What I learned from performing stand-up comedy all over the world

I was fortunate to perform stand-up comedy in 14 countries in 2024 (Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, U.S., Ireland, England, Scotland, Romania, India, U.A.E.). Here’s a few takeaways and rambling thoughts:

1) Outsider looking in is a valuable perspective. Locals want to hear what you think of their city/country. Telling stories and sharing observations about your experience in that place always resonates, especially when highlighting common frustrations or quirks.

2) Test jokes with local comedians. If I was unsure if a reference would land or if a new joke idea may offend (or be overdone), a local comedian gave direction backstage, and sometimes offered funny taglines (what comes after the initial punchline).

3) Language matters. English is a complex language with countless regional dialects and cultural vernaculars. Jokes involving wordplay (e.g. a double entendre), similes, metaphors, and niche turns of phrase will confuse the audience if English is not their first language (or even if it is!). Keep the language simple.

4) Know who’s in the audience. It’s always helpful to understand the makeup of the audience in advance, specifically the ratio of locals:expats:tourists as that may dictate which jokes to tell.

5) Embrace the failures. I’ll confess, every joke I told abroad did not land (shocker, I know!). A quick acknowledgement and a joke about the misstep (e.g. “that joke kills in Ireland”) always gets a laugh and builds authenticity with the crowd.

Look forward to more gigs abroad in 2025!