Quote:
you need to get a job making money doing comedy
I wish I was a tougher person. That is a VERY tough area of performing. Especially for those of us that have a tendency to wear our moods. A standup has to be a pretty good actor. I prefer being a sitdown standup. Fewer can see me.
On a more serious note, I can't really think of an emotionally tougher area in the performing arts. Dancers can burn off energy via movement. While I'm not qualified to know how tough it is for these "dare-devils" to do what they do... Solo musical instrument playing in front of a formal seated crowd was brutal IMO, Olympic level competition must be quite difficult, but most that go into it, likely are tougher people to begin with, they deal better with competition and loss (one would at least believe)... Piano, violin, even orchestral performing (discussed this elsewhere) is also tough, pretty formal and you are wedged in for however long it takes to perform.. Standing still is pretty tough when the adrenaline is flooding your body..
But a standup is VERY vulnerable IMO.. The potential for facing a hostile type audience is pretty high. WHen a comedian "bombs", it's the person that bombs.. Quite a feeling of rejection when the audience doesn't connect IMO...
I think very plainly, when it comes to being in front of a crowd, I never learned how to be a frontman, or THE performer, I've always felt comfortable backing a solo person, hiding behind THE performer. I get psyched out when it comes to being "THE" performance. Not sure why. Solo vocalist in front of a crowd would not be something I could do today without alcohol, (assuming I could sing).. Backing the vocalist however, I love.. Interesting psychological area, not sure what this all means.. (Cept I'm a coward) LOL