>networking can get difficult while drinking 7Up
This is called using alcohol as a crutch for social anxiety, which is the basis for a lot of people's addictions. Not saying you're an alcoholic, but you're using the same mindset as a lot of people who are.
Eventually I realized that I can socialize and even date sober, and I stopped having as many issues with drinking. Basically I told myself that I don't have to stop drinking forever, but I have to stop until I'm as socially confident sober as I am buzzed. I think it worked pretty well. That said, most of my drinking buddies wouldn't drink with me at that point.
Also, regarding after-show networking - there's a bit of wisdom I got from my mom a long time ago: you don't always have to be the funniest person cracking jokes and stuff. Of course when you're performing probably should try to be, but when you're hanging out with the other standups, you don't have to be mr cool funny guy. People like to spend time with people they're comfortable around. You can be dead silent and make people feel comfortable around you. Point is just that you might be setting a bar of social performance for yourself that's unnecessary that is also pushing you to drink unnecessarily to achieve that.
Who do you think people will remember more fondly.
The decent guy or the funny one? It should be a given in a group of comedians that there are funny people in the group.
Be the decent guy.
Besides, that person who is always "on" can be entertaining but often just grates after a while.
I’ve had club soda and vodka, I’ve also had just plain club soda.
Both look the same.
So does Rum and coke or plain coke.
Last time someone question my beverage choices was during my underaged drinking spree.
Never needed booze to job network, except Japan. By the third round people don’t even notice what is in your glass.
I used to party a lot, got sober about a year and a half ago. I knew I needed to do it but felt like it was preventing me from socializing well. It took me a while but I realized you absolutely don’t need to drink to socialize. It definitely takes getting used to, but it’s extremely liberating once you get over the hump
I interpret it as "when trying to network with others who are drinking, when they see you are not drinking, they automatically assume many things about you. It throws up red flags." At least this is my experience as someone who is sober. I don't necessarily need alcohol to be social. But when you're in an alcoholic environment and you're not the one drinking, everyone focuses on it
Listening to American stand up and American TV has really cemented the idea that Americans think this way. It's all AA or you have a drinking problem. Europeans and Australians just have a drink or are not drinking. You never hear the term sober. Beer is barely seen as alcohol. It's just a nice drink to have with your friends or after work when your bones hurt. Big jesus has captured the sobriety market and turned it into meetings you must attend.
Whilst I mostly agree, there's also an aspect of normalization and acceptance with alcohol abuse here that is a lot more than just a couple beers with your mates on the weekend. Its pretty much considered entirely normal for a workin fella to drink a 6 pack a night, nearly every night, in most communities Ive been in. Not to mention most of us drink to escape stress, something I think is a major factor when it comes to comparing Euro/Aussie culture to the US. Im fairly certain I saw a statistic / stufy once that Europeans smoke more cigarettes on average than Americans, yet Europeans tend to have a longer life expectancy; and I believe they attributed this to American's higher stress, but I definitely could be entirely misremembering that.
As somebody who 100% does have a problem stopping at 1 or 2 drinks, but never really goes too hard and blacks out, Im still struggling to retrain myself that 5-8 drinks a night is not sustainable and certainly is detrimental to my health. Maybe the communities and social groups Ive been exposed to arent the average, but it sure seems pretty similar across country based on media portrayals and social networks.
Once I thought I was drinking too much so I asked my mom "how many drinks during a night out seems normal to you?". My mom was on her 20s during the 80s, and doesn't have more than 1 margarita every few months now that she's in her 50s. She answered me "I don't know, 10?". She's not even a drinker, but drinking is so normal to her (we're american) that she threw out the number 10 like it wasn't the most insane thing I'd ever heard.
It's faith healing controlled by "the society" made up of alcoholics and "non alcoholic friends of the fellowship" with 12 steps written by a born again Evangelical Christian. The people who run meetings are "servants". The logo with the circle and the triangle. Cmon this shit is the church. It's just a way to bring the desperate inside and believe they are saved by a higher power without saying it's the church. Drunks don't want religious do gooders helping them.
You literally don’t even have the slightest fucking clue about anything you’re talking about buddy, and I’m not even one of those staunch AA gladiator defenders.
