market it right.
Speaker B:That's the reason for pushing it back.
Speaker B:And I'd say like, just getting and working on all the marketing stuff has actually been really fun.
Speaker B:And as a marketeer, like, Professionally, I forgot how enjoyable.
Speaker B:I actually, like, enjoy this part of it, and I think I forgot it because I've been just in the trenches of just doing the comedy part of just, like, all right, just know.
Speaker B:Just.
Speaker B:Just worry about the comedy.
Speaker B:Worry about the comedy.
Speaker B:And so kind of getting into the marketing has been very fun for me.
Speaker B:And so I'm looking forward to just, like, releasing and just showing the world, like, outside of the special, but just the work effort that was put into it as well.
Speaker B:And then also, like, I'd probably say I didn't think I was going to spend as much as I did.
Speaker B:So just the budget, like, just throw that budget away.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Like, you'll figure it out at a later time.
Speaker B:It's just about getting the product out more than anything.
Speaker B:So, you know, I didn't even hesitate when Stephen gave us suggestions on, like, who to use.
Speaker B:He was.
Speaker B:He.
Speaker B:He's like, hey, I got a guy.
Speaker B:I didn't interview him.
Speaker B:I was just like, all right, I trust you.
Speaker B:I don't.
Speaker B:I had no idea what the number would be, but it didn't matter.
Speaker B:And so I was just like, whatever it is, that's what I'm paying for.
Speaker B:And it was well worth it.
Speaker B:Like, all of it was just kind of like, just well worth it overall to get the actual thing, like, done.
Speaker B:And now that I've got it, like, just.
Speaker B:I'm super excited about all the small pieces that we're releasing.
Speaker B:Also hired, like, a virtual assistant since the last time to help, really, with, like, just marketing, like, even that conversation that Stephen.
Speaker B:I've been thinking about a virtual assistant for, like, months, dude.
Speaker B:Just months.
Speaker B:And hiring one, it took me, like, a week or so to just figure out all the stuff that they would be doing.
Speaker B:But once I sort of, like, got that piece done, having them work on, like, my social media and the stuff that I just don't really, like, enjoy doing as much has been super helpful to actually focus on this, to focus on getting the stuff out for the special.
Speaker B:Clips, videos, trailers.
Speaker B:Like, working with an editor to get a trailer done, working with the main editor of the special to tweak the last little bits of the special itself.
Speaker B:So it's been just a fun process.
Speaker B:I would say.
Speaker B:Probably the thing that I'm also recognizing now is I can't wait to do it again, man.
Speaker B:Like, I'm so ready to, like, have this go out into the ecosystem and then run it right back.
Speaker B:Like, in all honesty, I think that's the thing that's sort of bought a lot of joy to me in the last month is now that I.
Speaker B:We're like, close to the finish line, just having that readiness to do it all over again.
Speaker B:Kind of like something that Adam said, which just, like, I know I'm not using all these jokes.
Speaker B:I'm kind of ready to release all the stuff that I didn't do from before, work that stuff out, add the new stuff, and then kind of like, do it again in a couple of months.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:And just learning from all of the experiences of putting this out has also just been helpful.
Speaker B:And, you know, I also didn't, like, do a lot of research on all the specials that I like and didn't like until I'm releasing the special.
Speaker B:And so I'm like, listening back to interviews on Hot Breath of people that put out specials, and I'm like, all right, what I like here, what I didn't like here, what I like here, what I didn't like, and sort of just put it all together.
Speaker B:So it's been really, really good.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And like, Adam Mueller is someone we've had on the show several times who's gone into detail about producing him.
Speaker A:Producing two specials now, it just adds a whole nother level of respect, even though we already had.
Speaker A:But just nowadays with everyone, it's seemingly releasing a special.
Speaker A:It seems almost like passe of, like, oh, yeah, you just say jokes and they appear on YouTube as a special.
Speaker A:It's very easy.
Speaker A:And then you get into, like, the nitty gritty and you're applying what you've heard on the podcast.
Speaker A:And now it's like, oh, my gosh, every step of the way, there's always something that everything takes longer than you expect.
Speaker A:Everything costs more than you expect.
Speaker A:It's just a lot more than to be expected.
Speaker A:And I think definitely it's wise to think.
Speaker A:And this is what I didn't do with mine either.
Speaker A:I didn't think about the marketing until after everything was done.
Speaker A:As opposed to reverse engineering.
Speaker A:What is.
Speaker A:What is this special about?
Speaker A:What is this kind of like how Steve Byrne talked about on the podcast.
Speaker A:He always starts with the end in mind and then works backwards with his special.
Speaker A:He has, like, the title first.
Speaker A:So I think that's a moving forward that can be a way as we do more specials on the channel of, like, all right, does this is a special Unique.
Speaker A:Does it have something fun and unique to say?
