These Horrible Habits will Crush Your Success

Jerry Corley talks about habits you should absolutely avoid if you want to reach success in comedy or any other career.
Success in stand-up comedy can be difficult, so why would you make it more difficult by doing stupid things that create huge obstacles in your way?
Three key steps to succeeding in comedy:
1. Learn to write a joke
2. Develop a persona that's relatable
3. Weave that point of view through your material.
If you want to develop mastery in your comedy writing attend my comedy writing workshop:
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Get the book Breaking Comedy's DNA - Learn the True Secrets to Comedy Writing that apply to today's comedy.
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Want to learn to write jokes for Late Night TV? Checkout my updated Late Night TV Writing Course:
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Have questions about stand-up comedy or comedy writing? Leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter:
/ jokedoctor

[@xrotarebil]

Thank you for this. I really needed it. I made a mistake in stepping away from comedy and I want to get back into it.

[@ZenShady]

Same boat

[@TheHeathIsOn]

Same here!

[@brotherchason]

I hope everybody here has finally got back to it!!

[@xrotarebil]

@@brotherchason Slowly but surely, I am getting back into it.

[@brianpotter2812]

Same here from Michigan, USA

[@snaxxcomedy3764]

I showed a video to a comic friend of mine and his comment to me was the laughs were not fast enough, I took offense at first but I kept listening to the tape and future tapes to listen how the laughs came and just kept working on delivering the punch lines better!!!

[@JerryCorley]

Yeah right? Our first instinct is to resist because we ARE so vulnerable up there. But if you just say, “that’s good info, thanks,” you can always think about the value and how it might apply to your unique situation. But you know you’re growing when you can reflect and acknowledge that you learned something.

[@AnnusMirabilus]

We had a mic at a comedy club in Burbank (Flappers, if you're familiar) in which they encouraged us to give notes about the performances. I said (in a polite-as-possible manner) to a 20-year-old snot kid that his joke seemed similar to something that I had heard recently from a couple of comics on Comedy Central. He said (extremely sarcastically), "yeah, I'll take it out of my act immediately. Sure." That statement got louder laughs than anything in his actual act. Needless to say, when I saw him in a hallway I needed to restrain myself from knocking him on his A. I said it to HELP you, dummy.

[@linaalvaa]

Love every part of this advice, profe

[@BradPitbull]

Good job my nigga 👏 💪 👌 💯 🙌 👍 👏 💪 👌 💯 👏 💪 👌 💯 🙌 👍 👏 💪 👌 💯

[@JayRandom79]

"Everyday that you are not doing something just to get a little better, you are doing nothing just to get a little worse"- great quote man. Let me know when you're doing a class again. I'd like to join.

[@ironwill6859]

The last quote was the best quote I haven't heard and definitely needed to hear. I often struggle with writing but I try to write a least one bit a day.

[@JerryCorley]

One bit a day is a good goal. Eventually when you really feel like you have a handle on the skill of writing from scratch, you’ll write more. But keep in mind that there are very successful pros out there who don’t hit that goal of one bit per day. Keep up the work!

[@facethestrange15yearsago81]

This is why I always ask my kid for feedback on my music. He always tells me exactly what he's thinking, and more often than not flags problems that I already had issues with. If we don't have that honesty it's just an echo chamber of bullshit.

[@darhawkscott6765]

This video really spoke too me!… because I had my volume turned all the way up! No seriously this was some great information. I need listening to the whole thing and that last line was mind blowing. I never heard such wisdom. Thank you Mr. Corley!

[@missmeikecomedy]

When using a character, do you think there is a risk of people liking the character more than your live standup performance? If your character is different than your act. I'd like to create a stereotypical german character to create an audience and following on youtube for clips but I don't want to use the character for live stage performance.

[@JerryCorley]

Take a look at Charlie Berens on KZbin. He’s a former student who built his presence online with a very Wisconsin type character, who is different than his own persona. It’s been really successful for him to do both characters on a live stage.