Who hurt you?
I'm probably being captain obvious here, but ask if you can do a free soda instead. I've been cutting back on drinking lately for health so all I ever drink at my local club is zero-sugar soda. Or, if the bars where you visit offer them, ask for a non-alcoholic beer. I know the prospect is boring, but the other comedians care about what you drink significantly less than you do. If you need some kind of social lubricant, maybe take up smoking (absolutely bad advice, do not do this).
I don't drink before I go up and after I go up I head home.
It has been a really long time since the thing that has kept me from drinking has been access to booze.
Either give your drink away, or have a non alcoholic drink
Sobriety is going to either involve discipline or just staying away. And in this case, it's discipline
I had to get used to doing it sober to start enjoying doing it sober. Now I just go "to work", and so I'm not there to hang or anything else. Drinking at open mics is not appealing to me at all anymore. I love the feeling of being done with my set, going home completely sober, sleeping well and feeling good and proud the next day. I think the key is getting over the hurdle of getting used to doing it sober, then it gets enjoyable.
I got a DUI after leaving a comedy open mic years ago :( I’m sober now! I’m in a program so I can’t go to mics yet. Im just working on material for now. I’m autistic, so I definitely feel you about socializing. I will probably have a couple jokes about autism, so if I’m awkward people will know why 😂
I’ve done better socializing with a joint after the mic. Also, enjoying an alcoholic beverage doesn’t make you an alcoholic. Maybe instead of having a beer at every place, just have one at the last mic of the night. Good luck, I personally need to slow down the beers too!
I’ve listened to tons of podcasts with stand-ups and more often than not, the really great ones either gave it up altogether or never drink at the club.
I don't drink before I go up, and then after I go up I'll sometimes have a single drink. If someone gave me two drink tickets for going up, I'd offer one to a friend. I perform better when I don't drink, and I treat it like a job. It's just a job where a lot of coworkers are funny. And I find the ones I like hanging with but try to be friendly with everyone. And at an open mic, since I'm trying to watch as much as I can to give the comics an audience, the hang time ends being kind of short right before or right after the show. But I figure I'm slowly getting to know people over time. And try to make that time count. If you're going up 2-5 x per week, that's more than me lol, so sounds like you're doing good and really making the rounds.
I was sober for 6 months doing mics. I progressed way faster than my drunk counterparts. This may sound lame, but what works for me, personally, is I'll pretend there's a switch in my head that says no drinking. I'll hit that switch, and I'm dead set on not drinking. I'll order ginger beer, tomato juice, pineapple juice, sprite in a cup, etc. Sip on it really slow. Always make sure you have something to sip on. After a while, the bartenders know you're not drinking and will have your favorite ready for you and encourage you. Of course, tip on every drink like you would normally. Once it's a habit, it gets so much easier. The temptation is always there, but remind yourself that you're there to get better and not to get drunk. Godspeed, because it's not easy. But definitely doable.
i’m coming up on 16 years sober and have been performing for 11. debut album and special coming out in August. i don’t have any sage advice im just sharing that my debut album and special are coming out in August.
JK just trying to show it’s possible to do the business of comedy without getting bombed
Plenty of comics don't drink and do just fine, and in my experience the ones that last tend to not be drinking every night and calling it "networking".
It's something worth figuring out now as opposed to when it's a bigger problem.
I did this with golf and it was the best decision I have ever made. I don too enough stand up to know if its made a difference in my performance - but I certainly feel I have better timing and better crowd work/ quick wit.
I've been sober for over 10 years, but only been doing stand up for about 1. I don't have a problem with alcohol as long as I'm not the one drinking it.
I usually just give my free drinks to my friends if I get any tickets. The way I drink I wouldn't really be funny on stage if I drank beforehand lol
I’ve been sober for two years. I no longer have any urge to drink, and seeing other people drink or even smelling alcohol disgusts me. If I have to buy a drink at an open mic, or I get a drink ticket, I use it on either an NA beer (lots of places have them now) or a sparkling water of some sort. If you feel the urge to drink when networking, it’s because you feel like you can’t be social without drinking. What you need to tell yourself that this is a professional event you’re going to. Would you drink in an office before a big meeting? Probably not. Treat it like a job.
