Joel Byers

What's goody?

Joel Byers

Hot Breath averse.

Joel Byers

Welcome back to Hot Breath Live, your weekly comedy tune up with comedians Joel Byers and Yoshi.

Joel Byers

So, hello.

Yoshi

Hello.

Joel Byers

We just wrapped up a corporate comedy masterclass with Hot Breath OG Stephen Dyer.

Joel Byers

You can check out on the podcast or on our YouTube channel, Straight Fire.

Joel Byers

We live streamed on our YouTube channel, so if you want to get in the know on these bonus events.

Joel Byers

We do.

Joel Byers

And much more, join our email list linked in the show notes.

Joel Byers

Because if you were on the email list, you would have heard about that live stream about corporate comedy and then you would have gotten free access to my clean comedy workshop.

Joel Byers

But you didn't.

Joel Byers

So you don't.

Joel Byers

Wow.

Joel Byers

But it is still available if you would like to get it.

Joel Byers

But we're going to get into today's Q and A.

Joel Byers

And on the topic of corporate comedy, us talking about corporate comedy today really got me reflecting on some fun ones.

Joel Byers

And there was one that came to mind that was a holiday party, because basically we were.

Joel Byers

Corporate gigs pay so well because a lot of the times they're just terrible setups and people don't even care some of the time or a lot of the time.

Joel Byers

And I think Stefan summed it up pretty well that, like, the only person that really cares is, like, the person that booked it.

Yoshi

Yes.

Joel Byers

And the only thing they care about is not getting in trouble.

Yoshi

Yep.

Yoshi

And don't make them look bad.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

Like, that's essentially all they care about is that you just don't make them look bad.

Joel Byers

So that is a positive corporate comedy.

Joel Byers

And what we talked about a lot in that masterclass was just there's so much more you can do than, like, oh, my gosh, I need to stand up there for an hour and tell joke, joke, joke.

Joel Byers

There's a bunch of different ways you can do corporate events that Stefan really broke down to us in a very tactical way.

Joel Byers

But this one holiday party I did was literally I'm standing in front of the buffet on, like, it was like, basically a Mr.

Joel Byers

Microphone.

Joel Byers

I mean, it's one of those sound systems that have, like, the briefcase handle that you can pull up and roll around and it, like, lights up, which is the one thing you want on stage, is a distracting thing that flashes every time you talk.

Yoshi

Yep.

Joel Byers

And the mic cord was literally, like 4ft long.

Joel Byers

So I'm like, in the corner by the buffet having to engage this large room of people in circular tables, which, with a wireless mic, I could weave and connect and, you know, like, make it all, like, an entertainment.

Joel Byers

But there I'm just, like, stuck in this for an hour, and it just brought back so many memories of that check clearing and it all still being worth it.

Yoshi

How was the gig?

Yoshi

How was the actual.

Yoshi

How was the actual comedy part?

Joel Byers

The actual gig was actually good.

Joel Byers

Like, the audience was into it, and I was still able to play with them and do crowd work and, like, engage with them, but it was just uphill.

Joel Byers

And the venue that they had it at apparently forgot that.

Joel Byers

Or the caterer.

Joel Byers

Something with, like, behind the scenes.

Joel Byers

The caterer forgot or the venue didn't coordinate it.

Joel Byers

Basically, the events started an hour late, so then it's already starting late.

Joel Byers

And then they still had to eat.

Joel Byers

And then I had to do comedy after all that.

Joel Byers

But they did pay me for that extra hour that I was just, like, waiting around.

Joel Byers

So that was good.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

But, yeah, it was just one of the many, many, many adventures in corporate comedy.

Joel Byers

But still work it still worth it?

Yoshi

Absolutely.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

Frank.

Joel Byers

Frank Herrera said in the live chat he had to perform in a food court with a football game playing on a screen behind him.

Joel Byers

Got paid to be miserable for 25 minutes.

Joel Byers

Oh, yeah.

Joel Byers

I've done several where it's like, every TV is on and you're just in there.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

And this was before I knew to, like, request just to turn the TVs off.

Yoshi

Yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

You don't know till you get to that situation.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Yoshi

You know, it'd be great if no one else is distracted by this.

Joel Byers

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joel Byers

It's a lot of fun.

Joel Byers

But that just.

Joel Byers

That just brought up good corporate comedy memories.

Joel Byers

But I think people definitely should go listen to that.

Yoshi

It's so good.

Joel Byers

It's.

Joel Byers

It's one of the best.

Joel Byers

It's one of the best we've done.

Joel Byers

I think it's one of the best pieces of content we've created.

Joel Byers

I think it's.

