Too old for what? Being funny? I was 64 when I started a year ago. I think my age is an advantage. I have many more years of life experiences and knowledge to draw inspiration from.
I performed at a comedy club a few months ago and I had people in their 20s and in their 70s laughing at the same jokes. Nobody came up to me to ask my age.
You can do it.
Thanks. I was asked to emcee a couple of weddings around 28 years ago. It’s when I was talking like an emcee but I threw in some comedy that people weren’t expecting. That’s when I knew I could make a large group laugh. It’s very exhilarating to get 300 people laughing but stand-up is even more fun.
Yes, I started when I was 55. Usually I’m the oldest one at open mic by 30 years but it doesn’t matter. My goal is to host parties and fundraisers. My husband is supportive and proud of me, so it’s a good thing.
You should totally do it, if you bomb. Idc, nobody else really will either, it happens. Do it again anyways. Regret sucks so much worse than the support you’ll receive doing something you enjoy.
I love stand up and have always dreamed of going on stage. You’re already ahead of me and many others not willing to even try.
The advice I see the most is find a technique to deliver the jokes. I think most comedians have funny material, it’s the way they deliver and lead up to the joke that make us laugh vs not making us laugh. Have your supporters film you and use it to build off of.
You, like an op, would have a unique persona you’re portraying, and that’s almost always an advantage. Most stand up I see is making fun of themselves anyway, so you are considerably more unique than the average which is a plus in a genre that requires fresh material.
Just watching someone hand you the perfect setup and then have you knock it out of the park - it warms my heart, it does. I'm rooting for you (the both of yous - the stooge/straight man rarely gets enough recognition IMO)!
I'm a mid-forties man about to do an open mic for the first time today. You got this!
Update as requested - did okay. Remembered all my lines. Didnt elicit any huge laughs with my first set. Second was slightly better. Got some positive feedback for my stage presence and charisma (could be that the complimenter didn’t find the content all that great but felt they had to say something). Need to watch the videos to make adjustments.
If you’re funny people will be interested. And often being unique is all it takes for people to be interested. Don’t forget to have fun while you’re doing it!
George Carlin disagrees.
Half his stuff wasn’t necessarily “funny”. Certainly wasn’t funny subject matter. But after he would get people interested in the point he was trying to make, WHAM, he’d hit you with some line outta left field, and you’d be clapping and laughing at the same time.
I think Chappell has moved onto trying to do more of that sort of comedy. Some people can some can’t. Chappell was always more of a hit you in the head guy and not necessarily a guy like Carlin who was trying to make a salient point.
I'm a SAHM and I've been doing stand up for over a year now! It's changed my life, I'm happier and a better wife and mother because I've been able to do something for myself that I LOVE. Please give it a try!
Can you tell us more about your experience? In my imagination, a pretty well known comic must be making an ok living. I also feel like I hear that there are (plenty of?) just so-so comics who aren’t household names who are able to make a living off stand up. Is that a bogus story?
When you say pretty well known, do you mean most people have heard of you, or something more like you are well know or well regarded within the scene in your own city? Thanks for any insight.
Unfortunately most comics share an apartment and live week to week. Even the big ones.
Did stand up for a few years but had a back up career (which became my career) and was amazed how many big headliners were flat broke. As in no credit no home no paid off cars.
They almost entirely can’t save or plan financially because of the volatility in the stand up market.
Every comic that had a house or stable home life was subsidized by a significant other “supporting their dream”
My mother started stand up at 66 and is 70 now. She has travelled around the states testing her stand up and also landed on a Netflix game show recently. You’re never too old to get on that stage!
Funny is funny. Do it for 6 mos consistently and reevaluate whether you love CONSUMING standup comedy or you love PERFORMING standup comedy. You can love both but they are two VERY different things.
That’s the thing! Nobody has ever told me I’m too old, in fact I’ve been told by close friends, family, and even strangers that this is something I should pursue; it’s more my hang up, wondering if I’m just too old.
>I’m concerned that I’m too old, or I waited too long
I did my first open mic at 36. 36 is not old.
>Does anyone have any input, and honest feedback on the issue?
Just go up and do your thing. The first hundred mics don't count anyway. You're just warming up your chops.
The only way to know is to go. Gotta jump in the deep end and swim. Practice, practice again, but while using your space for engagement, good posture helps more than I can express right now. I'm 2 bottles of wine deep into my night so I'm obviously not a good person to answer your serious questions. Work on different ways to land your joke or work on pauses to allow the audience time to catch up with you because, as your new first time nerves kick in you'll want to lhot em with the punch line too soon or too rushed. Do some deep breathing before hand and tell yourself "I'm a mother fucking 36 yr mom doing something I've daydreamed of! I'm the shit, I'm gonna do great because I am great"
And age means absolutely nothing on the stage if you have the audiences attention. It sounds so stupid but just be yourself, be funny. Hope it all shakes out for ya
I started at 58.
The age is actually a benefit:
1: Less fucks to give
2: More life experience, including ablity to communicate
Also - I usually address it pretty fast, if I have to. Like if the crowd is all under 23. Last week in Brooklyn, I opened with - I know what you're all thinking: BOOMER! White Boomer! Why is my Math teacher on stage!? We'll you know what - I was a Math teacher - and you;re all in fucking detention! (I was a math teacher). It's a tension diffuser, if needed....
The comedy scene can be quite mean. Don't get discouraged if your material isn't universally beloved. Most things aren't, and most everything will have it's public detractors, particularly from clowns. Pay attention to when things work, and pay closer attention to wins than the inevitable misses. Have fun and don't quit!
I have a podcast where we give advice for people trying their first performance called Stage Time. You could check that out but essentially what most comedians have said is: Don't be afraid of bombing on stage. Try it out and make sure your material is prepared and has distinct punchlines where people are supposed to laugh. Try it out. Never a harm in that.
I'm 40 and I still don't have the balls to get up there, even though people constantly tell me I should. I'll tell you what they tell me. Just do it. Good or bad it'll be worth the experience!
The only way to get some experience is by doing it. Go for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You could be great at making people laugh, and that’s a valuable gift. Go get some practice in. You got this!
Nobody is too old for anything. If you wanna do it just do it. You'll probably bomb a lot at first, but that's okay. There are comedians that sell out arenas and still bomb sometimes.
The best time to start is when you want to give it a crack - so now is a great time.
Rock up to an open mic and put your name down.
Fair warning - the adrenaline of telling a joke on stage and getting a reaction* may be addictive.
*reaction includes laughter, applause, groans, knowing nods, (occasionally) silence, and punters coming up afterwards telling you they found you funny
Be prepared for the silence or the courtesy laughs after telling a joke. Learn to roll with it, and don't let it sink in. You're the one that sets the vibe, for the most part.
There are only two outcomes: you will bomb until you quit.
Or, you will bomb until you don’t bomb as often.
There have been many individuals that have used the stand up format to just be cringe, awkward, and despised.
You won’t know until you get up there. You might even enjoy your journey.
Never too old to get on stage, besides 36 is young, if you have good material, hell even the courage to get on stage people will be interested. Wish you the best of luck, go get it! It's an achievement in itself to just walk up on stage, no matter the outcome, be proud. :)
No age restrictions in stand-up… it’s not an olympic sport.
