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FCU's Site Director Comedy Tip of the Week
"Get Out of Your Comfort Zone"
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Paul Douglas Moomjean
Site Director, Flappers University
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Hello Students, Comedians, and Citizens of Earth alike!
I hope you're still writing as the country starts opening up. I know its tempting to go out and start socializing, but don't let yourself slip down a procrastination trail too long to recover from.
While you might be saying, "But, Paul, I've been sitting on my butt the last three months watching Tiger King and ordering vegan Thai food off Amazon!" And while I'm sure you've been doing that, I'm also sure that you had some jokes or have some jokes you were working on that are still usable but need a punch up. Here's your mission, if you choose to accept it.
I want you to take a joke/story/bit/etc. and ask yourself two questions that can help you get to the real heart of the joke.
1. What really happened in this situation?
2. How did it REALLY make me feel?
Many times comics try to find the funny before finding the truth. So take out the joke book and try to see if the set up is coming from a place of truth and if you really feel how you're describing the situation.
One time I was working with a comedian who told me he was upset a girl stood him up on a date. He described sitting at the coffee shop alone, but when I asked him how he really felt about being stood up, he said, "I was actually really relieved because I never wanted to date her anyway. I just did it to get my parents off my back."
I couldn't stop laughing. I asked him what he ended up doing, and he told me what he wanted to do all night to begin with: "I went to the movies and then went home and drank some individual wine bottles."
He started laughing, now realizing all the ridiculous new topics that came out of the truth.
His lack of desire to be on a date. His dating bully parents. His love of cheap individual wine bottles. All of this opened up a who new wave of comedy possibilities. All of this came out of just asking the two basic questions. Now his standard run of the mill dating complaints turned into a series of new obsessions and ideas focusing on his unique point of view.
So if you don't feel funny right now, why not take a look at the old bits and jokes, get out of your comfort zone, ask yourself a few questions and see what creativity and comedy you unleash.
We will be back on stage one day, and you want to be ready now. Or you can always see if a life filled watching Netflix and eating gluten free Thai food will make you happy too.
Stay Safe with Your Masks and Clean Hands
Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant is still running classes and virtual shows and hopefully live comedy will be back soon. W
e are doing our best to ride this COVID-19 season out. Stay safe, and know that we love and care about you!
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ONLINE Stand Up Classes and Television Writing Classes!
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Students taking a break during class. Humor is key. |
If you are looking for ways to expand your comedy platform, here is what we are offering! All Stand Up Classes have an ONLINE showcase you can invites friends, family, and fans too at the end!
Take a look at our classes and workshops on the Flapper's University website. We have classes in Stand Up, Writing for TV, and workshops on making money, building an audience, and promoting your brand.
Not sure how it works? This is what our classes look like:
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Flappers University Online Comedy Class Demo
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Multi-Week Classes ($195)
WRITING CLASSES
The Sitcom Writers' Room: Writing YOUR TV Pilot
7/16/2020 - 8/27/2020 7:00PM - 10:00PM - Thursday Virtual Zoom Class
Through a series of lectures, prompts, and other exercises, you'll have your TV pilot script ready to be seen after 6 short weeks. Learn what TV writers do to create memorable characters, interesting plot hooks and devices, as well as how to contribute and support writers in this fun and engaging class taught by WGA Education Committee member Steve Trautmann.
Writing for Late Night with Gabe Abelson
7/20/2020 - 8/10/2020 7:00PM - 9:00PM - Monday Virtual Zoom Class
In this course students will learn basic late night comedy writing including monologue, desk pieces and remotes, with the goal of becoming technically proficient, confident and comfortable submitting material to various late night television programs. All with the emphasis of finding your unique voice as a comedy writer!
Sketch Comedy Taught by SNL Emmy Winner Hugh Fink
7/14/2020 - 8/25/2020 6:00pm - 9:00pm - Tuesday Virtual Zoom Class
Have you always wanted to write hilarious sketches for TV and live performance? This
course, created and taught by an Emmy Award-winning Saturday Night Live
writer will not only teach you the various templates of sketches (TV and movie parodies,
character driven, fake commercials, etc) but you'll also acquire invaluable sketch
writing do's and don'ts that will help your work stand out. In order to master sketch
writing, you'll learn how to identify whether your premise is strong enough, as well as
comprehend the best structural options for your material You will also have the opportunity to pitch your original sketch premises/characters and receive professional feedback!
STAND UP COMEDY CLASSES
STAND UP: Level 1 - Virtual Zoom Class
Interested in learning how to perform stand up comedy? Been at it a while, but want a little mentorship? Just need a community to be a part of right now? Our Stand up Level 1 Classes break down joke structure, mining for material, and the different types of punchlines to use for your set. In these strange times, we need more voices outside as we are being asked to stay inside!
Links:
STAND UP: Persona and Character Work - Virtual Zoom Class
Why are some comedians able to take on a stylized personality on stage, and how does it affect their material? What's the difference between a comedian and somebody who just tells jokes? In this monthly class, veteran comedy coach Steve North (comedy manager for Brook Forest Entertainment) teaches the idea of 'comedic characters' and how comedians are able to find their onstage persona through the discovery of flaws and applied exaggeration, as well as how the concept of character exaggeration can be used to strengthen comedy act-outs.
