One of the best—and worst—parts about seeing a comedian perform live is that there is often some sort of audience participation in shows. Some people really love this aspect of a show; it’s exciting to be singled out—even though this might mean being the subject of a joke or two. There’s something about this that makes a show more memorable and exciting—it’s certainly an experience that you will never forget.
Others (like me!) absolutely despise this part of going to see a comic. It’s fine when it’s someone else, especially if that someone else is somebody that you know. But many of us would rather just avoid receiving any sort of this attention.
Whatever camp you fall into when you’re going to a show, this is an exciting part of live comedy. It creates a certain type of thrill, and it can make your time going to comedy clubs a lot more enjoyable.
And that’s what it’s all about, right? Audience participation is meant to do a few things while you are enjoying the show. One, it helps make the comedian stand out to the people involved. If you get called up on stage during a routine, you and your friends will never forget that performance. You’re also more likely to buy some of the merchandise that the comedian has on sale at the show. Two, it can help to further some of the comedian’s jokes. There are instances where the audience can actually make the comedian a lot funnier. When the comedian works with the crowd to enhance this, everybody wins.
Pick the Right Show
Singling out an audience member or two isn’t everyone’s favorite thing in a comedy act. It’s something that you should take into account if you’re going to see a show. Some comics have a reputation for doing this while others stay far away from it. A bit of online research will let you know what to expect. While this isn’t a guarantee, it can help you to make a more informed decision.
Regardless of what the comedian’s reputation is, the larger the venue, the less your chances are of being the center of attention for a couple of minutes. Venues like The Creek and the Cave in New York, the Broadway Comedy Club (also in NYC), Comedy Works in Denver, Colorado, and Laughs Comedy Club Seattle (in Washington) are some of the biggest venues that are primarily dedicated to putting together high-quality comedy shows. If you want to see the funniest show of your life, but from the safety of a crowd, these are the places to go.
You might not be located near any of these areas, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not a good venue near you. There are comedy clubs in every city across the country. A quick Google search will let you know what’s available near you. A trip to a third party ticket site like StubHub will let you know what tickets are still available.
Never Miss a Show
You never need to miss a comedy performance again. Yes, sometimes a comic can cross the line when it comes to their humor, but that doesn’t mean that you need to let it impact your ability to enjoy the show. Pick your show and your tickets right and you can take part in all the fun of a comedic performance without any of the stress that could potentially come along with it.
Comedy acts are meant to be a fun, exciting experience. This isn’t something that needs to interfere with your ability to enjoy yourself.