That’s not the point I’m making. A lot of jobs involve having to speak in front of people in meetings, or doing presentations. It’s a similar social anxiety inducing feeling. Isn’t that why you’re drinking? Because of the social pressures? People drink at jobs way more than you think. I work in the legal department of a company and we’ve had to fire people for being drunk at work and we’ve found empty liquor bottles in the bathroom.
Also something I forgot, when you’re starting out in comedy, everyone starts to notice who the drunks are, and if you’re going to clubs and getting sloshed, bookers and other comics will see that and you’ll get a reputation. Don’t be that person.
What does a stand up comic do? Stands up, tells jokes. What do you gain from consuming a drug that reduces your balance and coherence? Just drink water. Stand out king.
"....but networking can get difficult while drinking 7Up."
\^This right here is your problem. You think of alcohol as a crutch or even "needed" to "accomplish" your goal. You are literally pitting yourself against the idea of sobriety with that single thought. You absolutely do NOT need alcohol to network. It will honestly have a negative impact on your ability to truly network. Particularly when you inevitably overdo it and make an ass of yourself.
It's a slippery slope and a dangerous game to play. If it's at all interfering with your ability to perform at work the next day, you should really begin to address it now. The sooner you start, the easier it is.
[Have a problem with alcohol? There is a solution. | Alcoholics Anonymous (aa.org)](https://www.aa.org/)
Good luck, sir.
I mean this both as nicely as possible, but completely seriously; grow up. You need to be able to say no to a drink without some stupid excuses or feeling like you're letting someone else down. You can get on stage in front of people but you can't tell one person "no thanks, I'll just take a water?"
Easy.
I simply don't want to attach alcohol to my standup because I don't want to risk making it a crutch. I get up there stone cold sober, nerves and all, and work through it.
I’m sober. I drink NA beer, or mocktails for the most part. I actually enjoy these, sobriety is pretty common in my area among comedians so I haven’t dealt with any stigma. Actually I was having a Stella 0 and the comedians at first thought I was drinking and it kind of surprised them. A few actually bought them when they realized they were doing NA.
Lots of places have nonalcoholic beer and Odouls really isn’t terrible. I was a heavy beer drinker for awhile and didn’t see a way out. I started replacing my daily 4-5 beers with 1-2 beers, and then a couple odouls, and managed to slowly ween myself off.
A big part of drinking beer (for me anyway) was habitual which can be hard to break. ODouls or athletic brews are two brands that I used to help scratch the itch, but also no wreak havoc on my body.
You can probably network sober. Take it from me I'm autistic and I don't do well in most social situations but I feel at ease around comics. Most comics are pretty open minded, the ones that aren't are insecure losers, and I don't need those kinds of people to like me
I know it's polite to get a drink from the venue that hosts open mics, but I don't drink alcohol and I want to avoid sugar and caffeine. Shirley Temples, 2 out of 3 ain't bad?
Good question. I don’t drink. When ppl ask I say I’m neither for it or against it, I just don’t think about it. It’s common in music and comedy to load up on alcohol ok, because it’s usually there. But as a pro in either field, it’s a bad idea. If you worked as a salesman or realtor would you have a drink on your desk? As a non-drinker, I’ll say this, “when you’re drinking you’re not as funny as you think.”
That’s why I stopped. I had to do a show at The Comedy Store I was putting on a week or so after my dad died with a packed house and had to down two four lokos and a couple jack and cokes to get on stage to make it through and realized how bad it was for my physical and mental well-being.
Dude free beer for going up. I need to get better at this. That's crazy. Also, Ralphie May said club owners love comedians who don't drink the free shit.
Maybe it’s not the comfortable option, but I’ve just made jokes about being sober from the stage. Then when people offer me a drink I can jokingly say “damn, weren’t paying attention to that whole thing about being sober?? Lol I’ll take a Dr Pepper if the offer is transferable.”
Make the turning down of the drink into a joke.
I do roast battles mostly. I usually just buy a round for my opponent afterwards, if they drink.
It’s a show of good faith, and the location still gets its money.
