How Stand-Up Comedy Has Become More to Me Than a Checkbox on a Bucket List

My face went blank as I repeated my lines to myself. The clock was ticking and it was nearly my turn to go up onstage for the first time. I have always loved stand-up comedy, but never thought I would be capable of doing it myself. And yet, here I was, minutes away from performing a 5-minute sketch that I had written myself. In French.

By Liz Lemarchand

As I took the microphone in my hand, I looked out into the audience. The stage lights made it hard to see anyone except my friends in the front row. My fear disappeared as my first joke got laughs from the crowd, and my five minutes went by in a flash. Before I knew it, I was done and the MC was back onstage to announce the next comedian. I was overcome with feelings of gratitude and pride for my accomplishment. And it became clear right then that this wouldn’t be the last time I would get back up there. It was too much fun to not do it again!

As I get older, my bucket list has gotten shorter. It has also gotten more intentional. In my 20s, my list was pretty much exclusively about travel; now that I’m in my late 40s, my list is more about who I want to become as a person. My intention in 2023 was to put myself in situations that would take me outside of my comfort zone purposely. While for some that may sound crazy (who likes being uncomfortable?!), for me it was about finding opportunities for growth. It is a fact that you cannot grow and become more until you are willing to confront your fears and overcome them. And what better way for me to do that than to combine it with something that brings me joy?

Stand-up comedy became a challenge to myself. Something that would help me evolve into a person that is capable of doing hard things. I signed up for a class and joined a group of motivated amateur comics. Being part of a tribe of people working towards the same goal has helped me tremendously. We support and encourage one another, give constructive criticism to help improve our punchlines, and sit in the front row at each other’s shows. Our teacher has become a mentor, explaining the foundational elements of writing comedy, guiding us to tap into our emotions, and giving us the space we need to learn from our experience. 

Every Monday night we learn new techniques and refine our material. We have created a judgment-free zone to practice in front of one another; more importantly, we have come to accept that not everything we do is funny, and that’s ok. It’s not about what other people think; it’s about how putting myself out there makes me feel. 

Comedy is a form of therapy. It has enabled me to speak about who I am and laugh about my quirks. It has allowed me to tackle difficult topics and find ways to make them funny. It has helped shift my mindset from someone who used to be super serious all the time to someone who is looking for a way to laugh. It has also made me realize that even when we don’t believe we have a natural talent for something, commitment and hard work can lead us to the outcome we desire. 

I think many people look at a bucket list as being a one-off experience—like jumping out of a plane, bungee jumping off a bridge, or going to Bali. And there’s nothing wrong with that! But a bucket list can also be about becoming more spiritual. Or giving back to your community in meaningful ways. It can be about being a role model for your kids by showing them what happiness looks like. Moreover, it can be about creating a life that’s worth living while we’re here, regardless of what anyone else thinks about it.

Stand-up comedy has truly shown me that by embracing my own vulnerabilities, I can create meaningful connection with others. I never would have guessed that a line item on a bucket list would do that, but hey, I’m rolling with it. 

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