Professionalism Matters
When you show up to a house party an hour late, no one bats an eye. But if you do that for a comedy show where you're a booked performer? That’s a problem. No matter how funny you are, if you’re unreliable, difficult to work with, or just plain disrespectful of the show’s structure, bookers will stop booking you. It’s that simple.
As a producer, I book a lot of comics for various shows. Just this past Tuesday, a comic had to drop last-minute due to illness. That meant I needed a replacement—fast. Who did I reach out to? The comics I knew would:
Respond quickly
Show up on time
Be funny and professional
And just as quickly as I thought of reliable comics, I also thought of people I couldn’t ask. Not because they weren’t talented, but because I couldn’t trust them to be there when I needed them.
Being a comedian isn’t just about writing jokes and crushing sets—it’s about getting gigs and keeping gigs. That means showing up on time, respecting the light, and being someone bookers want to work with. I've had producers thank me just for being punctual and professional. That should be the bare minimum.
Want to work more? Be funny. Be reliable. Be easy to work with. The comedy world is small, and bookers talk. Make sure what they’re saying about you is good.