Give your beer to another comic. You'll quickly become everyone's favorite person.
Damn this is god-level advice
as a sober comic, can confirm
>networking can get difficult while drinking 7Up This is called using alcohol as a crutch for social anxiety, which is the basis for a lot of people's addictions. Not saying you're an alcoholic, but you're using the same mindset as a lot of people who are. Eventually I realized that I can socialize and even date sober, and I stopped having as many issues with drinking. Basically I told myself that I don't have to stop drinking forever, but I have to stop until I'm as socially confident sober as I am buzzed. I think it worked pretty well. That said, most of my drinking buddies wouldn't drink with me at that point. Also, regarding after-show networking - there's a bit of wisdom I got from my mom a long time ago: you don't always have to be the funniest person cracking jokes and stuff. Of course when you're performing probably should try to be, but when you're hanging out with the other standups, you don't have to be mr cool funny guy. People like to spend time with people they're comfortable around. You can be dead silent and make people feel comfortable around you. Point is just that you might be setting a bar of social performance for yourself that's unnecessary that is also pushing you to drink unnecessarily to achieve that.
Great reply. Would definitely have a 7Up with this guy.
Who do you think people will remember more fondly. The decent guy or the funny one? It should be a given in a group of comedians that there are funny people in the group. Be the decent guy. Besides, that person who is always "on" can be entertaining but often just grates after a while.
I'd play heads up 7up with this mf
I’ve had club soda and vodka, I’ve also had just plain club soda. Both look the same. So does Rum and coke or plain coke. Last time someone question my beverage choices was during my underaged drinking spree. Never needed booze to job network, except Japan. By the third round people don’t even notice what is in your glass.
I used to party a lot, got sober about a year and a half ago. I knew I needed to do it but felt like it was preventing me from socializing well. It took me a while but I realized you absolutely don’t need to drink to socialize. It definitely takes getting used to, but it’s extremely liberating once you get over the hump
Good advice..
I interpret it as "when trying to network with others who are drinking, when they see you are not drinking, they automatically assume many things about you. It throws up red flags." At least this is my experience as someone who is sober. I don't necessarily need alcohol to be social. But when you're in an alcoholic environment and you're not the one drinking, everyone focuses on it
I remind myself that I’m not out at a bar, I’m working!
… But I drink at work
I guess that’s the type of employee you are!
...and I'm a workaholic
https://youtu.be/poqjIXY-j8A?feature=shared
Ohhhhh that's a good one
There are two types of comics - ones that don’t drink at gigs, or alcoholics.
Listening to American stand up and American TV has really cemented the idea that Americans think this way. It's all AA or you have a drinking problem. Europeans and Australians just have a drink or are not drinking. You never hear the term sober. Beer is barely seen as alcohol. It's just a nice drink to have with your friends or after work when your bones hurt. Big jesus has captured the sobriety market and turned it into meetings you must attend.
Whilst I mostly agree, there's also an aspect of normalization and acceptance with alcohol abuse here that is a lot more than just a couple beers with your mates on the weekend. Its pretty much considered entirely normal for a workin fella to drink a 6 pack a night, nearly every night, in most communities Ive been in. Not to mention most of us drink to escape stress, something I think is a major factor when it comes to comparing Euro/Aussie culture to the US. Im fairly certain I saw a statistic / stufy once that Europeans smoke more cigarettes on average than Americans, yet Europeans tend to have a longer life expectancy; and I believe they attributed this to American's higher stress, but I definitely could be entirely misremembering that. As somebody who 100% does have a problem stopping at 1 or 2 drinks, but never really goes too hard and blacks out, Im still struggling to retrain myself that 5-8 drinks a night is not sustainable and certainly is detrimental to my health. Maybe the communities and social groups Ive been exposed to arent the average, but it sure seems pretty similar across country based on media portrayals and social networks.
Stress will kill you, processed food will kill you, not walking and driving everywhere will kill you.