Joel Byers

And the first time we had Stefan on was another one of the best.

Joel Byers

So, yeah, he's on a roll.

Joel Byers

He.

Joel Byers

He's kind of.

Joel Byers

He's gonna.

Joel Byers

He's gonna become.

Joel Byers

He's gonna become annoyed with us, because every week we're gonna be like, stefan, come back and tell us what to do some more.

Joel Byers

Stefan, tell us money.

Joel Byers

Tell us.

Joel Byers

I just love connecting.

Joel Byers

It's always important, and that's why this community is so valuable and that you really are the sum of the people around you.

Joel Byers

So that's why I love this community being so positive and supportive and collaborative, because that just wears off on you, and you become that, and you start to exude that energy into your Own comedy scenes, which is the whole goal of people joining the hot breath of verse and then going and telling their fellow comics out at open mics.

Joel Byers

So when you get to talk with someone like Stefan.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

And just learn from them and share different ideas on what we're talking about and be like, oh, I do this.

Joel Byers

Oh, you do that.

Joel Byers

Cool.

Joel Byers

How can we learn from each other?

Joel Byers

It all.

Joel Byers

All rising tide lifts, all boats, as they say.

Yoshi

Yep.

Joel Byers

So we appreciate Stefan for coming on and we appreciate y'all for hanging out with us on this live Q and A, which we do have some good questions coming in.

Joel Byers

But I do want to get to this Bill Burr situation, go and ramp it on Reddit.

Joel Byers

I saw talking about the young guns in comedy, and I think it's worth.

Joel Byers

I think it's worth listening to for the peeps to hear and get their opinion on maybe what Mr.

Joel Byers

Burr said about this neck, this young.

Joel Byers

This young generation of comics out here.

Yoshi

Yeah, I like that.

Joel Byers

So let me cue that up.

Joel Byers

And here we go.

Bill Burr

The product gets her.

Bill Burr

I see it in stand up comedy now.

Bill Burr

You know, like, you see when I was coming up, it was like there was always.

Bill Burr

Look, there was always people trying to, like, write an act to get a sitcom or to get on the Tonight Show.

Bill Burr

Like, they had an angle.

Bill Burr

But, like, most people were trying to get good at being comedians.

Bill Burr

And I feel like my generation would be doing what this generation was doing if what they have available to them, you know, they would do.

Bill Burr

But now, like, analytics has even gotten into, like, standup comedy, and it's just like, okay, crowd work, okay, get some more numbers.

Bill Burr

I got to sell tickets, get a special, chop up the special, post the clips, do this, do that or whatever.

Bill Burr

And it stops being about, like, you know, becoming a good comedian.

Bill Burr

You know, I'm not shitting on younger comics either.

Bill Burr

I'm just saying because my work now is affected by that.

Bill Burr

People are telling me, oh, you know, you got to do this on Instagram.

Bill Burr

You got to post.

Yoshi

That's why.

Bill Burr

That's why I'm posting those fucking stories on the thing.

Bill Burr

People, you got to do this.

Bill Burr

All right, I guess I got to fucking do this.

Bill Burr

I don't know.

Bill Burr

So I think.

Bill Burr

I don't know what I'm saying here.

Bill Burr

I just think I'm kind of going to fucking tap out.

Yoshi

That's so Burr.

Yoshi

That's such a Burr moment right there.

Joel Byers

Yeah, it really is.

Joel Byers

It's an interesting point of view coming from like an OG like that to where he's basically like, you know, man, it's not even about being a good comedian anymore.

Yoshi

Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think it's.

Yoshi

It's a.

Yoshi

It's a.

Yoshi

It's a interesting perspective because I think very similar to what Stefan said about corporate comedy is that the expectation is just different.

Yoshi

I think we have this high expectation that it has to be polished.

Yoshi

You got to do 45 minutes.

Yoshi

It's got to be corporate clean.

Yoshi

And then Stefan takes corporate comedy and does 15 minutes of comedy and then sprinkles it with improv and things that make the company look good.

Yoshi

And it's like, oh, you're just redefining what the experience is.

Joel Byers

Right.

Yoshi

And I think that's kind of what's happening with comedy, is that.

Yoshi

I mean, whatever you want to call it.

Yoshi

But the influx of comedy technology, social media, is redefining what people find funny and redefining what people find to be the standard definition of a comedian.

Yoshi

So even established comedians that have material to get people to come to their shows, you got to put clips out, and you don't want to burn your material because that's your bread and butter.

Yoshi

So you put out crowd clips to get people interested, be like, oh, he's funny.

Yoshi

That'd be fun to go to a show.

Yoshi

And then you get to the show, you're like, man, he's a real comedian, bow kind of thing.

