Kicking off with a discussion about a corporate comedian’s website and how you can benefit from putting yourself in the mindset of your audience, we go on to talk about everything from Twitter bios to how best to sell your show or abilities to venues and bookers. Josh also breaks down what he’s learning from his newest project – A Person You Should Know – and explains how you can benefit from creating content that can be accessed by different audiences in different ways.

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Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group.

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Kicking off with a discussion of why Jordan recently decided to quit doing one of his podcasts and what he learned from the experience, we move on to talk about how comics can learn to commit to a project in a way that lends itself to a logical endpoint – and increases your chances of success before you get there.

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Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group.

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes.

We also discuss the shift from the physical comedy “circuit” to the online comedy “circuit”, how creating ephemeral versus evergreen content are two different skill sets, and question if the speed and lack of scarcity online is lowering the standard of comedic material.

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Have a question you’d like us to answer on the next episode? Submit it now through this form.

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group.

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes.

Links from this episode:

Scott Aukerman
The Flop House
This Week In Tech
Gary Vaynerchuk
The 10,000 Hour Rule – Malcolm Gladwell
Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast
The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast
5 Things You Can Learn From Kyle Kinane
Become A Connected Comedy Member

We also dive deep into Facebook advertising techniques, custom audiences & remarketing, referral & event tracking in Google Analytics, targeted ads on Reddit, and managing a small pay-per-click budget to promote your content online.

Plus, we answer your questions about about multiple Instagram accounts, photo credits, the future of Vine, capturing e-mails at shows, and replying to and engaging with your fans.

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Have a question you’d like us to answer on the next episode? Submit it now through this form.

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group.

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes.

Links from this episode:

Academy Unveils “Oscars® Creators”
4 Things You Can Learn From Social Media “Stars”
Zach King
BatDad
The Morning Dump w/ Jordan Cooper
How I Got Facebook Fans And Website Traffic For A Comedian
Justin Matson
IFTTT – If This, Then That

Plus, we take questions involving marketing a humor book, connecting with comedy bookers by providing value and repurposing your online content for multiple platforms.

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Have a question you’d like us to answer on the next episode? Submit it now through this form.

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group.

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes.

Links from this episode:

Ben Rosenfeld
Russian Optimism
The Morning Dump w/ Jordan Cooper
One Is Greater Than Zero
@CuriousBigDaddy on Twitter
Medium
@CrankyRicky on Twitter
Why Your Obsession With Getting Booked Is Actually Hurting Your Career
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook – Gary Vaynerchuk
The #AskGaryVee Show
Gary Vaynerchuk on Twitter
How To Pitch Your Content To Other Websites

In addition, Jordan shares what he’s learned the past year doing three different weekly podcasts, developing content as a proof of concept for something bigger, and we answer listener-submitted questions on reaching college markets without NACA, press releases & getting coverage for yourself and the prospects of “making it” just doing live stand-up performances.

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Have a question you’d like us to answer on the next episode? Submit it now through this form.

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group.

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes.

Links from this episode:

Google Analytics – Web Analytics & Reporting

Blenderhead Podcast

Tech Douchebags – 5by5

Internet Outrage Machine – 5by5

Transmission – Goodstuff FM

Tony Deyo – YouTube

How Do You Bend An iPhone?

Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator

Comedian asks: ‘Do you want to laugh at the crippled girl?’

What I Learned From The Book Contagious: Why Things Catch On

Help A Reporter Out

PewDiePie – YouTube

The 20 Most Popular Connected Comedy Articles Of 2014

On the “nichiest” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Josh Spector talk about narrowing the focus of your career towards a target audience, concentrating on that one thing that’s unique and different about you, how consumers have become fragmented and are gravitating to niches over broad media, how advertisers are putting more effort in reaching engaged audiences rather than large ones, and why ‘artisanal’ e-mail newsletters may be the next big wave of building and cultivating a fan base.

In addition, Jordan discusses the strategic plans of his podcast over the past two years, how it shows the power of placing yourself in the position to get opportunities, the importance of putting as much effort into community engagement as you do creating the content, and why setting goals with timeframes can help determine how you’re defining “success” in your comedic endeavors.

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Links from this episode:

Blenderhead Podcast #39: Never Go Full Cougar
5by5 Broadcasting
1,000 True Fans – Kevin Kelly
Academy Originals – YouTube
Matt Cutts: Try something new for 30 days
5 Reasons Comedian Newsletters May Become Bigger Than Comedy Podcasts
Media ReDEFined
NextDraft: The Day’s Most Fascinating News
Tab Dump
Just Another Crowd
The Listserve
Tech Douchebags #14: The Overthinker

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “fans are a misnomer” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Josh Spector talk about changing your approach of how to make the leap to headlining shows, why clubs and bookers don’t make you a headliner – your fan base does, how the terms ‘opener’, ‘feature’ and ‘headliner’ are antiquated, and why building a community of people that knows, likes and trusts you (even if it’s not for comedy) will ultimately allow you to move up the ladder.

In addition, we debate changing the usage of the word ‘fans’ to ‘connections’, leveraging another comedian’s audience to build yours, periodically testing the affinity of your connections, and producing content as a means to stay visible, maintain top-of-mind, and put yourself in the position to get opportunities.

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Links from this episode:

Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Reveals His ‘Phase 2’ for Hollywood

Scott Simpson

Talking touring, comedy and religion with comedian Mike Birbiglia

Jurassic Park & The Death of Stop-Motion Animation

Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz

How To Create Value In What You Create

Tech Douchebags

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “put your money where your mouth is” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Spector talk about how Facebook’s algorithm changes have dramatically affected page post visibility, why Facebook ads can be the best way to build an initial fan base, how targeting a very small demographic is more effective than broader campaigns, and why you don’t have to spend a ton of money to reach those who’d be most interested in your creative work.

In addition, we go behind the curtain on the success of Ellen’s Oscars selfie and how it’s a perfect example of what happens when the content, context and community are aligned.

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Links from this episode:

The Ellen Selfie Was TV’s Victory, Not Twitter’s
Old Spice: The Archetype of a Successful Social Media Campaign
Jimmy Kimmel and Tracy Morgan’s Emmy Prank
CC Podcast Episode 54 – Should You Have Multiple Twitter Accounts?
How Facebook Changed Its News Feed Algorithm
What Facebook’s Fan Page Changes Mean For Comedians
The death of Daily Grace shows the importance of the right deal

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “you won’t believe what happens next” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Josh Spector back to talk about his new curation project, the business model of content aggregators, strategies on growing visitors for a website from scratch, using Facebook ads to build an initial audience, and how small web projects can be a form of artistic output.