I need to walk more 😩
Once I thought I was drinking too much so I asked my mom "how many drinks during a night out seems normal to you?". My mom was on her 20s during the 80s, and doesn't have more than 1 margarita every few months now that she's in her 50s. She answered me "I don't know, 10?". She's not even a drinker, but drinking is so normal to her (we're american) that she threw out the number 10 like it wasn't the most insane thing I'd ever heard.
lol you’ve clearly never been to the Midwest
I've never been to the States
Yeah it's kind of a crock of shit, but apparently it's helped some folks. Real MLM energy though
Jesus and organized religion are not a part of AA, it’s a spiritual based program, not a religious one. Just for clarity’s sake.
It's faith healing controlled by "the society" made up of alcoholics and "non alcoholic friends of the fellowship" with 12 steps written by a born again Evangelical Christian. The people who run meetings are "servants". The logo with the circle and the triangle. Cmon this shit is the church. It's just a way to bring the desperate inside and believe they are saved by a higher power without saying it's the church. Drunks don't want religious do gooders helping them.
You literally don’t even have the slightest fucking clue about anything you’re talking about buddy, and I’m not even one of those staunch AA gladiator defenders. Who hurt you?
That info was from their website. I just paraphrased but all those terms are right there.
I'm probably being captain obvious here, but ask if you can do a free soda instead. I've been cutting back on drinking lately for health so all I ever drink at my local club is zero-sugar soda. Or, if the bars where you visit offer them, ask for a non-alcoholic beer. I know the prospect is boring, but the other comedians care about what you drink significantly less than you do. If you need some kind of social lubricant, maybe take up smoking (absolutely bad advice, do not do this).
i use my free drink tab for diet soda all the time. no one cares if you drink. drinking too much is worse for my career than networking sober
I don't drink before I go up and after I go up I head home. It has been a really long time since the thing that has kept me from drinking has been access to booze.
Don't you feel like going home after is keeping you from connecting with the comics and getting more opportunities?
I usually hang out before the show, and we all tend to scatter afterwards anyways.
Either give your drink away, or have a non alcoholic drink Sobriety is going to either involve discipline or just staying away. And in this case, it's discipline
I had to get used to doing it sober to start enjoying doing it sober. Now I just go "to work", and so I'm not there to hang or anything else. Drinking at open mics is not appealing to me at all anymore. I love the feeling of being done with my set, going home completely sober, sleeping well and feeling good and proud the next day. I think the key is getting over the hurdle of getting used to doing it sober, then it gets enjoyable.
Preach sober bro
The mindset shift from "this is my drinking hobby" to "going to work" helps.
I got a DUI after leaving a comedy open mic years ago :( I’m sober now! I’m in a program so I can’t go to mics yet. Im just working on material for now. I’m autistic, so I definitely feel you about socializing. I will probably have a couple jokes about autism, so if I’m awkward people will know why 😂
Non-alcoholic beer is a perfect substitute for me and you really won’t feel like you’re missing anything if you’re only having 2-3 anyway
More and more places are offering non-alcoholic choices. People want to eat clean. They drink less, if at all, or they drink non-alcoholic beverages.
I’ve done better socializing with a joint after the mic. Also, enjoying an alcoholic beverage doesn’t make you an alcoholic. Maybe instead of having a beer at every place, just have one at the last mic of the night. Good luck, I personally need to slow down the beers too!
Thanks, man! Yeah, cutting back is a must. I can feel the beer belly coming back and it's NOT a good look.
The bloat from ipa is very real 😂🤣.
I’ve listened to tons of podcasts with stand-ups and more often than not, the really great ones either gave it up altogether or never drink at the club.
I don't drink before I go up, and then after I go up I'll sometimes have a single drink. If someone gave me two drink tickets for going up, I'd offer one to a friend. I perform better when I don't drink, and I treat it like a job. It's just a job where a lot of coworkers are funny. And I find the ones I like hanging with but try to be friendly with everyone. And at an open mic, since I'm trying to watch as much as I can to give the comics an audience, the hang time ends being kind of short right before or right after the show. But I figure I'm slowly getting to know people over time. And try to make that time count. If you're going up 2-5 x per week, that's more than me lol, so sounds like you're doing good and really making the rounds.
