THE
EDUC
A
FE
TIMES
““Laughter is the shortest distance between two people,” – Comedian Victor
Borge
Just imagine our lives without a smile, a sense of humor, laughter,
rolling down of happy tears after listening to a joke! Quite difficult to
imagine, right? So in this edition of The Educafe Times, we explore
Stand Up Comedian as a career option.
Stand-Up Comedian as a Career
Their USP is to interact directly with a live audience, exhibiting
hilarious and spontaneous thoughts covering a wide range of topics
from daily routine to current issues. Their act can run for several
minutes while sustaining the interest of the audience through
improvisation, slapstick comedy, introduction of characters, props
and deadpan expressions.
The audience are complete strangers and holding their attention
throughout, is not an easy job. It takes special talent to be
intentionally funny and get the audience to laugh with you (rather
than at you). So the scripts are designed to entertain viewers and to
use different media - singing, mimicry, storytelling, skit, drama,
dance, punch lines, proverbs, one liners and many more, with
spontaneity and precise timing.
Stand Up Comedian as a Career, in India and Abroad
In India gone are the days, when comedians had to literally struggle
to get a prime slot on TV or radio or wait for years to achieve
popularity. Today, media is creating wonders and every popular and
not-so-popular TV channel has their own creative comedy reality
shows which are paving the way for young talent, not just by giving
them a platform to showcase their talent but also support real talent
with financial rewards and giving them an identity.
The Road to Stand-Up
Comedy.
THE ROAD TO STAND-UP
COMEDY
MEET THE
PROFESSIONAL :
MS. SWATI
SACHDEVA
I N T H I S I S S U E
CAREER QUERIES ?
JUST FOR LAUGHS
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Message from the Editor
Hello Readers!
We bring to you another edition of
Educafe Times, talking about the road
to a new era of Stand-Up comedy. we
have tried to clear your doubts
regarding this career. This edition
also has a jokes column to add an
element of laughter to your day.do you
write jokes? send your jokes to us at
educafestudentsolutions@gmail.com
and we will post your joke along with
your name and photo.
HappyReading!
Connect with audience. Talk with the audience
in their language. Make sure you don’t hurt
their sentiments; laugh with them, not ridicule
and displease them.
Be Original. Make sure while writing content
that it is not inspired by any existing content.
Education Path and skill-set required
Any stream will do. An acting course in graduation
will be an added advantage. To be a stand-up
comedian, you should have a good sense of humor
and no stage fear. Eye for happenings around, skill
to generate new content, presentation and delivery,
good memory, rapport with audience, confidence,
determination, talent, good voice are all
prerequisites.
Challenges
Conclusion
Stand Up Comedy is now a full time profession exploring different genres. Opportunities are vast in
movies, national and International shows, social gatherings, anchoring comedy shows, mentoring
budding comedians etc. Passion alone will not lead to success - ability to sustain oneself and meet the
challenges of the competition, a personality to suit the audience’s likes and dislikes, ability to stand
out from your colleagues with your special talents – are all of prime importance.
In these testing times, pour in more positivity, spread laughter. Remember to begin each day with a
smile and end it with a smile. :)
A Hand : to build new
things and to take
down old ones
Parts of a Stand-Up comedian
A Mouth : to smile
and communicate all
the funny thoughts
from the brain.
Eyes :to observe
the things and
make it funny for
their audience.
A mic : to be loud
to share their
ideas.
Expressions : to
connect to people
from different
backgrounds.
5 creative skills that every comedian needs are:
1. Connecting - a skill that allows comedians to
link seemingly unrelated ideas together.
2. Questioning - Effective questioning raises
new possibilities and creates new perspectives
on old situations.
3. Observing - Observation is all about raising
your level of awareness. Observe the world and
write about it, putting your own unique
perspective into your writing and jokes.
4. Experimenting - If you do it correctly,
experimenting results in something that’s never
been seen before, something original.
5. Interacting – with people that have very
different backgrounds. This diverse background
allows for new ideas to emerge
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A creative mind to
think of funny
ideas!
Q. When did you decide to become a Stand-Up
comedian and why did you pursue it? I
never had any plans of pursuing it as a career when I
was in school because I wasn't even aware that such a
career opportunity existed. People told me that I was a
funny and witty kid and I took it as a compliment. At
that time, the All India Laughter Challenge was the only
source of Stand-Up comedy for me.
After my Std 12th exams, I took up CA as I had scored
well in accounts and also because my elder brother was
pursuing it. This was a big mistake! Clearing IPCC itself
took a long time and I dropped out of college for the
same reason. So I decided to do something that I like,
and that was Theatre. I was doing well there when
someone randomly mentioned that I should try for
Stand-Up comedy. That was a bizarre idea because I
didn't even know where to perform. A friend of mine
suggested that I do an Open Mic in his college. Open-
Mic are live shows where members who are amateur or
professional, perform on stage, often for the first time.
At that show, I was randomly but very confidently
saying something and I managed to convince my
audience that I was funny. People liked it and that's
when I thought - Why not move ahead with it? I started
doing Open Mics in Delhi, Mumbai, etc. I was casual
about it until I made it to Comicstaan Season 2 Top 20.
And that is when I realised that I need to take it
seriously, give it more time and actually take it up as a
profession.
Q. Any mentor in this field who helped you or did you need to learn all the ropes by yourself?
In comedy you are your own student and your own teacher. The only teacher is the stage the mic
and the audience. Observation is the key as the feedback from the audience is important to help
you improvise your content. You get to know what is working and what is not; and you need to
make immediate changes. This is the first phase. With practice and more shows, you keep on
improving and eventually come to the notice if
senior comics or producers. Networking is important. You may be lucky enough to find good
teachers or friends who could help you as there is tough competition out there, and if you do find
them, hold on to them.