Yoshi

But also our attention spans are smaller.

Yoshi

Like, it's.

Yoshi

I mean, I think it's all just about shifting with what's happening in the world itself as well.

Yoshi

Like, we are where we are because the world is where we are.

Yoshi

So, yes, you can go back to the way that it used to be.

Yoshi

But can you survive doing that?

Yoshi

Probably not.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

But not all times are they saying, oh, we saw their social media, let's go see them live.

Yoshi

Very true.

Joel Byers

It ain't.

Joel Byers

It ain't there.

Joel Byers

Happens a lot of the time.

Joel Byers

Not all the time, but there are several comics.

Joel Byers

So, you know, I like to keep.

Joel Byers

Keep my ear to the ground.

Joel Byers

And I've gone and watched several comics, big on social media.

Joel Byers

And then you get there and it's some stand up and then a lot of crowd work.

Joel Byers

And then sometimes it's literally, all right, it's the crowd work portion of the show.

Joel Byers

And then they just like, prompt the crowd work.

Joel Byers

I saw one recently.

Joel Byers

Oh, my gosh.

Joel Byers

This guy's, like, super known for crowd work and by the way, selling out shows, moving tickets, like, these comics are killing it.

Joel Byers

And their fans love them.

Yoshi

Absolutely.

Joel Byers

And they're making money and they're happy like the fans are happy with the experience.

Joel Byers

The comic, like, it's, there's no fault here.

Joel Byers

I'm, I'm, you know, I, I skew in Bill's point of view of just like, man, don't you just want to be good and just murder all the time from like a, that perspective?

Joel Byers

But like you said, the medium is evolving or devolving.

Joel Byers

You can look at it either way progressing or regressing.

Joel Byers

It's what you want it to be.

Joel Byers

We're now game show hosts more than stand up comedians.

Joel Byers

But there was basically, he was, I guess some of the people in there didn't want to be crowd worked.

Joel Byers

So he was like trying to do crowd over them and the lady was like, I didn't consent to crowd work.

Yoshi

That's so funny.

Yoshi

And here's the thing, there's probably so used to it because now when you walk into a lot of comedy shows, there's usually like a thing on the, on, on like a, like a consent form that says if you walk in here, you are consenting to crowd work.

Yoshi

Basically because this comedian does crowd work.

Joel Byers

Yeah, we're being filmed because comics will have a camera on stage with them now just filming the audience know.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Yoshi

So basically, yeah, it's like a legal document that basically says if you enter into the space you are now being recorded and anything you use, we can use or anything you say can be used for the sake of, you know, crowd work.

Yoshi

But it's like, I actually wonder if that might come and bite us comedians in the back when people are just like, all right, I'm tired of going to shows where everything is crowd work and I just want to hear something funny rather than what kind of job this dude has.

Yoshi

Oh, dude.

Joel Byers

I saw a clip one time that made me cringe where it was a comic trying to do crowd work to the front row.

Joel Byers

And then the audience member was like, oh, the other comic already asked me that.

Joel Byers

And they were like, oh, well, now I'm asking you.

Joel Byers

And they like doubled down on trying to crowd work.

Joel Byers

This person that was not wanting to be crowd worked asking the same question the comic before them asked.

Joel Byers

And you could tell it was like a younger comic and it can just become a crutch or a bad habit.

Joel Byers

But gosh, if it's working and it's selling tickets, it's hard to tell a comic.

Joel Byers

Come on, pay your dues, hate yourself for 10 years, get bitter, and then you know it.

Joel Byers

It's so tough to, you know, hate yourself on the road.

Joel Byers

Stay at a Motel 6 for eating sardines and, you know, with a spork.

Joel Byers

So it's just.

Joel Byers

It was interesting perspective to hear, you know, Bill say that.

Joel Byers

And, you know, Bill and I are on a first name basis.

Joel Byers

So, you know, he told me actually to play.

Joel Byers

He's like, hey, hey, Joel, would you play that clip on your podcast?

Joel Byers

Let these kids know the truth.

Yoshi

That's a pretty good impression.

Yoshi

That's solid.

Yoshi

I did.

Joel Byers

I've never done a billboard impression.

Yoshi

I did a gig with Karen Mills, who opens for Leanne Morgan.

Joel Byers

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joel Byers

OG master.

Yoshi

Master class.

Yoshi

And just like, just a com.

Yoshi

Like just a con.

Yoshi

Just watching someone, you're like, oh, you do this, do this, right?

Yoshi

And like at the beginning, we were trying to figure out, like, the time or something like that, and she was like, so how much time am I doing?

Yoshi

I think they said 70 minutes, just no flex.