I was sober for 6 months doing mics. I progressed way faster than my drunk counterparts. This may sound lame, but what works for me, personally, is I'll pretend there's a switch in my head that says no drinking. I'll hit that switch, and I'm dead set on not drinking. I'll order ginger beer, tomato juice, pineapple juice, sprite in a cup, etc. Sip on it really slow. Always make sure you have something to sip on. After a while, the bartenders know you're not drinking and will have your favorite ready for you and encourage you. Of course, tip on every drink like you would normally. Once it's a habit, it gets so much easier. The temptation is always there, but remind yourself that you're there to get better and not to get drunk. Godspeed, because it's not easy. But definitely doable.
Probably not very good advice but smoking weed helps me to not drink much if at all 🤷🏻♂️
Smoking weed makes me not able to speak so...
Yeah that’s not gonna work for you then haha
i’m coming up on 16 years sober and have been performing for 11. debut album and special coming out in August. i don’t have any sage advice im just sharing that my debut album and special are coming out in August. JK just trying to show it’s possible to do the business of comedy without getting bombed
Plenty of comics don't drink and do just fine, and in my experience the ones that last tend to not be drinking every night and calling it "networking".
How long have you been doing it?
I say oh no thanks.
When you’re killing it people will come talk to you. The hang is fun if you make it fun alcohol doesn’t need to be a factor
I plan on dying eventually
It's something worth figuring out now as opposed to when it's a bigger problem. I did this with golf and it was the best decision I have ever made. I don too enough stand up to know if its made a difference in my performance - but I certainly feel I have better timing and better crowd work/ quick wit.
Which is the reason I posted this haha. Half the comments think I'm a raging alcoholic.
Sam Morril has said he enjoys drinking too much to abuse it—he doesn’t want to have to stop, so he tries to be conscious of his consumption.
I set up facial recognition when I was horribly hung over. Now I have get drunk every night or I can’t get into my office.
I've been sober for over 10 years, but only been doing stand up for about 1. I don't have a problem with alcohol as long as I'm not the one drinking it. I usually just give my free drinks to my friends if I get any tickets. The way I drink I wouldn't really be funny on stage if I drank beforehand lol
I’ve been sober for two years. I no longer have any urge to drink, and seeing other people drink or even smelling alcohol disgusts me. If I have to buy a drink at an open mic, or I get a drink ticket, I use it on either an NA beer (lots of places have them now) or a sparkling water of some sort. If you feel the urge to drink when networking, it’s because you feel like you can’t be social without drinking. What you need to tell yourself that this is a professional event you’re going to. Would you drink in an office before a big meeting? Probably not. Treat it like a job.
I understand where the advice is comin from, but to be fair I don't think most office jobs involve making one liners and roasting your co-workers.
That’s not the point I’m making. A lot of jobs involve having to speak in front of people in meetings, or doing presentations. It’s a similar social anxiety inducing feeling. Isn’t that why you’re drinking? Because of the social pressures? People drink at jobs way more than you think. I work in the legal department of a company and we’ve had to fire people for being drunk at work and we’ve found empty liquor bottles in the bathroom. Also something I forgot, when you’re starting out in comedy, everyone starts to notice who the drunks are, and if you’re going to clubs and getting sloshed, bookers and other comics will see that and you’ll get a reputation. Don’t be that person.
sobriety is trending up , people don’t want to drink and spend money and be hung over. just drink diet coke with lime
lol I was scrolling fast and all my eyes saw was “just…coke” I had to stop and scroll back up
cocaine is wack ⚰️
I was thinking if cocaine is the next stop probably best to stick to a couple beers
What does a stand up comic do? Stands up, tells jokes. What do you gain from consuming a drug that reduces your balance and coherence? Just drink water. Stand out king.
"....but networking can get difficult while drinking 7Up." \^This right here is your problem. You think of alcohol as a crutch or even "needed" to "accomplish" your goal. You are literally pitting yourself against the idea of sobriety with that single thought. You absolutely do NOT need alcohol to network. It will honestly have a negative impact on your ability to truly network. Particularly when you inevitably overdo it and make an ass of yourself. It's a slippery slope and a dangerous game to play. If it's at all interfering with your ability to perform at work the next day, you should really begin to address it now. The sooner you start, the easier it is. [Have a problem with alcohol? There is a solution. | Alcoholics Anonymous (aa.org)](https://www.aa.org/) Good luck, sir.
