The 10 Questions Everyone Asks Stand-Up Comedians

Stand-up comedian Josh Gondelman isn’t unlike most other stand-ups who work the road and also work on their acts in their home cities and clubs. When he’s not onstage, he often fields queries both strange and stranger from the “civilian” population. Gondelman sat down for Thought Catalog, thought about it, and compiled the 10 most popular questions he seems to hear over and over again, as well as the answers for those questions so maybe audiences and strangers alike will stop asking. Alas. Alack. They’ll probably keep asking.

This, he figured, is the second-most annoying question thrown his (and your) way:

You make a living at this?

Yikes. That’s a little personal. It’s probably the touchiest thing you can ask anyone in the arts, too, which is not a great way to converse with someone you just met.

“You’re an accountant? Does that bore you to tears?”

“You work at McDonald’s? Why didn’t you go to college?”

“You work in the church? Have you ever… you know?”

To see all 10 questions and his answers, read his piece in Thought Catalog.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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