Yoshi

She was like, oh, yeah, that's okay.

Yoshi

Like, just.

Yoshi

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Yoshi

And does 70 minutes of killing.

Joel Byers

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

Killing comedy.

Yoshi

And just.

Yoshi

I.

Yoshi

I watched her from the back, I watched her from the side.

Yoshi

I was like, oh, my God, this is like.

Yoshi

It was just such good comedy.

Yoshi

And I love just what I think for me, it is hard to watch an hour of clean comedy.

Joel Byers

What?

Yoshi

For me.

Yoshi

Yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

Like an out.

Yoshi

Like, even if it's funny, it.

Yoshi

It's like, it's got to be like, bargazzi level for me to, like, as I would say this.

Yoshi

I can watch an hour, like, at a club, but at home, it's hard for me to stay, like, attuned to an hour.

Yoshi

Except maybe like, Gaffigan or somebody like that.

Yoshi

It's got to be like, top tier.

Joel Byers

Oh, well, that goes for any comedy.

Joel Byers

Watch an hour of bad comedy.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Yoshi

But, like, I just.

Yoshi

I wasn't expecting how much I was going to enjoy this.

Yoshi

You mean?

Yoshi

And like.

Joel Byers

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

And it was just like, oh, this is.

Yoshi

It was just so good.

Yoshi

She was so good.

Yoshi

And also just read her crowd and the crowd just, like, was just eating it up.

Yoshi

But it was so.

Yoshi

It was so good.

Yoshi

It was just like well written material.

Yoshi

Very good, like, engagement with the crowd.

Yoshi

She barely did any crowd work, but when she did, it was still magical, but just watching like an OG in the game.

Yoshi

She's probably been doing it, like 30, maybe 30 plus years.

Joel Byers

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

Started in Atlanta as well, so I.

Joel Byers

Didn'T know she started in Atlanta.

Yoshi

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

She.

Joel Byers

She's friends with, like, probably at the punchline.

Yoshi

Yeah, at the punchline.

Yoshi

She's friends with Andy Sanford, mom or something.

Yoshi

So, like, they're like, best friends.

Yoshi

I think I'm hilarious out there.

Joel Byers

What's the tea, Yoshi?

Yoshi

Yeah, basically, it was just like, oh, this is like, this is like a professional.

Yoshi

And it's just like.

Joel Byers

And there's a difference in, like, younger comics can tell when they're like, oh, man, I've been doing crowd work.

Joel Byers

I need to get my material game on point.

Yoshi

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yoshi

Like, I went home and wrote, like, a lot.

Yoshi

I was like, I need to step my game up.

Yoshi

Like, when you watch somebody like that and be like, oh, my God, like, that was just.

Yoshi

It was, like, effortless how.

Yoshi

How well she did it.

Yoshi

So it was just awesome to watch.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

And it's not just, like, young comics doing the crowd work.

Joel Byers

You know, Pete Lee was on the podcast.

Joel Byers

This is a vet who popped on social doing crowd work.

Joel Byers

But this is a guy who has the show to back up the clips, you know, so he developed and then started, like, doing the clips.

Joel Byers

So it's all, you know, there's no one way.

Joel Byers

There's just really your way in this game.

Joel Byers

So.

Joel Byers

And, you know, and Burr was specific about saying he's not hating on the young comics.

Joel Byers

He's just saying, as an og, it's like, oh, man, it's not even about being good anymore.

Joel Byers

That's not even the goal for comics.

Joel Byers

They're not like, oh, I want to get good.

Joel Byers

They're like, oh, I want to get on.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Yoshi

But I think that's part of it now is that I.

Yoshi

I think I've.

Yoshi

I've mentioned this to you.

Yoshi

I feel like comedians, we've made this look so easy.

Yoshi

Like, we make comedy look so easy to do.

Yoshi

Oh, you just get up on stage and talk with the crowd and then make it just work.

Yoshi

And you're like, oh, God, you have no idea.

Joel Byers

Like, it's so hard you had to.

Yoshi

Do to get to this point.

Yoshi

But it also makes it, like, hard because people think it's so easy.

Yoshi

They go on stage and they're like, not good.

Yoshi

And then you also, to your point, you see these social media people sort of try to just redefine it.

Yoshi

I like the fact that people redefining what comedy is.

Yoshi

I think the hard part is there is no longer, like, rules of the game.

Yoshi

And it's also taken out, like, a lot of gatekeeper level stuff, which I think was also the thing that was holding a lot of people back.

Yoshi

Like, people were.

Yoshi

To his point, people were just writing to try to get onto the Tonight Show.

Joel Byers

Right.

