Stand-Up Comedy Training FAQs
Who takes SFCC workshops?
Anyone who wants to be funny or funnier attends our workshops. We train public speakers who want to bring more humor to their presentations, the salesperson who wants more effective with genuine interaction with their clients, Mr. Moms, engineers, and accountants who wish to fulfill their dream of getting up on stage and making people laugh just once, professional comedians who want to explore new techniques for writing, rehearsing and creating, and beginning comedians who wish to learn the basics of comedy and audience rapport.
Can a person learn how to be funny or funnier?
Absolutely, if they want to be! Becoming a competent, funny person is something ANYONE with the desire, patience, and ability to take direction can do. We can't give someone a sense of humor, but learning to be funny in front of strangers combines focused immersion and good direction. The fact that all of us can elicit laughter from strangers is a welcome truth as we begin this journey. Some people (comedy coaches with no technique or comedians attempting to protect the illusion they have a unique talent not attainable by others) think being funny is a "gift" one is born with and cannot be taught. The claim that you "have it or don't" has never been proven and is one of the oldest tales passed from generation to generation.
We speed up your learning process and cut years off the learning curve, so you will only spend years performing in low-end, poorly lit bars while attempting to sort through misleading input from sub-standard audiences about what is funny. America's current stand-up club scene produces saloon/bar/club comedians with little to no chance of transitioning to the higher paychecks available to high-end television and theater audiences.
What is different about SF Comedy College Stand Up comedy workshops?
We encourage you to value your voice and instincts when bringing your life experiences to the stage. Your opinion of what is funny is as valid as ours. If you get laughs, you are correct, and there are no other rules. A great teacher will not edit your act, or your jokes, or correct your natural sense of humor. A competent comedy teacher will lay all available tools for accessing laughs at your feet and allow you to implement the ones that suit you. In this environment, you will learn to make comedic distinctions and identify what is funny to an audience. Our process expedites the development and discovery of each student's unique comedic voice, which is why no two SFCC students sound the same.
What is the benefit of group versus one-on-one comedy training?
Group workshops offer networking opportunities. The ability to succeed in stand-ups depends on several factors, the most important being networking. The more extensive the network, the more one will work. The more work, the longer the career. It's no mistake that 70% of working comedians in the Bay Area have attended SFCC workshops, and that our reputation among working (paid) comedians remains excellent.
Groups of comedians offer multiple points of view on your act. Your job is to make many people laugh, and this training begins your learning to elicit laughter from all walks of life. Working with one instructor with no group feedback means you will learn to make one person laugh, who will also be the same person cashing your check. One-on-one, teachers laugh at their students because the students make jokes that the teachers find funny. However, who else is laughing?
The risk of working with only one comedy coach with no technique is that you may become a "cookie-cutter" comic who sounds like the teacher. If one lets a writer/comedy coach make decisions about your act or write jokes for you, one will adopt their sense of humor and writing techniques. This training effectively removes your ability to develop your style and make unique comedic distinctions about what gets laughs. And suppose any comedy coach tells you that being a stand-up comedian is just about writing and memorizing a lot of material. In that case, that person is effectively setting you back years in a business dominated by excellent performers more than great joke writers. Our beginner classes focus on your natural sense of humor and bring audiences closer to your point of view, rather than wasting your time or sending you in the wrong direction by turning you into an actor reciting memorized lines written for you by someone with a different sense of humor than yours.
The comedy coach who offers one-on-one "opinion-based" or self-described "experience-based" instruction attempts to perpetuate the illusion that they possess special knowledge about what is funny. He does not, and it is just one more comedic opinion that is as valid as your own! We'd suggest that if you are going to get an opinion on your act, get as many as possible. That is why our advanced classes with many paid working comedians, combined with our multiple weekly open mics for students, will continue to be the best comedy think tank in American stand-up comedy.
The key to excellent comedy teaching is removing the internal blocks that keep performers from being authentic on stage. The first major journey for a performer is becoming comfortable in front of strangers and acting and reacting in a natural, conversational style. Once there, you decide what to talk about and how to get laughs with your sense of humor.
Remember, good stand-up is shaped by each performer's creativity. Each comedian must decide which techniques elicit the most laughter. In a group environment, you can begin to develop your point of view without interference from a single biased source.
