Let me tell you something right out of the gate: every crappy job you’ve ever had is a comedy goldmine. You may not realize it now, but one day you’ll look back and say, “That humiliation paid my rent in laughs.”

So you’ve decided to dive into stand-up comedy. Congrats, you delightful masochist! You’ve found the one profession where emotional trauma is a resume booster. And now you’re standing in the back of a dark open mic, nervously clutching a notebook filled with half-thoughts and doodles that may or may not be punchlines…

So what’s a quick-witted, stage-starved comic to do when the gigs dry up and the landlord doesn’t accept “exposure” as payment? Here's my guide to side hustles for comics who want to survive the slow seasons without selling their soul or their self-respect.

So let’s talk about it: Where do you post your avails, and how do you do it without feeling like a clingy ex with a mic?

You need headshots, reels, social media, a LinkedIn you never update—and yes, a website. Welcome to showbiz in the age of Wi-Fi, darling.

Look at you—mic in hand, dreams in heart, and a podcast name that’s probably a pun. I’m proud of you already.

If you’ve got a spark, a mic, and a little discipline (or at least a calendar reminder), go for it! A podcast doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be you.

Merch isn’t just about making a few bucks—it’s about turning fans into superfans. And superfans? They wear your catchphrase to brunch.

If you’re feeling the icy grip of panic as you wait to grab the mic, congratulations — you’re alive, and you care. That fear is not the enemy. But letting it own you? That we’re not doing. Here's how to deal with stage fright like the professional funny person you're becoming.

So you’ve been crushing it on stage — killing open mics, owning bar shows, maybe even getting a few real fans who aren’t your mom or your roommate. Now you're eyeing Hollywood, thinking, “Hey, I’m funny. I should be on TV!”

If you're reading this, you're probably wondering how to get more than five minutes in the back of a pizza place at midnight. Well, buckle up, baby, because I’ve got the inside scoop.

The truth is: there’s no perfect answer. But if you’re smart, prepared, and passionate — it might be closer than you think.

Stand-up comedy is a bizzare career. It’s equal parts art, therapy, improv, and chaos with a mic. When you start, you think it’s all about being funny — and sure, that’s the goal. But along the way, you’ll discover things no one warned you about.

Let’s be real — the early days of comedy are like surviving on ramen, adrenaline, and blind faith. You wonder if you’re making progress or just becoming a permanent fixture at open mics, like that one sticky chair no one wants to sit in. But here’s the good news: you are growing.

Open mics are wild. They’re part performance, part group therapy, and part fever dream hosted in the back of a brewery with one working mic and a light controlled by someone named Devin. But here’s the secret: they’re also incredible.

Comedy isn’t just about being funny. It’s about being brave, resilient, and just a little nuts (in the best way). If you’ve got the heart, I promise you can build the rest.

Tony wanted to make a living doing stand-up and after years of slinging punchlines and eating rejection for breakfast, Tony finally made their first thousand dollars doing comedy…

Ah, the age-old question that haunts every open micer as they sip their two-drink minimum: Will I ever make money doing this? Short answer? Yes. Longer, more honest answer? Yes, but probably not how you think.

Look at you. Sitting there, reading a blog post written by a fabulous gay man with cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass, wondering if you’ve got what it takes to do stand-up comedy. First of all—good taste. Second—maybe.

Great question. I’ve asked myself this very thing—usually right after bombing in a bar show next to a Golden Tee machine while a drunk guy yells “YOU SUCK, ELLEN!” (I mean… thank you?).