Chatting with Alycia Cooper

I had the opportunity to talk with the hilarious Alycia Cooper after she performed at the Baltimore Comedy Factory. Not only was she very nice, she also had a lot of great information

I loved your routine, you were great! Where are you from?

I’m from Temple Hills, Maryland.

When did you decide to get into comedy?

You know, it happened a few times actually throughout my life. The first time was in the mid-90s, right after Def Jam. They may it look so easy. So I tried it, didn’t have anything prepared, and bombed like I should have. Then I stopped doing it because I didn’t think I was funny. But it wasn’t that I wasn’t funny, it was that I didn’t prepare.

So when I did it again in like 2000, it was a challenge. A friend of mine had signed me up, it was like a talk show. I was booked on it to do stand-up. So I said, “OK, I’m going to do this show and be on TV. I’m going to have to learn how to write jokes.” I wrote an act, and had some moderate success. So, I decided to stick with it.

In 2002, I did Comic View, way to early, why before I should have. But the lesson was, if you can do a run in front of thousands of people, you can go back to the comedy club easily.

What are the challenges of being a female comic?

OOOOHHHHHH, LORD! The challenges are endless. You have a lot of male comics that say they can’t take you on the road with them because their wives won’t let them take a woman. Then you have a lot of women comics that tell you they want to be the only woman on the lineup. Then there’s the pervasive feeling that female comics aren’t funny. And that’s just some of the things that women have to go through that men will never experience.

What makes you continue on in spite of all these challenges?

You know, some people use crack, cocaine, meth, purple haze, alcohol. For me, comedy is my drug. Being on the road, and getting something back from the audience in return, getting a response from it, that’s almost like a drug. You just want to keep on coming back and doing it; it becomes in addiction.

Have you used the Internet or social media to help advance your career?

Oh yeah, I’m on sites like Myspace and Facebook and I have videos up. It has definitely helped me with my career. Even having an electronic press kit is great; all I need is an email address and I can send you everything about me. The Internet is a great way to promote yourself.

Chatting with Roy Wood Jr.

I got a chance to talk to Roy Wood Jr. when he came to the Baltimore Comedy Factory. Wood is known for his hilarious prank phone calls which circulate throughout the Internet.

What inspired you to get into comedy? How get started?

I was 19 when I started [comedy], I’m 30 now. I started my junior year in college. It was something that I always had an interest in, and whenever there was the right situation, I would try it.

What advice do you have for comics that bomb?

Sometimes, it’s not you. The audience changes every night, and you remain the same. You have to make the audience adjust to you. And sometimes, there are situations that are just not conducive to laughter. These include late shows, alcohol, clubs that usually don’t do comedy, but attempt a comedy night.

I think it’s amazing that comics have the courage to continue after bombing. What keeps you going?

I look at it this way, if it’s a city I’m not from, why do I care? I don’t live there. I’m leaving tomorrow. And when you come back a couple months from then, and succeed, if anything, that’s more rewarding.

The first time I ever heard of you, I received one of your prank calls through an email at work. How has the Internet helped with your career?

The Internet has been groundbreaking in comedy, it’s great for networking. It can basically prove whether you’re ready to move to the next level. Like, if you watch Cartoon Network, everything on Adult Swim basically started out as a viral video.

So, for me, the beauty of the web is that it’s voluntary. These people don’t have to watch your shit, they choose to. If you get a big enough audience that chooses to watch you, chooses to forward your emails, then that creates a good buzz, which eventually gets people to come see you in a comedy club. If you get a big enough buzz, you can get a big crowd. If you get a big enough crowd, you can get your own TV show.

What advice do you want to give to aspiring comedians?

My advice to anyone that wants to go into comedy is expect years of being unpaid; years of not getting what you’re worth, or feeling like what you’re worth. Just years of feeling like you should be doing something else. But, if it’s in your heart, stick with it.

Using social media - Part four: Digg

Digg makes the assertion that it is "committed to giving every piece of content on the web an equal shot at being the next big thing." There's definitely something to that idea. The content on Digg is being submitted by users so that it can be shared with the online community to gain exposure.

Like all of the other useful social media tools we've covered, Digg is a free service. The more an article, photo or video "gets digged" the more popular it will become, hopefully landing a spot on the homepage!

I think it is an interesting and democratic way to decide what content on the Internet is the "best." Comedians can use Digg to get more views on their media than YouTube alone. You know your doing something right if a lot of people Digg your material.

Jon Lajoie in D.C. Tonight! - Part Two

The show at the DC Improv with Jon Lajoie was great! You could tell that the audience was familiar with Lajoie from his Internet work. He blended his online videos seamlessly in between a stand-up routine.

