Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy

By: Greg Dean

Narrated by: Greg Dean

Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Step-by-Step to Stand-Up Comedy, written and narrated by Greg Dean, is a comprehensive guide for people who are funny, want to be funnier, or have dreams of being a stand-up comedian. This first-of-its-kind audiobook demystifies the craft of comedy by breaking it down to the fundamental skills used by professional funny people. Dean lays out these skills in simple-to-understand lessons that are easy to practice and master.

Dean's original joke structure diagram explains how jokes are built around two interpretations of one magical element called the connector. You'll learn how to see both the expected interpretation and the unexpected reinterpretation of the connector. And you'll be writing jokes after just one listening.

Dean also teaches "act outs" by explaining points of view (POVs). Act outs are the quick scenes comics act out during a routine. The three POVs inside a scene are the fundamental tools for understanding why act outs are so funny. You'll learn how to form jokes by shifting form one POV that creates an expected interpretation to another POV that reveals an unexpected interpretation. It's fun and easy, and it works.

Step-by-Step to Stand-Up Comedy also covers overcoming stage fright, handling hecklers, coping with going blank, dealing with bombing, riffing with the audience, crossing the hurt line, and getting experience. Learn in hours of listening what most comedians learn through years of stage time.

©2000 Greg Dean (P)2008 Greg Dean

everything I was looking for

Yup now I feel like I have more structure to my set. This is 15

Excellent!!

Greg Dean really knows his stuff! This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about how to write better jokes. I highly recommend this book!

Better jokes after an hour of listening

I bought this joke mostly just to tell better jokes to my friends and I already came up with three new ones in the first hour of listening. good book. do recommend. the rest is about how to act on a stage and deal with the microphone and such, which is not applicable to me but it seemed like it was decent advice anyway.

Very insightful

The book was full of great instruction. I really like the breakdown on one-liners and found it to be the most informative

Nuts and bolts of Stand up Comedy -A MUST READ

Greg has taken great effort to lay out how to build and perform a comedy routine. His detail technique of building a joke is better than I've ever seen. His ideas for rehearsing and memorizing the routine are unique and creative. I know this review sounds like Greg got his cousin--or mother--to write this review, but he didn't. He even covers how to hold a mic and what to write for your MC's intro of you. Presentation was very entertaining too--and why not--he's a comedian! Great job.

Missing pdf workbook

There is supposed to be an attached pdf workbook, and it is apparently missing. Any help?

great tips!

and not like in a tip jar! or maybe it is 🤔
i guess its more like learning to use a samauri sword tip. slice and dice an audience with your words!
Can't wait to keep working what I learned in this book, such good advice. as a former theater performer, this all makes cents right now! but later the big bucks! :)
I know, I know, but this review is my first draft!
thank youuuuuu

no pdf

the author constantly refers to the pdf workbook that does not come with the audio book!

The Workbook

This book has been good so far and provides great details for crafting jokes. It a little difficult that he refers to images or practices exercise for the reader and I can’t participate because I have the audio version. Other then that 👍🏾👍🏾

Get the Workbook that comes with it!

I was once involved in a variety showcase where I opened up the crowd with a five minute stand-up routine. To my surprise, it worked and I wanted to take it a step further. So, I think what I searched into Youtube was, "How to write stand-up comedy," something like that. That's how I came across Greg Dean. I liked his videos he seemed to know what he was talking about. He's worked with Anthony Jeslenik, which I thought was impressive. Since I don't live in LA where he teaches, I thought what the hell.

Well, I'm glad I got the audio version of the book so that I don't have to have a bookshelf full of clutter, but if you get this, you will be LOST without the workbook that he talks about. So I'll still have to add to my bookshelf anyway. Am I mad? No. I'll probably get the first workbook which covers the first two chapters, to see if I like it enough to continue with the rest of the workbooks, which I'm sure I will. I feel like I can learn something from him! But if you're considering getting this, just know that's it's a course. You can probably learn something from him too, if you try. Like with any class, you get what you give.

In summary, I recommend it. But I also recommend you get the workbooks, or you will be lost. I haven't even finished the whole thing because I just became too lost without the workbook in my hand, so don't take my 5 star rating at face value. I might update this review when I'm finished with it.