In addition, we discuss the recipe for developing a successful Twitter account, personality-driven media versus topic-based content, and whether or not there’s value in having separate social media profiles for different audiences, niches, projects or otherwise.

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Links from this episode:

This Was A Thing
Upworthy
Viral Nova
@HistoryInPics on Twitter
George Takei on Facebook
I Fucking Love Science on Facebook
HostGator Sucks!
How to Build a Successful Twitter Account: The Hip Hop Golden Age Way
@HipHopGoldenAge on Twitter
Alex Barnett
Louis CK’s Comedy Academy
Comedy Central’s @midnight
Joe Rogan
@DadBoner on Twitter
5 Things You Can Learn From Adam Carolla On The Solopreneur Hour Podcast

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “disingenuously edited” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Phil Farda, Travis Denley and Dave Stuck onto the show to debate the purpose and goals of having a podcast, people’s listenership habits, editing a podcast versus releasing it “live-to-tape”, setting expectations and respecting your podcast audience, building a community around your content, and constructively reviewing your work.

In addition, we discuss setting realistic career goals, performing at churches, the difference between club work and private events, how offline referrals are important even in this age of social media, knowing your fair value in negotiating pay for services and learning how to say “no”.

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Links from this episode:

The Comic Club Podcast

CC Podcast #51: Booking A Comedy Tour

CC Podcast #12: Forget That It’s Even A Website

Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder

Levelator

CC Podcast #31: You Have To Care

Green Room Radio

The Todd Barry Podcast

Comedy Central NY

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “new year’s resolutions” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer review our career progress over the past year and set goals for 2014.

In the process, we discuss how to make yourself more sellable to talent representation & the industry as a whole, putting together a “product” for corporate speaking, cultivating deeper relationships with your small community of supporters, and how success can come through simply not quitting.

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Links from this episode:

The Message Of You – Judy Carter [Amazon]
J-L Cauvin
APCA – Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “hitting the road” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Josh Homer welcome Matt Ward on to the show to discuss how to book a do-it-yourself comedy tour, performing outside of the established comedy club circuit, identifying goals on why you should even go on tour, and how the process is nearly exactly the same as what bands and musical acts have been doing for years.

In addition, we discuss how to properly route a tour, the economics of bar entertainment, why you should brand your tour, the pay-what-you-want merchandise business model, and how touring generally helps you in building relationships, growing a fan base, and rapidly develops your stand-up act.

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Links from this episode:

Knox Comedy Live
How To Book Your Own Comedy Tour
Book Your Own Fuckin’ Life
Musician’s Guide To Touring & Promotion
Neil Hamburger
Carmen Morales
Cape Fear Comedy Festival

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “three-year anniversary” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome the triumphant return of Josh Spector to the show to discuss comedians’ continuing frustration with the changing nature of the industry, how even the definition of “comedian” is shifting, why Bo Burnham is the wrong example of YouTube success in comedy, and why garnering attention to your content alone means little unless it turns into action.

In addition, we discuss what comedians can learn from the tech startup space, the difference between an ad-based business model and one that’s relationship-based, the importance of truly and continually educating yourself in the medium, dealing with the boredom of putting in the work every day, and why persistence usually ends up winning out in the long run.

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Links from this episode:

Thoughts About Why J-L Cauvin’s Album Didn’t Sell Better
Connected Comedy Podcast Episode 49: Excuses We Tell Ourselves
Long Tail
1000 True Fans
How Do You Define A Pivot?
Core Competency
Jerry Seinfeld – Howard Stern Show Interview
Connected Comedy Podcast Episode 44: Building A YouTube Audience
The Man Behind @DadBoner
Comedy Central Eliminates Separate Digital Unit
Would You Rather Be The Comedy Store or The Improv?

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “procrastination” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer discuss the things that prevent us comedians from taking action, dealing with perfectionism and analysis paralysis, what to do if you don’t feel creative every day, and generally being productive with your mental energy.

In addition, we debate if there’s any reason to pass up on stage time, why open-mics are a place to work on your act and not to entertain other comics, treating your career like it’s a job and not a hobby, the feeling of being overwhelmed with starting something new, and that taking yourself out of your comfort zone is the only way to progress.

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Links from this episode:

CC Podcast Episode 39 – No One’s Going To Feed You
The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron
Ralphie May at Stand-Up Mastery

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “all checks clear” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome Eric Yoder of the Funny Business Entertainment Agency to talk about how a booking agency works behind the scenes, what constitutes a good area/venue for a comedy event, the difference between marketing a monthly show and a full-time club, and in all transparency, how exactly an agency makes money.

In addition, we address the common complaints from comedians about bookers and vice-versa, the caveats of juggling being a comic and running a show/venue, why face time is huge in getting on someone’s radar, the line between persistence and annoyance, and how everything in the business ultimately comes down to trust.

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Links from this episode:

eBaum’s World
Gilda’s Laugh Fest

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “nothing new” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer talk about growing your fanbase without self-promotion through curating content, pushing others as a form of networking and developing relationships with peers, and aiming to build a community that matches your comedic voice.

In addition, we discuss the concept of platforming, using social media more as a telephone and less as a bullhorn, why you shouldn’t be focused on getting people out to shows, the weight of a recommendation and how maintaining a solid reputation is more important than helping your low-talent friends.

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Links from this episode:

How To Grow Your Fanbase By Not Promoting Yourself
Nashville Stand-Up
Daring Fireball
Jim Romenesko
CC Podcast Episode 34 – Look For The Yes

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “finding the game” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Matt Besser, one of the founding members of Upright Citizens Brigade about his new improv manual just released, the difference between long-form and short-form improv, how “yes, and” has become trite and harmful and clarifying other terminology and concepts in improv and ultimately, making it easier for those in middle America to learn improv.

In addition, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages stand-ups have when doing improv, how “the game” of the scene is closely similar to exploring what makes a joke funny, whether or not it’s possible to make a living touring around the country as an improvisor, and how in show business it’s imperative to have that one undeniably great “thing.”

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Links from this episode:

The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual
The Harold
Truth In Comedy
CC Podcast Episode #29 – UCB Butthurt
improv4humans

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “first ever guest scold” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome Leighann Lord on the show to discuss managing content on multiple social networks, focusing on communities and not platforms, experimenting to find out what works and what doesn’t, and having a presence that’s consistent and in it for the long haul.

