Can You Give Me One Or Two Specific Stand-up Comedy Tips That Will Help Me?

The Challenges of Providing Generic Stand-Up Comedy Techniques

One of the things I typically cannot offer is one or two stand-up comedy techniques that will enable any comedian to immediately improve their performance on stage—unless certain key factors are in place.

Here’s why…

Without reviewing a video of a comedian’s performance (which I generally don’t do for free), it’s impossible for me to assess these critical aspects:

Talent Level

While everyone who takes a shot at stand-up comedy believes they have massive comedy talent just waiting to be discovered, the hard truth is that some people simply have little to no real comedy talent. And what’s interesting is that those who lack the most talent are usually the last to realize it.

Think of it like American Idol tryouts—people who believe they’re incredible singers but can’t carry a tune to save their lives. In comedy, it’s no different.

Note: These are the same people who have been doing open mic nights for years and still can’t generate the consistent laughs (if any) needed to move beyond that level.

Fortunately, most people who want to try stand-up comedy have more than enough talent; they just don’t know how to harness it properly for the stage.

Which brings me to the next element that often masks a comedian’s real talent…

Performance Level

Most new comedians rely heavily on notes on stage, which completely masks any comedy talent they might have.

Using notes makes it nearly impossible to evaluate a comedian’s timing, delivery, or connection with the audience.

What’s worse, some comedians memorize their material but deliver it in a stiff, unnatural way, trying to “sell” jokes in a manner that doesn’t match their natural expressive traits.

This approach kills the laughter because the material doesn’t align with how they actually communicate in real life.

The Reality of Stand-Up Success

Here’s the truth:

It’s never just one thing that makes a stand-up comedy act work well. It’s a combination of factors that come together to create big laughs. These elements are specific to each comedian, based on their unique sense of humor and the natural expressive traits they use to communicate that humor.

That’s why it’s usually impossible to offer just one or two generic stand-up tips that will instantly improve a comedian’s performance—especially without reviewing a video of their set.

The Exception to the Rule

Now, there is an exception to this…

If a comedian is already getting decent laughs (let’s say in the 13-16 seconds of laughter per minute range), then one or two targeted tips may be all they need to bump that up to the 18+ seconds per minute they’re aiming for.

But to offer those tips, I would still need to see a video of their performance to understand exactly what adjustments need to be made.

Universal Stand-Up Comedy Tips

Don’t get me wrong—there are certainly some stand-up comedy tips that apply across the board. These involve the structure of the material, timing, and the delivery style that can elevate a performance.

But in terms of offering specific, personalized advice, it depends entirely on the individual comedian’s performance, their material, and their style.

For example, one of the dumbest tips I’ve ever seen online is:

“Make sure your punchlines are funny.”

Well, no kidding! That’s not a tip—it’s common sense.

Another gem:

“Make sure your stand-up comedy jokes are funny.”

If you can find a tip less valuable than that, drop it in the comments box below. 😊

The AI Shift: Making Comedy Faster and Smarter

One of the biggest challenges in stand-up is how long it takes to develop an act through trial and error. AI shortcuts are now changing that game completely.

AI as a Creative Partner

Instead of relying solely on workshops or brainstorming, AI can generate fresh punchlines, themes, or outlines—tailored to your voice.

This takes away the struggle of starting from scratch, especially when comedians face writer’s block or pressure to create new material quickly.

With AI-generated ideas, you can focus more on refining delivery and crafting the perfect performance. It doesn’t remove your creativity—it supports and enhances it.

Cutting Down on Trial and Error

In traditional stand-up, comedians often have to test material over and over to see what sticks. AI offers a shortcut, allowing comedians to run through ideas, refine punchlines, and adapt them for different audiences before stepping on stage.

AI tools like Comedy Prompt Pro provide a continuous flow of content to help comedians fill gaps in their act or spark new inspiration—cutting down on the exhausting trial-and-error process of perfecting material live.

Taking AI Shortcuts Even Further

If you’re ready to embrace AI in your comedy workflow, tools like Comedy Prompt Pro offer a free, no-sign-up way to generate original material, refine punchlines, and structure your set quickly and effectively.