Speaker A:And can we almost, like, reverse engineer and market it in a way that will give this special their.
Speaker A:The views it deserves?
Speaker A:Really?
Speaker B:For sure, yeah.
Speaker B:And I think also just, like, being intentional about.
Speaker A:About it.
Speaker B:Like, I feel like that's what you're saying.
Speaker B:Like, kind of wrapped up is just being intentional about what you want to get out of the special.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And kind of remembering the story from it.
Speaker B:And so, you know, the special is truly just, like, I have a theme that I want to get out, and also just always remembering what that theme is based on every marketing activity that I'm doing.
Speaker B:Like, does this serve the theme of the special?
Speaker B:Does this serve what I'm doing and making sure that that's, like, relayed in all the activity?
Speaker B:So, yeah, it's been a.
Speaker B:It's been good, man.
Speaker B:I've been enjoying the process.
Speaker B:And, yeah, you know, the pockets are a little lighter, but it's all worth it.
Speaker A:And it was the intention you had of, like, what do you want people to think and feel at the end of this?
Speaker A:Like, what do you want the energy of the special to be?
Speaker A:What do you want people to feel during.
Speaker A:Before.
Speaker A:During and after the special?
Speaker A:So, yeah, I think that was also helpful in the marketing side of things.
Speaker A:And, like, does the music express this fun energy we're trying to convey?
Speaker A:Like, do the titles and the font, like, trying to think of it from every angle like that?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker B:So, yeah, I mean, yeah, it's been.
Speaker B:It's been a good, like, just.
Speaker B:It's been a good moment to, like, recognize that it's so many layers to get this to the place that I want it, but also releasing also the energy about anything related to the content.
Speaker B:Like, that's done now.
Speaker B:It's just the marketing.
Speaker B:And then as soon as the marketing is done, that's done.
Speaker B:Like, just.
Speaker B:I don't want to say it's like checkboxy, but it's like, put in all the hard work to do the thing that you want and then go get that thing done.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Now we're there kind of thing.
Speaker B:So, like, I mean, we.
Speaker B:Joel and I have had, like, weekly meetings about what activity is happening, what we've put out, where things are.
Speaker B:And so, like, just being accountable, even on that level, has also been helpful just around, like, doing this.
Speaker B:And I would say that's probably another thing that I think is also very important that I have to remember is that you don't have to always do this yourself.
Speaker B:I think a lot of times we, as comedians, think we have to do everything and be solely responsible for everything that we do.
Speaker B:And sometimes I think it's important just to, like, have a team, have people that you like, trust I've seen, sent you the special.
Speaker B:You gave me notes, I spent it.
Speaker B:I've sent it to other comedians.
Speaker B:They gave me notes.
Speaker B:And so like just using your ecosystem as well to get on board with what you're trying to do.
Speaker B:You tell them your vision and you say, hey, can I get some feedback on this?
Speaker B:And I think all that is like super important.
Speaker B:But that's probably another thing is like the team aspect was something that for me that I recognized was like important.
Speaker B:Just having people behind you to make sure that this is also as successful as you want it to be.
Speaker A:For sure.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And that was something from Stefan's interview, which if people haven't heard, that one was a man.
Speaker A:I mean, we just dropping so many bangers.
Speaker A:It's like we've been on a run with guests.
Speaker A:It's kind of hard to remember all the, all the game that's been dropped on here lately as opposed.
Speaker A:I mean really the past almost decade, really.
Speaker A:But Light Flex.
Speaker A:But yeah, Stefan was a big.
Speaker A:I think everyone should go listen to it to help with mindset and just treating your comedy like a business and remembering his name is pronounced Stefan and not Stephen.
Speaker A:So I think that'll be the big one.
Speaker A:You'll take away from that.
Speaker B:Stephen understands.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And I see people asking about Monday and also the contest.
Speaker A:Yeah, on Monday, you know, I did this like joke writing contest, 100 joke writing contest for people.
Speaker A:They wrote a new 60 second set in two weeks based on a theme.
Speaker A:So we're actually doing the live finale of that at 8 next Monday.
Speaker A:So we'll be doing that up until basically Yoshi's special to when you can just jump over and watch Yoshi Special.
Speaker A:Because we're really, really trying to push as many people as possible into the live premiere.
Speaker A:So we won't be doing like a live stream like this.
Speaker A:We'll be in the live chat of the live premiere.
Speaker A:Because if we're, if we're doing a live stream like this, you're watching a video of us watching a video.
Speaker A:So the live stream will get views but not the actual special uploads.
Speaker A:So we'll be doing a live premiere or we'll be in the live chat along with y'all hanging out and such.
Speaker A:So just to clarify how that's going to go down.
Speaker A:So yeah, next Monday as well, we're doing a live premiere or live stream of the finale.
