Stand Up Comedy

[Valerie Nicole]

One of my (many) dreams is to be a stand up comedian. I am constantly watching comedy shows, stand up comedy acts, and sitcoms. I've had the idea for a while now that maybe I could write myself a comedy routine. Then it hit me: how would the world react to a crossdressing standup comic? Could it be worked into a good comedy routine?

I know about Dame Edna, but that strikes me as more of a "drag" thing than "crossdressing." What I'm picturing is more down-to-earth, observational comedy, with the crossdressing being almost part of the background. It wouldn't be a gimmick, because its part of who I really am. It would simply be typical standup comedy told from the perspective of an average crossdresser.

Does this idea sound good? Or does it sound too gimmicky? It also strikes me that this could be a good way to "spread the word" as it were, and let people know that we are just normal guys...who happen to do something that is only out of the ordinary because that's how people see it. As always, I look forward to thoughts, opinions, and words of wisdom from everybody here.

[KandisTX]

:love:I actually compete in a pageant each year called the "UnQueenly". Sure it's more of a "drag show", but for me, it is an opportunity to go out at renaissance faire en femme and have a good time. Since they all pretty much know that I am not doing it as a "goof" they all expect me to put on one helluva a show. Myself and another contestant have decided we don't want to win because then we couldn't do it the following year so we work together and play well off of each other. You should see the reaction when we both are in drab and we get ourselves into our characters headspace.

Kandis:love:

[Sharon]

You should definitely pursue it if it's a dream of yours. Eddie Izzard has done quite well and doesn't seem to have suffered much backlash at all, though I can't say if crossdressing has limited his appeal or not.

[Jacqui]

Valerie, I can see you coming on stage dressed in suit and tie, men's shoes, attache case....You're talking about how uncomfortable men's clothing is, especially on a hot, humid day, asking the audience, "Like WHO designed the TIE? He should be hung! (Hanged?) And why does the famous book, "How to Dress for Success" say that if you don't wear a long-sleeved shirt, even on the hottest day, people will think you work at J.C. Penney's." (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

You continue comparing and complaining and as you're b*tching about every article of uninspired clothing, and comparing it to the relatively more comfortable, cooler, colorful articles of women's clothing, you're doing a slow, subtle striptease (loosening your tie, unbuttoning your shirt, taking off your belt, undoing your laces, etc) to reveal a sexy spaghetti string little black dress under your male attire. You're still talking about how good women have it as you take off your socks and open your attache to change into some comfortable women's shoes, don a wig, a little lipstick, some mascara, powder, etc.

Finally, you take a large unfolding handbag out of the attache case, stick the attache in the bag, throw all your men's clothes, shoes and socks in it and wiggle your little hiney off the stage.

I think your idea has great potential!

Go for it!

Jacqui

[Valerie Nicole]

Valerie, I can see you coming on stage dressed in suit and tie, men's shoes, attache case....You're talking about how uncomfortable men's clothing is, especially on a hot, humid day, asking the audience, "Like WHO designed the TIE? He should be hung! (Hanged?) And why does the famous book, "How to Dress for Success" say that if you don't wear a long-sleeved shirt, even on the hottest day, people will think you work at J.C. Penney's." (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

You continue comparing and complaining and as you're b*tching about every article of uninspired clothing, and comparing it to the relatively more comfortable, cooler, colorful articles of women's clothing, you're doing a slow, subtle striptease (loosening your tie, unbuttoning your shirt, taking off your belt, undoing your laces, etc) to reveal a sexy spaghetti string little black dress under your male attire. You're still talking about how good women have it as you take off your socks and open your attache to change into some comfortable women's shoes, don a wig, a little lipstick, some mascara, powder, etc.

Finally, you take a large unfolding handbag out of the attache case, stick the attache in the bag, throw all your men's clothes, shoes and socks in it and wiggle your little hiney off the stage.

I think your idea has great potential!

Go for it!

Jacqui


That's a good idea, though I'd probably use it as an opener and then go into the rest of my act. It seems a lot funnier than just coming out onto the stage already dressed.

[prettywithsideburns]

Eddie Izzard is one of the most successful comics working today. so I think that should help.

I also saw a transsexual stand-up comic on tv some time ago. unfortunately she wasn't as funny as I had hoped. my advice as a comedy nerd is to stay true to your comedic bliss and not build your material solely around the CDing. the comedy should work on it's own merits, regardless of the fact that the person telling it is in drag. what if you took the stage and simply did not mention anything about how you look? I think the audience would be disarmed, put off balance, and thus more easily made to laugh.

izzard, for example, does not do a whole set about his crossdressing. he has a few bits about it in there, sure, but he does not hang his entire act on that. the transsexual comic that I saw, on the other hand, did hang her entire act on that. consequently the comedy came off as forced and gimmicky.

and remember: a good comic is either a philosopher or a surrealist (and sometimes, though rarely, both). observational comedy falls into the philosophy camp, and a good philosopher exposes truths that people have not considered, or approaches them in new ways. be careful not to fall into the comfort zone that so many utterly average comedians latch onto. push your own boundaries, break new ground. if you don't, the gimmick is all you'll have.

[Valerie Nicole]

and remember: a good comic is either a philosopher or a surrealist (and sometimes, though rarely, both). observational comedy falls into the philosophy camp, and a good philosopher exposes truths that people have not considered, or approaches them in new ways. be careful not to fall into the comfort zone that so many utterly average comedians latch onto. push your own boundaries, break new ground. if you don't, the gimmick is all you'll have.

I am literally a philosopher (its my major at university). So that helps. :D And my goal wasn't to hang a whole set on the fact that I'm on stage in a dress...but to tell jokes from my perspective as a crossdresser, rather than try and speak from a "normal" point of view.

[prettywithsideburns]

I am literally a philosopher (its my major at university). So that helps. :D And my goal wasn't to hang a whole set on the fact that I'm on stage in a dress...but to tell jokes from my perspective as a crossdresser, rather than try and speak from a "normal" point of view.

then it sounds like you are taking the right approach. provided that you're funny, you should do fine.

[Samantha B L]

Valerie,I've seen many CD/TG/TS standup comics on comedy central and on all the late night comedy improv shows. They all ran the gamut from ho-hum to damn good belly laughs. The ones who were less funny at least came across as professional without being an embarassment. And they were in all styles from skirt suits to drag queens. Go ahead and give it a try.

[Billijo49504]

Jacqui, the only problem I see with your idea is, open mike night usually gives you 4 or 5 minutes, some only 3 minutes....BJ