In addition, we talk about the network effort and the value of uber-fans (no matter how few you might have), how everything you produce or do is a form of marketing, why “I don’t have the time” is a poor excuse, and that ultimately, people are going follow you for *you*, not necessarily only your stand-up work.

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Links from this episode:

StarTalk Radio Show
SlideShare
HootSuite
Buffer
IFTTT
SoundCloud
CC Podcast Episode 31: You Have To Care
CC Podcast Episode 11: 40,000 Anime Characters Can’t Be Wrong
Royale Watkins

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “riding solo” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper welcomes Tim Schmoyer from Video Creators to talk about how comedians can go about building a fan base and developing a niche community on YouTube, why it’s much more than a place to put your stand-up sets, and how personality and establishing a human connection are key for success on the platform.

In addition, we discuss the difference between podcast and YouTube audience demographics, how to discover other creators in your niche, repurposing your material for the new medium, why your webcam or smartphone camera is good enough to get started, titling your videos for reach versus retention and the importance of consistency, consistency, consistency.

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Links from this episode:

The Secret To Building Your YouTube Audience
VidCon
Making YouTube Sustaintable – Jason Calacanis
1000 True Fans
Optimizing Video SEO for Reach vs. Retention
90-9-1 Principle

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “low expectation” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Brent Terhune onto the show to delve into his experience working for the Bob & Tom radio show, writing topical jokes on the day’s news stories, workshopping material on Twitter and the balance between writing for yourself and writing for others.

In addition, we discuss podcasting from a terrestrial radio perspective, why people will find you more through content online than at clubs, how having a part-time job gives you creative freedom, and why it’s always best to not ask for permission, only forgiveness.

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Links from this episode:

The Bob & Tom Show
Xtranormal
The Interweb Podshow
Coast To Coast AM
CC Podcast Episode #34 – Look For The Yes

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “self-indulgent” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer provide context on the tone of the last series of shows by sharing their own stories and current career initiatives. We discuss why a national TV credit doesn’t really change anything, being prepared for a bump in visibility, building a proof of concept, creating opportunities for yourself and why you don’t have to be beholden to anyone.

In addition, we debate why comedians tend to shy away from writing for a specific interest group, how creating content keeps yourself in other people’s top-of-mind, why building a personal network can reap rewards in the oddest of ways and ultimately, why the metric of “success” doesn’t have to be mainstream fame.

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Links from this episode:

Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life – Steve Martin [Amazon]
CC Podcast Episode #38 – What Kinds Of Delusion Are You?
CC Podcast Episode #36 – Make Stuff
Louis C.K. Interview – Howard Stern Show 4/3/13
Blenderhead Podcast Episode #39 – Never Go Full Cougar
Josh Comers

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “most bubbly ever” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Ray Harrington on the show to talk about his Amazon & iTunes chart-topping album ‘The Worst Is Over’, what doing the work really looks like, ideas versus execution, putting yourself in the position to get opportunities, why labels distract comics from their goals, and how the most important aspect of your career is a network of people who know, like and trust you.

In addition, we have fun discussing hacky joke structures, catfishing comedians, podcast editing, when the right time is to get business cards, the best and worst merchandise we’ve seen, and why Ray hates Jim Gaffigan, amongst other things.

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Links from this episode:

Comedy Connection – Rhode Island
CC Podcast Episode 35 – Comedy Clubs As Curators
CC Podcast Episode 2 – Fighting For Cripple Rights
CC Podcast Episode 27 – You’re Not Funnier Than Jesus
CC Podcast Episode 14 – Why Do Our Fans Not Get It?
The Lean Startup
Stand-Up! Records
By The Way, In Conversation with Jeff Garlin #13 – Aziz Ansari
This Morning with Richard Not Judy – Lazy Comedy Slags
CC Podcast Episode 40 – Core Of Optimism
The Levelator
Melvin George II
Tribes – Seth Godin [Amazon]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “burning bridges” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome J-L Cauvin on the show to talk about the art of blogging as a comedian, why sharing honest experiences is important, how the expectation of success can ultimately cause your failure, and taking the training wheels off your comedy career to get down to serious work.

In addition, we discuss the comprehensive degradation of live stand-up, how the middle class levels in comedy has crashed over the past few years, why comedians tend to treat online content as a second class, and dealing with the lack of incremental growth in your career.

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Links from this episode:

Louis C.K. Tells The Classics [YouTube]
The Things New Comics Should Be Doing [J-L Cauvin]
The Business Of Comedy – Documentary [Hulu]
CC Podcast Episode 39: No One’s Going To Feed You
How To Fail In Comedy While Really Trying – Feature Work [J-L Cauvin]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On another “Spectorless” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Jim Mendrinos on the show to debate the shifting focus and evolution of the stand-up artform, structure versus subject matter, how the new generation of comics naturally will reject the old constructs, and that it’s nearly impossible to judge another person’s art.

In addition, we discuss Jim’s approach of teaching comedy writing, getting ahead at the later stages of your career, how the internet has allowed veterans to reinvent themselves and given access for the first time in the industry to do exactly what it is that you want.

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Links from this episode:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Comedy Writing [Amazon]
CC Podcast Episode 38: What Kinds Of Delusion Are You?
Living In Exile! [Stay Tuned TV]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On another “fly on the wall” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer bring Patrick Passafiume on the show for an off-the-cuff conversation about being able to self-assess your talent, staying grounded, giving and getting honest criticism of your act from peers, and learning from failure.

In addition, we discuss the dynamics of a comedy scene, why being made fun of is a rite of passage, stepping up from MC’ing to the feature spot, and weighing the standard of a “solid” set of time.

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Links from this episode:

Like I’m An Idiot Episode 15: Maggie Klaus Explains Stand-Up Comedy
Is Rob Delaney Trying to Keep the Video of Him Bombing on ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ Off the Web?

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “fly on the wall” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer bring Mark Feigenbutz on the show for a very leisurely conversation about the internal and external struggles of moving up the comedy ladder, the destructive nature of staying inside your comfort zone, the process of framing material to suit a specific audience, and how it all ultimately comes down to the fear of failure.

In addition, we discuss how badly the television networks are looking for content, why age demographics play a huge role in the industry opportunities you get, and how early success with a great five-minute showcase set can bite you in the ass later on in your career.

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Links from this episode:

CC Podcast Episode 36 – Make Stuff
Kyle Kinane’s Going Nowhere
Interview w/ Patton Oswalt [AV Club]
Impractical Jokers

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “worst pitch session ever” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Dan Pasternack, VP of Development & Production at IFC to discuss how a network scouts talent, the role of podcasts and web series as a development platform, and how to pitch a television executive on a new project.