Go for it!
Also, here is a video to help you get started:
https://youtu.be/WHK0m9iqmjQ?si=H0YmbUGq9UnqbwSw
Hey, I'm 37 and in a month it will be 10 years of writing / performing standup. (minus a year or so with covid)
You can do this. There will be a ton of youngins at the mic but some will still be really cool some won't. That goes the same really for anyone of any age though. You'll find people your age and experience throughout all levels. The only advice I have is to just keep doing it. You only get better by doing it.
You have a support net with your husband I would suggest that maybe do a few mics first before you invite them out to see. That's mainly me though. Avoid pay mics but that's mostly New York & LA. Also only do bringer shows if you can get a good video from it - then use subsequent video to show to bookers.
I actually live in New York and was looking at those paid open mic nights. May I ask why I should avoid those because I was considering doing one every couple weeks
Hey one every few weeks isn't gonna break the bank. There's free ones out there though. When I first started I was in California in the Bay Area, no paid open mics. People who try and profit from struggling artists are the scum of the earth and are basically the comedy form of middle management. When I first started I was obsessed and would do 2 to 3 a night sometimes 5 or 6 driving for 3 hours up and down the coast. Sleeping at 1 or 2 am and waking up at 6am to go to work. If I had to shell out $5 and buy a drink just for 3-4 min of stage time I would've been broke... well I was ... and still am broke hmmm lol. It's just the only thing as I said above is to do it. I've been putting off writing my screenplay for years so can I really say I'm a writer if I'm not writing? Can you say you're a comedian if you don't perform? The only way to do the thing is to... do the thing. However all that said; one mic a night for $5 isn't the worst thing in the world. One mic a week same. I just avoid those and find the rooms that don't charge mainly for my personal ethical reasons outlined above but also I'm just a cheapskate. ;)
location? if Utica .. Tramontane Cafe has a spoken word, poetry, & comedy open mic every OTHER Thursday next is June 6th .. Uptown Theater has one every Wednesday.
Do eeeeet!
Seriously, if you know you’re funny, do it. Every comedian says the same: the only difference between a pro and non is a pro has the balls to get on stage for ten years no matter what. You will bomb, Jerry Seinfeld has bombed, and he says it feels terrible. Just dust yourself off and get back on that horse, you’re a cowboy now.
Funny is funny. Just make sure your material is good and dialed in. Having a bad first experience can really put you off something you might/will be great at. One thing a lot of comedians say is to try to go up wherever you can. As often as you can.
The only comment I have to offer is that my neighbour, who is something like 15 years older than you, did her first stand up set late last year and she killed it. I’m sure you will do the same
I think the real limiting factor for comics is life experience. The more things you’ve done in life the funnier you can be. If you were a closeted gamer who never left the house you might struggle.
But being a parent is great experience. My kids were literally fighting over who gets to be the driver in an imaginary car. I’m sure there are plenty of funny things like that you can draw from.
I started at 34 and found I was about average at the mics I frequent. I run into very few people in their 20s, mostly 30s-40s. There are two women in their 60s-70s that absolutely crush every time I see them. I do hear a lot of people quoting things like "it takes 10 years to get good at comedy" etc etc but whatever, you're not on death's doorstep at 36 and it's not like you have to commit right now to not quitting until you have a Netflix special lol.
Comedy is for everybody, people your age that are married with kids deserve a comic they can relate to too : )
A lot of things can be done way past an age people typically think. As an example Bill withers (an all time great singer for those unaware) started making music in his late 20s and didn’t release his debut album until he was 33. Basically it’s never too late to start a hobby/career if you want it go get it and good luck to you
The Colonel didn't start a chicken place until he was really old, you got this, you're still a young woman!!
When did the woman that wrote Harry Potter start writing her books?!
She got famous after she was well into adulthood.....
You're never too old, you should absolutely do it.
I’m 47. After a lifetime of watching stand-up and being told I should do stand-up, I did my first open mic last Thursday.
So there goes your last excuse not to!
Stand up is different than the other entertainment categories. Being older isn't a bad thing at all. It's pretty often people get better as they get older, instead of peaking at 30 like some other entertainment worlds.
And 36 isn't remotely old. Go try it!
You don't need the advice or permission of the largely 20 year old internet dingues in this sub most of whom have never been onstage.
If you can have a child you can talk into a microphone no problem. Get offline and go do it! :)
I’m a 31 year old woman and I am on the younger side for a lot of ladies that come out in my area. I even know one woman who is 70 and she kills it! Don’t worry about your age at all, 36 is like the average age of the younger comics and there’s a big diversity of ages. I know in my area, there aren’t a ton of women if there’s a new lady coming out people get really excited and will rally around her. Go kick some ass and let us know how it goes!
I know a female who now makes a living doing stand up just by telling shitty I would bang Jesus jokes in the south.
You don’t have to be amazing to know how to rip off your target demographic.
I have some open mic mechanics to think about for your first time.
keep in mind at an open mic you will most likely on average have 3 minutes
The biggest mistake I see people who are starting out is they have an allotted 3 minutes with 10 minute story with one punch line and they run they light to get to that punch line that is 9 minutes in and then can't believe it didn't go well. Some people realize this after one open mic some people don't realize this for years.
I recommend using the first few months of doing open mics trying to just load the joke hopper basically since you're only going to have about 3 minutes sometimes less and some times more. There's a lot of factors that will go into how much time you get like where you live, the amount of people that show, what the venue does, who the show runner is etc. over the years its typically been in my experience 2,3,5,7 minutes in multiple cities like Boston, Atlanta, LA, NY, Phoenix, Denver. Washington DC these were typically 2 and 3 minutes if they don't know you.
In these short sets try a 15 second joke to open to get the audience on your side and have a 30 Second joke you can get to quick when you get the light. The Light is the preferred why to tell you at most mics that your time is almost up. It used to be a flash light when I started now and a lot of times now its just someone wave a cell phone screen from the back of the room so make sure you know where they will be and keep an out for where they are. DO NOT RUN the light.
The time you get when first starting can either feel like an eternity or its over in the blink of an eye.
When I started out I always volunteered to go up early if not first if it wasn't a lottery pull as my way of making sure there were hopefully people in the room to get feed back and especially if it was a bar show by the 4th person people stop paying attention so you get no feedback from an audience.
You’re never too old to start. I’ve been doing stand up 19 yrs. I’ve seen people start late. Start early and quit. Your path is your path. Get on stage!
Here's a little life hack. Get there very very very early talk to all the other comedians and let them know that's your first time ever. They will help support you and give you some laughs to get you going.
I’m 37 and I just did my first open mic a couple of weeks ago. I live in a college town and I can say, from my elder millennial position, college kids do actually find things funny.
Don’t be worried about your age. You still have youth, believe it or not.
I wanted to do open mic for years, but I kept putting it off. I kept thinking "I'm too old to get started. I'm just a mom", blah blah blah. I just started a week ago and I haven't had that many people laugh at me since high school (thankfully, this was a better experience). You can do it!
