The Blogboard Spotlight: Detroit Comedian Howie Bell (Part 2)

COMEDIAN HOWIE BELL DELIVERS HIS FORMULA FOR SHUTTING DOWN A HECKLER

Comedy is by far the purest form of live entertainment.  There’s no background music or dancers to drown out a bad performance.  There’s just a stage, a mic, an audience and YOU.   EMGWorld sits back down with the Bad Boy of Comedy aka Howie Bell to discuss the biggest mistake a comedian can make and how to dismantle a heckler.

EMGWorld: How challenging is it to handle a heckler throughout an entire set?

HB: It's very challenging.  What comics don't realize is that the audience doesn't want to hear that heckler either.  They want you to SHUT DOWN the heckler and get back into the show.  You have to learn how to deal with the heckler and still give the rest of the audience a show.  If you're not seasoned it can throw your whole show off.  I've seen a whole show die because a comic doesn't know how to handle someone that's interrupting their act.  

EMGWorld: Most people would assume handling a heckler means playing “the dozens.”  Is this true?

HB: Just because you can spit your best “mama” jokes on the corner doesn't mean you know how to handle a heckler in the middle of your show.  When you spend too much time on a heckler it takes away from your show and that'll hurt you.  That's something you'll learn over time. 

EMGWorld: What’s your recommendation for handling a heckler?

HB: My motto is you have to shut them down IMMEDIATELY.  Don't even give them time to breath.  If you do it right you'll make that person second guess heckling other comics.  Once you do that you get back into your show.  You have to learn how to do that.  You have to take away their power and let people know you're the performer and if you interrupt me this is what will happen.  You can do it in a very nice way without even having to curse them out.  It's tough, but every comic must learn how to do that.

EMGWorld: Why don't they have security at comedy clubs?

HB: They have security at some clubs.  A lot of times you wouldn't think you need security at a comedy club.  You wouldn't think people would get MAD at a place where you're supposed to laugh.  Unfortunately, people do get mad at comics and throw drinks and ashtrays.  There's dozens of comics that have been through it.  You do need security at those venues.  The smaller bars and nightclubs may not be able to afford it or think people are going to start something with a comic, but that's not the case.  I have security at all my shows.  I do believe you need security.

EMGWorld: Just how ugly can a situation get when you’re being interrupted by a heckler?

HB:  I was in Brooklyn performing at a midnight comedy show. I got to the show early enough to see what was going on.  One lady was just heckling and murdering everyone.  This lady was letting everyone have it.  No comedian was spared.  She even had people in the audience laughing.  

EMGWorld: How did you go about handling her?

HB: The moment I went on the stage I immediately shut her down.  
           Me: Baby girl you've been yelling at every comedian up here.  Do you want to get on the mic?  
           Lady heckler: I use to work here and I know everyone in here.
          Me: So what you sucked everyone's d**k?  What are you saying?
  

It was one of those nights where you had to take it there, so I did.  She stood up and tried to grab the microphone. 
          
          Me: I know this looks like a d**k, but you can't grab it.  

At this point I had the audience ROLLING with laughter.  She then picks up a Heineken bottle and throws it at me.  Then she throws an ashtray at me.  You would've thought this was staged or something.  Eventually security put her out.  I shut it down and the audience loved it.

EMGWorld: What would you say is the biggest mistake a comedian can make on stage?

HB: Repeating the same joke in the same set is the biggest mistake a comic can make.  If you do enough shows as a comic it'll happen to you.  That's probably happened to 90% of the comics that have performed.  You start to speed up and go into the same thing you said before.  After that, you're no longer genuine to the crowd.  People will see you have a rehearsed act.  That'll hurt you.

EMGWorld: What’s your advice to aspiring comics out there who struggling to perfect this craft?

HB: I've done all of the worst things you can do as a stand-up comic, but I'd say those are the best teachers.  It teaches you how to control yourself and read your audience.  You're going to make mistakes.  The longer you do stand-up, the less mistakes you want to make.  Your career is based on your LAST act.  It lessens the jobs you'll receive if people have bad reports about you.  

“When you spend too much time on a heckler it takes away from your show and that'll hurt you.” -  Howie Bell, Blogboard Spotlight

EMGWorld: What would you say is one common obstacle all aspiring comics will eventually face and must learn to overcome?

HB: I'd say dealing with ADVERSITY on the spot.  It can be hard for comics to engage other audiences they’re not “familiar” with.  They may be comfortable with an all-black crowd, but now you have to perform for an all-black "west-indian" crowd.  Your material can work, but your delivery may have to change.

EMGWorld: How important is it for a comic to be universal?

HB: If you want to be successful as a comic you have to learn how to be UNIVERSAL across the board. You have to figure out how to pull that certain crowd into your world and engage them.  Every comic goes through learning how to engage your audience and knowing who you're talking to.  You can't perform at a corporate setting and perform a bunch of sexual material.  You have to humble yourself to your audience.  

EMGWorld: How do you know when you have successfully captured your audience?

HB: When there's SILENCE.  I tell a lot of new comics "Don't be afraid of the silence."  That means they're listening.  You know you got em when it's so quiet that you can hear a pin drop.  When you take them from quiet to roaring with laughter there's no better feeling for a comic.  That's what keeps most comics doing comedy.  It’s a feeling of control and knowing that the crowd is engaged into your personality.  When you hear dead silence then you have them.

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