In addition, Dan shares with us the story of how Portlandia was developed on IFC, the difference between ideas versus execution, the importance of having a distinctive voice, why the biggest disservice to your career is to be seen before you’re ready, and ultimately how in this day and age, it’s the best time ever to be a comedian.

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Links from this episode:

Portlandia
Thunderant
Comedy Bang Bang
Tribes – Seth Godin
Super Deluxe
Ben Stiller’s All-Star Comedy Roundtable
Out There
Maron
Coming Soon: The Spoils of Babylon & The Birthday Boys [IFC Fix]
Diabetes Is No Joke

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “no solutions” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome road veteran Dale Jones onto the show to discuss the state of the comedy club business from a comic’s perspective, how clubs can shift with the changing landscape to have more sustainability, why it all can be fruitless without data showing what’s working and what’s not, and if audiences simply don’t trust the “comedy club experience” anymore.

In addition, we talk about the broadening definition of a what a comedy show is, how clubs in middle America can embrace tactics being utilized in Los Angeles and New York by understanding, embracing and being active in their local communities and thinking of themselves more as content companies than performance venues.

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Links from this episode:

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

5 Signs A Comedy Club Is Struggling [Ward Anderson]

The Stand

Cringe Humor

Bar Rescue Episode 310 – Meat Sauna [Spike TV]

The Creek And The Cave

Laughing Skull Lounge

Chucklefck

The Laugh Factory YouTube Channel

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “don’t be an asshole” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, and Chelcie Rice welcome Ryan Budds to the show to talk about his move to Los Angeles from Chicago, building relationships and being a jack of all trades in an industry town, why production assistant jobs shouldn’t be “underneath” you and the power of simply just asking people for things you would like to do.

In addition, we continue to discuss Josh Spector’s recent trend of “trolling” questions towards comedians, why lamenting that there’s not enough club work isn’t a solution, how comics have been ingrained to think of the crowd as someone else’s audience, and the difference in mindset between doing work-for-hire and pursuing a career.

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Links from this episode:

CC Podcast Episode 18: When Do You Stop Paying Your Dues?

You Know What Comics Really Hate? The Audience. [Connected Comedy]

5 Ways To Build A Closer Connection To Your Fans [Connected Comedy]

Read This Before You Decide To Sell Your Comedy Album [Connected Comedy]

Comics Have Too Many One-Night Stands [Connected Comedy]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “pay what you want” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer discuss the backlash towards the recent Connected Comedy post posing a concept where the audience decides a comedian’s pay, whether or not this would be good for comics, question if a crowd can even judge good comedy in the first place, and if the negativity highlights how much comics actually hate club audiences.

In addition, we continue on the topic on a broader level and into the psyche of stand-up comics. Are we relying too heavily on the security of the live comedy infrastructure? What do we do when the club “circuit” goes away? Does the industry truly want us or really just want our audience?

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Links from this episode:

The Most Annoying Thing Comics Do And More Stuff I’m Thinking About This Week [Connected Comedy]

Chirpify – The Social Commerce & Payments Platform

You Know What Comics Really Hate? The Audience. [Connected Comedy]

6 Lessons You Can Learn From The Success Of “Jackass” [Connected Comedy]

The New Movie Stars: How Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain and Ryan Gosling Are Redefining Stardom [The Wrap]

Comedy Living Room: It’s Comedy…in a Living Room [LA Weekly]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “obsessive compulsive” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer discuss figuring out how many people are truly your fans, pivoting your strategy based on data, developing a fanbase in industry towns versus on the road, why the drawing power of TV-credited comics is vastly overestimated, and what comedy managers can learn from music labels and concert promoters.

In addition, we poke fun at delusional comedians who post on Facebook about “killing” (when they really didn’t), the difference in treating comedy as a hobby versus a career, and how no matter what you do, it should always have a definable purpose.

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Links from this episode:

Between Two Ferns w/ Zach Galifianakis

CC Podcast Episode 31: You Have To Care

1000 True Fans [Kevin Kelly]

10 Things Comics Need To Ignore [Connected Comedy]

Find The Thing You’re Most Passionate About, Then Do It On Nights And Weekends For The Rest Of Your Life [The Onion]

The B.S. Report w/ Bill Simmons

FiveThirtyEight Blog – Nate Silver

I Killed Last Night, Now What? [Reddit]

10 Things You Can Do To Jumpstart Your Career [Connected Comedy]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “get off my internet lawn” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, and Chelcie Rice welcome Patrick Melton of Nobody Likes Onions on the show to discuss his nearly nine years experience running one of the most successful and long-running comedy podcasts, the very early “wild west” days of podcasting pre-iTunes, why the first-mover advantage is so imperative before market saturation and how mainstream media personalities entering the industry completely changes the game for everyone.

Also, Patrick describes some of his creative monetization methods, why attracting long-term fans is more important than short-term money from potential sponsors, how social media is more about giving value rather than self-promotion, and customizing your content to suit the specific platform natively.

In addition, we ultimately encourage comedians (hopefully) on the importance of having some semblance of a plan, pride in what you produce, a consistent and infallible work ethic and not being afraid of trying anything.

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Links from this episode:

Podcast Alley
UStream
Nobody Likes Onions 9/11 Tribute
NLO Browser Buddy Extensions
The Official NLO App
PMelt iOS App
Green Dawn Subreddit
Stand-Up Shots Subreddit

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “back from the red carpet” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome the return of Josh Spector as he gives a brief recap of his work behind the scenes overseeing social media on Hollywood’s biggest event, and shares what comedians can learn from his experience. Plus, we discuss how Twitter reach will soon be incorporated into television ratings, how the laws of supply and demand affect the talent level required to succeed, and whether or not stand-up is even the best way to break into comedy nowadays.

In addition, we finally announce the winner of our Christmas giveaway, why money is better spent on production rather than promotion, and what the best uses of $100 should entail when investing into a comedy career.

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Links from this episode:

Why Every Comedian Should Pay Attention To The New Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings [Connected Comedy]
Twitter Reaction to Events Often at Odds with Overall Public Opinion [Pew Research Center]
Content marketing is journalism’s next big revenue threat [INMA]
You Had To Be There Podcast
CC Podcast Episode 26: What Would You Do With $100?
A Breakdown Of A Clever Comedy Stunt [Connected Comedy]
Buffer
TextExpander
MarsEdit
Amanda Palmer and the Art of Asking

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “no respect” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer discuss the recent uproar in the New York City comedy scene about UCB and their policy of not paying comics. Does the difference in mindset & culture between the stand-up and improv communities play a part in their perspectives handling the business side of things? Should how much money a venue makes be of any concern at all to performers anyways?

