Thread by @roywoodjr

Fellow stand-ups, Use judgement the coming weeks We're all in diff situations. (City Comics vs Road). Communicate w/ other comics in similar situations. Get ya chicken in order. Money is important. just make sure to not let a show get you in a situation ya healthcare can't solve

Even after this pandemic passes (hopefully) the affects of it on our industry will be long lasting. Skinny up ya spending habits. Following the larger venues, Comedy Clubs are now cancelling shows.

Not only are comedy clubs cancelling shows, they are cancelling the shows and not paying the comedians ANY of the money due them for the week. Not even half pay for the night of cancellation. Sucks, but that's the game. So think before driving to that gig as money becomes tight.

My point is, if Stadiums, then Theaters, then colleges and now comedy clubs are shutting down then the one-nighters and bar shows are next. Many of us are working show to show.

Talk to the club owner. fuck talking to the booker. The booker doesn't live there. Talk to the people in that city. msg them blind on Twitter if you have to. If you choose to not perform, dont let some booker guilt you into still doing a show. fuck them.

Get a feel for what's happening. This will probably only get worse. figure out what's going on with the local ordinances restricting audience sizes as well.

Now, back to that chicken you need to get in order.

Acts playing larger theaters will try to reschedule shows in the fall but must compete with existing shows already booked at same venues. This MIGHT move them down to the club level (300+ seats) to make a little $$$ until they can get back in the bigger venues in 2021. .

This means less popular club acts, will get bumped/moved around a little while the more popular acts come in. All in the game. Big bank take little bank. You will see fewer dates. Think about alternate revenue streams. Now one more thing to consider.

A possible Writer's strike

During the last writers strike, there were are a lot of writers, & stand-ups (working on TV sets) who returned to the road during the drought. Comedic actors (though not stand-ups by trade) also went on the road since some are popular enough to sell tickets.

The aforementioned comedy clubs (fresh off weeks of 0% revenue) will book them because the need to get out the red. The back half of 2020 you could potentially be competing with more writers/Actors with a gang of free time along w/ the aforementioned displaced theatre acts.

No matter where you are on the comedy totem pole the ripples of what is happening will affect you.

Get ya chicken in order now.

Them dates you you got locked up might not be so safe.

I know it aint fair "cuz you had that date on the books months ago". and I know it aint cool that some "ngga that's just funny on TV coming and trying to do stand-up".

But the game aint fair.

These clubs dont give a fck about you. they give a fck about tickets. and if someone bigger than you can fill the club then that's what it's gone be. If you're a feature act or MC, hope and pray that that headliner allows you to still open for them.

And if they dont, hope & pray the club still pays you SOMETHING when they cancel on you the week of. but the odds of that happening are 20/80.

this ESPECIALLY goes for comics still doing bar shows.

Same show you dying to do is likely run by a person that doesn't care if you get sick & also wont so much as give you gas money home after you've driven hours for a show COVID-19 forced to cancel. I'm not saying don't perform. I'm simply saying weigh pros & cons before doing so.

I've always felt like there is no bad comedy gig. With every you have one of two things to gain, Growth or Money. The best ones get you both. But this might be the first time you need to consider what you have to lose before deciding what you have to gain. Think it through. Fin