Stand-up comedy

A stand-up comedian or stand-up comic is someone that performs comedy in an informal way, talking to the audience with the absence of the theatrical "fourth wall". It is regularly done by one comedian and usually with a microphone. It can be done in comedy clubs, colleges, theaters, option venues--almost anywhere an audience is open to comedy. The comic usually recites a fast paced sequence of amusing stories, short jokes (called bits) and one-liners, usually called a monologue, routine or act. Some stand-up comedians use props, music, or magic tricks in their acts.

Many stand-up routines are similar to one man shows, with the main difference being the expectations of the audience, who, with stand-up; expect a relatively steady stream of "laughs". This in turn affects the aims of the performer, who is under great pressure to deliver those laughs.