In addition, we use the incident as a lens to highlight the importance of precedent and aligned expectations when accepting a gig, whether being a professional or amateur matters in this equation, and whether or not a comedian’s union could ever work outside of a small select group of influential industry members.

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Links from this episode:

Controversy over Upright Citizens Brigade flares, but is it much ado about nothing? [Laughspin]

A Word on the Recent Internet Controversies Surrounding the UCB Theater [Chris Gethard]

The economics of the UCB, indie rooms and stand-up comedy [Comic’s Comic]

Ted Alexandro on the UCB, and the 2002 stand-up petition to NYC clubs [Comic’s Comic]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “being true and real” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer follow up with Josh Spector on last week’s discussion of blogging, the opportunities and potential audience that comedians have creating long form content, why the skills that make for good blogging are the same as what makes for good stand-up, having a purpose or style in your writing, the benefits of guest posting and how links are the currency of the blogosphere.

In addition, we drill down on Comedy Central’s show lineup to highlight trends in the comedy industry, the increasing sentiment that “selling” your material is more important than good writing, why “being true to yourself” could easily be a cop-out, and whether or not you can ever improve as a comic without immersing yourself in the art and craft of stand-up comedy.

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Links from this episode:

CC Podcast Episode 27: You’re Not Funnier Than Jesus
Grantland
How To Blog – Tony Pierce [Busblog]
Google Alerts
Jason Good
Andrew Sullivan – Declaration of Independence [The Daily Beast]
Jokes That Won’t Matter Tomorrow – Josh Comers
Maybe You’re Just Not Good Enough [Connected Comedy]
Jiro Dreams Of Sushi [Rotten Tomatoes]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “blasphemous” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Andrew Hall on the show to discuss his comedic blogging endeavors at Laughing In Purgatory, how to become a prolific content creator online, striving towards having an excellent work ethic, setting realistic long-term expectations and continually generating traffic to your website.

In addition, we talk about the importance building relationships with other bloggers, using your website as a networking tool and being clear about who you are and what you do. Plus we highlight how your content must come from a genuine source, avoiding playing to the back of the room and why there’s nothing worse than a mediocre comedy podcast.

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Links from this episode:

Pareto principle (the 80/20 rule) [Wikipedia]
The Atheist Pig
Mississippi Passes Anti-Richard Dawkins Legislation [Laughing In Purgatory]
Mr. Panos (Yannis Pappas) Video Blog [YouTube]
Sandpaper Suit
The Comic’s Comic
Stewie To The Rescue
J-L Cauvin
Outliers (the 10,000 Hours Rule) by Malcom Gladwell [Wikipedia]
A Field Guide To Hecklers [Chicago Tribune]

Participate with the community in our Connected Comedy Facebook group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “belated holiday” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer exchange Christmas presents while assessing the progress of their careers throughout the past year, discuss whether a comic should invest in the foundation of their web presence versus flashier content and play “subject line bingo” to show the insight you can get from utilizing split-testing in your e-mail marketing efforts.

In addition, we have a lengthy philosophical debate over the stature of Louis C.K, his FX show and his career in general, Chris Rock’s retort about comics nowadays not striving for universal appeal, and seriously question if there will ever be another comedian best known worldwide for just their stand-up act.

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Links from this episode:

The Science Behind Those Obama Campaign E-Mails [Business Week]
CC Podcast Episode 24: Ranking Your Fans
Modern Comedian
How To Get Booked At A Comedy Club – XtraNormal
Chris Rock: The E-Mail Interview [Vanity Fair]
CC Podcast Episode 23: God In Your Pocket

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

We include the increasing importance of controlling your own online platform, how Hollywood has bought totally into Twitter even though they continue to be clueless on how to leverage it properly, why anyone with an audience has become a media outlet in the age of pageview journalism, and how crowdfunding will become a primary resource for performers with existing fan bases.

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Links from this episode:

The 5 Comedians Most Likely To Become The Louis C.K. of 2012 [Connected Comedy]
5 Social Media Shifts That Will Impact Comedians [Connected Comedy]
CC Podcast Episode 16: Social Media Is Bullshit
If the Media Covers You, You’d Better Bring an Audience [New York Observer]
Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator [Amazon]
Medium
Kickstarter

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “thankful for nothing” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome the return of Josh Spector to the show after his brief vacation hiatus to follow up with his thoughts on the past few episodes, the misnomer by comedians that marketing is spamming, why the only people that matter are the people that like you, how you should never be apologetically promotional, and that hanging out with audience members after your shows is a ripe opportunity to connect and convert.

In addition, we have a lengthy conversation about workflows with our favorite web apps and why making the technical side of social media as easy as possible helps you focus more time on creating content. Finally, we highlight considerations when dealing with entertainment lawyers with an update on Chelcie’s potential spokesperson deal for a diabetic supply company.

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Links from this episode:

Letterly
Dropbox
Wappwolf Dropbox Automator
IFTTT – If This Then That
Bitly
Buffer
Instapaper
Podcast Episode 22: If You Make The Ask, Things Will Happen
Comedy Juice

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “what would Jesus do?” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome Tim McClendon on the show to discuss the Christian comedy market, writing what you know regardless if it’s clean or dirty, setting your own goals and ignoring the expectations of others, why doing the work is fun and not getting bogged down looking for shortcuts.

In addition, we discuss the dynamics of a sales funnel, leveraging your existing networks to get leads, how Tim uses webinars to convert prospects, addressing common objections and why selling is more about the idea than who you are.

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Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “thankful for nothing” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome Sarah Kennedy and Sarah Mowrey on the show to discuss the scene in Albuquerque, using different formats to brand self-produced shows, leveraging sponsorships as a mark of credibility and generally how to replace community awareness and marketing of comedy when there’s no full-time club in the area.

In addition, we discuss the basic concepts of running a successful local comedy website/blog, whether asking for e-mail addresses at shows is too pushy, why over-thinking your e-mail marketing efforts leads to non-action and how to truly determine when to pivot your business versus quitting before hitting the ‘tipping point.’

