On June 23, Steven Wright completed an interview with RhodeIslandComedy.com in advance of his appearance at the Newport Summer Comedy Series on July 21. When asked, he had this advice for new comics:
photo by Jorge Rios
“It’s very simple. You have to go on stage as much as you can.” He acknowledges that comedy is an unusual art. “You’re your own teacher, so you’re your own student too.”
He also suggests that you avoid trying out your jokes on your friends one-on-one. “The audience dynamic is very different.”
He remembers that he used to try his jokes on his girlfriend. “If she liked it, I did it on stage. If she didn’t, I didn’t. Then one night, I said one of the things she didn’t like on stage, and it worked.” Which is when he stopped using his girlfriend as a joke sounding board.
“You need to hear the feedback from a real audience,” he says, not from someone who knows you.