Should I take the Free Stand Up Comedy Intro Class?
Absolutely! You are entitled to full disclosure and receive comprehensive information about what we teach and how you will benefit before registering for classes. Meet our teachers and discover who they are and what they bring to the table! We are also the only comedy school in America offering free intro classes and a money-back guarantee*.
What should I look for in stand-up comedy instruction? Should I take a class?
If someone says you should never take a comedy class, they must be made aware of what we teach and offer. Ignorance is bliss for most comedians and civilians who have no clue what we teach at the SF Comedy College. We have over 19,000 alumni, making us the largest school in the history of American stand-up comedy training. You will learn more from our staff who have been there and done that than anything you might glean on your own in your first five years of performing comedy on your own, or by only listening to the voices in your head or taking lousy advice from open-mic level comedians who will most likely never have a full-time stand-up career.
1. Free Intro
Always get a free consultation or introductory class. Make sure your instructor is entertaining and not close to death. Ask questions until you feel comfortable in a class. Finally, teachers who ask for money up front or do not offer a money-back guarantee seem unethical.
2. Your Instructor in Front of a Crowd
Watch your potential instructor work for a crowd; it will answer many more questions than their press. Watch them teach and watch them perform; these are two different skill sets. However, many teachers can teach comedy but could be better onstage, and some great comedians can't teach you one thing about becoming a great comedian. We're excellent at both and welcome you to check us out.
3. Instructor Performance Resume
Several wannabes stand-up "comedy" teachers are writers, monologists, speakers, 'alt comedians', columnists, improvisers, academicians, bar comedians, high school teachers, restaurant owners, friends of famous comedians, storytellers (people who can't edit), open mikers, and booking agents. If your teacher has yet to headline clubs nationally, worked the road, or doesn't have an inner working knowledge of the current stand-up comedy, then you could be wasting time and money. Demand the performance resume of anyone who claims to teach comedy. You guarantee that the instructor may have knowledge you can use.
Kurtis Matthews and Michael Meehan are nationally touring comedians. Kurtis' teaching resume spans 26 years, his performance career almost 3 decades, and he continues to perform in clubs and at private and corporate events. Check out his resume here.
Some (mostly new and career non-professional comedians) say, "Those who can't do, teach." However, what can one say about those who do both? ALL OF OUR TEACHERS DO BOTH and still make the time to prioritize comedy teaching to assist you in not making the same early career mistakes we experienced.
4. Instructor Teaching Resume
Being a talented comedian doesn't guarantee that one will make a good comedy teacher. Just as a great jockey might not be a competent horse trainer or a great baseball player may be a terrible coach, one skill doesn't guarantee another. A minimum of ten years of stand-up teaching indicates that someone is leading a successful program, not just cobbling together a workshop to pass for a quick paycheck. In addition, look for a long-term class schedule posted on their website, as it will show that this person is serious about teaching, has a robust program, and can support your long-term comedy future.
5. Comprehensive Career Support
Does your instructor offer access to stage time? Can they help you with a problem you may encounter many years into the business? If the teacher doesn't have a lengthy stand-up comedy career, they can't help you with unique performance and career problems that may creep up in year 5, year ten, and so on.
6. Network
Does the instructor provide you access to real comedy club stage time and joyous working comedians progressing in their careers?
7. Emphasis on Performance
Will your instructor get you in front of paying audiences? Stand-up comedy is an art form done in front of people. Poor instruction will emphasize writing material, which may help you become a decent comedy writer but will not help you in your quest to become a powerful performer. Killer stand-up material is best created on stage, and the comedian makes the material, not the other way around. Most of the time, as many people say, "Comedy is what happens between the punch lines." Focusing on material, memorization, and reciting lines early in your career will stagnate your growth as a comedian and prevent you from quickly discovering your unique point of view.
8. Integrity
Does your instructor offer access to people who will vouch for their talent? Do they claim their events always sell out when they never do? Do they offer a "comedy system" that seems designed to separate you from your money without hands-on instruction? Does your teacher sit in the back of the room and spew empty comments about how to hold the mic and focus on a point over the audience's head? Get referrals and ask working comedians for recommendations. We welcome and encourage you to conduct your own research before attending our classes.
