That one critique about my open mic timing that actually fixed everything

I've been doing open mic comedy for about 8 months now, and last month a guy came up to me after my set and said I was losing the crowd because I wasn't pausing enough. He pointed out I was rushing through punchlines like a train. So I started timing my pauses with a stopwatch app on my phone during practice. Now I hold for a full two seconds after the setup and one second after the punchline. It feels awkward at first but the laughs are way bigger. Has anyone else had to totally rework their delivery speed based on feedback?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamief6719d ago

That bit about "rushing through punchlines like a train" really hit home for me because I used to do the same thing. I had a buddy record one of my sets and I couldn't believe how fast I was talking. Taking those intentional pauses feels weird at first but it's amazing how much more the audience actually listens.

brianm6619d ago

Wait, did you say your buddy recorded one set and you noticed the fast talking? How many sets did you do before that recording? I feel like most people need to see at least a few recordings before it really clicks, you know?

logan52517d ago

Wait, you're telling me that was the FIRST time your buddy recorded you and you only noticed the fast talking then? @brianm66's got a point though, I bet most people need a few tries before they catch themselves doing it.