Depends on what you bring to the stage
Posted on 05/15/2006 at 11:05 PM by Robert Driemeyer

If you can top the guy who bombed, then following him is no problem and like you said, the audience will likely welcome a fresh face (unless they've been sitting at an open mic for two hours and have seen nothing but bombing.)

On the other hand, if someone kills and you can't match or top them, then you might be in trouble because comics are always compared to the guy who set the bar for the night. I've often seen many reasonably funny comics have to follow a really great comic and they wind up pushing their performance to try to match what came before and ultimately they bomb because they just don't have the material or the right stuff yet.

I followed Lisa Landry
Posted on 05/15/2006 at 11:05 PM by Robin Fox

At the stress factory a year and a half ago and bombed so hard it hurt she killed. Last week I followed Lisa again and once again she killed. This time I rocked the house....so I dont know. I think in the end you stand on your own merit. A bit of luck doesnt hurt either.

I'd follow a bomber.
Posted on 05/15/2006 at 11:55 PM by Chris Quimby

It gives me more confidence when taking the stage.

I think questions like this exemplify the difference btwn "us" and "real" comics...
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 08:26 AM by Harris Bloom

I dont think they'd care.

Me? Contrary to popular notion, I'd prefer to follow the bomber.

LOVE Following the Bomb
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 09:14 AM by Adam Sank

I can't remember a time when I didn't kill after following someone who bombed. Yet, I can remember MANY times bombing after following someone who killed.

Once, at Carolines, I had to follow a 30-mintue set by Patrice O'Neal, who destroyed.

A couple minutes into my pathetic 8-minute set, I actually thought the audience was going to shoot me.

Ideally, we all rock the house, each in our own way. But if that doesn't happen, please, God -- let me follow the bomb.

Still a new Jack.
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 09:49 AM by

Hello Adrienne, Been doin' open mics for about 6 months. My sets are horribly inconsistent. So I am happy that someone kills all the time. I always try and use that energy for when I perform...and shit.
I am also sure I will feel different in another 6 months also.

Doesn't matter
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 10:08 AM by Mark Bedard

I am out here in Boston and I am amazed at how many comics do not want to follow or even work with certain comics. I do not care, do my best every time, why worry aboutit. I usually only open at this point so it doesn't matter much.

I'd prefer to follow someone who kills
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 10:37 AM by Alan Schwartz

tells me the audience is willing to laugh, and I also like the challenge of it.

I'd prefer to kill someone who follows
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 10:54 AM by Kantad Svendsgaard

tells me I'm willing to laugh, and I also like the challenge of it.

Depends...
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 11:06 AM by Josh Alves

if it's a competition... follow a bomber (increased confidence), just a show... doesn't matter, I want everyone to have a good time

It doesn't matter..
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 11:08 AM by Ralph Tetta

...some of the conventional wisdom is that if the act before you digs a hole, you have to dig out, and if the act before you kills, they you "ride the wave," but I think that your first line on stage sets the audience up for your whole set...you really do live and die by your own merits.

Now, that being said, if you follow a comic who does all "crowd work" and gets the audience riled up, your written material isn't going to do so well...just an observation. But you really do stand on your own merits.

imho

An after thought...
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 11:10 AM by Josh Alves

part of it is probably mental. The increased confidence from following a bomber an effect a performance... just as the insecurity of following a killer can.

Usually
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 11:24 AM by H. P.

if someone follows you, your going to get mugged.

I like HP's answer
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 11:38 AM by Jeanne Noll

I'm learning that it doesn't really matter. I've gone up after someone bombed and done good, and I've gone up after someone bombed and done worse. I've gone up after someone killed and it's propelled me to do better, and I've gone up after someone killed and I've done horribly because I worked myself up so much about them being better than me and me sucking wind. There are so many other factors involved, for me there's no telling how I'll do.

Hoopachoo, did you mean to say "kill someone who follows" or "follw someone who kills"? It was funny the way you wrote it. I thought to myself, Yeah,I'd prefer to kill someone who kills and then I bomb too.

it does not matter
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 11:48 AM by Josh Homer

as long as I get up. Following a bomber is easy work, but you don't get much better at your craft that way. Iron by iron itself is sharpened.

Dear Hoopachoo.
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 12:05 PM by Chris Quimby

Nice comment. Very funny. Just thought, as a comic, you would want to know that I appreciated it.

By the way, I can't even quite remember when we used to call you Kantad. You've really adopted the Hoopachoo thing. It fits.

By the way, Adrienne.
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 12:11 PM by Chris Quimby

I don't really know you, but those are a nice pair of glasses you're wearing in your headshot.

They make you look very smart.

Just A Joke Jeanne...
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 12:17 PM by Kantad Svendsgaard

I was riffing on Schwartz's comment before mine. My real response is I don't really care who I follow, I'm usually to concerned about my own s--t, er, excrement.

Chris, who is this Kantad? Is he that guy opening for Evil Chris Quimby?

I didn't notice his
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 12:37 PM by Jeanne Noll

I guess your title stood out to me because it was silly - sorry Alan.

What are everyone's thoughts on...
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 12:45 PM by Pat Breslin

...following a Soapbox comment that kills? Personally, I like to wait til things have died down and everyone's moved on to another blog, then I like to leave a boring/weird comment like, "Hey - anybody know what time it is?"

Seriously though, anybody have the time?

Pat, what are you saying?
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 01:03 PM by Jeanne Noll

that my soapbox comment killed? Or that it was the point in time where things had died down? It's 1:17 on my clock.

I don't even know what I was saying, Jeanne...
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 01:07 PM by Pat Breslin

...really, just wanted to see if anybody was still reading, haha. But thanks for the time.

I was just kidding.
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 01:27 PM by Jeanne Noll

Adrienne,
Posted on 05/16/2006 at 03:42 PM by Shaun Eli

I'm happy to follow you on stage.

Shaun