--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first started comedy, I didn't…" description: "\"When I first started comedy, I didn't know about the alt scene and I just started doing open mics in Manhattan and a lot of them were just horrible.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/rachel-sennott-5955_about_when-i-first-started-comedy-i-didn-t-kno_2401100.jpg" --- # When I first started comedy, I didn't know about the alt… ![“When I first started comedy, I didn't know about the alt scene and I just started doing open mics in Manhattan and a lot of them were just horrible.” quote by Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/rachel-sennott-5955_about_when-i-first-started-comedy-i-didn-t-kno_2401100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/rachel-sennott-5955_about_when-i-first-started-comedy-i-didn-t-kno_2401100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/rachel-sennott-5955_about_when-i-first-started-comedy-i-didn-t-kno_2401100.jpg) > “When I first started comedy, I didn't know about the alt scene and I just started doing open mics in Manhattan and a lot of them were just horrible.” [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early comedy work involved low‑quality open mic experiences, teaching perseverance and learning from failure. **In simple terms:** Start small, learn from bad gigs. Key Takeaway Embrace early failures as lessons. Themes career growth humor Mood reflective encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up beginnings - networking - skill development Key Concepts performance practice industry insight Questions to Reflect On - What did you learn from your worst set? - How can failure fuel improvement? A Different Perspective Success often requires many bad attempts first. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Alt Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alt-scene-1305588/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-didn-1033147/) [Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Mics Manhattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mics-manhattan-6014080/) [Open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open/) [Open mic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-mic/) [Open Mics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-mics-648070/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-comedy-529375/) ## Related quotes > [When you get started in comedy, you're at the bottom of the totem pole. Not only are you not getting paid at these open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-rogowsky/when-you-get-started-in-comedy-you-re-at-the-bottom-of-the-totem-pole/) [Scott Rogowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-rogowsky/) > [As a freshman in college, I was dating this guy who said he was a stand-up, all he really did was open mics. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/as-a-freshman-in-college-i-was-dating-this-guy-who-said-he-was-a/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [I was part of 'Piya Ka Ghar'... for two years. It started out as a comedy but didn't work and so it was revamped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeeda-sheikh/i-was-part-of-piya-ka-ghar-for-two-years-it-started-out-as-a-comedy/) [Sanjeeda Sheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeeda-sheikh/) > [“How can I have my 15 minutes of fame when open mics only allow you to perform for 10 minutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-cowles/how-can-i-have-my-15-minutes-of-fame-when-open-mics-only-allow-you-to/) [R.K. Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-cowles/) > [I grew up in the spoken-word community. Before everybody had a home studio, or before we could get booked for shows, open mics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-grew-up-in-the-spoken-word-community-before-everybody-had-a-home/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [I would. I'm just too, I'm kind of, a pussy, I guess. That's the problem. But, no, I'd love to. I think everybody should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-would-i-m-just-too-i-m-kind-of-a-pussy-i-guess-that-s-the-problem/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [My first live performance was when I was in the military. I went to some bar, and they had open mics. You could just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/my-first-live-performance-was-when-i-was-in-the-military-i-went-to/) [JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/) > [I love bad comedy more than I love good comedy, so I love open mics. Or I used to. But the thing that delights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/i-love-bad-comedy-more-than-i-love-good-comedy-so-i-love-open-mics-or/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [I was always just like, 'Standups are making it up.' A lot of people have that myth about standup. And so it wasn't until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-was-always-just-like-standups-are-making-it-up-a-lot-of-people-have/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Nick Kroll, A.D. Miles, Chelsea Peretti - those were the people I was always doing open mics with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/nick-kroll-a-d-miles-chelsea-peretti-those-were-the-people-i-was/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [When I started, I was very deliberate about making friends with people like John Mulaney who were really funny and wanted to go up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/when-i-started-i-was-very-deliberate-about-making-friends-with-people/) [Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/) > [I started going to the open mics every day in 2003. 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I would drag my poor parents out to the only open mics that were in coffee shops instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-petri/standup-comedy-was-my-weird-hobby-i-would-drag-my-poor-parents-out-to/) [Alexandra Petri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-petri/) ## More by Rachel Sennott > [Growing up, I liked both Taylor Lautner and Rob Pattinson in 'Twilight.' People were like, 'Team Edward? Team Jacob?' I was like, 'I'm team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/growing-up-i-liked-both-taylor-lautner-and-rob-pattinson-in-twilight/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [Never wear your hair up on a first date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/never-wear-your-hair-up-on-a-first-date/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [I always like a little comedy because I like to laugh and sometimes drama is funny. 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I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/i-m-guided-by-my-gut-when-i-m-reading-something-and-i-m-saying-the/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [I honestly think I'll never be as good at stand-up as I was when I went through a horrible breakup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/i-honestly-think-i-ll-never-be-as-good-at-stand-up-as-i-was-when-i/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [I'm so drawn to Demna and Balenciaga because there's a sense of humor and it's subversive, but it also can make fun of fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/i-m-so-drawn-to-demna-and-balenciaga-because-there-s-a-sense-of-humor/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [I think making a movie is a magical, scary thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/i-think-making-a-movie-is-a-magical-scary-thing/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [Guys get back at their exes by dating 16 models in a row, girls get back at their exes by dating a normal guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/guys-get-back-at-their-exes-by-dating-16-models-in-a-row-girls-get/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [It's been so cool working with Sam Levinson, the creator of 'Euphoria.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/it-s-been-so-cool-working-with-sam-levinson-the-creator-of-euphoria/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [I do really like L.A. 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