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Links from this episode:

AlbuquerCrack Up
Louisville Comedy
A Special Thing
Young Dumb & Full of Comedy Show
CC Podcast Episode 16: Social Media Is Bullshit
Tribes – Seth Godin [Amazon]
The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell [Amazon]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “extremely high standard” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome Josh Homer back on the show post-hurricane to give a recap of how comedians in New York City handled the weather disaster, then we proceed to discuss choosing paths that would be most effective for the stage of your career, pure vanity projects, the fake feeling of progress and ultimately how to figure out what “good” is.

In addition, we explore how to leverage daily deal sites such as Groupon for self-produced comedy shows, why customer retention is key, using the platform as research for potential sponsors, and learning how to approach sponsors with the goal of building a long-term relationship over short-term gains.

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Links from this episode:

Podcast Episode 20: Why Would Anyone Read A Book Of Tweets?
Groupon
Living Social
Amazon Local
Ngaio Bealum – Twitter
Louis C.K.’s love letter to New York and ‘Saturday Night Live’ [Hitfix]
4 Things Comedians Should Know About Agents [Connected Comedy]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “massive brainstorm” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice discuss getting in the habit of making something, focusing on things that are actionable, shipping a minimum viable product, repurposing content for different mediums and inevitably learning from failure.

In addition, we reflect on the mission and purpose of Connected Comedy, share some podcast stats, highlight community management issues with forums and go on a lengthy brainstorming session for humorous products that includes greeting cards, thank you notes, compilation albums, and comedians reviewing cooking recipes.

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Links from this episode:
Joe O’Hare – Website
The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten. – Steve Martin
20 Tips On How To Be A “Successful” Business Or Marketing Guru [Jordan Cooper]
Tiny Letter
Minimum Viable Product [Wikipedia]
The Oatmeal
XKCD
Blubrry – Podcast Stats

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “chauvinist pig” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome musician/comedian Katie Goodman onto the show to discuss how she produces & promotes her own independent gigs a.k.a. “four walling”, why having a hook helps you get press, how social media has amplified the reach of her fanbase and getting booked for Planned Parenthood fundraisers.

In addition, we speak about misogyny in the comedy industry, why it seems as if women aren’t as aggressive in pursuing opportunities compared to men, whether it’s biological or a product of the environment, whether the bias lies within the industry bookers or the general public as a whole, why being a draw and selling tickets solves all issues – all within the context of Josh Spector’s recent post of the funniest Connected Comedy readers, which featured no women.

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Links from this episode:

The 10 Funniest Connected Comedy Readers
Funny girls: More female comics are taking the stage [NY Daily News]
Broad Comedy
Tina Fey, Amy Poehler to Host 2013 Golden Globe Awards [Hollywood Reporter]
Why Women Aren’t Funny – Christopher Hitchens [Vanity Fair]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “there’s still magic in Hollywood” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome festival organizer and former Last Comic Standing producer Charlie Gerencer of Pygmy Wolf Productions to the show to discuss developing comedy programming for TV, what producers look for when casting for a new project and how the internet has changed much of the process.

In addition, he shares the genesis of the Asheville comedy festival, breaking into the TV business, the importance of networking and working your ass off, why shitty production jobs are a great opportunity and how a killer script is gold in Hollywood. Finally, he dishes the dirt from behind the scenes at Last Comic Standing and settles some comedians’ doubts on the authenticity of the show and selection process.

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Links from this episode:

Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival
John August – Screenwriting Blog
Microsoft hires CBS’ Nancy Tellem to form new Xbox studio [LA Times]
YouTube to Double Down on Its ‘Channel’ Experiment [Wall Street Journal]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “cleansing the palette” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer address feedback from the ‘social media is bullshit’ debate, follow up on the core points comedians should take out of the argument, why you need to focus on concepts not tools, and generally dispel the myth of ‘all you need to do is X’ whether it be online or offline.

In addition, we discuss getting yourself out there, putting yourself in the position to get opportunities, leveraging press for credibility and manufacturing social proof. Finally, Jordan gives the scold to end all scolds which identifies procrastination, laziness and ego as the over-arching theme and root cause of his critical nature towards what comics say and do.

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Links from this episode:
Connected Comedy Podcast Episode 16: Social Media Is Bullshit
Social Media Is Bullshit by BJ Mendelson [Amazon]
People To Know: Chelcie Rice [Diabetes Forecast]
Connected Comedy Podcast Episode 2: Fighting For Cripple Rights

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “social media prizefight” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper moderates while Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer judge a debate between Josh Spector and the author of the new book “Social Media Is Bullshit“, comedy writer and journalist Brandon Mendelson about that very subject. Is social media all a rigged game where success just comes down to luck and circumstance? Just how powerful are these platforms in reality for the unknown artist, if they are at all?

In this hour-plus long debate, we discuss the real stories behind these so-called social media successes and the facts that the media and marketers rarely tell you, why you shouldn’t believe anything until you see the data and why building relationships, making connections offline and using old-fashioned press hooks are more important than any social media platforms. In addition, Brandon explains the asshole-based economy, the pageview mafia, how the Internet is primarily owned by large corporations picking and choosing winners, why the comedy media is terrible at reporting success stories and finally, where should the unknown comedian go from here knowing that the deck is stacked against them.

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Links from this episode:

Social Media Is Bullshit by BJ Mendelson [Amazon]
Turning Panic Into Money: Marc Maron’s Podcast Gold [PBS MediaShift]
“Almost no sex scandals under a Mormon presidency” – promises Mitt Romney [Sean O’Dwyer]
The myth of social media? It won’t make you rich. [CNN]
Crystallizing Public Opinion by Edward Bernays [Amazon]
How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie [Amazon]
Connected Comedy Podcast Episode 1: Pick Yourself

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “half-decent questions” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, Chelcie Riceand Josh Homer welcome Connected Comedy community member Amy Blackwell on the show to discuss balancing having a day job while pursuing a stand-up comedy career, finding part-time work that utilizes your creativity and why social media-based jobs are perfect for comedians.

In addition, we give our thoughts on the new comedy sub-Reddit and trend of posting “meme” images of your bits, some follow up on a checklist of things to do when moving to a new city, comics’ irrational paranoia over having material stolen and Josh Spector wins the scold scorecard this episode in a rant about how most comedians
can’t seem to follow the simplest of instructions.

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Links from this episode:
The Sex & Cash Theory [Hugh MacLeod]
Mashable – Jobs Search
Why You Should Get To Know A Viral Agency [Connected Comedy]
Deadline Hollywood
New Reddit comedy meme page benefits established comics, up and comers and fans [Laughspin]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “palette cleanser” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, Chelcie Riceand Josh Homer discuss the changing perception of what exactly a comic is, how comedy isn’t immune from disruption and ponder why newer comics are embracing digital more than many established acts.