Yoshi

Something to get on a sitcom or whatever.

Joel Byers

Right.

Yoshi

And now the game's different is they're not really worried about getting on a sitcom.

Yoshi

They're worried about, can I.

Yoshi

Can I get to a show?

Yoshi

Can I do shows?

Yoshi

Can I also, like, make my numbers pop?

Yoshi

Can I do other things outside of just comedy?

Yoshi

Which I appreciate.

Joel Byers

That's true.

Joel Byers

It.

Joel Byers

It has leveled the playing field in terms of, like, gatekeepers, and really, the power is in our hands more than ever.

Joel Byers

So, yeah, it's just kind of what you want to do with that and what you want your comedy to be built on.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

You know, I mean, the content game is a whole other hustle that anyone who listens to this show consistently hears me complain about more than doing anything about.

Joel Byers

Oh, I should be posting more.

Joel Byers

Or I'm.

Joel Byers

Here we go.

Joel Byers

Well, I remember we.

Joel Byers

When Leah Rudick was on here, I was like, this is it.

Joel Byers

This is the time.

Joel Byers

I.

Joel Byers

I just learned everything I need to know about social media.

Joel Byers

I'm gonna.

Joel Byers

Here we go.

Joel Byers

And then, like, three days later, I posted the same clip.

Joel Byers

I posted the clip once, and then I was like, ooh, let me edit that.

Joel Byers

And then repost it like, an hour later.

Joel Byers

And then we're just like, I'm not doing this anymore.

Joel Byers

And you could say that every time I've interviewed a social media comedian, I was like, this is the time I' all in.

Joel Byers

So I respect the game and the hustle because, like, it's a mental barrier that for sure, I'm currently working on.

Joel Byers

And we're getting more consistent on the hot breath page.

Joel Byers

So we're posting.

Joel Byers

We're posting clips on there.

Joel Byers

Y'all can go follow on Instagram at Hot Breath Pod.

Yoshi

We getting there.

Yoshi

We moving, man.

Yoshi

We moving.

Yoshi

Like, we're doing things differently.

Joel Byers

It starts with one.

Yoshi

Yep.

Joel Byers

But it is a weird.

Joel Byers

It is a weird mental block to just show up.

Joel Byers

I don't know what it is.

Joel Byers

It's very interesting.

Joel Byers

It's very vulnerable.

Bill Burr

But.

Joel Byers

Yeah, that was Bill Burr.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Yoshi

Billy Burr.

Joel Byers

Oh.

Joel Byers

And we do have some questions coming in, but I cut you off for you.

Yoshi

No, no, no.

Yoshi

I wasn't going to say anything.

Yoshi

I was just looking at some of the questions.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

So.

Joel Byers

Oh, Jerry Kroll asked if we saw Leah on hiking with Kevin Nealon.

Yoshi

No, I have not seen that either, but she's great.

Joel Byers

She's like.

Joel Byers

I went in.

Joel Byers

She was in Atlanta, and I went and, like, did, like, a guest spot on her show and got to watch her.

Joel Byers

She's like a carol Burnett.

Joel Byers

She's wild.

Joel Byers

She's.

Joel Byers

She's so good.

Joel Byers

Yeah, she's so good.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

Leah Rudick.

Joel Byers

Check her out if y'all haven't.

Joel Byers

She's awesome and super nice.

Joel Byers

But the next question I'm seeing here as we get into the questions, and we would love to hear your opinion on the Bill Burr clip as well.

Joel Byers

If y'all want to tag us on social media, we'll be sure.

Joel Byers

We love seeing y'all sharing clips of the show.

Joel Byers

We love getting dms, and I love when people do, like, screen records of this podcast and share them out and whatnot.

Joel Byers

That's always.

Joel Byers

That's always fun.

Yoshi

Always.

Joel Byers

We're all in this together, kids.

Yoshi

Yes, we are.

Joel Byers

So, Mike Becurt asks the best apps for organizing jokes.

Joel Byers

Jokes and sets, which I think this was a topic in our Facebook group, actually.

Yoshi

Yeah, I mean, I think I'm starting to become, you know, not even become, but, like, I really do enjoy Notion and I use Up Note as well.

Yoshi

Those are the two that I.

Yoshi

That I use, and they're basically, like.

Yoshi

One is, like, organizing all of, like, my.

Yoshi

My material into one place and then picking out which one I want for, like, a specific thing.

Yoshi

And then I use Up Note just as, like, a quick.

Yoshi

Just notes about anything and everything.

Yoshi

So everything kind of starts an Up Note, and then it makes its way into Notion for me.

Yoshi

So to organize it when it's like.

Yoshi

So basically, and it's like, final draft form, that's when I move it over and then I organize it there.

