# Starting Comedy At 50

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/messed-up-to-set-ups-a-michaelhalcomb-live-podcast-7140071/starting-comedy-at-50
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/messed-up-to-set-ups-a-michaelhalcomb-live-podcast-7140071/starting-comedy-at-50.md
Podcast: [Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/messed-up-to-set-ups-a-michaelhalcomb-live-podcast-7140071)
Published: 2026-05-20T15:49:36+00:00
Episode link: https://www.michaelhalcomb.live/p/starting-comedy-at-50
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/198573070/adc22139f5ddb8d03c7b70f1f6ae9f04.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/messed-up-to-set-ups-a-michaelhalcomb-live-podcast-7140071/episodes/starting-comedy-at-50
Duration seconds: 1740

## Resource

Hello, Friend! It’s episode 119 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this episode, I chat with the hilarious Hal Wilson about his journey from teaching to tackling the comedy stage. We dive into his first open mic in Hollywood, the art of clean comedy, and the unexpected challenges of crowd work. Hal also shares his comedic influences and offers advice for aspiring comedians. Plus, we explore the unique vibe of performing in Savannah, GA and the importance of staying true to oneself. Hey, before you tune into the episode, let me share a short story with you. About 18 months ago, I went to an open mic in Hawai’i. Not a single actual audience member showed up. The room was just filled with other comedians, arms crossed, waiting for their turn. Maybe you’ve encountered something similar. Anyway, since all these comedians had already heard my material several times, I decided to throw my jokes out and use my 7 minutes to practice crowd work. Yes, crowd work on other comedians. It pissed one guy off so badly that he started cussing at me, while I was on stage, in front of the booker and other comedians. He was furiously telling me to “do real comedy” and to stop wasting everyone’s time. The fact is, he was wasting my time on the mic. Y’all, comedy can be cutthroat, and even open mics can be a battlefield! The truth is, many comedians operate on a toxic, “limited good” mindset. They believe that if you get stage time or fame, you are stealing it from them. So, they try to stop you. They criticize you to weed you out. It sucks!!! I’m trying to create the opposite: an environment of encouragement and camaraderie. Anyway, I confronted that guy in the parking lot that night right to his face, but the real victory came months later. We ended up booked on the same lineup for…

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## Transcript

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