The Comedy Club

Guidelines/FAQ

Registration

This year's contest is underway.

Contest Dates

Round 1 - July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29 (2 shows each night at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM)

Quarter-Finals - August 5, August 12 (2 shows each night at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM)

Semi-Finals - August 26 (2 shows at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM)

Finals - September 9 at 7:30 PM

All shows are $7.00 at the door, doors open 45 minutes before showtime

Winner receives

$1,000 cash courtesy of Bud and Bud Light

Paid MC week at The Comedy Club and a guest spot on one of our Special Shows

Showcase spot at the 2012 Fall Back Comedy Festival

Guest spot at Rob's Comedy Playhouse in Buffalo, NY

Bragging rights as the funniest person in Rochester

Plus more to come...

FAQ's

Where is the contest and when is it being held?

All shows will take place at The Comedy Club with the first round kicking off on Sunday, July 8 and continuing every Sunday through July 29 with two shows each night.

When/How can I sign-up?

Registration opens on May 29 and closes on June 15 or whenever all contest spots fill-up, whichever happens first.

Who is eligible

Contestants must be 18 or older. Professional comedians are NOT allowed to compete, this includes comics who do or have done stand-up for a living, regularly work several clubs or have headlined at The Comedy Club. Management reserves the right to turn away any contest entrant they deem ineligible at their discretion.

Does it cost anything to enter the contest?

There is no fee for entering the contest.

Do I have to live in Rochester to sign-up?

You do not have to live in the city to be a part of this competition.

I've never performed comedy before, can I still enter?

Yes, that's what this contest is all about.

What is the show format?

Each show in the first round will have 10-12 performers with each contestant getting 5 minutes of stage time. 4-5 comics from each show will move on to the next round. The further you advance, the more time on stage you'll have with each set.

How do I know when my time is up? What happens if I go over or under?

Contestants will be signaled via a red light from the back of the room when they have 1 minute left and should acknowledge that they've seen it with a quick nod of their head. If you reach your time limit the light will be given again, this means say goodnight and get off stage. If you continue and exceed your time the judges will be instructed to deduct points from your total score, all but eliminating you from the competition.

How will the contest be judged?

A table of judges consisting of veteran comics, local celebrities and club management will account for two-thirds of a contestants score and audience vote will account for the remaining one-third.

How will judges score contestants?

Originality - Is the material personal/unique to the performer? Does the comic present their own perspective? Is the comic using someone else's material or book jokes?

Stage Presence - Is the comic comfortable on stage? Does he/she have good comedic timing? Did he/she present themselves to the audience in a professional way or did he/she show up in shorts, flip-flops and stare at the ground the whole time?

Overall Performance - Was the comic funny and getting laughs? Did he/she use clever, well-written material or rely more on profanity and shock humor? Did he/she stick to their time?

How will the audience vote?

Each audience member will choose their 1st, 2nd and 3rd favorite comics and write them down on a piece of paper they will be given upon entering the showroom. At the end of the show these votes will be tallied with each 1st place vote worth 3 points, 2nd place vote worth 2 points and 3rd place vote worth 1 point. The comic with the most points will receive and audience score of 10, second most points a score of 9, third most points a score of 8, 4th most points a score of 7, etc...

I've already registered, how do I know when I'm performing?

Everyone who submitted a registration from will receive an e-mail with this information no later than June 20, 2012. Any questions should be directed to chetwild@gmail.com

How early should I get to the club before my show?

Contestants should arrive to the club at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the show. There will be a pre-show meeting with all performers in the back of the showroom 20 minutes before showtime to review the contest guidelines and address any other issues or concerns. Numbers will also be drawn at this point to determine the order in which everyone will perform. Anyone who shows up late will automatically be given the number 1 position on the order of performance list.

I don't like the date/time of the show I'm on, can I switch and be put on a different one?

Contestants names are drawn at random to determine which show they are on and you are expected to be there when assigned. We will do our best to accommodate any extenuating circumstances, but there are no promises.

Can I use the same material in each round?

That is your choice to make.

Can I videotape my set?

Due to limited space you will not be allowed to video tape your set, HOWEVER, the club will have a camera set up and you can get a DVD of your performance for only $10.00, you just need to let us know the night your scheduled to go on.

What does the winner get?

The winner of The 2012 Funniest Person in Rochester Contest receives a $1000 cash prize courtesy of Bud and Bud Light, a weekend of paid MC work at The Comedy Club, a guest spot on a Special Show, a showcase spot in the 2012 Fall Back Comedy Festival and of course bragging rights as the champ. Additional prizes are also in the works so stay tuned.

So there you have it, ready to enter? Just click here!

Please direct any questions to FPIRC@thecomedyclub.us