As I mentioned before, I wasn't sure what to expect form the standup but I was impressed. He would leave the stage and appear in some memorable costumes from his various Internet video characters, including MC Vagina and Everyday Normal Guy. He sung some live songs and played guitar, which seems to be a trend among comedians nowadays.

(Mike, Jon Lajoie and me)

His humor is definitely aimed towards the college-aged and 20s to early 30s set. I wouldn't recommend it to your parents. The table of older women next to me clearly did not enjoy the show and said it was "typical, college boy humor." They, however, had never seen the Internet content and decided to come to the show on a whim. For the most part though, the audience seemed very receptive at the sold-out performance, and laughs filled the Improv.

At the end of the show, Lajoie was gracious enough to meet with members of the audience and take photos. Afterwards, Lajoie asked my boyfriend for a cigarette and we all enjoyed a quick smoke break. Unfortunately, I a had one to many shots of tequila to remember anything noteworthy from the conversation, but he was very friendly and easy to talk to. Check out some of his videos and go to see him live if you have the chance!

Using social media - Part Three: Twitter

It's ok if you are staring at this post asking yourself, "What is Twitter?" Plenty of people are trying to figure out that exact same thing. Twitter is the newest trend in social networking sites. When you create a Twitter account, you'll see a white box that asks, "What are you doing?" It's your job to answer that question in 140 characters or less, updating all your "followers" - people who add you on Twitter - to your current status.  You will also be updated about the people you are "following."  This accurately describes it, seriously:

All jokes aside, this can be a useful platform for you.  Twitter doesn't have to be about useless updates to annoy your friends.  It can be used to:

• Post links - this can be updates to your website, blogs, or anything else you find interesting.  
• Promote shows - tweet your upcoming tour or club dates to keep people informed!
• Interact with fans - on twitter, there's @ replies, your fans can direct something @ you or vice versa.  
• Tell jokes - post anything hilarious your thinking about, fans will love it, it feels like they're getting something extra.  You'll also get immediate feedback per @ replies.

Important: Don't limit yourself to my points, Twitter is new to me, too! As a matter of fact, add me.  Then experiment with it and let me know some new uses.  Have fun, and push the boundaries because I don't think anyone has quite mastered it yet.

Using Social Media - Part Two: Facebook

Facebook is a social networking site that allows comedians to connect with fans on a more personal level than Youtube. Comedians have a few different options on Facebook to communicate with fans. They can create all of the following:

• A personal page – This should not be limited to keeping in touch with close friends and family, although it’s great for that. It can also give fans the opportunity to communicate directly with you, and you back to them.
  
  
• A fan page – This is for your audience to be updated about things that are happening in your career. You can create a calendar of upcoming events so that your fans know when you will be on tour. This is also a place to talk about upcoming projects, post videos and other media, and promote yourself to potential fans.
  
  
• A group – here is where your fans come together to show their support for you. They can network and share information with each other. Also, it shows their friends that they enjoy your work, helping to further promote you.
  
  
• An event – Send a personalized invitation to your fans reminding them of an upcoming show or a role in a movie. If there’s a date that you want your fans to be aware of, an event will notify them, via their inbox. Even if they don’t check your fan page frequently, this is a definite way to make sure you get their attention about important things they probably don’t wont to miss.
  

Using social media - Part One: Youtube

Thursday in class, we talked about the importance of social media and networking. I know that I need to jump on board with this concept soon, for the sake of my blog and my grade. For this project to be successful, I have to start some relationships through the blog, and that is seriously my goal for this week.

Several comedians are already smart enough to employ these tactics, and it mostly proves to be an advantage. At this point, having accounts with Youtube, Facebook and everything in between has become so commonplace that is it is basically a requirement in the entertainment industry. While there are several social media platforms, this post will focus on how Youtube is helping the careers of comedians today:

Youtube

Comedians can post videos showcasing their talent to a wide audience, therefore gaining awesome exposure. Best of all, this “publicity” is free. Instead of having to rely on drawing a crowd to a standup show, a new comedian can post the routine online and get thousands, if not millions, of hits. So what if no one came to your last show? If you can get enough views and positive feedback on Youtube, you might end up selling out clubs in the future.

Of course, not all comedy is about standup. Comedians usually post a wide range of videos including:

• Skits – to show acting ability
  
• Outtakes/behind the scenes – to give fans something extra
  
• Responses – usually directed to fans, critics or other comedians, this encourages feedback and communication
  
• Other comedic content – to promote and network with other comedians
  

My plan is to create a series of posts helping aspiring comedians understand how they can use social media to advance their careers. If you have any suggestions, helpful information or just want to add to the conversation, remember to email me or comment below!