Character Monologues: Not Just for Character Comedians
You can be inspired by every type of comic out there. You don’t have to be a “character comic” to use this tool. You are borrowing, it’s not a new identity. (Unless we helped you fund your comedy superpower, in which case, you’re welcome.)
Start with a real person—your aunt who reviews restaurants like it’s Russian literature, the gym guy who doesn’t know he talks like a commercial, the kid version of you who hated nap time and lunch because you used to be an idiot. Pick one topic you’re working on and write 6–8 lines in their voice. (A randomiser is good for that). What do they want? What are they confidently wrong about? Let them rant.
Why it works: it forces a strong point of view fast. You hear a cadence, you get specifics you’d never invent (“your kale tastes like winter, sorrow and shame”), and suddenly your bland premise has teeth. It can be really helpful for tag jokes, or really just stretching your muscles creatively. If you don’t find a joke, it was still fun. When you read it back, you’ll notice which lines feel naturally performable as you and which ones want a tiny act-out for the pop.
Do the exercise, circle two lines, and take them onstage. If nothing else, you’ll learn your voice or how to find someone else’s. If it works, congrats, you just turned kale into winter, sorrow, and a tight five. If it sucks, blame your aunt. Not us.
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