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33-438: A performer in this genre can be known by the masculine and gender-neutral terms stand-up comedian and stand-up comic , or by the feminine term stand-up comedienne . Performances can take place in various venues, including comedy clubs , comedy festivals , bars, nightclubs , colleges, or theaters . Stand-up comedy originated in various traditions of popular entertainment in the late 19th century. These include vaudeville ,

66-1018: A British comedy tour. Ricky Gervais set a new Guinness World Record for the highest gross from a single stand-up performance with his tour "Armageddon." The performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on May 6, 2023, garnered £1,410,000 ($ 1,790,206.50). Comedy club A comedy club is a venue where a variety of comedic acts perform to a live audience. Although the term usually refers to establishments that feature stand-up comedians , it can also feature other forms of comedy such as improvisational comedians , impersonators , impressionists , magicians and ventriloquists . Some forms of comedy can have distinguished venues such as improvisational theatres , which host improv or sketch comedy, and variety clubs which may also host musical acts along with comedic acts. The documentation of Moroccan comedy spaces traces its roots back to

99-478: A comedy club after hours. The Improv became exclusively a comedy club over the years, before its closing in 1992. Dangerfield's was built ground-up as a comedy club in the Upper East Side of Manhattan . It closed due to the pandemic in 2020. Comedy clubs advantageously use their space to cater to their audience and create an optimal experience. Most clubs adjust their lighting to darker tones with

132-465: A flourishing of comic theater, employing humor and cultural critique to entertain audiences while fostering a connection with real-life experiences. The spaces theaters and comedy clubs provided created cultural space for a future of comedy in Morocco. Now, Moroccan comedy clubs function as important spaces for humour and cultural commentary. The emergence of Japanese comedy clubs can be traced back to

165-569: A live audience for the same reason. Jessica Delfino holds the record for most comedy sets performed in one night by a female comedian. Phyllis Diller holds the Guinness World Record for most laughs per minute, with 12. Taylor Goodwin holds the Guinness World Record for most jokes told in an hour with 550. Lee Evans sold £7 million worth of tickets for his 2011 tour in a day, the biggest first-day sale of

198-487: A pivotal role in shaping comedy performance spaces and practices. The period of French colonization from 1912 to 1956 marked a significant chapter in the history of comedy clubs in Morocco, having heavy influences on artistic practices. Following the decline of French colonial dominance, comic theaters emerged as distinct spaces, gaining prominence in the 80s as a response to the heightened cultural interest in addressing humorous real-life concerns. The theatrical landscape saw

231-468: A primary source of entertainment in towns where options were limited. The subsequent Meiji and Taisho eras witnessed the appearance of large-scale Yose theatres. However, with the advent of various entertainments like television, the number of visitors to Yose establishments significantly declined, leading to closures. In recent years, the dwindling interest in performance arts within Yose has resulted in

264-468: A result of the venue not having the budget to cover it with drywall , would go on to become a common design feature of comedy clubs. Comedy clubs opt for colder temperatures for multiple reasons. A main reason for colder temperature is that the comedian does not get too flushed and tired under the hot spotlights and cold room. The second and more influential effect is on the psychology of the audience; audiences become more alert and evidently more focused on

297-419: A specified number of paying guests with them to receive stage time. As well as being a mainstay of the comedy circuit, festivals often also showcase up-and-coming acts, with promoters and agents using the festivals to seek out new talent. Experienced comics with a following may produce a television special or a comedy album . It may be recorded on tour or at a show advertised and performed specifically for

330-457: Is an important part of their ambience. Laughter is proven to be contagious in humans, and low ceilings allow for the sound of laughter to bounce back from the ceilings and be heard throughout the space. In higher ceilings and bigger spaces the sound of people’s laughter vanishes almost instantly. Lower ceilings contribute to a more joyful space. The bare redbrick wall of The Improv in New York,

363-513: Is considered America's first stand-up comedian. The first documented use of "stand-up" appeared in The Stage in 1911, describing Nellie Perrier delivering 'stand-up comic ditties in a chic and charming manner'. However, this referred to a performance of comedy songs rather than stand-up comedy in its modern form. The term appeared again in the “Stage Gossip” column of The Yorkshire Evening Post on November 10, 1917. The article discussed