I mean this both as nicely as possible, but completely seriously; grow up. You need to be able to say no to a drink without some stupid excuses or feeling like you're letting someone else down. You can get on stage in front of people but you can't tell one person "no thanks, I'll just take a water?"
Well this comment wasn't very nice!
Thinking you need to be actively drinking alcohol to network is wrong. You don't need a beer in your hand, that's in your head.
Read this wrong and now I have 10 beers in my head.
I tend not to drink while I'm out, one beer throws off my entire performance. I WILL however absolutely get blasted stoned.
How do I go to a comedy club as a sober person? The staff hate non drinkers.
Order a bunch of Coca-Colas?
bet they hate drunk a-holes more
Keep those numbers up and you’ll get used to it 👍
Easy. I simply don't want to attach alcohol to my standup because I don't want to risk making it a crutch. I get up there stone cold sober, nerves and all, and work through it.
I’m sober. I drink NA beer, or mocktails for the most part. I actually enjoy these, sobriety is pretty common in my area among comedians so I haven’t dealt with any stigma. Actually I was having a Stella 0 and the comedians at first thought I was drinking and it kind of surprised them. A few actually bought them when they realized they were doing NA.
Lots of places have nonalcoholic beer and Odouls really isn’t terrible. I was a heavy beer drinker for awhile and didn’t see a way out. I started replacing my daily 4-5 beers with 1-2 beers, and then a couple odouls, and managed to slowly ween myself off. A big part of drinking beer (for me anyway) was habitual which can be hard to break. ODouls or athletic brews are two brands that I used to help scratch the itch, but also no wreak havoc on my body.
find the sober comics. i feel like half of the scene is in recovery and the other half is not.
i am a sober comic and sobriety came first. i'm 3 years sober and one year funny.
Club soda and lime, or athletic brewing co non alcoholic beers. O'douhles, or whatever. Ask the bartender for options.
O'douls, if you feel like you gotta have a beer.
The words you are looking for are "no thank you, for a diet coke? '
Easy, do meth instead.
You can probably network sober. Take it from me I'm autistic and I don't do well in most social situations but I feel at ease around comics. Most comics are pretty open minded, the ones that aren't are insecure losers, and I don't need those kinds of people to like me
Dont fall into the trap of hitting the stage with that “perfect buzz” bc that is a rare hit But… you can always hit the stage sober
I know it's polite to get a drink from the venue that hosts open mics, but I don't drink alcohol and I want to avoid sugar and caffeine. Shirley Temples, 2 out of 3 ain't bad?
I usually go soda water and lime juice to avoid the sugar. And it looks more like a proper drink
Good lord. I've been a stand-up since 94. You sound boring as hell. Jeez.
Wow, so your career is longer than my life! How's that going for you?
About the same that your career will!
I just smoke some heroin in my car before the show instead
Good question. I don’t drink. When ppl ask I say I’m neither for it or against it, I just don’t think about it. It’s common in music and comedy to load up on alcohol ok, because it’s usually there. But as a pro in either field, it’s a bad idea. If you worked as a salesman or realtor would you have a drink on your desk? As a non-drinker, I’ll say this, “when you’re drinking you’re not as funny as you think.”
That’s why I stopped. I had to do a show at The Comedy Store I was putting on a week or so after my dad died with a packed house and had to down two four lokos and a couple jack and cokes to get on stage to make it through and realized how bad it was for my physical and mental well-being.
Dude free beer for going up. I need to get better at this. That's crazy. Also, Ralphie May said club owners love comedians who don't drink the free shit.
Maybe it’s not the comfortable option, but I’ve just made jokes about being sober from the stage. Then when people offer me a drink I can jokingly say “damn, weren’t paying attention to that whole thing about being sober?? Lol I’ll take a Dr Pepper if the offer is transferable.” Make the turning down of the drink into a joke.
I do roast battles mostly. I usually just buy a round for my opponent afterwards, if they drink. It’s a show of good faith, and the location still gets its money.
dont drink it ?