What is the future of stand-up comedy? Is it zoom shows? Is it live shows and 2m in between every audience member? Or is it this: Joke2Go?
Last week, I put a stage outside our comedy club Mad Monkey Room at Helmholtzkiez, Prenzlauer Berg Berlin. I told unsolicited jokes to people passing by. It was pure joy.
The neighbors could choose from my joke menu. Heckling was also an option, which one woman made use of. She said „I don’t have time to hear a joke“ so I went, well just pretend you just heard one and didn’t like it and yell booo. She did and it was the loveliest heckle I ever had. It was a fun and easygoing way to do publicity for the comedyclub, get some stand-up spirit back and have heartfelt, real human contact.
But. As a Hobby-Germanologist it is striking how the German speaking pedestrians are the most reluctant to receive free comedy. „It’s free, it’s fun, it’s artsy. She’s not gonna get us with her fun. Lets walk by fast, cuz evil lurks everywhere“ is the vibe I got from some people.
My past performances all happened at festivals. People already had a „festival mind“ and were prepared for fun things to happen. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had a festival mind always? Then again, I know I am too negative myself. I was walking home in the warm sun and felt light drops on me. Probably someone watering their balcony plants. Yet my FIRST thought was OMG someone is spraying me with ACID. When is live comedy coming back so I can say that onstage?
