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Why We Love Comedy: From the Creators of Comedy Outliers

Comedy >

outliersAs young stand-up comedians, we know what it’s like to perform in a loud New York bar where the audience consists of ten people who were barked in by the show’s producer(s). We also know what it is like to see that show’s producer perform comedy over ten minutes of unfiltered, often excruciating material because it’s their show. We’ve watched audiences leave these shows disgruntled and with a negative view of what stand-up comedy is and should be. This is why we created “Comedy Outliers: A Free Monthly Comedy Show.”

We are celebrating the one-year anniversary of “Comedy Outliers” this month, and we couldn’t be happier with what we have built. Having taken elements from some of the best shows we have either produced on our own or performed on, we have developed a strong stand-up comedy showcase that brings the NYC comedy-club experience to the audience without the aggressiveness and pressure of those clubs. Over the past few month our show has been featured in various publications (TimeOut NY, AM New York), created buzz within the New York stand-up comedy scene (we get submissions on a weekly basis from comics who want to perform on the show), and created a strong, faithful following. What has helped us make “Comedy Outliers” so successful in such a short period of time? We attribute our success to three main points:

1. We Really Produce: Having a successful show is more than just booking a few comics and getting some butts in the seats. Every show is an event for us, and we want people to anticipate it as such. We organize our promotion and advertising strategically every month and execute it with precision and dedication. Yes, it’s a lot of work and because of this many other “producers” end up having shows that are just fillers for the week instead of being the main event of it. “Comedy Outliers” also has great customer service, overseen by our third, “silent” producer, who helps with greeting our patrons and sharing the history of the show so that our audience knows why we do what we do. Since our show is always evolving, we push ourselves to learn more about marketing and current business practices within the comedy world to adapt accordingly and create the best show possible. We also take great pride in providing a reliable platform for the next generation of great stand-up comedians.

2. We Believe in our Show: As producers of the show, we are not selfish about getting our own stagetime. We put on the show to showcase some great talent; along with TV- and festival- accredited performers, we also book great local New York talent. What do all of these comics have in common? They are all brilliant in their form of comedy, which makes for a terrific show! We also have raffles in between sets that are fun and show gratitude to our audiences for choosing to spend the beginning of their Saturday nights in downtown Manhattan at an Irish pub with us. We have been very fortunate to have had comics like Wyatt Cenac, Andrew Schulz, Wil Slyvince and many others grace our mic, and we always make sure they have a great time and feel welcomed.

3. The Audience is the Heart: Unlike other shows on the New York comedy circuit, “Comedy Outliers” is supported by “Comedy Outliers” fans. As alternative rooms rise and traditional comedy club audiences wane, “Outliers” provides a middle ground for audiences who want to laugh. Our audiences don’t ask “Has this act been on TV?” or “Is this a comic to watch?” They trust our judgement as we continuously provide fresh lineups of talented comics. Our audience is the perfect symbol of what New York City stands for. It’s diverse in age, race, gender, and always surprises us. A comic who kills in front of our audience always leaves feeling great about their craft because they know they have material that has universal appeal.

Yes, we know our show is free, and that it may not seem that serious to others. Of course we have plans to expand the “Comedy Outliers” world we have been building, but we will never stop caring about putting on a great show that we think demonstrates how amazing stand-up comedy can be. Visit us at our website: www.comedyoutliers.com for more information and pictures of past shows. Our upcoming one year anniversary show is on Saturday, February 23rd, 7 p.m. at Lilly O’Briens (67 Murray Street).

Brandon Collins and Mike Brown – Comedy Outliers