This is a free post to The Museletter. Paid subscribers get access to all Museletter posts, plus coaching, classes, advertising discounts, AMA sessions, one-on-one comedy career advice, booking help, and more, for $70 / year or $7 per month.
I met Caroline Clifford the old fashioned way; on the internet. A stand-up comedian, writer, improviser, producer and writer of a very informative, funny and fun comedy based Substack, “The Authentic Comedian,” Caroline operates a Berlin-based comedy school, aptly named Berlin Stand-up School, since 2016, where comedians clamber to get spots in her classes, as well as teaching and performing improv with Comedy Cafe Berlin. She started doing comedy in 2006, went on to win several prestigious British comedy contests and went on to perform worldwide from there, eventually landing in Berlin.
I was excited to get to speak with Caroline, because I like Berlin, and while I like performing in America, I also really like performing not in America. I am grateful and curious to get a chance to learn more about the comedy scene in Berlin, and Caroline did not disappoint.
1. What’s the comedy scene like in Berlin, in a nutshell? Do venues pay ok? Are audiences generally well mannered?
Hey Jess, thanks for this question! Berlin is a tremendous place to get stage-time as an English language comedian. It's unique in that it is by far the largest English language scene within a foreign language country. Suck it Amsterdam! There are just so many immigrants that live here - and who are also funny artsy weirdos. Despite the scene having grown exponentially in the last 10 years, the soil is still pretty fertile. Yes, there is also a German stand-up scene in Berlin but the English scene is actually larger.
When I arrived in 2011 the English scene grew faster than the German scene, and a lot of the German comics wanted to do stand-up in English because all their favourite comics were English language and it was just seen as "cooler". Over time the scenes have leveled out in size. But, the German scene is where you have more of a career opportunity. As an English speaking comic in Berlin there isn't much past the club level, you could do a few tours but nothing substantial. As a German speaking comic, there are far more larger venues at your disposal, also Comedy Central, TV shows and such. Most ambitious English language comedians I know have gone on to the UK or US to further their careers.
In terms of manners: German audiences have a reputation of being *too* well mannered? They like to clap politely rather than laugh. And there's a phenomenon known as "fact heckling" where they'll stop you to correct your set "Actually the Oberbaumbrücke is a double-deck bridge and not a suspension bridge". These are extreme situations though. In general, you get normal humans who want to laugh and have a good time.
2. What is a bitter truth you wish someone had told you about being a comedian before you started?
It takes time. I mean, I think people tried to tell me that, but I didn't listen. I was very strong out the gate but that didn't mean I was as good as people with more years on me and I just didn't understand that. I wanted everything right away, and was bitter and jealous at people around me without realizing how good I had it. I don't actually have regrets though, because it led me down the path of teaching, which I wouldn't change for anything.
3. What’s the highest paying comedy gig you’ve ever had, and how much did it pay? (And in what country’s money?)
A lady never tells!... I actually genuinely don't remember. I think probably touring the Baltics and Nordic countries. Yeah, you can't go wrong with Finland & Sweden! I'm going biking around there this summer, utterly unrelated!
4. What is your comedy dream job?
I love teaching and writing about comedy. My ego says I'd like to be well-known for my teaching style, even lecture and stuff? And the lazy bum in me says I'd like to earn a lot of passive income so that I can go bike-packing and travel most of the year. I would like to turn my Substack into a book (that’s world famous). But yeah, the more free time I have for my hobbies, the better!
5. Can you please share 3-5 of your comedic muses? These can be people, items or locations that affect your routine, your favorite pen or gear, a frame of mind, etc; feel free to get esoteric.
Not to sound like an Instagram cushion, but I love my coffee! I painstaking make a strong ol' coffee or 2 when I get up and those first 2 hours are when I do my best work.
I'm really in to Chris Fleming right now. I love surreal humour that is also emotionally mature.
I'm a Gen-x geek, so I love old technology and Linux. It makes me feel extra cool in a cafe with my old Microsoft Surface running a very lightweight version of Linux. I hope people can see me and I am blowing their minds.
My parter Antonia and I write very well together, our styles really compliment each other.
It helps me to move location. Hit a cafe or whatever when I'm feeling stuck. Even a different room in the house.
Today’s musings:
Caroline and Antonia’s satirical cartoons | Knifecrab on Instagram
AppleTV+’s German dark comedy Where’s Wanda looks watchable | Apple.com
Which comedians are of German descent? | Wikipedia
Weekly articles and exercises dedicated to helping comedians find
their authentic comedy voice | The Authentic ComedianYour ad to 8k+ comedy lovers here; $40/wk | jess delfino at gmail dot com
Get The Museletter, classes, coaching + more for $70 per year
Have a terrific weekend, I insist / won’t take no for an answer.
dear jess,
thank you for this interview! caroline is super! and you are!
i really love this question:
"Can you please share 3-5 of your comedic muses? These can be people, items or locations that affect your routine, your favorite pen or gear, a frame of mind, etc; feel free to get esoteric."
and i really love these answers to it:
"I'm really in to Chris Fleming right now. I love surreal humour that is also emotionally mature."
and
"It helps me to move location."
really great piece! thanks for sharing!
love
myq