Links:
ONLINE COMEDY CONTENT PRODUCTION
Production 101: Creating Online Comedy Content
7/6/2020 - 8/3/2020 6:00pm - 9:00pm - Monday Virtual Class
Learn to create comedy content for YouTube, Social Media platforms, and short films. By learning how to write, produce, and shoot your own content, you create better opportunities to showcase your comedic brand and voice!
Production 102: Creating Advance Comedy Content
7/7/2020 - 8/4/2020 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Tuesday Virtual Zoom Class
In this advanced online content creation class, you will learn more sophisticated ways to write, shoot, produce, and platform your comedy creations. Too often, comedians forget that their comedic voice can translate into short films and sketches. This class will take your content creation to the next level!
FREE ONE DAY WORKSHOPS
Find Your Comedy Persona (Wednesdays 1pm - 4pm) - Why are some comedians able to take on a stylized personality on stage, and how does it affect their material? In this workshop, veteran comedy coaches Barb and Steve North (comedy managers for Brook Forest Entertainment) explore the idea of 'comedic characters' and how comedians are able to find their onstage persona through the discovery of flaws and applied exaggeration. f you're trying to develop a stronger voice on stage, or bring more life to your characterizations, don't miss this unique one-day workshop!
Date with Links: 7/1
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FREE COMEDY WORKSHOP!
Punch it Up Joke Labs (Wednesday 1pm - 4pm)
Already got your set down - but you could still use help fine-tuning a bit or getting a different perspective on a new joke? Jump in this FREE workshop and get feedback and punch-up on your set from our top instructors at FCU and other working comics!
Date with Links: 7/8 - FREE COMEDY WORKSHOP!
Joke Structure Workshops
ONE DAY Comedy Joke Writing Workshop (Saturdays 11am - 2pm) $25.00
In this one day workshop, a Flappers University Instructor will walk through joke writing structure, mining for material, and how to deliver a punchline to maximize the laughter from the audience. Comedians make it look easy, but there is an art form behind stand up comedy, and this workshop focuses on those principals.
PRODUCTION/BUSINESS WORKSHOPS $25.00
Creating Your Web Series
Creating content is an important part of the comedy and writing experience. With so many digital platforms, creating your own web series can get your unique voice out to the masses much faster than waiting for someone to read and produce your script. In this one day workshop, you will learn how to produce, write, and plan out each stage for YOUR web series. You have great ideas! Let's get them out there!
Creating Your Podcast
There's no better way to get your 'brand' out there in the world than producing your own podcast! Right now podcasts are hotter than ever! Comedians like Marc Maron, Adam Corrolla, Kevin Pollak, Chris Hardwick and Paul F. Tompkins are basically bypassing the 'Hollywood Machine' and creating their own content and building global audiences. Now it's time for you to see exactly how easy it is to create a podcast and build your audience.
Working Clean to Make Some Green
Ever heard the expression "Clean is green?" In this one day workshop, Site Director Paul Moomjean explains the tricks to writing clean jokes to get bigger pay checks. Learn how the casinos, colleges, churches, corporate events and even clubs reward clean comedy. This workshop will even help you take current "blue" material and find new ways to create cleans jokes. This course will even help with social media branding ideas, sketch content, and other ways to build a brand and get paid!
ONGOING PRIVATE COACHING
Private Coaching (Prices Vary $50 - $125/Hour)
If you are interested in just having one on one time with one of our highly trained and professional instructors, please visit our
Instructors Page
to pick the instructor you want to work with. Just email Classes@FlappersComedy.com to schedule a meeting. Prices are based on instructor's rate. Email classes@flapperscomedy.com to learn more.
FCU is dedicated to creating a community of comedians that can help and support each other.
Therefore, if you find these prices out of your range, PLEASE email us, and we will work with you!
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Flappers University Student Open Mic
Sundays 4:00pm-5:30pm
FREE if You Use This Link:
Flappers University School of Comedy wants to continue one our greatest traditions alive during the Apocalypse, our FREE Student mic open to current students and alumni. This supportive feedback mic is designed to help comics think of new angles and tags and set ups after they perform 5-6 minutes. Lead by PJ Baio, the mic will allow for 10 comics to sign up in advance. Considering all the students that are interested, we are asking that you try not to sign up every week, as to give others an opportunity. Upon registering, you will be sent a ZOOM link an hour before the show.
Looking forward to keeping this great mic going!
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information!
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Flapper's University Instructor Steve North's NEW BOOK!
How to KILL in Comedy
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Steve North the Comedy Coach, voted #1 Comedy Coach in the USA, starts by teaching you how to create your own unique comedic character for stand up, then offers the twenty best joke-writing formulas developed over 20 years in his workshops, and then helps you put it all together to work as a stand up comedian. Whether you're a beginner or advanced comedian, you need to learn the character method first. Then slay the audience, or just be funnier in life.
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Stand Up and many more comedy classes available!
For a full list:
email: Classes@FlappersComedy.com
818-845-9721
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