Thanks all for the input! I'm really excited to start learning comedy and figuring out my character. Is situation comedy something that I can learn (ie - any good books or resources out there to get me started) or something that's only learned by doing?

-Chris

READ! WATCH SUCCESSFUL COMEDY MAGICIANS. Analyze what they do, and try to figure out WHY what they do is funny!

Yes! SOPHOCLES said it a few millenia ago: "One learns by doing the thing."

I can't remember who said it, but "he" said: "Comedy is a bit like a soap bubble. When you get "inside" it to analyze it, it "disappears"!

I remember, years ago, when I was starting out, an old professional circus clown advised me; "A clown's wardrobe, make up and funny props will help, BUT, more important, you must be funny here!" (He pointed to his heart.)

I think all of it is really "learn by doing". You aren't likely to REALLY get over on a crowd without bombing a bunch of times first. Of course, I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule. That being said, unless you're a comedy genius, you will have to learn by doing. I don't mean you shouldn't do your research, because that's mandatory. But I have worked enough comedy shows to know, it's a painful path to being funny. It sure does look worth it though, if you can figure it out.

Mind you, I am strictly talking about comedy here. I have years more comedy and music experience with a microphone/on stage than I do as a magician.

Watch some Bill Malone on YouTube. If nothing else you will get a kick out of it. I've "borrowed" some of Bill's lines- something he encourages beginning magicians to do- and it works great because they work for me.

And like I said- lines write themselves if you're quick witted. I do a version of sidewalk shuffle that incorporates a story about when I mistakenly took my grandparents to Tombstone, Arizona during a biker rally called Helldorado days. (true story, that)

At one point in the story I "retell" about when I showed the trick to someone at the bike rally. I say, "I walked up to the biggest, meanest, smelliest biker I could find and I said, 'Excuse me.......... ma'am, would you like to see a trick?"

The "ma'am" thing came to me on the spur of the moment during a gig and I've always kept it in the script because people crack up. So stay alert for those funny lines that write themselves as you try to liven things up. Then, keep them in the act!

Theodore-

Great advice here! I have found a few things helped me:

1. Watch comedy on youtube (or wherever) every evening.
2. The following day, look for unusual and funny things that people do
3. Think about funny things that have happened to you or people you know
4. Write down anything funny that happened to you or someone you know
5. Think about how some of these could be a premise for your magic.

For example, I do a torn and restored cigarette paper routine. My script is based on a very true story of me learning to drink tequila shots while on a family vacation on an island when I was 8 yrs old. The entire story is funny, and the story has a perfect seque into magic with the bartender taking out cigarette paper. The audience thinks he is about to teach me to roll a doobie or something, then the TNR routine.

Hope this helps.

KJ

I'm not a funny person but people tend to laugh throughout my show. I go into new material to have fun and when people laugh at some patter or intonation or gesture or facial expression or timing, then I make sure to repeat.

Consider looking at some of Pop Haydn's material available on his website for very reasonable prices. His humor seems similar to what you are after. Look at how he takes classics and weaves them into a humorous routine that makes sense. While many will encourage you to take something and "make it your own", and I can see the value in that.... there is no shame and a lot of value in taking something that has been finely honed over many years and using it as-is (as long as it fits your style). Through performance you will gain greater insight into how and why things are arranged the way they are for entertaining comedic effect.