5 Myths about Open Mics
by Steph Dalwin
Open mics are tricky. In theory, they provide a place to experiment, grow, and work out new material. Yet in practice, they are often deeply unpleasant. Everyone has been at an open mic where the room is dead and the other comics are totally checked out. Marathon mics that last until two in the morning are a fact of life. And we’ve all had to white-knuckle our way through an open mic filled with comics slinging racist, sexist, and/or homophobic material. Even so, the pressure to attend open mics can seem inescapable.
What I’m about to say may be controversial, but open mics are not the best nor the only place to get reps. Open mics do have value in standup: they’re important for battle testing yourself in uncomfortable environments and getting to know a scene. But they are not some silver bullet to fast-track growth. When it comes to open mics, it’s time to finally debunk some myths:
Myth: You have to go to every mic possible.
Fact: If you have time in your schedule to make it to every single mic, then I applaud you. I applaud you even more if you enjoy going to every single mic in your scene. The reality is that most of us have lives outside of comedy, and we don’t want to spend all of our free time at open mics. And what’s more, it’s a well-known fact that most open mics are miserable. There’s no faster way to kill your desire to perform standup than forcing yourself onstage when you don’t want to be there.
Myth: Mics are the only way to get booked.
Fact: They’re one way to get booked, but not the only way. Certainly, you might run into local bookers, or a mic itself may have a monthly showcase for frequent mic-goers. But there are plenty of other, equally effective ways to seek out bookings. A great way to get booked is to attend local shows. This serves two purposes: (1) you get to know the host and network with other comics and (2) you get to check out the room and vibe to see if the show is a good fit for you. Another way to get booked? Reach out and ask. In fact, many bookers appreciate it. Running shows takes up a lot of time and bandwidth, and many of us appreciate outreach. It puts you on our radar, and it’s always nice to know someone is interested in our show.
Myth: Mics are the best way to get a good read on your material.
Fact: The worst possible audience that a standup comic can have is other standup comics. We know each other’s jokes and we’re often invested in our own material, so many folks don’t laugh at other sets during a mic. The whole thing is painful. And it’s also very transactional. The truth is that not every mic is invested in your growth, and not every mic is a great place to get a read on material. You may think that a new bit is weak because it only got a handful of laughs at an open mic. In reality, these few chuckles are often the equivalent of uproarious laughter at a show. Most open mics are a great way to test yourself in uncomfortable situations; and if you get a lot of laughs, then great. But if not, just know your material isn’t failing. A good, and sometimes more effective, way to gauge your material is to workshop it. I recommend getting a group of no more than 3 or 4 comics together that you trust, and who know your material and what you’re trying to do with it. Many of my best jokes came from testing them at a workshop rather than at an open mic.
Myth: Painful open mics are a rite of passage.
Fact: You will inevitably have some bad experiences at open mics. And even the best mics will have some off-nights. Yet by and large, the bad times should be the exception, not the norm. If no one has told you this already, then I will tell you: it is not necessary to attend open mics that are actively unpleasant. I give you permission to sit out mics that aren’t serving you. It’s important to see how you do in suboptimal performance circumstances, but you don’t have to constantly punish yourself either.
Myth: You must do only finished material.
Fact: It can definitely be tempting to default back to material that reliably kills, especially if the room at an open mic is dead. I’ve also seen the inverse happen, where folks feel the need to bring their most polished material because the comics that went up before them crushed. Yet open mics are a place to test out material in any stage. They are a space to work things out, even if you only have a rough idea of where a joke is going. And to be clear, it’s also alright to revisit old material that you want to rewrite. Your three to five minutes at a mic are yours to use however you need to.
Open mics can be horrible, full stop. Yet the truth is, it doesn’t have to be this way. Open mics are important, I won’t dispute that much. But there are other ways to grow. If you, like so many of us, find yourself hesitant to attend mics, just know you’re not alone. In an ideal future, we all work together to change the culture around mics. But in the meantime, hopefully these tips help.
