As you are no doubt aware, I am a stand-up comedian

If you were not aware, you better get with the times, because I was ranked 98th in Waterloo Region Magazine’s most recent list of up and coming disabled entertainers (in their May issue). You people are missing out on a rising star!

But I don’t want to ramble on about my accomplishments. Let’s get to the point of this post. According to this article in the Post-Tribune, the there has been a serious spike in comedy despite the recession, or more accurately, because of the recession.

Many people who were laid off from their former jobs are trying their hand at stand-up comedy. Whether they were executives or janitors, people have viewed their job loss as the perfect opportunity to test their mettle on the stage.

As a person who is attempting to make a living out of stand-up comedy, I am not too happy with the increased competition. But I am happy about the fact that the general public is altogether more receptive of stand-up comedy during the recession. Everyone just wants to laugh.

There is one quote in the article that scares the living bejesus out of me. Stephen Rosenfield, who has operated one of the country’s pre-eminent joke-telling schools, the American Comedy Institute, says that “it takes even the most talented person three to four years to get good enough to start earning money telling jokes.”

I am committed to the craft of comedy, but three to four years? My god, that is a long time. My personal recession may be lasting a hell of a lot longer than the world recession.

Ah well, as long as I’m having fun, it will always be a fun time.

Unless I run out of food. That will make it a lot less fun.

Makes Cents (8)

This entry was posted on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Arts, Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Tags: D.J. Demers, Post Tribune, Recession, Screw You Recession, Stand Up Comedy