Episode
The Secret To Comedy Success?
- Published
- Apr 11, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1277
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.michaelhalcomb.live/p/the-secret-to-comedy-success
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Summary
A small update : I’ll continue publishing daily posts on Substack, but beginning April 13th I’ll no longer send daily emails. Instead, and in an attempt to clutter up folks’ inboxes, I’m going to try sending out a weekly newsletter with links to and brief overviews of all the new posts. Hello, Friends! It’s episode 108 of the Messed-Up To Set-Ups podcast. In this episode, I chat with industry insider, Barry Katz, who reveals how legendary comedians are masterful snake oil salesmen, convincing audiences that their material is worth passing on. We also get into why the puzzle of a joke must stay just out of reach for the audience to keep laughing. Barry also shares practical mindset tips that’ll help drown out noise, doubt, and negativity, all with stories about legends like Rodney Dangerfield and Andy Huggins. Whether you’re an aspiring comedian or a seasoned performer, this conversation will urge you keep fighting, laughing, and improving. Ready to craft jokes that puzzle and captivate? Hit play and step into the mindset of one of comedy’s best. Tune in! Fact : The two biggest fears for any comedian are staring at a blank page without a punchline, and standing under a hot spotlight and completely forgetting the next joke. So, I built two completely online, self-paced courses to solve both of these problems permanently. Join the growing community of working comedians and first-timers who’ve already used these labs to completely bulletproof their sets: * The Joke Writer’s Lab: Stop guessing at what makes people laugh. In this self-paced, online course, you’ll get the tools to find your unique comedic persona and learn the exact mechanics of writing a bulletproof joke. Get it HERE . * The Comedian’s Memory Lab: Never blank on stage again!!! Learn my insider method to buil…