. Unlike writers, who hammer out their prose in private, comedians test out their first drafts on stage.
We do not tell students what they can or cannot say. The worst thing you can do is tell a comedian they can’t say something. They will immediately go out and say it. Most comedians go through what we call the potty-training phase. Initially, they lean into doing “edgy” stuff. It’s a safe choice – if the material doesn’t work, you can blame the audience for not being able to handle your truth.
The flip side of being provocative is pandering and we encourage our students to avoid “clapter,” a term Seth Meyers coined more than 10 years ago. Comedians get “clapter” when they do material that isn’t particularly funny but appeals to the audience’s politics. Today, there are dozens of open mics in Toronto. They’re good places for neophytes to learn but they’re also clapter breeding grounds. The audiences don’t pay admission, the comics aren’t paid and most of the crowd are comedians.