What It's Like To Bomb
I just did a show at a place called "Sneakee Pete's" in Eastlake, OH. I didn't bomb tonight, I actually had a great time, but sometimes jokes to don't work exactly how you want them to. As a comic, you hear a joke in your head, you say it out loud, you write it down, you envision yourself delivering the joke to a room full of people and all those people laugh. But, it almost never works that way.
People sometimes ask me what it's like when a joke bombs. I can't really describe what it feels like when you eat shit in front of a room full of strangers, it's an awful feeling. I could never find a way to convey that feeling to anyone reading this. The closest thing I can even relate it to is a scene from the Paul Thomas Anderson movie "Boogie Nights", starring Mark Whalberg and featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman.
If you've seen Boogie Nights, then this will make sense. If not, I'm sorry. Go rent the movie, then come back and read this.
There's a scene in "Boogie Nights" where Scotty (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) tries to win Dirk Diggler's (played by Mark Wahlberg) approval by showing Dirk his new sportscar. He then tries to kiss dirk which leads into a very akward situation and ends with a rejected Scotty crying in his car. Here's a rough idea of how the scene plays out:
Scotty: Hey Dirk, wanna see my new car?
Dirk: Sure Scotty.
(Scotty and Dirk walk outside to the driveway)
Scotty: You like my new car, Dirk? If you don't like it, I'll take it back. I wanted to make sure you thought it was cool.
Dirk: Yeah Scotty, it's cool.
(Scotty unexpectedly kisses Dirk on the mouth.)
Dirk: Whoa! What are you doing Scotty?
Scotty: I'm sorry man, sorry. I thought maybe you wanted it, you know.
Dirk: I'm not into you like that. It's ok though, just don't do it again.
Scotty: Can I kiss you on the mouth?
Dirk: No, Scotty. Later man, I'm going inside.
(Dirk walks away. Scotty sits in his car, starts crying, and repeatedly calls himself an idiot.)
In the comedy world, the scene plays out pretty much the same way:
Jim: Hey audience, wanna hear my new joke?
Audience: Sure Jim.
(Jim begins to setup and deliver his new bit.)
Jim: You like my new joke, Audience? If you don't like it, I'll take it out of my set. I wanted to make sure you thought it was funny.
Audience: Yeah Jim, it's funny.
(Jim unexpectedly delivers another new, untested joke.)
Audience: Whoa! What are you doing Jim?
Jim: I'm sorry folks, sorry. I thought maybe you wanted it, you know.
Audience: We're not into you like that. It's ok though, just don't do it again.
Scotty: Can I tell you one more new joke?
Audience: No, Jim. Later man, we're going to the bar.
(Audience walks away. Jim sits in his car, starts crying, and repeatedly calls himself an idiot.)
Notice both scenes end with the rejectee sitting in his car, crying and repeatedly calling himself an idiot. An intense desire for acceptance and approval, followed by humiliation and rejection. That's what it's like to bomb.