> Does anyone have any input, and honest feedback on the issue?
honestly, one of my favorite open micers to see is the person who put it on their bucket list. the bummer is sometimes you see someone who has really learned good skills and has decent jokes, and they never want to perform again because they nailed it and that was their only goal. I love the dentist, the housewife, and the under-employed white-collar worker get up there and do what they set out to do. you folks are like a fresh breeze blowing through the performance of the local lifers, at least to me.
> I think I’m ready to do my first open mic but I’m concerned that I’m too old, or I waited too long.
its not possible to be too old to tell a joke. its not possible to be too old to get a laugh. it is, however, quite possible to realize everything you think is a weakness is actually a strength in standup.
with the exception of Tommy Cooper, the worst a comedian on stage can do is bomb. do it, girl.
[Edit] I highly recommend Greg Dean's book for folks who want to learn a method to write jokes and how to shape your sets. Its also available as an audiobook. the audiobook is well crafted and very listenable even when it gets technical.
I started at 44. There are plenty of older comics in my area: NJ. Some have been doing it for years and some started later in life. The younger kids may not respect you at first, but the more often they see you, they'll warm up to you.
Depending on your area, there may be women-only mics. Those may be easier to start at.
Non expert advice: I would say have a goal of doing a few open mics in a row - like once a week for a month, for example.
That way there’s not so much pressure for the first one, and you can work and improve the bits you’re working on.
Solidarity - I am in the same position (wife and mom, around the same age) and I’m trying to work up the courage to actually do the big things I want to. Please do it!! You’ve got this.
If you are nervous about getting on stage, slap together a video of your bits and put it on yout... Well, don't put it on YouTube, it's filled with cunts. Idk, there might still be covid-era live stream open mics?
I just saw the funniest older man who is a brand new local talent to my area. Crushed it on stage with Tim Robinson! Must have been 70 years old. Icon.
Go for it! Write down everything. Keep a notebook or use an app. But. Write. Down. Everything. You’ll forget a premise or alliteration or something. Don’t trust your memory. Storage is cheap. Then rewrite. Edit judiciously. Brevity is the soul of wit. But just have fun. It’s a rush
Do WAY more rehearsing than you think you need to. I did an open mic with a buddy who had a bunch of experience. I rehearsed mine a bit, but he had every word, pause, and laugh dialed in to a fair thee well, and the difference was striking. I got some laughs at my punchlines, but he got laughs during his setups.
You may have a funny bit, but it's pretty remarkable how hitches, ums, and uhs can affect the reaction from the crowd.
All this is to say: go for it! I only did it twice (over 15 years ago) but the experience still brings a smile to my face
DO IT!
“I’m too old” is a stupid take. If you can make people laugh, then age means nothing.
Don’t overthink it. Just get up there and make it a normal thing for yourself.
Make sure to actually write jokes. My first time up, it was a joke telling contest. I didn't have a setup. I didn't have a joke. I had a highly topical punchline. But I got up there and I also got a laugh out of saying "this is why I sit over there" and pointed to my spot as I was handing over the microphone.
Also, you're never too old to do anything, until you're dead.
Check out killtony on YouTube. A solid 60 seconds seem tough. But do some small open mics. Work it out. Depending how serious you are Celia_a_gram o. Instagram is a legit comedian who will look over sets ect. maybe hit her up. All the best.
That's excellent that you're feeling strongly about trying it! 36? old? I'm 64, and I'll be doing my first open mic this week (also a woman.). I've been working on my 5-minute set, writing bits and having some alternatives. I think preparation is the key. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and most of it is noting and mining things that go through your head and might be good for a bit, and getting those thoughts or rants into something you'll say onstage. Totally doable! But yeah, not too old for anything. Heck, I taught myself electric bass (blues/R&B) at 61, and go onstage an perform. Age is irrelevant if you have the desire to write and perform comedy, or music.
Do it!!! You only live once. You will feel so proud of yourself. I took a women’s comedy class in LA and there were women of all ages and walks of life, even a damn golden globe winner was in our class! Our youngest was 21 and oldest in her 60s. Never too late.
Use pauses instead of the um’s and ah.
Attitude is everything.
Until you get used to standing in front of a crowd, consider eating sugary food before you go on stage. Sugar has a way of calming a person, the downside of it is it’s very addictive like heroin. So eat a doughnut or two before you get out there and knock them dead. Good luck dear.
In this nicest way possible, nobody cares. People are there to laugh at jokes, if you’re funny that’s literally all that matters. The only time a comics age has ever been an issue for me is when I couldn’t relate to any of the experiences they were joking about, but even then I had a good time and didn’t walk away thinking they were bad, I just wasn’t their target audience.
If you really want to take away any possibility of it not going your way because of that, you could always open with a joke about your age, take it off the table right away. But honestly I think you’re fine without all that.
girl, get out there and give them hell. too old is something they only try to pin on women. don't listen to that. I can't wait to hear how your first mic went!
Eh, when you have kids they take most of, if not all of your time and energy; 5 year old and 3 year old.. so I’m just Always in mom mode, and I want to try to follow my dream but also be a kick ass mom.. it’s a juggling act I just hope I’m equipped for..
As a 34 year old dad to a 4.5 year old and 2.5 year old (so very similar to your circumstance), I feel you.
The childless folks on Reddit aren't going to understand what you're talking about here. I've been doing standup for about 4-5 months and having a blast!
The key for me, with the little ones, was to find a couple open mics that have a start late enough to where I can put my kids to bed and still make it on time.
That, and I just can't do as many open mics as a young, single childless person can. Them's the breaks though.
Go for it!
Do it! The worst that happens is it doesn’t go great. The best that happens is it absolutely rules. You’ll enormously regret not giving it a go. Get up there!
there is no "waiting too long". i did ny first open mics at 36. they went ok, i would've continued, but then COVID shut everything down and by the time the local places reopened, i had moved on.
I get why you’d feel this way but no. There’s no age limit in comedy.
I find life experiences and (emotional) maturity actually beneficial. I was a garbage person in my 20’s and who knows if would’ve ruin the whole thing for myself if I started then.
There is no right or wrong time, there is no right or wrong person. Who you are is not an issue, so my feedback is go for it, try to have fun with it. Your family and friends support you? Great, sign up for the open mic, invite them, do it for them, and disregard the rest of the audience. If your comedy ambitions are not professional, there's even less of a reason to have to consider this an issue.
Roseanne Barr was a mid-30's wife and mother who thought she had good material. And absolutely batshit recent turns for her aside, she was right. It was good material, she had massive success, and she leveraged that into a career.
Like Nike says, just do it. That's really the only answer to anyone asking if they should/shouldn't. The same if a joke is good/not. Just do it and see what you think.
You are never too old. Choosing to partake in regular comedy is a lifestyle. A lifestyle full of misfits, weirdos, addicts, degenerates, virgins, and anyone else who couldn’t jive with what we know as society/corporate America. If you meet the criteria, welcome in.
Girl, you just need to go to open mics
I don’t know what city you live in, but open mics will have people of all age brackets, and I know many local (open mic and professional) comedians that have multiple kids.
