Going to a live comedy show can be a great way to cut loose and relax. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t etiquette you should be following. There is, and practicing it will help to keep you from a humiliating situation.
Wondering about the dos and don’ts of watching live comedy? Then read on. Here’s everything you need to know about comedy show etiquette.
Table of Contents
Don’t Heckle
This is, by far, the most important piece of advice we can give you. Don’t heckle the comedians. In other words, don’t yell out unsolicited advice or opinions.
Heckling is an issue for a number of reasons. For one, it’s rude to the comedian who’s trying their best to put on a good show. For two, it’s rude to other paying customers. Finally, it puts you at risk of being humiliated in front of an entire room of people.
Remember: comedians are comedians. They get paid to make people laugh. If you attempt to ridicule a comedian in front of hundreds or thousands of people, they’re bound to turn the audience’s laughter toward you.
Do you want to be laughed at by hundreds or thousands of people? If you have any sense of mental preservation, you don’t. So, keep your thoughts to yourself and let the comic perform their set undisturbed.
Don’t Talk to Your Friends During the Show
Comedy shows aren’t rock concerts. They produce nowhere near as much sound and therefore require that the audience keeps its own noise levels down. If everyone in the audience is talking while the comedian is talking, the comedian is going to have trouble being heard over the crowd.
This is why, while the show is going on, you need to refrain from talking to your friends. Sit quietly and laugh when laughter is warranted. Don’t distract those around you by carrying on an unnecessary conversation.
If you absolutely need to speak (such as in the event of a personal emergency), do so swiftly and with as little noise as possible. Again, you need to have some consideration for your fellow audience members.
Refrain from Using Your Phone
You get a call in the middle of the show. Should you pick it up and answer? Absolutely not.
In fact, you should refrain from using your phone throughout the entirety of the show. Don’t talk on it, don’t text on it, don’t use it to look up strange historical facts. Put it away and wait until intermission to take it out again.
Why? Because phones are distracting. Not only do they distract the comedians on the stage but those around you in the audience as well.
If you receive a call that seems particularly important (ie. a call regarding an emergency), discreetly leave the room and answer the call outside of the show.
Prepare to Interact
Though it doesn’t always happen, in many cases, comedians will interact with members of their audience. As such, if you’re going to be going to a comedy show, you need to prepare yourself to interact.
Now, interaction most typically occurs with those in the front rows. However, it’s not unheard of for a comedian to start a discussion with someone in the middle of the crowd.
Our best advice is to just play along with whatever the comedian is doing. Be positive and answer questions in as straightforward a manner as possible. If you act difficult about interacting, you might very well become a target of additional jokes and banter.
In short, when you go to a comedy show, there’s always a chance of you becoming part of the act. So, don’t go in with a negative attitude. Stay positive and go with the flow.
Show Up on Time
Another important thing is to show up on time. Try to get to the show and settled in before the comedian comes onto the stage.
If you show up late and have to shuffle through other guests in order to get to your seat, the comedian might notice you and put you on the spot. You might be okay with this. Make note, though, that you could make yourself a comedic target for the rest of the show.
Not to mention, it’s just kind of rude to show up late. It disturbs not only the comedian but the audience around you as well.
Plus, you’re paying to see the show. You don’t want to buy Tom Segura tickets just so that you can miss the first 5 minutes of the act. You want to get your full money’s worth.
Go to the Bathroom Between Performances
Our last piece of advice is to go to the bathroom between performances. Don’t go while a comedian is up on stage. Doing so could throw the comedian off their game and could also make you the target of jokes.
Generally speaking, a comedian’s set will go no longer than an hour. Odds are, you’ll have no trouble holding it in for 60 minutes.
Our advice is to go to the bathroom right before each new performer comes on. This way, you have very little risk of having to go during a performance.
Time to Have the Best Live Comedy Experience Possible
Now that we’ve provided you with some tips for watching live comedy, you can head to the show and have the best experience possible. Be mindful of your actions but have a great time all the same.
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