In conversation with Swati Sachdeva, a stand-up comic, who has done
numerous shows in major clubs like Canvas Laugh Club, That laughter
Club across India and has also performed on music shows like
Musicathon. She has also made it to the top 20 of Comicstaan Season 2.
Meet the professional : Swati
Sachdeva
"In comedy you are
your own student
and your own
teacher. The only
teacher is the stage
the mic and the
audience."
Q. What is the scenario for Stand-Up comedy in India?
It's pretty new and fresh, like it's only been 10 years. And very few famous Stand-Up comics
are there. The essence of the art form is to be live, on the stage; and this pandemic has hit it
real hard. Technology has helped us connect to the audience, but a stage is a stage.
If someone wants to start a career as a Stand-Up comic, they can test their content online,
but to make it as a career, give it at least a year. Don’t expect immediate results.
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Q. What message can you give to a Stand-Up comic aspirant.
Go research on bookmyshow.com or other event portals to check for Open Mics. Initially, it
will be difficult to get a spot but eventually it becomes easy. Like I mentioned before, start
testing your content online and do online Open Mics. it takes around 6 months to just
understand oneself and the next six months one get to know one’s capabilities. They can
then decide if they want to keep it as a hobby or pursue it as a career.
Q. Have you experienced any discrimination because you are a woman?
I think discrimination is everywhere, like God and nepotism. Especially in a country driven by
patriarchy, you will find it in every profession. I found it very awkward when someone
introduced me as a female comedian. It sounds so weird, as it isn't based on physical
strengths like sports. Comedy is something where one uses his/her brains. People say that I
am the funniest female comedian they have seen; I would be happy if they would have
called me just an average comedian and not brought my gender into it. However, I have
never faced discrimination by my fellow comedians. I have a few good friends in this space
and the journey so far has been good.
Swati recently did an offline show on 26th September at the Social House in Delhi.
Here’s a link to her Instagram, where she posts regularly.
Career Queries
LAUGHSLAUGHS
JUST FOR
by : Dr. Sudha Bhogle
A boy asks his father,
"Dad, are bugs good to
eat?"."That's disgusting.
Don't talk about things
like that over dinner,"
the dad replies. After
dinner the father asks,
"Now, son, what did you
want to ask me?" "Oh,
nothing," the boy says.
"There was a bug in your
soup, but now it’s gone."
Q. Why did Adele cross
the road?
A: To sing, "Hello from
the other side!"
My friend told me he had
the body of a Greek god. I
had to explain to him
that Laughing Buddha is
not Greek.
How is Christmas like
your job? You do all the
work and the fat guy in
the suit gets all the
credit.
Q. I don't know what I am interested in. How can I find it? I want
to focus on something and I want to make it real.
Each individual is unique and all of us have our own strengths and
weaknesses, interests and abilities. Remember, when making a career
choice, interests alone is not enough. It is important that you are
interested and passionate about the work you want to do, but just
because you are interested, does not guarantee that you have the
ability to pursue that career. Passion and profession need not be
complementary.
To find out what your interests are, find out or introspect as to the
activities you enjoy doing in your free time. This can give you insight
into the careers that would be satisfying, fulfilling and fun, for you.
To figure out your interests, ask yourself:
What hobbies do I enjoy?
Do I prefer spending time indoors or outdoors?
Do I enjoy working with people, animals, data or books?
What activities would I miss the most if I could no longer do them
To get more objective and authentic information regarding your
interest areas and its relationship to the career of your choice, meet
a career counsellor and get yourself assessed though a reliable and
valid, scientific and authentic psychometric assessment.
This will help clear your doubts as to where you should focus your
energies, in mind that your career choice is solely yours.
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Q. Hello. I have just finished my +2 with science as my specialization.
I am keen for a degree in Science. My major interest is Zoology. But I
have no idea nor much information about the Career aspects and job
opportunities in this field. Right now what exactly is running in my
mind is that I take up B.Sc. in Zoology and then do an M.S abroad, but
after that I don't have any idea about the job opportunities available.
Could you please help me.
I am glad that you have consciously decided on a degree in Science
with Zoology as your major. There is a great impetus being given
nowadays to the Life and Natural Sciences. With a genuine interest and
love for animals and wildlife you can definitely pursue a career as a
professional Zoologist. There are several specializations in zoology to
choose from: taxonomy, physiology, embryology etc. You can also
specialize in one animal group, as per your interest. For example,
ornithology, ichthyology etc.
Your specialisation as well as performance in your academics will in a
large part decide where you can work. Apart from Universities,
colleges and research institutes dealing with Zoology, job
opportunities would be available at Zoos, Wildlife services,
Conservation organizations, National parks, Nature reserves, etc. Some
private companies also hire zoologists as ecological consultants. With
the number of TV channels dealing with Nature and animals ever
increasing, zoologists also get employed for making and presenting
documentaries on animals and wildlife.
However, to make an informed decision about choice of a career, get
to know where your real interests lie, what are your abilities and skills,
what type of a person you are and what are your values and ethics. Try
and analyze your strengths and deficits and use this information to
make the correct choice.
Got any query
related to career?
S E N D U S @
educafestudentsolutions@gmail.com
In our
next
Edition
We will talk
about this
career.
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Did you know?
Noor Mohammed Memon was the first
comedy star of Hindi films. He introduced
Charlie Chaplin's style to Indian cinema, which
was later adopted by Raj Kapoor. After
Partition, Charlie moved to Pakistan and
made around a dozen films.
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YOURSELF
Abilities Interests Personality
Assesses
your
