I’ve seen several comedians lately and was struck by their differences in styles. One guy was seemingly 100% ad-lib, bantering with the audience and making fun of their responses. One comedian had a guitar and strummed songs with humorous lyrics interspersed between jokes. One performer was timid in his set, and yet another told stories as if he was having a conversation with you at a bar — then hit you with a punchline.
Being a professional comedian can’t be an easy job — finding your style/niche to distinguish yourself from others, writing the material, memorizing an hour’s worth of content, and nailing the timing. All of these men did that in very different ways, reminding me that just as there is no one way to be a comedian, there is no one way to do your job either. It’s no joke that being authentic really is the key to success.
I highly recommend Nate Bargatze — watch his special The Greatest Average American on Netflix.