Is the Bay Area an excellent place to start your comedy career?
Yes! Like Boston, Austin, Denver, Seattle, and Chicago, San Francisco is a great "B" level comedy town to hone comedic skills on your way to LA or NYC. Of course, if your goal is to stay in the Bay Area, you can have an excellent career if you are willing to self-promote!
Why are comedy classes a better place to develop than open mics?
1. It's a safe place to suck, and no one with a club or work will get a horrible first impression about your awkward new talent phase that will ruin your chance for work in a locale for years.
2. None of the class comedians are 'competing' with you. At the SFCC, they are there to write material for your act and provide feedback.
3. No one will illegally steal your material or post it online.
4. You won't get false positives on your material from audiences who pay nothing to watch comedy or a room full of non-marketable comedians.
5. You won't be abused by hecklers, which will never be a regular part of functional stand-up gigs.
6. You aren't killing business in legitimate bars and clubs, causing their audiences to flee and ruining people's opinion of stand-up. : )
Don't I need stage time to become a comedian?
It would help if you had good stage time to become a good comedian. If you are working in front of audiences who have paid to see comedy, you can move to the higher ranks of the industry.
You can be a lousy comedian by attending years of open mics with no instruction. You can also become a pilot by not going to flight school, a poor piano player sitting at a piano for an extended period, or a mediocre surfer with a surfboard and some ocean. It's possible, not probable, and better with instruction and a network, as you'll get to your goals more quickly, and fewer people will be injured.
I write material, memorize it, and then perform. What else is there?
Great! Now you are an actor with a script. Material is the LEAST important aspect at the beginning of your journey to becoming a competent comedian and an exciting live performer. Your ability to write funny material comes after you learn to be natural in front of an audience. The tired advice to "write, write, write" will make you a great writer but will do little to help you discover your natural sense of humor or find your comedic point of view. Our training emphasizes performance first, which is why we produce so many unique voices in a short time. The time to get onstage is NOW!
Are we done yet?
Almost!
All active students receive the following:
1. Open Mic w/ teacher feedback - Bring 3 to 5 minutes of raw/refined material, work on your crowd work, and an SFCC teacher will provide feedback along with other comedians. This is a great way to test new material in preparation for class, practice techniques you're learning, and overcome performance anxiety.
2. The Weekly Funny - The Weekly Funny is a topical joke writing contest. Every (M, W, F), we post a headline, and you write as many jokes as possible. Winners for each headline receive COMEDY BUCKS to put towards future classes. This exercise is a great way to practice joke structure and sharpen your writing skills.
3. Material Development - Post individual jokes or a complete set in material development, and both our teachers and comedians will give you alternate setup/punch suggestions. This tool serves both the person who posts their material and those who contribute ideas, because we all have unique perspectives and ultimately learn from each other. All teacher/student feedback is suggestive - take it or leave it; it's up to you!
4. Editorial Support - Most of us need help to edit our material; less is more! If you only have five minutes to make an audience laugh, editorial support is your new best friend! Post your set, and a teacher/comedian will make edit suggestions, so you can fit in more punchlines, hold your audience's attention, and ultimately get more laughs! All teacher/student feedback is suggestive - take it or leave it; it's up to you!
5. Netflix Watching Group - A monthly discussion group selects a different Netflix comedy special to watch, then analyzes it together as a group.
6. Coffee & Comedy Chat - A great way to get to know other comedians and discuss premises, open mics, performance issues, and life as we know it. This is NOT a performance group; consider it comedy theory and emotional support.
7. Comedy Workbook
8. Flexible Make-up classes
9. An on-call staff of working comedians – teachers with national TV credits, years of performance experience, and answers to all your ongoing issues
The SFCC is a safe place to experiment without being funny. Truthfully, any comedian can only become good by being pretty weak at first. We'll encourage you to have fun while sucking royally.
We are the only comedy school in Northern California that the world-famous Improv chain and Rooster T Feathers chose to develop comedians for their clubs. We are the first stand-up comedy school in America to offer a money-back guarantee* that you will be funnier!
10. Funny Back Guarantee!
* If we aren't everything we say we are or don't fit your style after a free intro and your first beginner class, return your workbook, and we will gladly refund your money minus the one class pro-rate.