Speaker A:The top three finalists in that contest are going head to head to head to see who wins the hundred bucks and an interview On Hot Breath Podcast.
Speaker A:It's just we're mixing it up.
Speaker A:We're trying new and exciting things to showcase the community, which is very exciting.
Speaker A:I'm so excited about that.
Speaker A:You know, we interview so many dope comics and it's like, you know, we got a lot of people just creating dope stuff in here that everything doesn't have to be interviews.
Speaker A:So we're really about to just take the comedy game by storm here.
Speaker A:So thank you all for who asked about that?
Speaker A:And let's get into people's questions here.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker A:Oh, Dubs General asked if you're dropping the trailer.
Speaker A:I think the trailer is pretty much done, right?
Speaker B:Yeah, we're like 95% done.
Speaker B:We just got like one small edit, but we're probably, you know, we can drop it today.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah, really, like just one thing that just needs to be like one or two things that need to be changed.
Speaker B:But yeah, likely we'll drop it today or tonight.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's, that's, yeah, that's just one of those things.
Speaker A:Everything's just so incremental.
Speaker A:That's why you want to work with trustworthy people who it is like, oh, it's there.
Speaker A:Oh, wait, can you change this title or.
Speaker A:Okay, we're there now.
Speaker A:Oh, wait, how about over, like a little bit over here?
Speaker A:Take this little part out or add that and have like 10 versions of a 60 second trailer, you know, so you want to be work with people who understand the process and actually are invested in seeing this succeed and really care about seeing this win and it's not just like another project for them.
Speaker A:Let's get into some questions here.
Speaker A:What do you think?
Speaker B:Let's go, man.
Speaker B:Let's go.
Speaker A:Oh, Bob Kirk asked, what are you doing, Yoshi, to promote your project?
Speaker B:So at the moment I have kind of like a calendar scheduled of all of some of the clips from the special and we're going to be teasing those pieces out in the next, like, week.
Speaker B:So we've just been cutting those clips, getting those ready, and then you'll see it end with, hey, come watch the special at this time.
Speaker B:And so that's what we're doing.
Speaker B:And also I have been sending it to like comedy bookers as well, of just like, you know, hey, check out the special.
Speaker B:I'm going to release it mostly to try to get me booked, but also to be like, hey, this is what I've been doing.
Speaker B:Because they'll ask, you know, I was recently at the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival this past weekend just to hang out I was in it last year but just to hang out and I've been, you know, talking to people who are like, oh, so what you been up to?
Speaker B:I was like, oh, I got a special coming out.
Speaker B:Give me your card and I'll send it to you.
Speaker B:And that's exactly what I'm going to do.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:So that place has like the best of comedy industry people from late night shows to Netflix to Rise don't tells like all the kind of big company names just know mingled with them, letting them know what I've been up to.
Speaker B:And yeah, I'm going to send it to them as well.
Speaker B:Just like work on and you know, give it to as many people as possible.
Speaker B:And then I'm also going to cut this bad boy up and try to get it onto SiriusXM as well.
Speaker B:So that's the promotion piece I'm going to try to do.
Speaker B:So we trying to get it out there.
Speaker B:And the other thing to think about is like just up to the time we release it isn't when the special is like done.
Speaker B:We're still going to be doing more stuff even after it's been released as well.
Speaker B:So just know that like the promotion doesn't stop once the special is out.
Speaker B:We're going to also be doing more and more things even afterwards.
Speaker A:Yeah, and we're really, I mean, learning as we go in a lot of ways and we're really trying to figure out a system that other comics can start to follow as well of like, okay, you want to release a special, here's like the steps to think about in that process and really trying to almost create like a framework for people that want to do their own special to try to think through things.
Speaker A:So it's like we pushed it back a month and we really, we could keep pushing it back and keep finding things to tinker and whatnot.
Speaker A:But at a certain point it's like, all right, let's just, let's just go and we'll keep going even after it's out type deal instead of everything has to be perfect and ready beforehand.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:So we're kind of, we're kind of learning as we go here as well and kind of just building it in front of people.
Speaker A:So I mean that's what this show is all about.
Speaker A:So it's, it's a learning process for sure, but very exciting.
Speaker A:So next Monday at 9pm Eastern time.
Speaker A:Fam.
Speaker A:Don't y'all forget it.
Speaker B:Don't.
Speaker B:Oh, get it.
Speaker A:So let's get into some of Yalls questions here.
Speaker A:And I'm going to scroll back up.
Speaker A:I know, sorry.
Speaker A:All those questions were near the bottom, but they were relevant to kind of what we were talking about at the time.
Speaker A:So don't worry.
Speaker A:I see y'all.
Speaker A:Who asked y'all early questions?
Speaker A:So as y'all are watching, we're at 25 people right now, which is dope.