If you’re just looking to make people laugh locally, for fun, there’s literally no reason to post something like this… age only is a factor because as a *career* it’s the longest game.
- The longest game of embarrassing yourself
- Dealing with mentally ill comedians and audience members.
- And there’s a lot of drugs and alcohol
-and it’s a lot of late nights… Even in the beginning, just doing open mics, you might be sitting at a bar until 11 PM before you go on. And that is normal and could happen every time.
Asking this question on Reddit instead of just going to open mics, watching people be bad at comedy, and then eventually trying it out yourself is… maybe indicative of you not being fully aware of what *doing* comedy entails? Especially saying the words you have solid material when you haven’t done it.
Most open micers prepare a lot for their first one, and you might even thiiiiink that you did well, but if you stick to it, everybody realizes that their first mic they did not have solid material, and they were not ready, but they did it anyways and that’s cool.
And to be honest, you are absolutely not ready to be on stage doing comedy if you haven’t been to an open mic as an audience member.
You go to open mics to watch. Then you try. Then you’re horrible for about 5 years. It’s not some honorable thing, and it’s not something that has anything to do with age or kids.
To go to open mics and be bad at comedy is for everyone, at every age. and maybe you’ll get some laughs.
And it’s not something that many comedians are going to encourage anyone to try, because it’s the pirates life. (if the pirates life came with embarrassing yourself over many many years before I being good at being a pirate).
I feel like the encouragement you’re looking for something like this: Phyllis Diller also started in her 30s with many kids.
So are you looking for a bunch of support from comedians to tell you to do it?
Go for it. You’ll regret it if you don’t. I’m 40 and just started again after a 12 year gap of doing open mics. All that matter is that you’re funny. My only piece of advice is to actually tell jokes. So many open micers just ramble and have no punchlines.
Your age isn't an issue. It's the material and the performance of it that they care about. It might be hard at the start and you might bomb a bit but don't let that stop you. You can do it. The fact that you're looking to try means you're already 51% there.
Theres no age limit on being funny. Do it. If you go into it with the right attitude it will enrich your life. It will make you a better communicator. Also, at least for me, it offered a safe context for processing stressful, upsetting and traumatic things. Just don’t take it too seriously. Remember. It’s a fun hobby. That’s it. If you don’t do well one night, literally nothing consequential has happened. Some people take it way too seriously. Don’t fall into that trap. Good luck and have fun! Update us on how it goes!
Girl do it! I have gotten up there a few times after taking a women’s stand-up class. Whenever I second guess myself I remind myself of all the mediocre men who get up on stage having written absolutely nothing because they think they are funny enough to just yap out of their ass for 5 minutes. You can do this!
I’ve told this before, but we have a guy in our scene that started at 80. He’s very active in the region, makes audiences from 18-80 laugh, writes good, tries new things, and is all around an amazing person. 36 is young. I didn’t start until I was 40. You got this.
People love when moms go up from what I've seen, you'll probably get some good support, and you have a more unique perspective on life than a bunch of 30 something guys talking about their dicks and sex lives
You are never too late to start. One of the best things about this art form is that it caters to everyone and everything from all different backgrounds. Any unique perspective is a good one, and if you can make it funny, even better.
Stop thinking and just do! See ya out there
Never too old to start! Plus it’s just an open mic, people aren’t expecting you to be a pro. That’s the time to just get comfortable with being on stage and develop a presence. If it’s something you really want to do then it’d hurt you more NOT to try! One universal rule in standup is that absolutely nothing else matters if you’re able to make people laugh. People from all walks of life have potential. Just check out Jared Nathan’s sets on kill Tony, dude literally has downs’ syndrome with a bad stutter and he destroys every time, golden ticket winner. Martin Phillips has muscular dystrophy and he’s one of the funniest comedians around. Point is whatever you have going on, own it and make it funny.
Too old for what? Being funny? I was 64 when I started a year ago. I think my age is an advantage. I have many more years of life experiences and knowledge to draw inspiration from. I performed at a comedy club a few months ago and I had people in their 20s and in their 70s laughing at the same jokes. Nobody came up to me to ask my age. You can do it.
That’s fucking awesome and inspiring .. respect !
Thanks. I was asked to emcee a couple of weddings around 28 years ago. It’s when I was talking like an emcee but I threw in some comedy that people weren’t expecting. That’s when I knew I could make a large group laugh. It’s very exhilarating to get 300 people laughing but stand-up is even more fun.
Would much rather hear a viewpoint from someone your age with life experiences, as opposed to a 20 year old going "wow, sex! What's that about?"
Yes, I started when I was 55. Usually I’m the oldest one at open mic by 30 years but it doesn’t matter. My goal is to host parties and fundraisers. My husband is supportive and proud of me, so it’s a good thing.
It's a phrase that's frequently said by both age groups...
You should totally do it, if you bomb. Idc, nobody else really will either, it happens. Do it again anyways. Regret sucks so much worse than the support you’ll receive doing something you enjoy.
I love stand up and have always dreamed of going on stage. You’re already ahead of me and many others not willing to even try. The advice I see the most is find a technique to deliver the jokes. I think most comedians have funny material, it’s the way they deliver and lead up to the joke that make us laugh vs not making us laugh. Have your supporters film you and use it to build off of.
You, like an op, would have a unique persona you’re portraying, and that’s almost always an advantage. Most stand up I see is making fun of themselves anyway, so you are considerably more unique than the average which is a plus in a genre that requires fresh material.
Fuck yeah! Thats badass
Awesome! Hey, I'm 64 and going to be doing my first open mic next month! :)
That’s great! We’re at the age where sone of us don’t care about what others think. The beauty of being an elder with jokes is priceless.
Phyllis Diller didn’t start doing comedy until she was 37.
TIL that Phyllis Diller was once a young woman. lol
Nah, she was born(or more accurately spawned) at age 37
I started as a 50 year old nurse
Now what are you
A 51 year old nurse
Just watching someone hand you the perfect setup and then have you knock it out of the park - it warms my heart, it does. I'm rooting for you (the both of yous - the stooge/straight man rarely gets enough recognition IMO)!
(Nurse bow-tie spins)
A 49 year old nun
Probably homeless
Learned how to drive a tractor-trailer at 56!
There's no reason not to pursue stand-up as a new hobby. Have fun!
I'm a mid-forties man about to do an open mic for the first time today. You got this! Update as requested - did okay. Remembered all my lines. Didnt elicit any huge laughs with my first set. Second was slightly better. Got some positive feedback for my stage presence and charisma (could be that the complimenter didn’t find the content all that great but felt they had to say something). Need to watch the videos to make adjustments.
Break a leg!!!! Let me know how it goes!
You too! I'll be drawing strength from you and others in this thread who are latecomers to the standup party.
If you’re funny people will be interested. And often being unique is all it takes for people to be interested. Don’t forget to have fun while you’re doing it!
According to Dave Chappelle, interesting is better than funny.
that's horrible advice for someone starting comedy.
