Class clowns

Some people say you’re either funny or you’re not. But Zanies, the Edge Comedy Club and the Comedy College believe they can make anyone hilarious—as long as you’ve got a few bucks to pay for the effort. So we took each course and asked Eddie Brill, a New York–based comic who books for the Late Show with David Letterman, to weigh in on our class notes with his scholarly opinion.

Zanies
Dobie “Mr. Lucky” Maxwell, a Zanies regular with 22 years of stand-up experience, is our blunt—but not mean-spirited—teacher. The first few classes involve group joke-writing and discussions on comedy theories; the last few are dedicated to honing our act. Beginning classes run for four weeks for $350, but Maxwell’s apt to add classes just for the hell of it.

Three things we learn
1 Have an opinion. Think about what sets you apart from other comics, and reflect that in your jokes, even if it’s “bald yuppie who’s obsessed with professional wrestling,” which was the persona of one of our classmates.
Brill says “Stick up for your perspective.  Don’t just say, ‘Bush sucks.’ Let’s hear what you think.”
2 Create a five-minute routine. Bookers don’t have time to hear you wax on, so tell them who you are, be funny and get offstage.
Brill says “Never throw away jokes, even if they’re not part of your five minutes anymore.”
3  Keep it clean. There’s a much larger audience base for clean comedy. F-bombs are crutches that young comics use to get easy laughs.
Brill says “People think edgy is dirty, but edgy is smart; dirty is lazy.”
Our verdict Maxwell gives us confidence to enter the stand-up arena, as well as tips to curb writer’s block. He’s very accessible during class, and keeps in touch afterward.
Grade A-
Zanies, 1548 N Wells St (312-337-4027, chicago.zanies.com).—SH

Edge Comedy
Dave Odd runs the Edge Comedy Boot Camp—$200 for eight weeks—in conjunction with his Edge Comedy Club. A new topic is addressed each week, sometimes with the help of a guest comic. We do some joke-writing, perform what we come up with and then ask Odd for feedback. You can stay for the open mike afterward, too.

Three things we learn
1 Don’t test your jokes only on friends. Your friend dies laughing when you say booger, but a joke might need more substance for a general audience. Keep a notebook on you to jot down fresh fodder.
Brill says “Testing material on trustworthy friends is okay—you get honest feedback.”
2 Make sure everyone is in on the joke. Telling fat jokes to a group of large and lovely ladies is not the smartest tactic. Also, don’t go to Utah and say to an empty audience, “Where is everybody—trapped in a mine?” Too soon.
Brill says “I wouldn’t think about who’s in on the joke—just perform your material.”
3 Promote the hell out of yourself. Get a website or a MySpace page—if a promoter decides to Google you, the more hits, the better.
Brill says “There are more important things to worry about early on than promoting yourself, like being an artist.”
Our verdict Despite his periodic rails against “hipster comics,” Odd is a pretty good instructor. He explains things well, and addresses students’ concerns thoughtfully.
Grade B
Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N Green St (847-409-8623, edgecomedyshow.com).—Leah Pietrusiak

Comedy College
Jim Rauth, founder of the “college” and co-manager of Joker’s Comedy Club in Milwaukee, offers two options for classes: a seven-week seminar for $350, or half-hour private lessons for $55 (we doubled up and did one private lesson for  an hour). Rauth talks shop, has us play solo improv games and tell a few jokes, and reminisces bitterly about former students who have given him the brush-off.

Three things we learn
1 Get physical. Anytime you’re writing a bit, ask yourself, How can I physically show this to the audience?
Brill says “Remember, you can be physical with just an eye movement. Not everything should be overt.”
2 Do your homework. You can’t coast on being funny alone, so memorize your material. Don’t crib your set or use notes. Once you know your stuff, feel free to deviate from it and interact with the audience.
Brill says “It’s okay to bring your notebook on an off-night.”
3 Develop thick skin. You’re not as bad as your worst set, so learn to shrug it off when you bomb. Same with jokes—you can’t tell whether one works based on a single telling. Jokes constantly have to be rewritten.
Brill says “Always, always live in the moment, and get onstage as much as you can.”
Our verdict Rauth’s advice is fairly impersonal, and we wish more time was devoted to practicing the  material and getting feedback.
Grade C+
Locations vary; call 773-250-7979 for more info, or visit comedycollegeinfo.com.—David Wolinsky