Dave Attell's Advice for Young Comics

I got myself a ticket to see the comedian Dave Attell (perhaps best known from Comedy Central's "Insomniac" show) in Boston this Friday.

I've been getting a lot of e-mail from aspiring comedians who want to break into the exciting world of stand-up comedy and want my advice.

Well, if you want to spend your life going from airport to club to strip club to ATM back to strip club and then masturbating in a hotel room, then this is the career for you. The only advice I have is this: Go to your local comedy club and go up on an open mic night, and keep doing it over and over. There are no shortcuts or words of wisdom; it's different for everybody. And always remember, what the fuck do I know?

Good luck, God bless, Dave Attell.

That advice sounds about right for a lot of things. It boils down to: work hard, keep trying, and be realistic.