Heckle This

Heckling can be a fun part of stand-up comedy but it can also be a comedian’s downfall. Hecklers are going to happen. The very first time I got heckled I was a very new comic. I was in a small bar in Lafayette, Louisiana, my very first time in this city. I made a joke about being Jewish and someone yelled from the crowd “there’s still Jews?” I didn’t know how to respond. I completely panicked. The whole audience got super quiet waiting for me to say something. I said not sure if you have read a history book but the Nazis didn’t win. It quieted him enough for me to be able to finish my set. I played the scene over and over in my head, wishing I hadn’t freaked out, wishing I had something wittier to say.

Hecklers come in all varieties. Most hecklers honestly think they are helping you out by contributing. Others are drunk, or mean, or just like attention. Every heckler needs to be handled differently and this comes with time and experience. I will say that the general rule is not to punch down. If you are too cruel or rude to a heckler it can turn the audience against you. After all, the heckler is an audience member too. Also, especially with the drunk ones, ignoring them is not generally a good strategy. It often makes them louder and more aggressive.

I find it best to acknowledge them, make a quick riff (if you have one), and then move on. If they keep going, I find the guilt trip highly effective (ask my mom - it still works on me!). I will tell them I have worked really hard on my jokes and I would like a chance to finish them. Usually that gets the rest of the audience on your side and it gets them to quiet down. Hopefully, if they get out of control the people who run the show or the venue will step in. If you expect that there will sometimes be heckles, you won’t be upset when they happen, sometimes you can even write a new joke on the spot based on the interaction.

Heckle happens. Embrace it and show the audience you have it under control. After all, you are the one with the mic.