5 ways to find your comedy crew
It’s a lonely world. Find the peeps who get your jokes and have your back.
Who would win in a fight: Santa, or Cindy Lou Who? It’s MY JOB TO DECIDE.
Why? Because my comedy writing group is doing a comedy writing Secret Santa. You give a writing prompt, you get a writing prompt, and then you write whatever funny thing it inspires. And that prompt is MINE. 👆
This comedy-writing exercise is designed to boost our holiday spirits and our short-form writing chops. That’s what we do in my comedy crew: a low-key group of comedic comrades from college that meets every Friday for writing support, motivation, and accountability (i.e., to light a fire under my butt and remind me that THAT much Netflix is not “research”). I especially love that they encourage me to be weird with my comedy. A gang of like-minded nerds and weirdos: THAT is my #happyplace.
The point: EVERYONE NEEDS A COMEDY CREW. If you love and want to make comedy, you need a comedy community—a safe and supportive (virtual) place where everyone gets your jokes and has your back. How do you find a comedy community? How do you make one? I assure you, if this socially awkward egg can do it, so can you! Here’s how to make it work.
1. Talk to your funny friends.
That’s how I found my weekly writers’ workshop. See if your funny friends or even friendly acquaintances are in such a group, and see if they’ve got room for you—or if they want to start one.
2. Get on the TikTok.
TikTok is a social media platform where the youths gather to—OK, I know you know this. This platform reigns supreme in allowing you to be the creator of your own content. I can’t learn the dances in time for there to already be a new one to learn, but I CAN make short videos that help me figure out my own voice, style, and audience. Make what makes you laugh, and you’ll draw in likes—and like minds. Keep an eye out for people you could collab with!
3. Attend open mics (and TALK to people).
Fellow funny humans are making the best of quarantine by hosting open mic nights online. This is a perfect opportunity to workshop some jokes and try to get a set under your belt. (Next to NO ONE crushes on Zoom, so the stakes are relatively lower.) You will start to see some of the same people here and there, so be friendly and say hello. Most comics will tell you they met their crew hanging around open mics, so this is your chance to do that, without even wearing shoes.
4. Tweet tweet!
Twitter may not be YOUR social platform, but it’s great for itty bitty comedy. Post your (very concise) thoughts AND selectively comment and riff on others, and you’ll see connections start to blossom in real time. We stan consensual sliding into the DM’s of your followers to express how funny they are and the general encouragement of posting more hilarious content.
5. GOLD Comedy, durrrr
Behind the GOLD curtain (you know, paywall) you will find SUCH! A! SUPPORTIVE! COMMUNITY! filled with comedy nerds LIKE YOU who had been looking for a place where they can learn from each other and comedy pros, offer VERY NICE YET HELPFUL feedback, and feel like they belong.
I hope this has been helpful! Now I’m off to have Santa Claus get his ass whooped by Cindy Lou Who. What? Did I ruin it? I mean really, who do you think was going to win?
Em Pasqua has been using quarantine time to binge-watch all seasons of The X Files. They are also shamelessly addicted to board games at this time. You can find Em on Instagram (@drastic_antics) or on Tik Tok making fun dumb content (@e_pity_me), unlike everyone else.