Joel Byers

Yeah, I've been using Notion as of late.

Joel Byers

Oh, and Mike.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

This was in the Facebook group, so people were saying Google sheets, Google keep.

Joel Byers

Yeah, there's a standup writer app.

Joel Byers

There's an app called the Gag that used to be known as Bits.

Joel Byers

So, yeah, there's a few options out there.

Joel Byers

Honestly, it's like the one you're going to use at the end of the day.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

You know what I mean?

Yoshi

And I still use a notebook, even, like, just a straight up.

Joel Byers

Right.

Joel Byers

Yeah, me too.

Yoshi

Got me this thing a while back.

Yoshi

I'll say I'm like 50, 50 on it, where I can write notes, like, in it, and then I can transfer it over to, like, my Google Notes or transfer it over to, like, Evernote or something like that.

Yoshi

And I use it for, like, a little bit, but it doesn't transcribe.

Yoshi

And does it, like, take my handwriting?

Yoshi

Because I think some other ones do.

Yoshi

And so it just comes in as images.

Yoshi

So that was good for, like, a couple of Times, but I was like, I don't want to rewrite twice or, like, copy and paste twice.

Yoshi

So I did that for a little bit, but I like it just because it helps with, like, my daily.

Yoshi

And then I just take it off and then write in there whenever I'm, like, working on, like, a long set and I actually want to write it down.

Yoshi

But, yeah, it's.

Yoshi

Whatever you use is the best thing for you.

Joel Byers

Mm.

Yoshi

Yeah, just.

Yoshi

I would say just find a way to organize your material to where you're not going back to it, trying to organize it later on, because then it just becomes a cycle of, oh, I'll do it this weekend.

Yoshi

Oh, I'll do it next weekend.

Yoshi

And it's hard to catch up.

Yoshi

So when possible, just find a system that works for you.

Yoshi

Find like a.

Yoshi

Like, just an organizational structure that works for you.

Yoshi

If you organize your stuff by tags, tag it as soon as you write the joke.

Yoshi

Is it a family joke?

Yoshi

Is it a about material?

Yoshi

Is it about dating?

Yoshi

Whatever you want to use, do that.

Yoshi

And then when you look up your material, be like, oh, what dating material do I have?

Yoshi

You can find it easier as well.

Joel Byers

Yes.

Joel Byers

Yeah, whatever.

Joel Byers

Whatever best fits your creative process.

Joel Byers

But we all need some sort of structure, even though we're artists and creative man, and just do what I feel.

Joel Byers

If you want comedy to be your job, you gotta treat as a job.

Joel Byers

And these jokes are assets that can pay dividends for years and years and years and years.

Joel Byers

So you really want to honor the work you're putting in to develop them by keeping them organized.

Yoshi

Let them know.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

And Michelle.

Joel Byers

Oh, Michelle said I could do a funny gardening with Joel, where I dig in the dirt and get dirt from comedians.

Joel Byers

That would be fun.

Yoshi

That would be fun.

Joel Byers

Be a good way to get help in my garden.

Joel Byers

Just, hey, my wife has five more roses she wants me to plant.

Joel Byers

Come on over.

Joel Byers

Let's do content.

Joel Byers

How can we monetize this?

Yoshi

That's great.

Joel Byers

I love that, though.

Joel Byers

Yeah, I definitely want to host a gardening show.

Joel Byers

That's the dream right there.

Joel Byers

Okay.

Joel Byers

Minor Zadon Z.

Joel Byers

What are the minimum requirements I should ask before accepting a gig?

Joel Byers

Besides actual money, we want to make sure that they have, like, sound.

Joel Byers

Or if they don't, you can.

Joel Byers

You can provide the sound and charge extra for that.

Joel Byers

That's something that I'll do if someone wants me to do an event for them and they don't have sound.

Joel Byers

I do have, like, a system that I can charge extra for them for me to bring it.

Joel Byers

But, yeah, I mean, you Want to get as.

Joel Byers

And this is something we talked about in the corporate comedy masterclass, you really want to get as much context as possible for the event.

Joel Byers

You don't want to go into the event blind.

Joel Byers

You want to know as much as humanly possible.

Joel Byers

So I mean, of course you want to know when, where, who's going to be in the audience.

Joel Byers

You want to get a feel for the demographic, what's the location, so you can get kind of a feel for that area and what kind of people are there socioeconomically and things like that.

Joel Byers

It all to help build context for who you're going to be performing for.

Yoshi

Sure.

Joel Byers

Really, the questions you want to be asking, if they have any limitations on what they want you to talk about.

Joel Byers

Are there certain topics you want me to avoid?

