In the world of comedy, every performer knows that appearance is as essential as punchlines. Previously, we’ve covered some tips on how to perform at a comedy show for the first time. It’s crucial to work on your material and practise your set by recording yourself or performing your routine in front of friends. But before you go out and give it your all, consider taking your set to the next level by considering what your comedy persona will look like — such as whether you’ll be wearing contact lenses or glasses.
One often underestimated, but nevertheless versatile accessory for crafting a unique comedic persona is eyewear. Whether you’re a stand-up comic, a sketch artist, or a comedy actor, the choice of eyewear can be a defining element of your stage identity. Some comedians will add jokes about eyewear into their skits, while others like David Cross or Russell Howard are known for their iconic glasses.
In this article, we’ll look at how the perfect pair of glasses or contact lenses can complement and enhance your comedy persona. From classic to quirky, stylish to silly, discover how the right glasses or contacts can turn you into a comedic character that leaves a memorable impression on your audience.
Contact lenses
A surefire way to get an audience to warm up to you is by being relatable. Considering the sheer number of Canadians dependent on contact lenses and prescription eyewear for their vision needs, ranting about the daily struggles of a contact lens user is a great way to garner some laughs. You can complain about how terrible your eyesight is or share funny anecdotes about your first time using contact lenses. This is the exact approach comedian Leanne Morgan uses in one of her shows.
She starts off by telling the audience about asking her optometrist to prescribe contact lenses, which she prefers over glasses when performing onstage, and goes on to describe the hilarity that ensued when she needed her doctor’s help putting the contacts in. Although you may not have a story like Leanne’s due to the availability of contact lenses on online retailers, the point is to infuse your comedy sets with a personal touch and a unique point of view. You don’t even have to worry about your eyes drying out during long sets, as options like MyDay lenses or Clariti are specifically designed to let more oxygen into your eyes.
Glasses
On Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, during a comedy challenge, one of the standout performances came from Jackie Cox, a drag artist originally hailing from Nova Scotia. The premise of their set was simple: they wanted to show what it was like to grow up as a gay person with a strict Iranian mother and a supportive, less conservative father. To help distinguish between the characters, Jackie used two different glasses – black, thick-framed square glasses — reminiscent of the Versace Medusa Biggie glasses — to impersonate their mother, and glasses with clear plastic frames to imitate their father.
The result was a hit with the crowd as well as the panel of judges that included renowned actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg. Jackie was able to bring a level of vulnerability to their routine through the use of glasses that allowed her comedic personality to shine through. More importantly, glasses enhanced the storytelling aspect of the set, and the audience could easily follow the jokes and laugh at the punchlines because the glasses were there to differentiate each character.
Your choice of eyewear can define your character, emphasise your punchlines, and make your act stand out. Whether it’s the quirkiness of glasses or the struggles unique to being a contact lens user, these props can bring your humour to life.
For more content like this on how to be a comedian, read our latest posts, or visit our comedy club located in downtown Montreal.
Post by Eddie Case, exclusively for Comedyville.ca, All rights reserved.
Comedyville is a Comedy Club located in Downtown Montreal.
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