Anyone who wants to be funny or funnier attends our workshops. We train public speakers who want to bring more humor to their presentations, the salesperson who wants more effective with genuine interaction with their clients, Mr. Moms, engineers, and accountants who wish to fulfill their dream of getting up on stage and making people laugh just once, professional comedians who want to explore new techniques for writing, rehearsing and creating, and beginning comedians who wish to learn the basics of comedy and audience rapport.
Can a person learn how to be funny or funnier?
Absolutely, if they want to be! Becoming a competent, funny person is something ANYONE with the desire, patience, and ability to take direction can do. We can't give someone a sense of humor, but learning to be funny in front of strangers combines focused immersion and good direction. The fact that all of us can elicit laughter from strangers is a welcome truth as we begin this journey. Some people (comedy coaches with no technique or comedians attempting to protect the illusion they have a unique talent not attainable by others) think being funny is a "gift" one is born with and cannot be taught. The claim that you "have it or don't" has never been proven and is one of the oldest tales passed from generation to generation.
We speed up your learning process and cut years off the learning curve, so you will only spend years performing in low-end, poorly lit bars while attempting to sort through misleading input from sub-standard audiences about what is funny. America's current stand-up club scene produces saloon/bar/club comedians with little to no chance of transitioning to the higher paychecks available to high-end television and theater audiences.
What is different about SF Comedy College Stand Up comedy workshops?
We encourage you to value your voice and instincts when bringing your life experiences to the stage. Your opinion of what is funny is as valid as ours. If you get laughs, you are correct, and there are no other rules. A great teacher will not edit your act, or your jokes, or correct your natural sense of humor. A competent comedy teacher will lay all available tools for accessing laughs at your feet and allow you to implement the ones that suit you. In this environment, you will learn to make comedic distinctions and identify what is funny to an audience. Our process expedites the development and discovery of each student's unique comedic voice, which is why no two SFCC students sound the same.
What is the benefit of group versus one-on-one comedy training?
Group workshops offer networking opportunities. The ability to succeed in stand-ups depends on several factors, the most important being networking. The more extensive the network, the more one will work. The more work, the longer the career. It's no mistake that 70% of working comedians in the Bay Area have attended SFCC workshops, and that our reputation among working (paid) comedians remains excellent.
Groups of comedians offer multiple points of view on your act. Your job is to make many people laugh, and this training begins your learning to elicit laughter from all walks of life. Working with one instructor with no group feedback means you will learn to make one person laugh, who will also be the same person cashing your check. One-on-one, teachers laugh at their students because the students make jokes that the teachers find funny. However, who else is laughing?
The risk of working with only one comedy coach with no technique is that you may become a "cookie-cutter" comic who sounds like the teacher. If one lets a writer/comedy coach make decisions about your act or write jokes for you, one will adopt their sense of humor and writing techniques. This training effectively removes your ability to develop your style and make unique comedic distinctions about what gets laughs. And suppose any comedy coach tells you that being a stand-up comedian is just about writing and memorizing a lot of material. In that case, that person is effectively setting you back years in a business dominated by excellent performers more than great joke writers. Our beginner classes focus on your natural sense of humor and bring audiences closer to your point of view, rather than wasting your time or sending you in the wrong direction by turning you into an actor reciting memorized lines written for you by someone with a different sense of humor than yours.
The comedy coach who offers one-on-one "opinion-based" or self-described "experience-based" instruction attempts to perpetuate the illusion that they possess special knowledge about what is funny. He does not, and it is just one more comedic opinion that is as valid as your own! We'd suggest that if you are going to get an opinion on your act, get as many as possible. That is why our advanced classes with many paid working comedians, combined with our multiple weekly open mics for students, will continue to be the best comedy think tank in American stand-up comedy.
The key to excellent comedy teaching is removing the internal blocks that keep performers from being authentic on stage. The first major journey for a performer is becoming comfortable in front of strangers and acting and reacting in a natural, conversational style. Once there, you decide what to talk about and how to get laughs with your sense of humor.
Remember, good stand-up is shaped by each performer's creativity. Each comedian must decide which techniques elicit the most laughter. In a group environment, you can begin to develop your point of view without interference from a single biased source.