Joel Byers

Certain words you want me to avoid?

Joel Byers

Things like that.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

Is another good thing to ask as well.

Yoshi

Yep.

Yoshi

Ask if it's clean or dirty show, depending on where you are.

Yoshi

Ask if there's gonna be kids there.

Yoshi

Surprise, surprise.

Yoshi

You just never know sometimes if there's gonna be kids at the event.

Yoshi

When you get to the event, ask that they turn off the TVs.

Yoshi

I know we talked about this earlier.

Yoshi

Ask that they turn off the tvs.

Yoshi

Turn off the music, especially if it's in an area where like, it's like super loud.

Yoshi

That does not help out your set to have music in the background at all.

Yoshi

And before, I would say before you book, always ask, like, what kind of marketing they do to promote the show as well.

Yoshi

So you know, whether you're going to be doing all the promotion and marketing or they're going to be doing it.

Yoshi

And the goal to making it work is that this is a partnership.

Yoshi

To think of it as a partnership rather than you're doing everything, they're doing everything.

Yoshi

If you're both doing stuff to make it work, then that's a true partnership because you go.

Yoshi

You both got some skin in the game, as they say.

Yoshi

But yeah, ask about the marketing.

Yoshi

Ask about the venue, the space.

Yoshi

Do they have a stage?

Yoshi

Like, is it going to be properly lit for actual comedy?

Yoshi

And yeah.

Yoshi

And I always say before you do the show at a venue, go to the venue.

Joel Byers

Oh, yeah.

Yoshi

Like, just take in something else at the venue.

Yoshi

Helps you recognize, like, what kind of space you're in and the kind of crowd that you may likely get for that evening as well.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

The least amount of surprises as possible.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

Is really what you're going for there.

Joel Byers

So you can go in with as much confidence and preparation as possible.

Yoshi

Yep.

Joel Byers

And it looks like the final question I'm seeing here.

Joel Byers

Oh, and congrats.

Joel Byers

Go.

Joel Byers

Like Personality said they just came home from their first open mic and it went great.

Yoshi

Yay.

Joel Byers

Very nice.

Joel Byers

Congratulations.

Joel Byers

We love hearing these victories.

Joel Byers

And earlier, I think before we started the live, Frank Herrera was talking about doing his first English open mic in Sacramento, which is awesome.

Joel Byers

We love hearing these wins, so thank you for sharing.

Yoshi

Let's go, baby.

Joel Byers

So the final question I'm seeing here, actually, we did the apps.

Joel Byers

We did that one.

Joel Byers

I thought there was another one.

Joel Byers

Perhaps not.

Joel Byers

Oh, Minor asked about dealing with gatekeepers as a young comic.

Yoshi

Which, I mean, I think gatekeepers are going to be there.

Yoshi

I think the key to really handling gatekeepers is sort of just to think, as part of your job as a comedian is also to always network, no matter where you are.

Yoshi

So are there because they've got their own show, they've got their own thing that they're doing.

Yoshi

They might be a producer, they might own a club, whatever you want to call it in terms of what you consider to be gatekeeping, just know that they're doing something else likely other than just looking for talent.

Yoshi

So it's all about.

Yoshi

Always about putting yourself in the right situation.

Yoshi

One thing to always ask gatekeepers, I.

Yoshi

This is a helpful.

Yoshi

Is to say, how can I get in front of you?

Yoshi

So you can book me, or are there places that you go to that I can be seen that you consider for booking, basically.

Yoshi

Or you can ask them, can I send you a tape?

Yoshi

That's always a proper request as well.

Yoshi

Just say, hey, can I send you a tape?

Yoshi

I'd like to get on your show.

Yoshi

And especially with gatekeepers.

Yoshi

And I know I'm bucking them in, like gatekeepers and comedy club owners and people who are bookers, but go to their venue, don't just show up and just be like, oh, can I get you a tape?

Yoshi

And then they don't see you at all.

Yoshi

It just doesn't help.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

And these people are getting just heckled with gimme, gimme, gimmes all the time.

Yoshi

All the time.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

So, you know, be mindful of that.

Joel Byers

And how can you separate yourself from every other annoying comic?

Joel Byers

And it's being professional and empathetic and just, yeah, don't try to work with them and not get something from them.

Yoshi

Boom, boom.

Joel Byers

But yeah.

Joel Byers

And otherwise it's focused on what you can control.

Joel Byers

Because I have.

Joel Byers

I've done the dance, I've played the games and done exactly what certain gatekeepers say and then nothing.

Joel Byers

Still nothing.

Joel Byers

Happens.

Joel Byers

I mean, I literally.

