Bomb shelters

Befriend hecklers
Don’t forget that the audience is on your side. That said, you will get heckled; it’s an occupational hazard. “Treat the heckler like a friend you are ripping on, rather than someone you have to shut up. Being mean might cause you to alienate the rest of the audience,” says Kumail Nanjiani, who performs with humor collective Blerds.com, a group that produces live shows and online videos. Remember, they heckle because they love.

Engage unresponsive crowds
Are they uninterested or just not listening? Break through the “fourth wall” and interact with them. “You can’t be afraid to abandon your set altogether and talk to the crowd,” says Zanies comic James Vickery, adding that you might discover something to make fun of in the process. “But sometimes you just have to take it. It’s like forming a callus.”

Forge ahead if you forget material
Go to the next bit—stopping and stumbling will dig you in deeper. “The key is to be relaxed,” says Dan Kaufman, a Chicago-based touring comic. “Take some improv classes so you can learn to make something new up.” The audience won’t notice your forgetfulness if you deliver your new line with some healthy faux confidence.

Don’t make fun of the crappy comic who went on before you
“The host will do damage control—a couple minutes of surefire jokes to get the audience back into the show,” says Tony Sam, founder of the weekly Chicago Underground Comedy stand-up showcase. “Don’t be disrespectful if [the person before you] bombed; and be complimentary if they killed.”

Make a quick exit
New comics make the mistake of announcing their last joke. Don’t—it’ll raise expectations. “Save the best for last,” Sam says. “Then say your last joke, your name, ‘good night’ and go.” It doesn’t matter if you botch your last joke, either—don’t make matters worse by trying to go out on a laugh. Desperation ain’t so funny.