Q: I want to start doing stand-up comedy, but I'm not sure where to begin. Do you recommend going to open mic nights?

A: Open mic nights at comedy clubs or bars might not be the most glamorous venue, but if you want to be a comedian you'll come to know them well. Before you're releasing comedy albums and getting specials on HBO, you've got to start out somewhere. That somewhere in the comedy world is the open mic. For those of you who don't know the term, this is a night where anyone, no matter their level of experience, can get up on stage and do a five-to-ten minute stand-up comedy set.

There's usually a catch, in that most places require you buy a drink or bring a certain number of "guests" with you before you can perform. And these "guests" usually have to buy a minimum of two drinks each. So you can see that clubs aren't letting you onto their open mic out of the goodness of their heart; they want to make money. Convincing your friends to go with you to an open mic can be a hassle, but it's necessary for self-promotion. Open mics are great places to meet other comedians, meet club owners and industry insiders, and to hone your comedy act in front of an audience. If you do well and appear regularly, club owners and other comedians will start to take notice of you. If you play your cards right, you can get invited to perform on regular nights and weekends and maybe even get top billing. You probably won't get paid in anything other than free drinks at first, but it's the first step on the road to comedy stardom.

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