Should I take the Free Stand Up Comedy Intro Class?
Absolutely! You are entitled to full disclosure and receive comprehensive information about what we teach and how you will benefit before registering for classes. Meet our teachers and discover who they are and what they bring to the table! We are also the only comedy school in America offering free intro classes and a money-back guarantee*.
What should I look for in stand-up comedy instruction? Should I take a class?
If someone says you should never take a comedy class, they must be made aware of what we teach and offer. Ignorance is bliss for most comedians and civilians who have no clue what we teach at the SF Comedy College. We have over 19,000 alumni, making us the largest school in the history of American stand-up comedy training. You will learn more from our staff who have been there and done that than anything you might glean on your own in your first five years of performing comedy on your own, or by only listening to the voices in your head or taking lousy advice from open-mic level comedians who will most likely never have a full-time stand-up career.
1. Free Intro
Always get a free consultation or introductory class. Make sure your instructor is entertaining and not close to death. Ask questions until you feel comfortable in a class. Finally, teachers who ask for money up front or do not offer a money-back guarantee seem unethical.
2. Your Instructor in Front of a Crowd
Watch your potential instructor work for a crowd; it will answer many more questions than their press. Watch them teach and watch them perform; these are two different skill sets. However, many teachers can teach comedy but could be better onstage, and some great comedians can't teach you one thing about becoming a great comedian. We're excellent at both and welcome you to check us out.
3. Instructor Performance Resume
Several wannabes stand-up "comedy" teachers are writers, monologists, speakers, 'alt comedians', columnists, improvisers, academicians, bar comedians, high school teachers, restaurant owners, friends of famous comedians, storytellers (people who can't edit), open mikers, and booking agents. If your teacher has yet to headline clubs nationally, worked the road, or doesn't have an inner working knowledge of the current stand-up comedy, then you could be wasting time and money. Demand the performance resume of anyone who claims to teach comedy. You guarantee that the instructor may have knowledge you can use.
Kurtis Matthews and Michael Meehan are nationally touring comedians. Kurtis' teaching resume spans 26 years, his performance career almost 3 decades, and he continues to perform in clubs and at private and corporate events. Check out his resume here.
Some (mostly new and career non-professional comedians) say, "Those who can't do, teach." However, what can one say about those who do both? ALL OF OUR TEACHERS DO BOTH and still make the time to prioritize comedy teaching to assist you in not making the same early career mistakes we experienced.
4. Instructor Teaching Resume
Being a talented comedian doesn't guarantee that one will make a good comedy teacher. Just as a great jockey might not be a competent horse trainer or a great baseball player may be a terrible coach, one skill doesn't guarantee another. A minimum of ten years of stand-up teaching indicates that someone is leading a successful program, not just cobbling together a workshop to pass for a quick paycheck. In addition, look for a long-term class schedule posted on their website, as it will show that this person is serious about teaching, has a robust program, and can support your long-term comedy future.
5. Comprehensive Career Support
Does your instructor offer access to stage time? Can they help you with a problem you may encounter many years into the business? If the teacher doesn't have a lengthy stand-up comedy career, they can't help you with unique performance and career problems that may creep up in year 5, year ten, and so on.
6. Network
Does the instructor provide you access to real comedy club stage time and joyous working comedians progressing in their careers?
7. Emphasis on Performance
Will your instructor get you in front of paying audiences? Stand-up comedy is an art form done in front of people. Poor instruction will emphasize writing material, which may help you become a decent comedy writer but will not help you in your quest to become a powerful performer. Killer stand-up material is best created on stage, and the comedian makes the material, not the other way around. Most of the time, as many people say, "Comedy is what happens between the punch lines." Focusing on material, memorization, and reciting lines early in your career will stagnate your growth as a comedian and prevent you from quickly discovering your unique point of view.
8. Integrity
Does your instructor offer access to people who will vouch for their talent? Do they claim their events always sell out when they never do? Do they offer a "comedy system" that seems designed to separate you from your money without hands-on instruction? Does your teacher sit in the back of the room and spew empty comments about how to hold the mic and focus on a point over the audience's head? Get referrals and ask working comedians for recommendations. We welcome and encourage you to conduct your own research before attending our classes.