In addition, we explain why ideas are meaningless without execution, how to figure out what is the next logical step in your career, underestimating the value of learning, and Josh shares a love/hate e-mail he recently received from a reader.

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Links from this episode:
Creativity Is Just Connecting Things [Lifehacker]
Everything’s A Remix – Web Series
Free by Chris Anderson
Meet YouTube’s first class of YouTube Next Comics [The Comic’s Comic]
Noel Gallagher: ‘The Rock Star Is Going Extinct’ [Digital Music News]
Attack Of The ’90s Music Stars [Entertainment Weekly]
Is Netflix Competing with HBO? [IP Carrier]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “quoting Seth Godin” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, and Josh Homer welcome Alex Barnett of Comedians At Law on the show to discuss connecting to your fans through personal experiences, experimenting and taking risks in your career efforts, the importance of shipping, work ethic in a group dynamic and the power of having a clearly defined audience.

In addition, we go through the perils of converting Facebook fans into show-goers, pricing & determining your fair value as a comedian and contemplate the single biggest thing preventing comics from having a successful career. How long can Jordan go without scolding someone this episode? Listen and find out!

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Links from this episode:
Alex Barnett Facebook Page
Burn Your Boats [Venturebent]
King Nothing: Running a Comedy Business On Hobby Income [J-L Cauvin]
Godin to authors: You have no right to make money any more [GigaOm]
The $100 Startup [Chris Guillebeau]
How should you treat your best customers? [Seth Godin]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “will this ever end?” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer discuss how to approach the design of your website and why what it actually looks like is the end result of determine its purpose to begin with.

Using Chelcie as a guinea pig, we break down the three most important things to include on your website, why a website is just a tool to accomplish a goal as a comedian, utilizing the most visible real estate for conversion elements, using benefit statements and calls to action to tell visitors what to do (a.k.a. making the ask), the difference between static and dynamic content and its implications on design, the power of social proof and the importance of owning your domain name and web hosting account.

In addition, we answer questions from Facebook and Twitter about starting, joining or soliciting podcast networks, when to retire a joke, whether bringer shows are good for comedy and why being easy to work with may be just as important as how talented you are as a comic.

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Links from this episode:

TWiT Netcast Network
5by5 Broadcasting
Red Bar Radio
Nobody Likes Onions
GoDaddy
HostGator

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “gaming social media stardom” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome comedian Cris Gray on to the show to discuss branding, why your “brand” has to stand for something, how figuring out your audience helps the process in creating a platform bigger than you and why “funny stuff” is not a differentiation as a brand.

In addition, we discuss why it’s important to take action rather than spending time planning, giving yourself the freedom to change and why failing fast & failing often is the only way to learn to succeed. We also follow up from last week’s conversation about buying Twitter followers as Jordan shares a prank/experiment attesting to the effectiveness of the practice.

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Links from this episode:

Fiverr
Caught Blue-Handed: Someone Is Buying Mitt Romney Twitter Popularity [TechCrunch]
Nerdist / Chris Hardwick
Comedians At Law
1000 True Fans [Kevin Kelly]
Forward Comedy
Poker Comic
Marc Maron 2007 Myspace Blog Post

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “Bone, Thugs & Comedy” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer discuss the recent speech by Patton Oswalt at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal. In his two “letters”, we highlight why this is a big transition point in the comedy industry, the positives as well as the ramifications of such shifts, and ask whether established comedians and early adopters are the only ones truly benefiting from these new opportunities.

In addition, we get into a lengthy conversation making parallels between the comedy business and the hip-hop industry, what comedians can learn from rappers, and why becoming the platform may be more financially rewarding than operating solo. Taking some questions from the community, we also discuss the considerations when deciding to move locales for your comedy career, whether or not Twitter follower counts matter to the industry and why most questions comedians ask are really about validation.

Looking to take your online presence and marketing as a comedian to the next level? Josh highlights his upcoming Connected Comedy School class at the end of the show. It starts August 6th, so register right now before all spots are filled up!

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Links from this episode:
Patton Oswalt’s “two letters” as presented at Just For Laughs [Third Beat]
Kevin Smith’s Secrets To A Successful Life [Connected Comedy]
Patton Oswalt – Wikipedia
WTF Podcast w/ Marc Maron – Episode 300
Fueling the tech boom and learning from hip-hop [CNET]
The Wu-Tang Marketing Plan [Mental Floss]
Refollow – Twitter Relationship Manager

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “throwing bookers to the wolves” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector, Chelcie Rice and Josh Homer welcome festival and club booker Matt Komen, currently of Stand-Up Live in Phoenix, on to the show to take the heat of all comedian’s frustrations with the industry.

We discuss what a club manager looks for when booking a new comic, why you don’t have to be in New York or Los Angeles to get discovered, how getting the attention of headliners may be more helpful than soliciting clubs and the importance of having a 360 degree approach towards your comedy career.

In addition, we have a lengthly debate on whether the comedy club business model is dead, plus go through a cavalcade of topics including festival submissions, press kits, getting representation, why first impressions count a great deal and ultimately, that no matter your goals, no one can “want it” more than you.

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Links from this episode:
The Laugh Factory YouTube channel
Why Laugh Factory Live Will Be A Colossal Failure [Jordan Cooper]
How To Fail In Comedy While Really Trying – Feature Work [J-L Cauvin]
Don McMillan – Technically Funny
Comedians At Law
Mail Order Comedy
Anjelah Johnson – Nail Salon (YouTube video)
My Email List Building Challenge: Week 2 Progress [Connected Comedy]

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “all things e-mail marketing” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Josh Spector and Chelcie Rice welcome DJ Waldow, the co-author of the Rebel’s Guide To E-Mail Marketing, on to the show to discuss why a comedian’s e-mail list is the best connection to their fan base, how content and e-mail marketing go hand-in-hand, why your e-mail list should be about delivering value to your audience, the power of curation and why being human, honest and engaging is key.

In the midst of the show, Josh shares results from the first week of his e-mail subscriber drive, we hold an e-mail intervention for Chelcie, and Jordan scolds DJ for even asking whether or not he could curse on the podcast. If you’ve been putting off starting that e-mail list, or are looking for creative ideas on how to use your existing e-mail list, this episode is definitely for you.

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Links from this episode:

My E-Mail List Building Challenge – Week 1 Progress [Connected Comedy]
Ryan Budds – “Featurable” live album download
Jason Falls’ Twitter strategy t-shirt
Perfect is the enemy of good [Wikipedia]
MailChimp
Aweber
Constant Contact
Feedburner

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page. We always welcome your comments!