Speaker A:So please hit the like button.
Speaker A:Share the link to this video.
Speaker A:Go ahead and share this in Reddit or a Facebook group or whatnot, where, you know, there's people that like learning comedy.
Speaker A:And we're gonna answer Yalls questions.
Speaker A:So first question or really the next question.
Speaker A:Here, near the top.
Speaker A:Chicken Joe Clark.
Speaker A:And then we have Daphne.
Speaker A:What's a piece of advice an older comic or mentor has given you that truly resonated with you?
Speaker B:I'd probably say out of the classics, like a lot of.
Speaker B:With older comics, really the biggest piece is just trying to get on stage and then getting on as many different types of stages as possible.
Speaker B:That's probably the two biggest things.
Speaker B:But I'd probably say the one thing that has resonated with me is around preparation for any of the sets that you do.
Speaker B:Like, the more you prepare for that environment in terms of like, practicing your set, like in the car, practicing your set on a run, practicing your set, like in different places, in the shower, on the road.
Speaker B:Just the more you practice your set and just saying the words, the better it comes out when you are performing.
Speaker B:And so that probably the biggest thing that I've that someone has told me is like, hey, man, you gotta say it a lot.
Speaker B:Say the words.
Speaker B:Like, get it out.
Speaker B:It being up here is great, but you gotta say it.
Speaker B:Like, your mouth has to say the words, and you have to say the joke the way that you are trying to deliver it to the people.
Speaker B:And just getting into that routine of that editing and practice is.
Speaker B:Was very vital in terms of advice.
Speaker A:Yeah, I had one.
Speaker A:I had a comic named Rodney Perry who told me early on it was more just an observation, but he was.
Speaker A:I, you know, I would do all.
Speaker A:All black rooms.
Speaker A:I would be the only white comic.
Speaker A:And he was like, you don't pander.
Speaker A:He's like, be sure to never pander.
Speaker A:And just basically try to, like, talk down to the room or try to align in a certain way just to appease a demographic they're performing in front of.
Speaker A:I always approached my jokes with, okay, does it work in front of an all black room?
Speaker A:Does this joke work in front of an all white room?
Speaker A:Does this joke work at A church.
Speaker A:Does this joke work at a strip club?
Speaker A:Does it work at, like, a comedy club?
Speaker A:Does it work at all?
Speaker A:I tried to make sure if a joke worked in front of one audience but not another, then I would get rid of it.
Speaker A:And I always tried to make sure that the jokes could connect with as many people as possible.
Speaker A:So that was something he pointed out early on that I was doing.
Speaker A:That really inspired me to keep going in that direction and being intentional with creating authentic, original material that isn't pandering.
Speaker A:And I think that can apply to all comics, regardless of your skill level.
Speaker A:Always just trying to write from a place that is authentic to you because that's what people connect with the most.
Speaker B:Facts.
Speaker A:Yeah, Great question there a lot that.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And the next question here, and remember, we do this every Tuesday at 5pm Eastern time, so be sure to join us every Tuesday on this live stream.
Speaker A:And the next question I'm seeing here was from Daphne.
Speaker A:I've been feeling a bit uninspired of late.
Speaker A:Thoughts for how to get my groove back?
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:How Daphne got her groove back.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Queen.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:What did Rodney say about pandering again?
Speaker A:Hilarious.
Speaker A:I just totally contradicted myself, so that's so funny.
Speaker B:No, I think.
Speaker B:I think one of the easiest way to get sort of out of a rut or when you're feeling, like, uninspired, this is going to sound very.
Speaker B:Just cliche, is to just schedule time to actually do something that you're uncomfortable with, which is like the right 10 club, I think was one of the most amazing things for me, is that it forced me to write every single day for 10 minutes.
Speaker B:And I just showed up.
Speaker B:So the key to really getting out of a rut is just showing up.
Speaker B:Even just like saying 10 minutes.
Speaker B:Even if you do five minutes, just five minutes, and just get anything in your head, out of your head, and just like, start there.
Speaker B:Even if you can get to one minute, writing every day for just one minute will get you out of your head and try to increase that number more and more over time.
Speaker B:But, like, just one minute of actually forcing yourself to write.
Speaker B:And I hate to use the word force because it feels like I'm just like, you want to run, you're going to run, you go to write.
Speaker B:But it's just like, take a word out of a book and let your mind wander and just write it down, type it out, whatever you want to do, but set yourself a timer and just like, get out of that kind of rut.
Speaker B:But being on a schedule, I think has helped me get out of ruts.
Speaker B:Be like, all right, I'm kind of in a funk.
Speaker B:All right, let's get on the schedule where we just write.
Speaker B:And here's the thing.
Speaker B:The writing is terrible for me, but it takes time.
Speaker B:And then I'm like, all right, I'm.
