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40 years of stand-up wisdom
Episode 3399th August 2026 • The comedians paradise • Marvin McCarthy
00:00:00 02:13:32

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We interview Martin Mor, the Northern Irish powerhouse who transitioned from a successful career as a circus performer to take the unsuspecting comedy circuit by storm. With over 40 years of experience as a professional entertainer, Martin has established himself as one of the UK’s most popular and in-demand comedians. Now back in Northern Ireland, he works as a leading comedy tutor, sharing his decades of stage wisdom with the next generation of comics. Here is an overview of what we discussed:

[[00:00]] How I got started in stand-up comedy [[07:48]]

[[08:26]] The evolution of booking female comedians on the circuit [[11:38]]

[[17:05]] How to approach hosting a comedy night [[19:00]]

[[19:00]] The difference between a comedy closer and a headliner [[20:30]]

[[20:30]] Why social media comedians should transition to live stage shows [[22:46]]

[[22:46]] Writing for theatre shows vs preparing for different audiences [[24:29]]

[[24:29]] Knowing your value: Why I don't take fifty-pound gig spots [[26:10]]

[[26:10]] TV comedy acts, bill advertising, and the state of the modern circuit [[33:00]]

[[33:00]] How to get paid work as a comedian [[35:05]]

[[36:44]] Doing a favour for an act: Why comedy is a team game [[38:13]]

[[38:13]] What to do if you're bombing on stage & the 10-year rule to get good [[38:54]]

[[39:30]] Why five gigs a week isn't enough & rising to a closer in months [[41:11]]

[[42:00]] New acts vs how hard the top professional comedians actually work [[44:03]]

[[44:03]] The massive difference between good and bad crowd work [[46:22]]

[[47:50]] The ultimate key to mastering crowd work on stage [[51:40]]

[[01:00:00]] Treat every show as a big gig & dress for the job you want [[01:04:18]]

[[01:04:18]] What to do when your comedy set is going brilliantly [[01:05:21]]

[[01:05:21]] The critical mistakes to stop doing when you are doing well [[01:06:41]]

[[01:06:41]] Bad clowns vs bad stand-up & getting robbed by Croatian police [[01:09:00]]

[[01:09:00]] Performance vs writing: How many comics master both skills? [[01:15:00]]

[[01:15:00]] Building an audience that will actually pay to see you live [[01:16:02]]

[[01:16:02]] Joke theft: Does your material get stolen because you're not original? [[01:19:00]]

[[01:19:48]] The link between ADHD and stand-up comedy performance [[01:22:00]]

[[01:38:00]] The problem with École Philippe Gaulier students leaving clown school [[01:41:00]]

[[01:41:00]] The issue with Edinburgh Fringe shows from Gaulier clowns [[01:44:00]]

[[01:52:57]] Landing your big break in the entertainment industry [[01:55:15]]

[[01:55:15]] Debunking the biggest BS in comedy: The struggling artist myth [[01:58:00]]

[[01:58:00]] Creating alternative income streams and scaling your opportunities [[02:04:00]]

[[02:04:00]] How comedians lose their biggest career opportunities [[02:13:00]]

#martinmor #standupcomedy #comedycircuit #comedymasterclass #comedyadvice #crowdwork #ukcomedy #stagecraft #thecomediansparadise #comedycoach

If you would like to know more about Martin, you can go on his website at https://martinmor.com/. You can also follow this podcast on Youtube at https://bit.ly/41LWDAq, Spotify at https://spoti.fi/3oLrmyU,Apple podcasts at https://apple.co/3LEkr3E and you can support the pod on:https://www.patreon.com/thecomediansparadise.

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