Joel Byers

I mean, there was literally, like, one.

Joel Byers

I.

Joel Byers

We won't say names, but there's literally a place who was like, we want to do this with you.

Joel Byers

Send us this on this date, and we want to make this happen.

Joel Byers

Like, they reached out to me.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

So I did all of that, sent it to them on that day, and then they replied, oh, we're not doing anything until next year.

Joel Byers

We're all booked up for the rest of this year.

Joel Byers

And I was just like, okay.

Joel Byers

A younger me may have been like, yeah, but I mean, now I'm like, oh, okay.

Joel Byers

Well, I did everything within my control to set myself up for.

Joel Byers

To take the most of that opportunity, and that's what came of it.

Joel Byers

So, like, it happens at every level, and it's just.

Joel Byers

You can do what you can control, and then beyond that, it's just putting yourself, putting your best foot forward with your best intention possible.

Joel Byers

And then whatever happens from that effort, you can live with because, you know, you did everything within your power to make the most of the opportunity.

Joel Byers

And everything else is out of your control there.

Yoshi

Everything else is out of control.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Yoshi

Yep.

Joel Byers

So let's.

Joel Byers

Let's land this plane.

Joel Byers

I know we have a little bit of a shorter one, but we.

Joel Byers

This is the second live stream we've done today.

Yoshi

Yeah.

Joel Byers

So y'all get on that email list.

Joel Byers

Oh, and I see Lightning Rod asking if, are there limits to comedy anymore?

Joel Byers

Like, Kill Tony style?

Joel Byers

And it's really.

Joel Byers

It just has to be funny at the end of the day.

Joel Byers

I mean, that's all I care about.

Joel Byers

It has.

Joel Byers

There has to be jokes in their kids.

Yoshi

And I think one thing to be just mindful of, especially in, like, the Kill Tony world, is there is a crowd for that.

Yoshi

But sure, don't equate that.

Yoshi

That crowd is what every comedy crowd wants.

Yoshi

There's a certain type of crowd that wants that style of comedy, but that doesn't mean every crowd like that is out there wants that style of comedy.

Yoshi

So just know that because you're going to start touring and start going to different parts of the country, you're going to try your Kill Tony material, and it's just not going to do well.

Yoshi

You mean there's people that show up from Kill Tony, that this has happened in Atlanta, they do their Kill Tony type material and they hear crickets because it just doesn't work or it just is not the crowd for that type of comedy.

Yoshi

And so just being mindful of that is a super important thing.

Yoshi

So it doesn't mean that you can't do that comedy.

Yoshi

Just know the audience that you're trying to do it in front of may not be geared towards that style of comedy.

Joel Byers

Yeah.

Joel Byers

And if.

Joel Byers

And if that style is authentic to you, then go for it.

Joel Byers

But don't feel like you need to try to be edgy because maybe I'll get on Kill Tony or I see it working there.

Joel Byers

So maybe it'll work for me.

Joel Byers

If that's your authentic style and that's where your sense of humor is in your head.

Joel Byers

That's what the kind of comedy you like to create, you're not trying to put on some sort of character for the sake because it's popular.

Yoshi

Yep.

Joel Byers

Then, yeah, by no means don't feel like you have to do that style.

Joel Byers

That is a style of the infinite styles.

Joel Byers

And the whole goal we're trying to find is our own unique styles because that's when you find your voice.

Yoshi

Yes.

Joel Byers

Yep.

Joel Byers

But great, great question.

Joel Byers

Great questions all around.

Joel Byers

Great live stream today, Yoshi.

Joel Byers

I think we got a good talk about Bill Burst.

Joel Byers

We'd love to hear Yalls feedback on that Bill Burr clip.

Joel Byers

What do you think?

Joel Byers

Let us know on social media at Hot Breath pod in our Facebook group.

Joel Byers

Join our email list.

Joel Byers

I mean, you know, we out you.

Yoshi

We are.

Yoshi

We are.

Yoshi

We're putting in that work.

Joel Byers

That's right.

Yoshi

Work, baby.

Joel Byers

We're here for your comedy fam.

Joel Byers

We do these live streams every Tuesday at 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on our YouTube channel.

Joel Byers

Your homework.

Joel Byers

Tell one comic out in open mic this week about hot breath.

Joel Byers

Yeah, that's all you got to do.

Joel Byers

Say, have you heard of hot breath?

Yoshi

Yep.

Yoshi

Go tell them.

Yoshi

Watch the Yoshi so American African special.

Joel Byers

As well on The Hot Breath YouTube channel.

Joel Byers

We love you all.

Joel Byers

We'll see you all next Tuesday.

Joel Byers

Hot Breath.