Speaker B:I'm back in my groove and it takes like a couple more times of writing and then I'm back at it.
Speaker B:And I don't.
Speaker B:I'm not in that rut anymore.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And now I'm feeling inspired and I write even more.
Speaker B:So that's typically how I do it, is kind of like get myself on a schedule of just some kind of regiment that I know I'm going to stick to.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think just lowering the bar as well on.
Speaker A:Okay, I need to be inspired.
Speaker A:Like, the question is, I've been feeling uninspired.
Speaker A:So basically, how do I get inspired?
Speaker A:And I think it's just lowering the bar in expectations and not thinking, oh, I even need to be inspired to start.
Speaker A:You know, I shouldn't start just because I'm not feeling like it or there's nothing to really do.
Speaker A:I think most of.
Speaker A:I mean, she didn't specifically say writing, but maybe it's just her groove in general.
Speaker A:But it's just always starting is the hardest part.
Speaker A:So even if it's just instead of you performing on an open mic, you go and watch an open mic and you just get into that environment, you're not.
Speaker A:You don't have the pressure of having to perform.
Speaker A:You're just going to watch and see what can strike you and spark your inspiration that way and just.
Speaker A:Yeah, lower.
Speaker A:Lower the bar and expectations because it's all consistency.
Speaker A:I mean, even now it's highs and lows and crests and troughs and you'll feel super inspired and motivated and feeling a lot of momentum and all of a sudden there's like a reset or you're just not feeling it, you know, kind of like today's show, but we're doing it anyway.
Speaker A:And no, I was excited to do the show.
Speaker A:I was just feeling kind of run down.
Speaker A:So, no, I was very inspired to definitely to be here with y'all today.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I think just lower the bar and just kind of give yourself grace and don't think you got to do magic every time you sit down to create something.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Watch comedy.
Speaker A:Just kind of watch a comedy.
Speaker A:You know, I've been watching Leslie Nielsen clips lately from, like, Naked Gun, which are so funny and just like one liners and Misdirect.
Speaker A:So I'm starting to try to also find inspiration in other realms beyond just stand up to kind of scratch that creative itch.
Speaker A:So what else do you enjoy doing?
Speaker A:They don't think it always has to be comedy all the time.
Speaker A:What else can you do to keep.
Speaker A:Keep your creative juices flowing?
Speaker A:Yeah, great question there though.
Speaker A:But it's up and down for everyone at every level for sure.
Speaker A:The, the difference between the pros and the amateurs are that the pros do it anyway.
Speaker A:The pros do it especially when they don't feel like it.
Speaker A:That's really the difference.
Speaker A:Ooh, this is a fun one from Luke Harris.
Speaker A:What do you think will take the place of JFL of a JFL credit now that JFL is gone?
Speaker A:Skank fest or don't tell.
Speaker B:I mean, I don't think anything's going to replace JFL in terms of that credit.
Speaker B:I do think there's going to be someone that sort of comes in and either tries to sort of just do a festival.
Speaker B:I mean, you got to think, like, when JFL kind of dropped, Netflix kind of took the ball and ran with, hey, we're just going to do Netflix as a joke fest and just had a whole bunch of people.
Speaker B:They brought out people.
Speaker B:It was pretty much like a replacement for JFL as soon as they did it as well.
Speaker B:And obviously they've got more money than God, so they were able to just like complete it without the worry of going bankrupt.
Speaker B:And so they easily sort of just did that.
Speaker B:I have a feeling that Netflix festival is gonna.
Speaker B:They're gonna likely do that every year.
Speaker B:It was very successful.
Speaker B:A lot of people got just, I don't want to say blew up, but people got to see many small time comedians that they did not see before.
Speaker B:Like, there were some local comedians here that got opportunities that they would have never gotten if it wasn't for Netflix as a joke.
Speaker B:But they got those from being at other festivals.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:Like, right.
Speaker B:The festival sort of run is really around people seeing you, seeing your growth and being like, huh, I saw you a couple years ago, you've grown as a comedian.
Speaker B:We'd like to invite you to this place.
Speaker B:How would you like to open for somebody big kind of thing.
Speaker B:So, like, it's about just putting that work in.
Speaker B:But I don't think anything's really going to, you know, take JFL's place.
Speaker B:I just think someone's going to try to fill the void in terms of just doing more festivals or just more places that comedians can be seen.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, I'm.
Speaker A:I'll be interested to see.
Speaker A:I think JFL got bought by a group called like Comedy.
Speaker A:Ha.
Speaker A:I think so.
Speaker A:I think they may try to keep it alive.
Speaker A:But I know the big value of jfl, even with friends who've done it in the past few years.
Speaker A:I mean it's more the networking side of things than the actual credit.
Speaker A:Like you being on jfl, you put it in your bio and now a comedy club wants to book you.
