30 Apr
06:38
Comedy Competition Goes Live: What Funny AF Means for Rising Stand-Ups
This week, Netflix puts a live comedy competition at the center of its homepage. Kevin Hart’s Funny AF wraps its first season with two live…
Reporter
River Leanox
River Leanox edits Open Comedy's newsroom. Coverage runs across stand-up's full ecosystem: comics on the rise, club owners booking the rooms, festivals, specials, and the working-comic economics behind the laughs. Tips, corrections, and counter-arguments welcome at river@opencomedy.com.
The running order
29 Apr
02:17
From Open Mic to Saturday Headliner: Building a Comedy Career
The Reality of Starting Out: Your First 5-10 Minutes Most comedians start at open mics. You get 5-10 minutes on stage, usually in front of…
27 Apr
07:49
The Psychology of Laughter: How Comedians Build Stronger Connections
Comedians don’t just tell jokes. The best ones understand psychological principles behind laughter. When a set destroys a room, it’s not accidental. It’s engineered through…
23 Apr
05:48
Comedy Career Longevity: Eddie Murphy’s 45-Year Strategy for Rising Comics
Eddie Murphy's AFI Lifetime Achievement Award reveals how to build a legendary comedy career. Learn the diversification, mentorship, and business strategy that enabled his 45-year success.
22 Apr
09:31
Indie Comedy Venues Thrive While Chains Consolidate in 2026
Indie comedy venues are outperforming chains in 2026. Learn why independent clubs have lower overhead, better community connection, and stronger touring comedian partnerships.
22 Apr
08:37
TikTok Creator Burnout: Why Comedians Are Leaving in 2026
Comedians built empires on 15-second TikTok videos. Now they’re burning out. The platform that promised democratized comedy is facing a creator exodus – not because…
18 Apr
10:42
Touring Comedians Burnout: How Venues Can Build Sustainable Careers
Touring comedians burnout is at crisis levels. Learn why the road doesn't work and how venues can build sustainable local comedy communities.
17 Apr
19:35
Short Sets, Big Laughs: How Comedy Venues Are Winning With Tighter Lineups
For decades, comedy clubs operated on a simple formula: headline acts owned 45-60 minutes while openers fought for 15. Today, that model is crumbling. 2026…
16 Apr
02:04
Why Midnight Comedy Shows Perform So Well
The comedy world’s biggest misconception is that nobody wants to laugh at midnight. Wrong. Late-night comedy shows are quietly becoming the highest-revenue time slots on…
13 Apr
02:02
Topical Comedy Material Beats Perfect Tight Fives
Why topical comedy is now the competitive advantage for comedians. Learn how to write timely material, boost bookings, and build sharing audiences.
