How to be a Standup Comedian, by Dave

Some paragraphs from Dave's advices on Dress and on Freedom of Speach

Dress for who you are on stage.
If you’re upscale, dress the part. If you’re on the streets – look it. Don’t dress like a bank president if your material is about being broke. And if you’re not crazy – don’t dress like Phyllis Diller. But you need to give this some thought and make a personal decision about your image and how you want an audience to see and remember you.

 Another consideration is where you are performing. If the clothes fit the material and the performer – who they are on stage and where they are performing – then it works.

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Freedom of speech is the center of the comedy universe.

From talking about your family, (Ray Romano), to taking on the government, (The Smothers Brothers). It’s about telling it as you see it and why comedians look up to legends such as Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor and George Carlin.

On the flip side of this universe is the comedy “business.” What you say can sometimes affect your career.

On stage in a comedy club, comedians can say F. or other things, that you can not on TV.
You can make fun of companies, religion or whatever you want as long as – and this is the business side talking – you bring in paying customers. Many club owners support the art and creativity of stand-up, but are still in it to make a living.

Practicing the art of free speech and made a choice about how far he would go. One has to live with the results. That’s a personal decision and you have a right to make it. But just make sure you have both your artistic and business thinking caps on when you make it.

Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic and Comedy FAQs And Answers. http://thecomedybook.wordpress.com/2011/08/