Customer Reviews

Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I collect humorous stories - sales blunders, actually. So I wanted a book that would help me as a professional speaker to be as funny as possible. Speakers, like comedians, get paid more when their audience laughs more.

So I began buying all the comedy writing books and most are pretty good. Buy Jay's is first of all, hilariously funny (bonus!) and second, more insightful than anything else. He discusses the psychology of the performer and the audience. He has little, interesting, no - fascinating details I found nowhere else.

Funny cartoons, creativity galore, inspiration and encouragement for anyone dipping into comedy or getting a dunking in it.

Best book on the block on this topic!

I've read a lot of bad books on stand-up comedy, all of them except this one. This is the only good one I've read. After I read this, I did stand-up for the first time at a bar for 30 people. The next week I was in the Comedy Central/Miller Lite Lite 'n Up competition at Comedy Works in Denver for a packed house each time I performed. Out of 100 people, and over the course of 2 months of performing, I got third place. Since then I've moved to Chicago and got booked at Zanie's. A lot of that had to do with the book. It cuts through to the chase.

I've bought several books on stand up comedy and,this is the best book.I enjoyed reading and learning from the author.
He tells you what you need to know,why you need to know it and gets to the point real quick.He doesnt bore you.The author shares his experiences and explains things in a very sensible way and very clearly.And,in simple english too.This guy is your friend who just wants to help you be good at stand up comedy and reduce your chances of doing badly.

If you want a book that will help you in your new career or you're thinking about it then buy this book first.This book is the one book you will keep with you.

I have nothing negative to say about this book at all.Its great value and has so much to offer.Thanks,Jay!

If you are curious about what makes things funny and how to get laughs, this book breaks it down. It is geared towards people breaking into the world of stand-up comedy, and even if you don't intend on making a career out of it, you can still learn a lot about being funny. If you want to be a stand-up comedian, this book is for you. If you are inclined to write, I suggest picking up a copy of The Comic Toolbox by Vorhaus.

I've read

How to Be a Working Comic : An Insider's Guide to a Career in Stand-Up Comedy; Dave Schwensen

Stand-Up Comedy : The Book; Judy Carter

Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy; Jay Sankey

They are all good reads, but this one (Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy by Jay Sankey) is my favorite. The prose is simple and straightforward and covers a lot of material from both analytical and philosophical view points.

I even like the size of the book in terms of width by height - it's a good size to carry around.

As a working stand-up comic, I found this book extremely helpful, particularly in dealing with "hell gigs," the necessary bane of every comic's existence. Jay Sankey clearly knows of what he speaks, and my performance has improved considerably as a result. If you're a working comic, or want to be, this book will be worth its weight in gold to you.

I found this book to be very thorough in covering most aspects of Stand-up performance, with some very original insights. It was however a very dense read. This was mainly due to so much content being covered in a relatively short space. I think Mr. Sankey needed to maybe give a few more examples/elaborations of the points he was making... not to clarify them, but rather to give the reader a chance to absorb them before proceeding to the next point. Do I recommed this book? DEFINITELY!!! It is a very realistic and ENCOURAGING read, with tons of info. I would have liked to see a bit more depth possibley by way of example AND because of its scope IT NEEDS AN INDEX!!!

Jay Sankey has brought forth a great collection of writing and stage tips for stand-up comics of all levels. His easy-to-read approach makes this book a great companion on the road and in the club when you're waiting to hit the stage. Sankey's advice on editing and stage prescence are priceless tips to be reviewed constantly. As a comic struggling to establish some recognition in the Canadian market, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in stand-up.

As a magician, I got this book to help with scripting my comedy magic routines. It was a great read! This book is really not so much about writing comedy (although that topic is covered to some degree), it really is about learning how stand-up comedy works from the first few amateur nights to becoming a seasoned comedian. Sankey hit dozens of topics from set structure, handling hecklers, lighting, microphone technique, pace, timing, introductions, to understanding what it means to be the MC, featured act and headliner. Sankey clearly communicates years of comedy club experiences into a well structured book on what it takes to become a comedian.

This is a pretty broad, basic guide to getting started in stand up comedy. You're not going to find much Zen material in it other than a few quotes so if you're looking for that, look elsewhere. This book is an easy and quick read with some very good tips. However, the recurring theme is one of "well...so maybe that will work for you but get on stage and find out for yourself". Good advice in itself. There are no exercises, drills or any such things contained in the book.