Comedy Club Teaches Comics To Turn Funny Business Into A Serious Career
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - One of the oldest comedy clubs in Philadelphia does more than just tickle your funny bone.
Every Wednesday night, the Laff House Comedy Club on South Street hosts a comedy class that turns class clowns into professional comics. Philadelphia native and veteran comedian TuRae teaches the course.
"Stand up comedy has to have a direction," he says. "A lot of people are funny, they are just unfocused."
TuRae teaches his students how to transition from joke to joke and how to read the newspaper to find humorous tidbits about life. He even explains how young comics can brand their own style of comedy.
Reporter: "But can you teach funny?"
TuRae: "You can't teach funny. I don't think funny can be taught."
Rod Millwood, owns the Laff House. He says most young comics have no idea what it takes to go pro.
"You look at a lot of these guys, they tell jokes on the corner, they're class clowns," he says. "But when you have a light, 3,000 watts blaring, 200 people looking at you, it's a different story."
Millwood says comics have to be able to tell jokes and relate to a diverse audience. He says, many times, this means leaving profanity at home.
"Boys coming up today think that profanity is what makes it funny. But, when you are in a room with 200 people, dropping that f-bomb, people are like, "oh my God!"
TuRae had this piece of advice for those looking to make money in comedy: "You gotta come do it," he says. "You can't be funny at work. Funny at work doesn't count."
Several students from the Laff House comedy class will perform as part of the New Faces of Comedy Show this Sunday. For more info, go to LaffHouse.com.
Listen to Cherri Gregg's interview with Rod Millwood & TuRae...
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Reported by Cherri Gregg, KYW Newsradio 1060