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396-453: Is difficult to successfully sue for joke theft regardless due to the idea–expression distinction . According to Anna Spagnolli, stand-up comedy audiences "are both 'co-constructors of the situation' and 'co-responsible for it ' ". In stand-up comedy, an unspoken contract with the audience allows for the exploration of unexpected, controversial, or scandalous subjects. The reception of a joke, whether met with laughter or disapproval, hinges on

429-564: Is followed by the opener, the feature, and then the headliner. The host may also act as the opener for smaller shows. Proven comics tend to earn regular bookings at clubs that are part of a chain and comedy venues. Jobbing stand-ups may perform sets at two or more venues on the same day. Clubs and small venues often run open mic events; these slots may be booked in advance or left for walk-ins. Comedians use open mics to work on material or to show off their skills to get an opener slot. "Bringer shows" are shows that require amateur performers to bring

462-401: The double meaning of a particular word, creating a form of syllepsis or antanaclasis (a type of pun ). For example, in response to the question "how are you two?", a Modern Hebrew speaker can say בסדר גמור; היא בסדר, אני גמור ( be-séder gamúr; i be-séder, aní gamúr ), literally "in-order complete; she in-order, I complete", i.e., "We are very good. She is good, I am finished". Note

495-503: The jester's privilege , which is the right to discuss and mock anything freely without being punished. Social commentators have referred to the concepts of "punching up" and "punching down" in attempting to describe who should be the "butt of the joke". This carries the assumption that, relative to the comedian's own socio-political identity , comedy should "punch up" at the rich and powerful without "punching down" at those who are marginalized and less fortunate. Many comedians have criticized

528-530: The stump-speech monologues of minstrel shows, dime museums , concert saloons , freak shows , variety shows , medicine shows , American burlesque , English music halls , circus clown antics , Chautauqua , and humorist monologues, such as those delivered by Mark Twain in his 1866 touring show Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands . Charles Farrar Browne (April 26, 1834 – March 6, 1867), better known by his nom de plume , Artemus Ward,

561-519: The 17th Century, encompassing rich performance practices like Labsat and Sultan Talba . The origins of comedy clubs can be traced to Labsat , an extravagant performance arts festival, with the noteworthy milestone of the first show staged within the king's, Sultan Mohammed ibn Abd Allah , palace. The evolution continued with Sultan Tabla , a theatrical celebration that served as a precursor to more modern al-halqa . Al-halqa , characterized by storytelling circles infused with elements of humor, played

594-431: The 18th century with the establishment of Yose theatres. These early iterations were constructed for various forms of entertainment, such as Kōdan , Rōkyoku , Rakugo , and other varieties. Over the years, a notable convergence occurred between Yose and Rakugo , with the two becoming increasingly intertwined. In contemporary times, the majority of Yose theatres exclusively feature Rakugo performances, underscoring

627-428: The 1st century BCE and the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, with the meaning "contrary to expectation" or "unexpectedly." While the word is now in wide circulation, "paraprosdokian" (or "paraprosdokia") is not a term of classical (or medieval) Greek or Latin rhetoric; it was first attested in 1896. Some paraprosdokians do not only change the meaning of an early phrase, as in garden-path sentence , but they also play on

660-530: The aim of creating anonymity in the crowd. Anonymity has the effect of producing more genuine responses in individuals, while also decreasing amount of external stress produced by being seen. The darkness factor is a key element to get the crowd feeling more relaxed in their space, especially for more controversial jokes which most comedians often make use of. Comedy clubs use low ceilings and small interior spaces to create fuller looking crowds. Low ceilings are especially important for most comedy clubs since laughter

693-557: The appeal of stand up is in appreciation of the skill of the performer, as studies have shown that many people find the idea of standing on stage daunting; research on the subject has consistently found that the fear of public speaking is more intense than the fear of dying . The audience is integral to live comedy, both as a foil to the comedian and as a contributing factor to the overall experience. The use of canned laughter in television comedy reveals this, with shows often seeming "dry" or dull without it. Shows may be filmed in front of