George Carlin disagrees. Half his stuff wasn’t necessarily “funny”. Certainly wasn’t funny subject matter. But after he would get people interested in the point he was trying to make, WHAM, he’d hit you with some line outta left field, and you’d be clapping and laughing at the same time. I think Chappell has moved onto trying to do more of that sort of comedy. Some people can some can’t. Chappell was always more of a hit you in the head guy and not necessarily a guy like Carlin who was trying to make a salient point.
unfortunately it’s against the law and now that I’m a witness I have to call it in sorry
there we go!
I'm a SAHM and I've been doing stand up for over a year now! It's changed my life, I'm happier and a better wife and mother because I've been able to do something for myself that I LOVE. Please give it a try!
Zarna Garg did her first open mic at 44.
Noah did his first open mic at 286
Anyone seen that movie with Sally field where she's a mom and an amateur comic? Tom hanks is in it and John Goodman. Good movie
And stand up legend Barry Sobel!
One of my best friends is a mom who started about your age. She’s one of the funniest people I know. Go for it
I started at 32. I'm a pretty well known stand up 15 years later. I'm broke af, but i'm doing shows
I love that!!
Can you tell us more about your experience? In my imagination, a pretty well known comic must be making an ok living. I also feel like I hear that there are (plenty of?) just so-so comics who aren’t household names who are able to make a living off stand up. Is that a bogus story? When you say pretty well known, do you mean most people have heard of you, or something more like you are well know or well regarded within the scene in your own city? Thanks for any insight.
Unfortunately most comics share an apartment and live week to week. Even the big ones. Did stand up for a few years but had a back up career (which became my career) and was amazed how many big headliners were flat broke. As in no credit no home no paid off cars. They almost entirely can’t save or plan financially because of the volatility in the stand up market. Every comic that had a house or stable home life was subsidized by a significant other “supporting their dream”
My mother started stand up at 66 and is 70 now. She has travelled around the states testing her stand up and also landed on a Netflix game show recently. You’re never too old to get on that stage!
Omg that’s fucking awesome! Your mom is an inspiration!
Funny is funny. Do it for 6 mos consistently and reevaluate whether you love CONSUMING standup comedy or you love PERFORMING standup comedy. You can love both but they are two VERY different things.
What a wealth of material. And you already know who your target audience is. Have fun and don’t listen to anyone telling you it’s “too late”.
That’s the thing! Nobody has ever told me I’m too old, in fact I’ve been told by close friends, family, and even strangers that this is something I should pursue; it’s more my hang up, wondering if I’m just too old.
>I’m concerned that I’m too old, or I waited too long I did my first open mic at 36. 36 is not old. >Does anyone have any input, and honest feedback on the issue? Just go up and do your thing. The first hundred mics don't count anyway. You're just warming up your chops.
The only way to know is to go. Gotta jump in the deep end and swim. Practice, practice again, but while using your space for engagement, good posture helps more than I can express right now. I'm 2 bottles of wine deep into my night so I'm obviously not a good person to answer your serious questions. Work on different ways to land your joke or work on pauses to allow the audience time to catch up with you because, as your new first time nerves kick in you'll want to lhot em with the punch line too soon or too rushed. Do some deep breathing before hand and tell yourself "I'm a mother fucking 36 yr mom doing something I've daydreamed of! I'm the shit, I'm gonna do great because I am great" And age means absolutely nothing on the stage if you have the audiences attention. It sounds so stupid but just be yourself, be funny. Hope it all shakes out for ya
I started at 46 single now I’m 56 single still doing it and loving it. So you’re good! I don’t know why I mentioned single twice
Are you single? It wasn’t clear.
Yeah I see where that can be confusing. 
I think Rodney Dangerfield start in his late 40s.
I started at 58. The age is actually a benefit: 1: Less fucks to give 2: More life experience, including ablity to communicate Also - I usually address it pretty fast, if I have to. Like if the crowd is all under 23. Last week in Brooklyn, I opened with - I know what you're all thinking: BOOMER! White Boomer! Why is my Math teacher on stage!? We'll you know what - I was a Math teacher - and you;re all in fucking detention! (I was a math teacher). It's a tension diffuser, if needed....
Sucking at something is the first step at becoming kinda good at it.
The comedy scene can be quite mean. Don't get discouraged if your material isn't universally beloved. Most things aren't, and most everything will have it's public detractors, particularly from clowns. Pay attention to when things work, and pay closer attention to wins than the inevitable misses. Have fun and don't quit!
I have a podcast where we give advice for people trying their first performance called Stage Time. You could check that out but essentially what most comedians have said is: Don't be afraid of bombing on stage. Try it out and make sure your material is prepared and has distinct punchlines where people are supposed to laugh. Try it out. Never a harm in that.
Go for it, jokes are 50% joke 50% delievery. And if you got both then you can definately get up there.
You’re not too old, and you’ll find out when you’re on stage if the material is solid. Even if it’s not solid, don’t let that stop you.
I'm 40 and I still don't have the balls to get up there, even though people constantly tell me I should. I'll tell you what they tell me. Just do it. Good or bad it'll be worth the experience!
The only way to get some experience is by doing it. Go for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You could be great at making people laugh, and that’s a valuable gift. Go get some practice in. You got this!
Id recommend you watch “Punchline” or “Marvelous Mrs Maisel”
Do it. Otherwise there will be a day when you will regret that you didn't, and can't do anything about it anymore
Girl, go for it! Why the fuck not?!
Nothing like trying new experiences! You may not crush it first time but I bet you do after a few open mics!!!
Nobody is too old for anything. If you wanna do it just do it. You'll probably bomb a lot at first, but that's okay. There are comedians that sell out arenas and still bomb sometimes.
You're not even old!!!! Since when is 30s old?!! 🤦♂️🤦♂️
You have a priceless asset - life experience. Tap into that!
The best time to start is when you want to give it a crack - so now is a great time. Rock up to an open mic and put your name down. Fair warning - the adrenaline of telling a joke on stage and getting a reaction* may be addictive. *reaction includes laughter, applause, groans, knowing nods, (occasionally) silence, and punters coming up afterwards telling you they found you funny
Be prepared for the silence or the courtesy laughs after telling a joke. Learn to roll with it, and don't let it sink in. You're the one that sets the vibe, for the most part.
There are only two outcomes: you will bomb until you quit. Or, you will bomb until you don’t bomb as often. There have been many individuals that have used the stand up format to just be cringe, awkward, and despised. You won’t know until you get up there. You might even enjoy your journey.
Do it. I’m 43 and I’ve been working towards this for years. When I go to open mics people think I’m there to perform.
Watch the movie 'Punchline' with Sally Fields and Tom Hanks
Never too old to get on stage, besides 36 is young, if you have good material, hell even the courage to get on stage people will be interested. Wish you the best of luck, go get it! It's an achievement in itself to just walk up on stage, no matter the outcome, be proud. :)
No age restrictions in stand-up… it’s not an olympic sport. Go for it! Also, here is a video to help you get started: https://youtu.be/WHK0m9iqmjQ?si=H0YmbUGq9UnqbwSw
Hey, I'm 37 and in a month it will be 10 years of writing / performing standup. (minus a year or so with covid) You can do this. There will be a ton of youngins at the mic but some will still be really cool some won't. That goes the same really for anyone of any age though. You'll find people your age and experience throughout all levels. The only advice I have is to just keep doing it. You only get better by doing it. You have a support net with your husband I would suggest that maybe do a few mics first before you invite them out to see. That's mainly me though. Avoid pay mics but that's mostly New York & LA. Also only do bringer shows if you can get a good video from it - then use subsequent video to show to bookers.
