It gives comedians a rush to make people laugh. As an entertainer, a comedian cultivates a distinctive style, talent, and body of work. Only comic superstars like Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jerry Seinfeld are generally known to non-comedians. However unlikely a similar meteoric rise may be, the majority of the comedians we surveyed mentioned these visible successes as a contributing factor in their decision to stay in the business. Most of the comedians who responded to our surveys about their daily lives were distinctly unfunny in their responses. “Everyone believes they are funny in the entire world. One professional comedian from Denver who left his job as a salesman to pursue a full-time career in comedy wrote, “It’s just that I’m crazy enough to bet on [my prospects as a comedian]. A comedian faces extreme uncertainty, long hours, and little to no pay because they never know when their next paycheck will arrive. In a comedy club, a stand-up comic typically makes $50 for two 20-minute sets. While this translates into a respectable hourly wage, a new comic may only perform four sets per week while spending the other time writing jokes, watching other comics, and working another job to cover rent. A successful comedian needs to be quick-witted, adaptable, committed, and fortunate. Since failure, disappointment, and rejection are commonplace in this field, a great deal of self-confidence is necessary if one is to stay in it for longer than two years (and more than half don’t). Comedy groups create, present, and promote their own content. The majority of the members work part-time or freelance jobs that enable them to pursue this career.