Speaker A:Maybe an agent find you from JFL or a very well respected comic you meet at jfl, then refers you to a club that they then want to book you based on that name or whatnot.
Speaker A:But yeah, it's, it's interesting that.
Speaker A:I mean, gosh, people are going on don't tell and then their career changes like a Tonight show and then other people go on there and nothing changes.
Speaker A:You know, similar dry bar, the same but they just get a dope clip, you know, Dry bar the same way.
Speaker A:All these platforms, you're.
Speaker A:There's always the opportunity to, for it to blow up.
Speaker A:But I mean just like Johnny Carson, some people perform and nothing changed or their careers went sideways after that and they quit or whatever.
Speaker A:You know, there's, there's no like one kind of silver bullet.
Speaker A:I think it's an accumulation and like you said, a lot of it is comics being at other festivals and almost all that momentum builds up to like a JFL turn Netflix as a joke.
Speaker A:It's kind of, it's not, it's never just one thing you assume like oh, all of a sudden they blew up here and then life was easy for them.
Speaker A:There's always a foundation of work for the most part behind these blow ups.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean I think, I think that is, I mean in being at the festival this weekend, sort of just hanging out with people, that's where a lot of conversations I had with like comedians were, was, was hey, one thing isn't going to do it.
Speaker B:You just got to be out there just grinding it out.
Speaker B:I mean I know people that been in that Laughing Skull festival, which is probably top two top three festivals to get into as a comedian that have been there multiple times, nothing.
Speaker B:And then people that been there one time blew up like it just is what it is kind of thing.
Speaker B:So you just got to be do a lot of at bats.
Speaker B:You just gotta be out there and put yourself out in as many places as possible.
Speaker B:Submit to the festivals, go meet the industry folks, put out an album like work, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker B:Grind make sure your bills are paid.
Speaker B:Like, do all the things that you've heard people talk to talk to you about.
Speaker B:Like, at the end of the day, just getting on stages a lot really does make you bet.
Speaker B:Comedian.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And, like.
Speaker B:But outside of that, there's a business side of comedy, learning the business side of comedy, listening to people who have, you know, put out special.
Speaker B:I mean, I am.
Speaker B:I've been in Mark.
Speaker B:I was.
Speaker B:I've been in marketing for 22 years.
Speaker B:And I'll take marketing advice from someone who I don't think has that level of expertise, but because I respect them, and I'm like, yeah, tell me all this stuff.
Speaker B:Have I heard some of this before?
Speaker B:Sure.
Speaker B:But I trust you because you're actually grinding out, and you know exactly what you've done.
Speaker B:And I think that's an important thing, is, like, be humble and know that you don't know everything.
Speaker B:I don't know everything there is to know about putting out a special.
Speaker B:So when Stefan came out and said all this stuff, I was like, this is great stuff.
Speaker B:I'm gonna just duplicate it.
Speaker B:I'm gonna just do exactly what he just said and just be like, I literally hired the exact same thumbnail person that he did.
Speaker B:I was like, sure, why not?
Speaker B:And I think just knowing when you don't have all the answers and try to find someone who does know the answers and someone who does who can help you out.
Speaker B:So I think that's an important factor as well.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:What do you wish existed and then work towards creating that.
Speaker A:I think every.
Speaker A:Most of the things I've done have been things I wish existed.
Speaker A:And you just kind of put them.
Speaker A:Put in the work to see them through and then see where they take you, you know?
Speaker A:But it's all.
Speaker A:It's all incremental.
Speaker A:Was this the JFL question?
Speaker A:Did we just go on, like, a whole tangent?
Speaker A:He was asking, what's the next JFL credit?
Speaker A:And we're like, just do your best, kids and stay in school.
Speaker B:And we sound like two old uncles.
Speaker A:Stay consistent.
Speaker B:Back in my day, back when they had HBO comedy.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:But it's.
Speaker A:I guess, to encapsulate the question, it's tough to know what the next credit would be.
Speaker A:I think it depends on your audience.
Speaker A:You know, what is the credit that's going to take you over the edge?
Speaker A:But it won't just be one thing.
Speaker B:I can tell you this based on all the industry folks that I've been talking to and just having those conversations.
Speaker B:A lot of times you're gonna have to make it on your own before the industry puts you on.
Speaker A:Yeah, that was my favorite quote when.
Speaker A:When I interviewed Tamara Goins, who runs like, yeah, Comedy Innovative Artists.
Speaker A:She's like, you don't need a manager until you have something to manage.
Speaker A:Yeah, people.
Speaker A:Yeah, people assume a manager and agent is the thing that's going to get you to where you want to go.
Speaker A:But it's like, no, you almost have to do it yourself, and then they can put gas on the fire.
Speaker A:Really?
Speaker A:That's really how it works.