[@missmeikecomedy]

@@JerryCorley thank you. I will check him out

[@cat_city2009]

You have some good advice and I appreciate your commentary. That said, I find the idea of paying for comedy seminars and lessons ridiculous.

[@ttbb1446]

great video! would love to see a video where you go more in depth about comedic characters/personas. stage persona/how you would write a character for a sitcom or how to make the character funny in general besides his jokes, the attitude/accent/how the character reacts and things like that.

[@OpentoedSandals]

did he say Jeff Foxworthy made over a billion dollars?

[@brocklawer7635]

Keep doing it keep working on it I record or tape myself and I get better every time. I take criticism well cause it’s expected and take it cause u can build off it.

[@nbpubs]

Pat Balzac! He is literarily nuts!

[@missmeikecomedy]

surrounding myself with successful local musicians and comics in a new town has helped me a lot to grow. once you stop seeing everyone as competition makes a huge difference

[@beaubreau]

"How does that speak to your consistently" lol that is one of the hardest things for people with ADD have to overcome. The executive function is incredibly low but it is different for all of us. Being someone with ADD and have been off medication for probably 2 decades now, even the things you find very normal to just do as a habit, for example eat; can be very difficult for someone with ADD/ADHD to remeber to do sometimes. Because focus is not the root of the problem. It is it the signals that send rewards to the brain. We are not getting that sweet sweet dopamine reward. We jump around from thing to thing because of that feeling we get starting something novel/new. Once things get hard it is incredibly easy to lose site but also it makes it very hard to want things without the reward at the end. These are things that happen naturally for most people and they don't have to think about it. I have never finished reading a book my entire life. Between not being able to visualize what's going on in my head to not retaining information due to my low working memory (also associated with ADD) it makes it impossible to get through a book. Sure I could actually sit and read it but i would have to read the same book several times just to get the main points. The more adverbs and adjectives the harder it is. Anyways, i know i can not do stand up with ADD. My brain does this thing were it likes to hide information from me. It is so bad that when my wife and i went shopping and she is looking at the same thing i am I can't think of anything but her and what shes looking at. My brain can not decide to focus on the things it needs to and in the process the information it needs to. It just goes completely blank. You may be wondering why on earth am i watching you videos. I want to learn more about comedy script writting and you have a lot of great things you teach and your style is more mathematical which is closer inline to my learning style. My wife does improv so this will be something we can both bond with which is really nice. I may get medication in the future and see if i can do it but as of right now i know my limitations and can sympathize with the person with ADD. I am also 37 though and know myself really well. Someone with ADD in their 20s has a whole lot more to work trough. Anyways, your content is great and you make it approaching.

[@JerryCorley]

You must be a terrible driver! 😂 In all truthfulness, I can relate to what you are going through, in a way. I was diagnosed with ADHD myself. I too have that trouble in finishing tasks. I get sidetracked doing another NEW task, because my brain registers that as accomplishment. The irony being I didn’t really accomplish anything except for starting a new task that I’ll never finish. 😳 For me, I can focus for like 90 minutes at a time on a task now. It used to only be about 10-20 minutes. But also, look at what you wrote. That’s almost the length if a five minutes bit! That’s an accomplishment! You might have a bigger obstacle to overcome, but I think you’re moving in the right direction. You can build an hour working on smaller bits. Ten 6-minute bits. Small, bite-sized pieces. Glad my videos can help. Keep up the work!

[@SuwonWeaver]

When April was hot, Trump was talking about Miss April. Bahaha!!1 I spit out my water... glad i was alone. As I usually am...wahh wahhhh.lol

[@JerryCorley]

Haha! I just pictured you spitting out your water. 😃

[@Bob-zs3ro]

Blah blah blah,

[@VICTORIAMAKESYOULAUGH]

I wish you were my coach. I never get offended. I welcome every single note even if I don't do it.

[@simbathecomic]

Miss April joke was great

[@digitalrtr]

I do... did that. Thank you :)

[@joaquin-lunacomedian1683]

❤ so true so very very true.