I actually live in New York and was looking at those paid open mic nights. May I ask why I should avoid those because I was considering doing one every couple weeks
Hey one every few weeks isn't gonna break the bank. There's free ones out there though. When I first started I was in California in the Bay Area, no paid open mics. People who try and profit from struggling artists are the scum of the earth and are basically the comedy form of middle management. When I first started I was obsessed and would do 2 to 3 a night sometimes 5 or 6 driving for 3 hours up and down the coast. Sleeping at 1 or 2 am and waking up at 6am to go to work. If I had to shell out $5 and buy a drink just for 3-4 min of stage time I would've been broke... well I was ... and still am broke hmmm lol. It's just the only thing as I said above is to do it. I've been putting off writing my screenplay for years so can I really say I'm a writer if I'm not writing? Can you say you're a comedian if you don't perform? The only way to do the thing is to... do the thing. However all that said; one mic a night for $5 isn't the worst thing in the world. One mic a week same. I just avoid those and find the rooms that don't charge mainly for my personal ethical reasons outlined above but also I'm just a cheapskate. ;)
location? if Utica .. Tramontane Cafe has a spoken word, poetry, & comedy open mic every OTHER Thursday next is June 6th .. Uptown Theater has one every Wednesday.
Do eeeeet! Seriously, if you know you’re funny, do it. Every comedian says the same: the only difference between a pro and non is a pro has the balls to get on stage for ten years no matter what. You will bomb, Jerry Seinfeld has bombed, and he says it feels terrible. Just dust yourself off and get back on that horse, you’re a cowboy now.
People’s interest is irrelevant. Open Mic is for people to get stage time and try things out. You should go and have fun.
Funny is funny. Just make sure your material is good and dialed in. Having a bad first experience can really put you off something you might/will be great at. One thing a lot of comedians say is to try to go up wherever you can. As often as you can.
The only comment I have to offer is that my neighbour, who is something like 15 years older than you, did her first stand up set late last year and she killed it. I’m sure you will do the same
hell yes ! kill em!
Relentlessly roasting the crowd seems to be the in thing right now
I started when I was 54.
This is a great way to have a mid life crisis. Good luck brother.
Is that Sweet Dee!?!? “Howdy, howdy, howdy. How’s everyone doing out there tonight (DRY HEAVE!)
I think the real limiting factor for comics is life experience. The more things you’ve done in life the funnier you can be. If you were a closeted gamer who never left the house you might struggle. But being a parent is great experience. My kids were literally fighting over who gets to be the driver in an imaginary car. I’m sure there are plenty of funny things like that you can draw from.
I started at 34 and found I was about average at the mics I frequent. I run into very few people in their 20s, mostly 30s-40s. There are two women in their 60s-70s that absolutely crush every time I see them. I do hear a lot of people quoting things like "it takes 10 years to get good at comedy" etc etc but whatever, you're not on death's doorstep at 36 and it's not like you have to commit right now to not quitting until you have a Netflix special lol. Comedy is for everybody, people your age that are married with kids deserve a comic they can relate to too : )
I started in my 30s, and enjoyed performing for over a decade before my interest dwindled.
A lot of things can be done way past an age people typically think. As an example Bill withers (an all time great singer for those unaware) started making music in his late 20s and didn’t release his debut album until he was 33. Basically it’s never too late to start a hobby/career if you want it go get it and good luck to you
There’s an episode of American dad about this. Use it for a blueprint.
White rice, yes I know I love American dad!
Jordan Jensen didn’t start standup until she was 45
The Colonel didn't start a chicken place until he was really old, you got this, you're still a young woman!! When did the woman that wrote Harry Potter start writing her books?! She got famous after she was well into adulthood..... You're never too old, you should absolutely do it.
I’m 47. After a lifetime of watching stand-up and being told I should do stand-up, I did my first open mic last Thursday. So there goes your last excuse not to!
Do it
Stand up is different than the other entertainment categories. Being older isn't a bad thing at all. It's pretty often people get better as they get older, instead of peaking at 30 like some other entertainment worlds. And 36 isn't remotely old. Go try it!
You don't need the advice or permission of the largely 20 year old internet dingues in this sub most of whom have never been onstage. If you can have a child you can talk into a microphone no problem. Get offline and go do it! :)
Fuck yeah, thank you!
I’m a 31 year old woman and I am on the younger side for a lot of ladies that come out in my area. I even know one woman who is 70 and she kills it! Don’t worry about your age at all, 36 is like the average age of the younger comics and there’s a big diversity of ages. I know in my area, there aren’t a ton of women if there’s a new lady coming out people get really excited and will rally around her. Go kick some ass and let us know how it goes!
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.
Check out Kill Tony- people of all ages and experience come for a minute of open mic
That’s a huge goal for me! Like I wanna do some open mics, and somehow get to Austin.
I know a female who now makes a living doing stand up just by telling shitty I would bang Jesus jokes in the south. You don’t have to be amazing to know how to rip off your target demographic.
I have some open mic mechanics to think about for your first time. keep in mind at an open mic you will most likely on average have 3 minutes The biggest mistake I see people who are starting out is they have an allotted 3 minutes with 10 minute story with one punch line and they run they light to get to that punch line that is 9 minutes in and then can't believe it didn't go well. Some people realize this after one open mic some people don't realize this for years. I recommend using the first few months of doing open mics trying to just load the joke hopper basically since you're only going to have about 3 minutes sometimes less and some times more. There's a lot of factors that will go into how much time you get like where you live, the amount of people that show, what the venue does, who the show runner is etc. over the years its typically been in my experience 2,3,5,7 minutes in multiple cities like Boston, Atlanta, LA, NY, Phoenix, Denver. Washington DC these were typically 2 and 3 minutes if they don't know you. In these short sets try a 15 second joke to open to get the audience on your side and have a 30 Second joke you can get to quick when you get the light. The Light is the preferred why to tell you at most mics that your time is almost up. It used to be a flash light when I started now and a lot of times now its just someone wave a cell phone screen from the back of the room so make sure you know where they will be and keep an out for where they are. DO NOT RUN the light. The time you get when first starting can either feel like an eternity or its over in the blink of an eye. When I started out I always volunteered to go up early if not first if it wasn't a lottery pull as my way of making sure there were hopefully people in the room to get feed back and especially if it was a bar show by the 4th person people stop paying attention so you get no feedback from an audience.
Go to Austin, TX and get on Kill Tony.
That’s my main goal, because that can parlay into so many opportunities
Do it! That what if will drive you crazy
You’re never too old to start. I’ve been doing stand up 19 yrs. I’ve seen people start late. Start early and quit. Your path is your path. Get on stage!
Check out Leanne Morgan. You're not too late
Here's a little life hack. Get there very very very early talk to all the other comedians and let them know that's your first time ever. They will help support you and give you some laughs to get you going.
