As an aspiring stand-up comedian, there are few things that frighten me more in the world than having a joke “bomb.” Bombing is the trade term for a joke that doesn’t get laughs, and is widely regarded as the worst thing that can happen to you on stage. The feeling is difficult to describe, but allow me to try my hand. Basically every joke in a stand-up comic’s set involves extending himself with the understanding that he will be supported by the laughs of the audience. When these laughs are not there, the comedian has a similar sensation to stepping on a stair that doesn’t exist – the pit of his stomach drops out and every neuron in his brain fires to try to regain “balance.”
The sensation is sickening, but the way a comedian conducts himself in the following seconds can determine whether or not it is fatal for his set. It is easy to succumb to the firing neurons and blurt out another joke. However, this joke is almost always as unfunny as that which bombed initially or even worse. The careful rhythm necessary for a good set is upset, and this joke feels forced and uncomfortable for the audience. With calmness, though, a comedian can save himself from his nose dive. A simple pause will let the audience recognize that a joke has just bombed, but if a comic is humble, the audience will laugh out of a mixture of pity and amusement at how bad the joke was. This weak laugh will keep the set alive and let the comic roll into his next joke unfazed. Sometimes, relishing in how unfunny a joke is can be the best way to make it funny.
