funny guys

Why It’s Hard Out There For Gay Comics

When I first did stand-up at a gay show, I felt like they hated me since my jokes got little reaction. I talked about this with my then-therapist. He asked what I wore onstage, and I told him jeans and a tight T-shirt. He suggested I wear baggy clothes because maybe the crowd saw me sexually without listening to me. I was dubious, but wore a baggy button-down shirt for my next gay performance. Surprisingly, the audience connected much more with my jokes, and I realized that gay men separate their sex and comedy.

—Adam Sank, the NYC-based comedian, on why straight male audiences, which are “visual” creatures, might not take a liking to gay comics [via; photo via]