Virtual Comedians for Zoom Shows

Comedian Shaun Eli on stage at a New York theatre
Comedian Shaun Eli on stage at a New York theatre

We’re great at virtual stand-up comedy shows!

We do virtual corporate comedy shows, virtual charity comedy shows for fundraising, virtual shows for alumni groups, virtual shows for private parties, all sorts of virtual comedy events.

Is your team remote? Are your donors spread out across the country? Yes, we still do zoom shows.

To book clean corporate comedians for a virtual show, for free advice, or just to ask questions, call or text us at (914) it’s-funny (914) 487-3866 or email Shaun {at} TheIvyLeagueofComedy {dot} com.

 

We’ve been doing Zoom stand-up comedy since the beginning of the pandemic. I’m writing this in December 2021, so it’s been more than a year and a half since I started doing virtual shows. I’ve long figured out how to work the new medium. Some of the corporate virtual shows I’ve done have been among the most fun I’ve had on stage, or whatever you call sitting in my office chair talking to a flat piece of glass.

The pandemic has been tough on our industry as just about all live entertainment shut down. We started doing outdoor shows and shows over the web. At first it was tough- it’s not just the comedian who needs to hear the laughter. Audience members should hear other people laughing. Laughter is contagious and it spreads better when it’s contained. I’ve said that the secret to comedy is 100 people in a room that holds 70. That’s why comedy clubs are cramped and have low ceilings. So laughter can echo.

At outdoor shows the laughter dissipates. People have fun but it’s best if they can also hear how much fun everyone else is having. Comics are used to telling a joke, hearing a few people laugh immediately and then watching laughter spread until the whole audience is laughing. When we started doing virtual shows it was tough- we’d hit a punchline, pause for laughter and not hear any. So we’d start talking again.

And that was the wrong thing to do. Because of the short time delay inherent in Zoom and other on-line meeting platforms, we needed to pause. Not resume talking. In comedy we call that stepping on your laughter. It’s bad to resume talking while people are still laughing. They want to hear what we have to say so they stop laughing. It’s essentially training the audience to laugh less. And obviously that’s bad.

With the time delays introduced by virtual shows a comedian would tell a joke, not hear a laugh, and then start talking again. We had to learn how to perform with very different timing. Tell a joke. Then shut up. A few people will laugh but it may take a second for that to be heard by everyone else. Then they laugh but that will also take another second to be heard. So… tell a joke, count to three in your head, wait for the laughter.

This wasn’t so hard for me because I have one joke where the silence is the actual punch line. So I’m used to telling that joke… then waiting. Sometimes I have to wait 2 or 3 seconds for the audience to understand that the silence is the point. It seems like forever but I know they’re going to laugh.

While I hope this mess is over soon I realize that even after the pandemic there will still be a use for virtual shows. You may not be able to hire a comedian to come to your event for just a few hundred dollars. But if you’re having a virtual event you can still have great, fun entertainment that is inexpensive and affordable. And in a way it’s easier for the audience to interact virtually because if they’re at home in front of their screen they aren’t physically surrounded by co-workers and management. I’ve seen people seem much looser virtually than I would expect in-person. Of course they could have been drunk the whole time. You can’t smell alcohol over the web and I’m sure there are filters that will hide your red eyes.

 

More information on Virtual Stand-up Comedy Shows

 

Clean stand-up comedian Shaun Eli on stage at a New York theatre, smiling down at the audience
Comedian Shaun Eli on stage at a New York theatre

Studies have shown that people value experiences more than we value possessions. The pleasure we get from buying something new wears off very quickly but pleasurable experiences live on in our memory. A comedy show is a great, fun experience!

 

For a live or virtual event or meeting you can have an affordable pro comedian perform for and interact with your group. Email for details- advice isn’t inexpensive, it’s free!

Let’s get started. For more information or to reserve a date call, text or email:

Shaun Eli Breidbart
Comedian & Executive Director
The Ivy League of Comedysm
Liberty Comedy Corp.
Call or text us at (914) it’s-funny (914) 487-3866
Email Shaun {at} TheIvyLeagueofComedy {dot} com