[@AnnusMirabilus]

People are nauseatingly sensitive nowadays. I was just in a Lyft yesterday. The driver and I discussed an upcoming change in which Lyft will allow only cars that are brand new. Please remember that this guy was very jovial and kind. Then I said, "it's so ridiculous. Like, I noticed that your car isn't top of the line or anything. I didn't care." "......Wait. What do you mean? What's wrong with it?" "I just mean that it's an older model, man-- like 2010 or so, right." "2007." "Yeah, so that's what I mean." JFC.

[@edgeharvey555]

Hey jerry love all this helpful information that you provided i am new to stan up comedy and have done 5 open mics i just wanted to know are you still willing to accept videos to critique i would love any advice that you may have and will be getting your courses in the future to learn how to write ✍️ All the best

[@johnpachkoski4637]

The point of criticism, is to reveal/teach/communicate either directly, or indirectly so the listener/interprepter/person intending to understand, knows/learns/understands, whats valuable in what's being criticized. The point of criticism is to reveal what's valuable.

[@zeragon7]

Btw Charlie is now at 1.87 million subscribers. This is what happens when you use what you have and put in the work.

[@Mr.Lobo-Lobo]

great, thx

[@TheOrangeCowboy]

Phil the bartender - i remember him - funny - great show. Thanks for all the videos. A door is now open in my mind to create comedy by the numbers, I'm grateful.

[@jonathangithire257]

Hey Jerry.. youve helped me so much already. I eat up your content. Thanks can I send video from Kenya Id love your critic.

[@markberryman]

I love what you said about the approach to using the camera! I've been struggling with that and this will really help!

[@kimberlymcnabbcomedy]

hell, 2 follow up questions...that would be good marital advice too!

[@naichehanleyhanley6511]

How can I be one of your students

[@linaalvaa]

Go on his website & sign up for whatever you’d like to take ✨✨

[@JT-sf9cc]

Enjoyed this video. Please can you make a video about how to fully flesh out a list in the listing technique, so you can find it easier to compare? Thanks

[@michaelsix9684]

lots of performers have this issue, lack maturity and ability to listen

[@michaelsix9684]

always work with the best people you can, they will push you to succeed and improve

[@user-ks9co6qj2r]

This has given me some good ideas regarding my comedy and alternative routes.

[@mariosiegesmund2079]

Eye Opening in many ways, as always. Thank you!

[@anthonywandowicz8084]

Isn't teaching people how to be a stand up comedian by offering classes and other shit a great way to find yourself out of comedy.. your either funny or your not. Unfortunately this guy's skills are predictable and text book

[@JerryCorley]

What’s your experience in this field?

[@eddiecoleman1504]

Thank you. This message is right on time.

[@michaelsix9684]

such great helpful video

[@Karencollinsnyc]

I got a joke idea from someone in your zoom class recently, from you and another student. Worked in performance.

[@JerryCorley]

Hi Ingrid! So goo to hear that!

[@nicholasmichaelravnikar]

Great to see more content!

[@rickmccarthy6996]

God bless ya Jerry

[@rubenguerra9731]

Pat Ballsack. 💀

[@Renovegas6109]

What if you don't have the cahonies to get up there.

[@JerryCorley]

You do it anyway. Or if the panic is too overwhelming, you can write comedy for a living. 👍

[@Renovegas6109]

@@JerryCorley last week I was gonna borrow my friend's balls since mine are not big enough. But he keeps them in his wife's purse and she is out of town for the week.

[@skippysprinklesfun1988]

Great stuff thanks

[@JerryCorley]

Thanks Skippy!

[@tg3grant704]

ive been watching comedy since 4yrs old 70s SNL and watch still to this day ,my granny had Richard Pryor albums, went the drive in to see Pryor's stand up Eddie Murphy gorge carlin Robin Williams to all the recent specials, i love comedy i make everyone laugh even people i dont know im quik witted just started writing and it comes very easy to me coz every thing has humor in it and i have no problems finding it my 1st show is in September im very excited and im getting well prepared but to be honest i feel like a natural is there a such thing in stand up