Speaker A:So, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:And think.
Speaker B:I mean, you got to think about that as your career.
Speaker B:Like, don't wait for somebody to tell you you can put out an album.
Speaker B:Just go put it out.
Speaker B:Like, go do the work.
Speaker B:Go fund it yourself.
Speaker B:Like, find ways to get things done as much as possible.
Speaker B:A friend of mine said the industry has time to take from you or to, like, do things with you much later on.
Speaker B:But if you got time now, go do the thing that you want to do.
Speaker B:Like, go fund that project.
Speaker B:Go do that creative thing that you want to do more than anything else.
Speaker B:And so, yeah, I think that was just a important thing to know that, you know, being self made is how a lot of comedians became successful.
Speaker B:I mean, you think about Schultzy, you know, that's what we call him.
Speaker B:He grinded on his own, found a nice little niche, and now the industry is calling.
Speaker B:You know, I'm saying, now he's in movies, now he's on Netflix.
Speaker B:I mean, it's just like.
Speaker B:But all that, it's the grind.
Speaker A:And several.
Speaker A:Yeah, several comics have now followed the.
Speaker A:The Schultz path as well.
Speaker B:Oh, absolutely.
Speaker A:Great question, though.
Speaker A:Yeah, I don't think there's one thing that would replace it.
Speaker A:I think everyone's kind of finding their.
Speaker A:Their niche audience and can serve them, but it's important not to pander and get lost in just one audience.
Speaker A:I would like to say, especially just developing at the comedian getting well rounded.
Speaker A:Benjamin Richmond.
Speaker A:How do I perform?
Speaker A:Like, it's not memorization and robotic.
Speaker B:1.
Speaker B:One good idea that I got from.
Speaker B:I'm forgetting his last name.
Speaker B:Jason Roland, who is from the World Series of Comedy.
Speaker B:When you record yourself, watch yourself back without words and then watch yourself back with the words, like on audio, on.
Speaker B:Like with.
Speaker B:On mute, basically.
Speaker B:And just watch your body language.
Speaker B:And if your body looks to you like it's robotic, then that's what you need to work on.
Speaker B:If it feels like you're just, like, stiff staying up there, then the next time you do your set, move around a Little bit while you're talking, like sway, whatever you gotta do, just improve on the thing that you don't want to do anymore and just practice that thing.
Speaker B:I always think it's important whenever you go to an open mic is to go with an intention.
Speaker B:So the next time you go to an open mic, if you feel like, robotic or like you're coming off as robotic, pick one thing that you want to change that's not robotic and try that for that evening either.
Speaker B:Like your first minute that you're not doing a joke, you're just talking to the crowd and then go into your material.
Speaker B:Now your set isn't as robotic, or at least, you know, 20% of it isn't.
Speaker B:Just improve on the things and then the next time maybe do 40% isn't robotic or 40% is like not your set or you're just like doing crowd work.
Speaker B:Just whatever you can do to sort of improve.
Speaker B:But it's important to watch yourself record yourself and edit yourself on an ongoing basis.
Speaker A:And I think, excuse me, as I'm yawning from this very in depth and engaging conversation.
Speaker A:What is helpful as well is to not rehearse robotically.
Speaker A:Like when you rehearse at home, rehearse conversationally, really practice your set off stage like you would want to say it on stage and pause where you expect the laughter to be and really almost rehearse it in that more conversational way.
Speaker A:And in the short term, be okay if it is robotic at first and just know you're ironing out the kinks.
Speaker A:And every set is an opportunity to get 1% better.
Speaker A:And over time it'll grow and develop and evolve.
Speaker A:As long as each set, you're getting intentionally 1% better each set.
Speaker A:So if that 1% better this time is okay, I'm rehearsing a set and going and performing it.
Speaker A:I'm going to try to remember all my jokes.
Speaker A:Just go do this.
Speaker A:Regardless of what happens, the success is that I got on stage and said these jokes out loud and just start there and build from there.
Speaker A:So yeah, don't be afraid to be robotic at first and just know it's all part of the process.
Speaker A:But I think it will help you to rehearse more conversationally as if you are on stage and that'll start to translate into your on stage performance.
Speaker A:All right, let's try to cram a few more of these in as we're coming up to the buzzer here.
Speaker B:People ask me if I try to sell it.
Speaker B:Somebody asked me if I try to sell It.
Speaker B:I have, I have sent it over to people, but I haven't tried to sell it.
Speaker B:I just sent it over to people that were interested in seeing the special.
Speaker B:So I've just, you know, dated it and sent it to them, but I haven't tried to sell it.
Speaker B:Sell it.
Speaker B:If you know somebody who's willing to buy that's got, you know, a Brink truck ready to back up and give it to me, let me know.
Speaker B:But I've not tried to sell the special, but I have, you know, connections with people who are in the industry who are like, oh, yeah, we'd love to check it out.