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726-399: The audience's understanding of the premise and appreciation of the punchline. A seasoned comic is able to instantly react to the audience's reaction and use it to further the narrative. Stand-up comedy, distinct from traditional performing arts, features a lone comedian directly engaging the audience. Success hinges on creating spontaneity, fostering intimacy, and deterring heckling. Part of

759-403: The career of a comedian Finlay Dunn, stating that Dunn was "what he calls a stand-up comedian'" during the latter part of the 19th century. However, the term may have been used retrospectively. Stand-up has multiple genres and styles with their formats. Common ones include: In a typical stand-up show, the host, compere, or emcee "warms up" the audience and introduces the other performers. This

792-511: The cultural rhetoric concerning "punching up" and "punching down", including Colin Quinn , who described the terms as a product of activism and "not created by humorous people." Appropriation and plagiarism are considered "social crimes" by most stand-ups. There have been several high-profile accusations of joke theft, some ending in lawsuits for copyright infringement. Those accused will sometimes claim cryptomnesia or parallel thinking, but it

825-460: The development of routines, which they construct and refine with jokes and interconnected "bits." These bits form an interwoven narrative, leading to the "closer," the final joke that ties the show's themes together for a satisfying conclusion. Most jokes are the juxtaposition of two incongruous things and are made up of the premise, set-up, and punchline , often adding a twist, topper ,or tagline for an intensified or extra laugh. Delivery relies on

858-625: The first comedy clubs hosting stand-up comedians (hanashikas) through the art of Rakugo . The first Yose theatre was organized in 1798 by Karaku Sanshotei 1st at the Shitaya-jinja Shrine in Shitaya , Tokyo . The stone monument commemorating the birthplace of Yose is located in this shrine, initially referred to as yoseba before later adopting the term "yose." Towards the end of the Edo period , multiple Yose theatres emerged, providing

891-435: The performance which usually elicits more laughter as a result. Where a venue has multiple stages, an "A Room" is typically the largest and best room, used for popular acts, while a "B Room" is for local, lesser-known performers. Comedy clubs often serve as the venue for stand-up comedy specials , where comedians are filmed at comedy clubs and theaters as they perform. These humorous spaces are also featured heavily in

924-492: The prevalent association between Yose theatres and this particular form of comedic storytelling. Rakugo is a traditional Japanese storytelling art where a hanashika enacts stories by embodying characters through distinct voices, gestures, and wordplay. The narratives typically conclude with a punch line, referred to as " ochi ," akin to the structure observed in contemporary stand-up comedy , which often utilizes punchlines and wordplay for comedic effect. In this way, Yose were

957-426: The purpose. A TV special originally released on television, video on demand , or in film theatre's may be re-released as an album on audio CD , LP record , or audio streaming . A "half-hour special" is typically between 20 and 35 minutes in runtime excluding commercial breaks and an "hour-long special" is typically between 40 and 65 minutes excluding commercial breaks. Stand-up comedians define their craft through

990-490: The reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anticlimax . For this reason, it is extremely popular among comedians and satirists , such as Groucho Marx . "Paraprosdokian" derives from Greek παρά "against" and προσδοκία "expectation". The noun prosdokia occurs with the preposition para in Greek rhetorical writers of

1023-403: The show Seinfeld , where a staged comedy club serves as a vital place where the lead character, Jerry Seinfeld , performs and socializes. Paraprosdokian A paraprosdokian ( / p ær ə p r ɒ s ˈ d oʊ k i ə n / , or par'hyponoian , is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence, phrase, or larger discourse is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes

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1056-610: The survival of only a few Yose theatres. Consequently, the overall Yose industry faces challenging business conditions as it contends with changing entertainment preferences. Since the late 1960s and 70s, hundreds of comedy clubs have adopted a similar formula. The first of these pioneers were The Improv and Dangerfield's . The Improv opened as a coffee house in 1963, within the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City . While it hosted its first comedian in 1964, 5 years before Dangerfield's opening in 1969, it only shifted into

1089-423: The use of intonation, inflection, attitude, and timing as well as other stylistic devices, such as the rule of three , idioms, archetypes, or wordplay. Another popular joke structure is the paraprosdokian , a surprising punchline that changes the context or meaning of the setup. In order to falsely frame their stories as true or to free themselves of responsibility for breaking social conventions, comedians can use

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