Some open mics are great. They are supportive and you really feel like you can connect with an audience. Many however, are like the environment that Earl Woods created for Tiger when he was pelting him with a verbal assault. They are distracting and noisy are there so you can get stage time and become familiar with your material somewhere outside the comfort of the workshop or your circle of friends. You can begin to gauge your material on a smattering of laughter and applause rather than a reaction from a full audience (like the graduation show) who are, for the most part, focused on nothing but you.

In the end my advice to her was to get right back up on the stage and do it again. There is a reason we call it a work out, because each time we step on stage, we learn to address our acts, our material, and ourselves. We learn about audience dynamics, human nature and performance technique. When I was working out with weights regularly, I had a personal trainer. On the days when I didn't feel strong and couldn't do all the reps my trainer used to say, "Just keep working, even on the bad days, it's all money in the bank." Every step you take with stage time at this point in your game is 'money in the bank.' Going from zero to funny is a process, a marathon and not a sprint. "Practice, practice, practice" and "get back up on that horse" may be clichés, but in this business and with this art form they are time-tested clichés that work.

Jerry Corley is a 20-year professional stand up comedian. He was a contributing writer for the Tonight Show with Jay leno for 8 years and teaches a comedy workshop in the Los Angeles area.

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