Speaker A:Very nice.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, and I see Dubs General in the chat said also being around other comedians will get the thoughts going.
Speaker A:Just being around other creative people.
Speaker A:Yes, that helps as well.
Speaker A:I think that could have probably referenced Daphne's question earlier.
Speaker A:I was just feeling uninspired.
Speaker A:Just getting out in the mix can help spark some inspiration.
Speaker A:So the last few at the buzzer here is.
Speaker A:It's nausea.
Speaker A:How do you think Dave Chappelle works on giving the audience the most unexpected answer?
Speaker A:I think he just understands joke structure and misdirection and can just do it on demand.
Speaker A:I would say that's how he says things the audience doesn't expect.
Speaker A:Just he understands a joke set up punch.
Speaker A:Surprise, surprise.
Speaker A:There we go.
Speaker A:And as we land this plane, don't forget everyone listening.
Speaker A:This Monday, 9pm, we are Monday, October 28th, we are live premiering Yoshi's Special on our YouTube channel.
Speaker A:And that same evening at 8, we're actually doing a live stream of our joke writing contest finale as well.
Speaker A:So it's gonna be a big night for the Hot Breath of Verse next Monday as we're unveiling two new.
Speaker A:Two new programs on the Hot Breath Comedy Network.
Speaker A:So very exciting.
Speaker A:And the last question, as we land the plane, I actually just saw someone saying, if we can name open mics in Atlanta, Justin Wilson asking, that's good for the pie.
Speaker A:That's good for everyone that listens in Toronto and India and across the pond in Australia.
Speaker A:We see y'all out there.
Speaker A:We see y'all out there watching all around the world, and we appreciate it.
Speaker A:So, yeah, Atlanta open mics is gonna be great.
Speaker A:Atlanta.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:We could make this how to find open mics in your city, wherever you are.
Speaker A:Yeah, I don't wanna.
Speaker A:I don't wanna oversimplify, but Googling open mics in the city you're in is a great place to start if you're in our Facebook group.
Speaker A:You can always post in there.
Speaker A:We have thousands of comics from all over the world.
Speaker A:And there you could post and say, hey, I'm in this city.
Speaker A:You want to know of open mics, these music, open mics, comedy open mics, poetry, open mics, karaoke nights, you know, it's could be any of them.
Speaker A:But Atlanta comedy does have a discord.
Speaker A:You can join and there's a calendar on there and all that as well.
Speaker A:Yeah, but I didn't want to say just Atlanta.
Speaker A:And then, you know.
Speaker A:Yeah, people in Nashville are like, what?
Speaker A:Actually Nashville may drive people in Virginia.
Speaker A:How about that?
Speaker A:I'm trying to name places.
Speaker A:I know people.
Speaker A:Are we all over shouting?
Speaker A:D.C.
Speaker A:toronto.
Speaker A:Already said Toronto.
Speaker A:We see all y'all.
Speaker A:So I guess we should land the plane.
Speaker A:Yoshi Special this Monday, 9pm on our YouTube channel.
Speaker A:Go to our YouTube channel and go ahead and sign up to hit that notification to join the premiere because we really want to blow this baby up.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah, we're super excited.
Speaker B:I'm super excited about it.
Speaker B:It's going to be fun, man.
Speaker A:Congrats, buddy.
Speaker B:Looking forward to it.
Speaker A:Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday.
Speaker A:And we do these live streams every Tuesday at 5.
Speaker A:So thank you all for hanging out with us live or listening later.
Speaker A:Adam Vale said, Connecticut.
Speaker A:Yes, thank you letting us know.
Speaker A:And of course, New York and LA and Austin, you know, but we, we like all the all communities that listen.
Speaker A:So this is a very good outro.
Speaker A:People are just slowly drowning out of this.
Speaker A:They're like, wait, what?
Speaker A:Is Joel falling asleep as he's ending the show?
Speaker B:Oh.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:We'll see y'all on Monday.
Speaker A:We're live premiering Yoshi special then.
Speaker A:But until then, join our email list to get updates.
Speaker A:Am I missing anything, Yoshi?
Speaker A:Besides that.
Speaker A:I should have thought before ending the show.
Speaker B:No, you're doing good, buddy.
Speaker B:You're doing good.
Speaker B:This is great.
Speaker B:See you on Monday.
Speaker B:Super excited.
Speaker B:Come for a show.
Speaker B:Stay for the experience.
Speaker B:We're going to have a good time, man.
Speaker B:I'm excited.
Speaker A:Yoshi.
Speaker A:So American, African.
Speaker A:Premiering on the Hot Breath Comedy Network this Monday at 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time.
Speaker A:We will see y'all there.
Speaker A:We love you all.
Speaker A:Bye, y'all.