On the “monetization is not a real word” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice, Josh Spector and Josh Homer discuss a comedy club’s role in cultivating local comics, what to do as a comedian if you have to choose between two clubs having a turf war, and the misconception that clubs are actually in the entertainment industry.

Also, Josh Spector gives a glimpse of his plan to grow e-mail subscribers, Josh Homer explains how he collects e-mail addresses at shows, and Jordan spends five minutes explaining how spam blocking works in all the technical detail. What’s your business strategy as a comedian? If you don’t know, then this week’s show is for you.

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Links from this episode:
Why Clean Comedy Clubs Don’t Exist [Jordan Cooper]
Definition of the word “monetization” [Dictionary.com]
Want To Grow Your Email List By 25% This Month? [Connected Comedy]
The Best Tool To Build And Manage Your Email Mailing List [Connected Comedy]
MailChimp

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page.

We always welcome your comments!

On the “bad listener questions” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper, Chelcie Rice, Josh Spector and Josh Homer welcome community member Steven Padilla of the Comedy Scene in Houston website onto the show.

This week we continue followup on the internet vs. television fame debate, learning from the biggest YouTube personalities, why someone’s first taste of success drives motivation and how comedians can sell tickets to their shows effectively online for themselves. Also, we discuss Louis C.K.’s career path, how he exploits opportunities to gain knowledge and whether he could duplicate his success had he just started doing stand-up now in 2012.

[powerpress]

Links from this episode:
Reality Check: Internet Comedy Success [Ward Anderson]
10 Big YouTube Earners in 2011 [Devstand]
Maker Studios
Skinja – Dan Goodman
King Temp – Nick Turner
Louisville Comedy
Road Comics Forum
Podcast Episode 2 – Fighting For Cripple Rights (merchandise talk)
Louis C.K. selling tickets for his tour exclusively through his website [Laughspin]
Eventbrite
Brown Paper Tickets
Laugh Stub

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We always welcome your comments!

On the “eerily empty room” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice make up for the vacation of their co-hosts by diving into comedians’ naturally inflated egos, how our need for validation can sidetrack actually making progress, and the importance of focusing on what you can control.

In addition, we do some follow up from last week by discussing the measuring of advertising by comedy clubs and the use of comment cards, ways comedians can convert audience members into fans after shows, and a scold (as usual) to all those who moan and complain when needing to invest financially into their comedy career.

[powerpress]

Links from this episode:
Vistaprint
Louis C.K. Releases Stand-Up Special Exclusively On His Website For $5 [Huffington Post]
Laugh Your Asheville Off
HostGator
MailChimp
Dropbox

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page.

We always welcome your comments!

On the “overbooked number of participants” episode of the podcast, Josh Spector, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome community member Tyler Meznarich onto the show as well as introduce Josh Homer as a regular co-host for our roundtable of comedy, marketing and business-related topics.

This week we completely rip apart stand-up comedy contests, what goals and expectations comedians should have participating in contests, and why contests may be a symptom of “lazy marketing” by both clubs and comics. Also, we ask whether or not getting on TV is overrated and how the path of success for comedians is getting hazier in this time of industry disruption.

[powerpress]

Links from this episode:

Off The Wall Comedy Contest
The World Series of Comedy
Laughing Skull Comedy Festival
Boston Comedy Festival
New York Underground Comedy Festival
What’s with all the competitions? [Shecky Magazine]
UCB Theatre
Cracked.com – Write For Us
10 Metrics Comedians Can Use To Judge The Progress Of Their Career [Connected Comedy]
Ward Anderson
How many followers do your TV comedians have in 2012? [The Comic’s Comic]
Jake and Amir
Rob Delaney
Shutterbugs w/ Aziz Ansari
Human Giant
19 Lessons From Peter Shankman [Right Mix Marketing]
How To Wash A Cat – Video [Dave Webster]
HARO – Help A Reporter Out

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page.

We always welcome your comments!

On the “newly enhanced audio quality” episode of the podcast, Jordan Cooper and Chelcie Rice welcome former segment producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live & Lopez Tonight, Adam Speigelman of the Proudly Resents podcast on the show.

We discuss the technical/talent divide in comedy podcasting, the pros & cons of the three primary formats of podcasts, using a podcast as a proof of concept for Hollywood development deals and the fallacy of searching for the magic bullet for success. Jordan also give an anecdotal recap of BlogWorld & New Media Expo, Adam discusses his session there with Rich Vos, Bonnie McFarlane & Nikki Glaser.

[powerpress]

Links from this episode:
Paul Goebel – The King of TV podcast
Blue Snowball microphone
BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2012
WTF w/ Marc Maron podcast
Podcast Answer Man – Cliff J. Ravenscraft
School of Podcasting
What Will Kill Podcasting [Tom Webster]
Overblog – Make the most of Social Media
YouSayToo – Community Driven Media
Independent Podcast Alliance – Facebook group
Comedian Jonathan Slocumb Featured in EBONY Magazine’s Comedy Issue
A Special Thing
Earwolf forums
Podcast Fandom – Facebook group
You Had To Be There w/ Nikki Glaser & Sara Schaefer

Participate with the CC community in our Connected Comedy Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page.

We always welcome your comments!

It leads into a lengthy discussion about merchandise strategy for comedians and how to balance aligning it with your act versus creating something people would be willing to buy. In addition, we discuss the importance of having a web presence you control, the visibility conundrum on social networks, why content creation is key for comedians online, and a hearty scolding (as always) that e-mail matters!

[powerpress]

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and COMMENT on this podcast in iTunes!

Links from this episode:
Party in the Park: Where it’s not okay to be proudly crippled [Ally Bruener]
The Official Brent Weinbach Website – Merchandise
The Short Lifespan of a Tweet: Retweets Only Happen Within the First Hour [Read Write Web]
WTF Podcast Episode 272 – Kevin Hart
The Danger of Too Many Calls to Action [Dayne Shuda]

Participate with the Connected Comedy community in our Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page.

We always welcome your comments!

[powerpress]

Links from this episode:
Twitter search
Reject the tyranny of being picked: pick yourself [Seth Godin]
My Seinfeld Year – Fred Stoller (Kindle Single) [Amazon]
WTF Podcast Episode 272 – Kevin Hart

Participate with the Connected Comedy community in our Facebook Group or post your questions, suggestions or topics to cover in the future on our Facebook Page.

We always welcome your comments!