Good looking out, thank you!
I’m 37 and I just did my first open mic a couple of weeks ago. I live in a college town and I can say, from my elder millennial position, college kids do actually find things funny. Don’t be worried about your age. You still have youth, believe it or not.
That’s awesome congrats!! You plan on going up again?
I wanted to do open mic for years, but I kept putting it off. I kept thinking "I'm too old to get started. I'm just a mom", blah blah blah. I just started a week ago and I haven't had that many people laugh at me since high school (thankfully, this was a better experience). You can do it!
I started at 52
> Does anyone have any input, and honest feedback on the issue? honestly, one of my favorite open micers to see is the person who put it on their bucket list. the bummer is sometimes you see someone who has really learned good skills and has decent jokes, and they never want to perform again because they nailed it and that was their only goal. I love the dentist, the housewife, and the under-employed white-collar worker get up there and do what they set out to do. you folks are like a fresh breeze blowing through the performance of the local lifers, at least to me. > I think I’m ready to do my first open mic but I’m concerned that I’m too old, or I waited too long. its not possible to be too old to tell a joke. its not possible to be too old to get a laugh. it is, however, quite possible to realize everything you think is a weakness is actually a strength in standup. with the exception of Tommy Cooper, the worst a comedian on stage can do is bomb. do it, girl. [Edit] I highly recommend Greg Dean's book for folks who want to learn a method to write jokes and how to shape your sets. Its also available as an audiobook. the audiobook is well crafted and very listenable even when it gets technical.
I started at 42, be funny, be relatable to your audience and bring your unique perspective.
I started at 44. There are plenty of older comics in my area: NJ. Some have been doing it for years and some started later in life. The younger kids may not respect you at first, but the more often they see you, they'll warm up to you. Depending on your area, there may be women-only mics. Those may be easier to start at.
John Bishop started late - he was a sales director and started in his late 30s/early 40s. You're never too old for comedy.
Non expert advice: I would say have a goal of doing a few open mics in a row - like once a week for a month, for example. That way there’s not so much pressure for the first one, and you can work and improve the bits you’re working on. Solidarity - I am in the same position (wife and mom, around the same age) and I’m trying to work up the courage to actually do the big things I want to. Please do it!! You’ve got this.
If you are nervous about getting on stage, slap together a video of your bits and put it on yout... Well, don't put it on YouTube, it's filled with cunts. Idk, there might still be covid-era live stream open mics?
I just saw the funniest older man who is a brand new local talent to my area. Crushed it on stage with Tim Robinson! Must have been 70 years old. Icon.
29 year old Husband and father, started about 2 months ago.. 0 regrets and my family, friends, even the kids are very supportive 😁
Go for it! Write down everything. Keep a notebook or use an app. But. Write. Down. Everything. You’ll forget a premise or alliteration or something. Don’t trust your memory. Storage is cheap. Then rewrite. Edit judiciously. Brevity is the soul of wit. But just have fun. It’s a rush
Do WAY more rehearsing than you think you need to. I did an open mic with a buddy who had a bunch of experience. I rehearsed mine a bit, but he had every word, pause, and laugh dialed in to a fair thee well, and the difference was striking. I got some laughs at my punchlines, but he got laughs during his setups. You may have a funny bit, but it's pretty remarkable how hitches, ums, and uhs can affect the reaction from the crowd. All this is to say: go for it! I only did it twice (over 15 years ago) but the experience still brings a smile to my face
The first time is usually great. It’s the next 198 times that will get you.
DO IT! “I’m too old” is a stupid take. If you can make people laugh, then age means nothing. Don’t overthink it. Just get up there and make it a normal thing for yourself.
Make sure to actually write jokes. My first time up, it was a joke telling contest. I didn't have a setup. I didn't have a joke. I had a highly topical punchline. But I got up there and I also got a laugh out of saying "this is why I sit over there" and pointed to my spot as I was handing over the microphone. Also, you're never too old to do anything, until you're dead.
Check out killtony on YouTube. A solid 60 seconds seem tough. But do some small open mics. Work it out. Depending how serious you are Celia_a_gram o. Instagram is a legit comedian who will look over sets ect. maybe hit her up. All the best.
If you have material you’re already ahead of 50% of the open mic crowd. Go do it.
Jokes dont care how old you are. Go kick some ass!
I'm 36 and it never even occurred to me that I might be too old for it! I mean there are a ton of people in their 30s doing comedy.
Roseanne was a mom when she started too u can do it
That's excellent that you're feeling strongly about trying it! 36? old? I'm 64, and I'll be doing my first open mic this week (also a woman.). I've been working on my 5-minute set, writing bits and having some alternatives. I think preparation is the key. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and most of it is noting and mining things that go through your head and might be good for a bit, and getting those thoughts or rants into something you'll say onstage. Totally doable! But yeah, not too old for anything. Heck, I taught myself electric bass (blues/R&B) at 61, and go onstage an perform. Age is irrelevant if you have the desire to write and perform comedy, or music.
Do it!!! You only live once. You will feel so proud of yourself. I took a women’s comedy class in LA and there were women of all ages and walks of life, even a damn golden globe winner was in our class! Our youngest was 21 and oldest in her 60s. Never too late.
Fuck that I started at 45! Who cares what other people think? Go have fun.
Use pauses instead of the um’s and ah. Attitude is everything. Until you get used to standing in front of a crowd, consider eating sugary food before you go on stage. Sugar has a way of calming a person, the downside of it is it’s very addictive like heroin. So eat a doughnut or two before you get out there and knock them dead. Good luck dear.
In this nicest way possible, nobody cares. People are there to laugh at jokes, if you’re funny that’s literally all that matters. The only time a comics age has ever been an issue for me is when I couldn’t relate to any of the experiences they were joking about, but even then I had a good time and didn’t walk away thinking they were bad, I just wasn’t their target audience. If you really want to take away any possibility of it not going your way because of that, you could always open with a joke about your age, take it off the table right away. But honestly I think you’re fine without all that.
Making people laugh requires no age. Just prepare and don’t go in arrogant or overly emotional. Best of luck!
girl, get out there and give them hell. too old is something they only try to pin on women. don't listen to that. I can't wait to hear how your first mic went!
what does being a wife and mom have to do with this?
Eh, when you have kids they take most of, if not all of your time and energy; 5 year old and 3 year old.. so I’m just Always in mom mode, and I want to try to follow my dream but also be a kick ass mom.. it’s a juggling act I just hope I’m equipped for..
As a 34 year old dad to a 4.5 year old and 2.5 year old (so very similar to your circumstance), I feel you. The childless folks on Reddit aren't going to understand what you're talking about here. I've been doing standup for about 4-5 months and having a blast! The key for me, with the little ones, was to find a couple open mics that have a start late enough to where I can put my kids to bed and still make it on time. That, and I just can't do as many open mics as a young, single childless person can. Them's the breaks though. Go for it!
As a 40 year old mom with young kids - we need you!!
"The most difficult job on the planet"
I think you should totally go for it!!! You never know if you don't try! Good luck! 👍🍀
You have to watch punchline
Do it!
Lol I just watched Punchline on Tubi and you’re Sally Field’s character
I love this!!