Is the Bay Area an excellent place to start your comedy career?
Yes! Like Boston, Austin, Denver, Seattle, and Chicago, San Francisco is a great "B" level comedy town to hone comedic skills on your way to LA or NYC. Of course, if your goal is to stay in the Bay Area, you can have an excellent career if you are willing to self-promote!
Why are comedy classes a better place to develop than open mics?
1. It's a safe place to suck, and no one with a club or work will get a horrible first impression about your awkward new talent phase that will ruin your chance for work in a locale for years.
2. None of the class comedians are 'competing' with you. At the SFCC, they are there to write material for your act and provide feedback.
3. No one will illegally steal your material or post it online.
4. You won't get false positives on your material from audiences who pay nothing to watch comedy or a room full of non-marketable comedians.
5. You won't be abused by hecklers, which will never be a regular part of functional stand-up gigs.
6. You aren't killing business in legitimate bars and clubs, causing their audiences to flee and ruining people's opinion of stand-up. : )
Don't I need stage time to become a comedian?
It would help if you had good stage time to become a good comedian. If you are working in front of audiences who have paid to see comedy, you can move to the higher ranks of the industry.
You can be a lousy comedian by attending years of open mics with no instruction. You can also become a pilot by not going to flight school, a poor piano player sitting at a piano for an extended period, or a mediocre surfer with a surfboard and some ocean. It's possible, not probable, and better with instruction and a network, as you'll get to your goals more quickly, and fewer people will be injured.
I write material, memorize it, and then perform. What else is there?
Great! Now you are an actor with a script. Material is the LEAST important aspect at the beginning of your journey to becoming a competent comedian and an exciting live performer. Your ability to write funny material comes after you learn to be natural in front of an audience. The tired advice to "write, write, write" will make you a great writer but will do little to help you discover your natural sense of humor or find your comedic point of view. Our training emphasizes performance first, which is why we produce so many unique voices in a short time. The time to get onstage is NOW!
Are we done yet?
Almost!
All active students receive the following:
1. Open Mic w/ teacher feedback - Bring 3 to 5 minutes of raw/refined material, work on your crowd work, and an SFCC teacher will provide feedback along with other comedians. This is a great way to test new material in preparation for class, practice techniques you're learning, and overcome performance anxiety.
2. The Weekly Funny - The Weekly Funny is a topical joke writing contest. Every (M, W, F), we post a headline, and you write as many jokes as possible. Winners for each headline receive COMEDY BUCKS to put towards future classes. This exercise is a great way to practice joke structure and sharpen your writing skills.
3. Material Development - Post individual jokes or a complete set in material development, and both our teachers and comedians will give you alternate setup/punch suggestions. This tool serves both the person who posts their material and those who contribute ideas, because we all have unique perspectives and ultimately learn from each other. All teacher/student feedback is suggestive - take it or leave it; it's up to you!
4. Editorial Support - Most of us need help to edit our material; less is more! If you only have five minutes to make an audience laugh, editorial support is your new best friend! Post your set, and a teacher/comedian will make edit suggestions, so you can fit in more punchlines, hold your audience's attention, and ultimately get more laughs! All teacher/student feedback is suggestive - take it or leave it; it's up to you!
5. Netflix Watching Group - A monthly discussion group selects a different Netflix comedy special to watch, then analyzes it together as a group.
6. Coffee & Comedy Chat - A great way to get to know other comedians and discuss premises, open mics, performance issues, and life as we know it. This is NOT a performance group; consider it comedy theory and emotional support.
7. Comedy Workbook
8. Flexible Make-up classes
9. An on-call staff of working comedians – teachers with national TV credits, years of performance experience, and answers to all your ongoing issues
The SFCC is a safe place to experiment without being funny. Truthfully, any comedian can only become good by being pretty weak at first. We'll encourage you to have fun while sucking royally.
We are the only comedy school in Northern California that the world-famous Improv chain and Rooster T Feathers chose to develop comedians for their clubs. We are the first stand-up comedy school in America to offer a money-back guarantee* that you will be funnier!
10. Funny Back Guarantee!
* If we aren't everything we say we are or don't fit your style after a free intro and your first beginner class, return your workbook, and we will gladly refund your money minus the one class pro-rate.