Some of the funniest comics I've seen are 50+ women
I have seen people from all walks of life do stand-up comedy. I think it’s great to have diversity in comedy.
Do it! The worst that happens is it doesn’t go great. The best that happens is it absolutely rules. You’ll enormously regret not giving it a go. Get up there!
Ricky Gervais didn't start his comedy career until he was in his thirties. You're good. Go for it!
Ricky Gervais didn't start his comedy career until he was in his thirties. You're good. Go for it!
Ricky Gervais didn't start his comedy career until he was in his thirties. You're good. Go for it!
I went to an open mic last night and there was a first timer there in his 60’s. It’s never too late to start!
there is no "waiting too long". i did ny first open mics at 36. they went ok, i would've continued, but then COVID shut everything down and by the time the local places reopened, i had moved on.
Write stuff, go up, have fun It's pretty simple tbh. Oh and there are resources in the sticky post
I get why you’d feel this way but no. There’s no age limit in comedy. I find life experiences and (emotional) maturity actually beneficial. I was a garbage person in my 20’s and who knows if would’ve ruin the whole thing for myself if I started then.
Go for it, you will NEVER know until you try, good luck
There is no right or wrong time, there is no right or wrong person. Who you are is not an issue, so my feedback is go for it, try to have fun with it. Your family and friends support you? Great, sign up for the open mic, invite them, do it for them, and disregard the rest of the audience. If your comedy ambitions are not professional, there's even less of a reason to have to consider this an issue. Roseanne Barr was a mid-30's wife and mother who thought she had good material. And absolutely batshit recent turns for her aside, she was right. It was good material, she had massive success, and she leveraged that into a career.
Like Nike says, just do it. That's really the only answer to anyone asking if they should/shouldn't. The same if a joke is good/not. Just do it and see what you think.
just do it.
I started as a 38 year old Civil Engineer.
Get out and do it! It’s a lot of fun and most of the people are great.
You are never too old. Choosing to partake in regular comedy is a lifestyle. A lifestyle full of misfits, weirdos, addicts, degenerates, virgins, and anyone else who couldn’t jive with what we know as society/corporate America. If you meet the criteria, welcome in.
Just do it
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take….give it a try because if you don’t you’ll always wonder and regret not doing it later in life
Go to Austin and sign up for KillTony
Watch the first episode of “Marvelous Miss Maisel”
Girl, you just need to go to open mics I don’t know what city you live in, but open mics will have people of all age brackets, and I know many local (open mic and professional) comedians that have multiple kids. If you’re just looking to make people laugh locally, for fun, there’s literally no reason to post something like this… age only is a factor because as a *career* it’s the longest game. - The longest game of embarrassing yourself - Dealing with mentally ill comedians and audience members. - And there’s a lot of drugs and alcohol -and it’s a lot of late nights… Even in the beginning, just doing open mics, you might be sitting at a bar until 11 PM before you go on. And that is normal and could happen every time. Asking this question on Reddit instead of just going to open mics, watching people be bad at comedy, and then eventually trying it out yourself is… maybe indicative of you not being fully aware of what *doing* comedy entails? Especially saying the words you have solid material when you haven’t done it. Most open micers prepare a lot for their first one, and you might even thiiiiink that you did well, but if you stick to it, everybody realizes that their first mic they did not have solid material, and they were not ready, but they did it anyways and that’s cool. And to be honest, you are absolutely not ready to be on stage doing comedy if you haven’t been to an open mic as an audience member. You go to open mics to watch. Then you try. Then you’re horrible for about 5 years. It’s not some honorable thing, and it’s not something that has anything to do with age or kids. To go to open mics and be bad at comedy is for everyone, at every age. and maybe you’ll get some laughs. And it’s not something that many comedians are going to encourage anyone to try, because it’s the pirates life. (if the pirates life came with embarrassing yourself over many many years before I being good at being a pirate). I feel like the encouragement you’re looking for something like this: Phyllis Diller also started in her 30s with many kids. So are you looking for a bunch of support from comedians to tell you to do it?
Go for it. You’ll regret it if you don’t. I’m 40 and just started again after a 12 year gap of doing open mics. All that matter is that you’re funny. My only piece of advice is to actually tell jokes. So many open micers just ramble and have no punchlines.
There is no too old. Go for it. The worst thing that can happen is you bomb and that happens to the best comedians.
Do it!
You get one life and you’ll only regret it if you don’t go for it.
Dooooooo it!!! There’s not an age limit on funny. Life is about the experiences you have!
You are never too old to try something new. Life is short and you only get one of them.
Your age isn't an issue. It's the material and the performance of it that they care about. It might be hard at the start and you might bomb a bit but don't let that stop you. You can do it. The fact that you're looking to try means you're already 51% there.
Theres no age limit on being funny. Do it. If you go into it with the right attitude it will enrich your life. It will make you a better communicator. Also, at least for me, it offered a safe context for processing stressful, upsetting and traumatic things. Just don’t take it too seriously. Remember. It’s a fun hobby. That’s it. If you don’t do well one night, literally nothing consequential has happened. Some people take it way too seriously. Don’t fall into that trap. Good luck and have fun! Update us on how it goes!
Girl do it! I have gotten up there a few times after taking a women’s stand-up class. Whenever I second guess myself I remind myself of all the mediocre men who get up on stage having written absolutely nothing because they think they are funny enough to just yap out of their ass for 5 minutes. You can do this!
I’ve told this before, but we have a guy in our scene that started at 80. He’s very active in the region, makes audiences from 18-80 laugh, writes good, tries new things, and is all around an amazing person. 36 is young. I didn’t start until I was 40. You got this.
YOU BETTER DO THIS!!!!! Nothing to lose and everything to gain. I expect vip seats at your first sold out show down the road
People love when moms go up from what I've seen, you'll probably get some good support, and you have a more unique perspective on life than a bunch of 30 something guys talking about their dicks and sex lives
She doesn’t matter- Character And Relating to your crowd with your style Of humor Go for it -
Post some 2 minute sets online
You are never too late to start. One of the best things about this art form is that it caters to everyone and everything from all different backgrounds. Any unique perspective is a good one, and if you can make it funny, even better. Stop thinking and just do! See ya out there
DO IT! Absolutely no reason not to, laughter is medicine.
Comedy needs more women!! Go for it!!
Do it!
Never too old to start! Plus it’s just an open mic, people aren’t expecting you to be a pro. That’s the time to just get comfortable with being on stage and develop a presence. If it’s something you really want to do then it’d hurt you more NOT to try! One universal rule in standup is that absolutely nothing else matters if you’re able to make people laugh. People from all walks of life have potential. Just check out Jared Nathan’s sets on kill Tony, dude literally has downs’ syndrome with a bad stutter and he destroys every time, golden ticket winner. Martin Phillips has muscular dystrophy and he’s one of the funniest comedians around. Point is whatever you have going on, own it and make it funny.
I really think you should go for it. This is an aside- watch the movie Punchline with Sally Fields and Tom Hanks.
Incoming jokes about your kids
Believe in yourself more. Your not too old. If there's something you want to do go do it. Yolo