I am comedian Steve Hofstetter. Yesterday, a video of me handling a heckler hit #1 on reddit, was the number 1 trending topic on Facebook, was on the front page of Worldstar, and got almost 2 million views. AMA!

So this woman seemed to legitimately take some sort of offence at the joke you made. How often would you say hecklers are just trying to be funny, compared to how often they are genuinely bothered by whatever it is you've said?

More often the first than the second.

Usually they're just attention seekers - not even trying to be funny necessarily, but just sadly trying to matter. It's gross.

You lead the heckler in the video like a lamb, she couldn't have responded better if she was scripted. But, have you ever had a heckler that was legitimately funny, like had a good back and forth banter?

Nope. Boxers have also never had a toe-to-toe fight with a drunk hick at a bar.

Which person or group of people do you dread seeing in an audience the most, because you're pretty sure something like this is about to happen?

Bachelorette parties. They are the worst. They want the show to be about them, and don't care if they ruin the experience for everyone else in the room.

Clubs that give them discounts are being very short-sighted.

Have you ever threatened to go to the wedding and heckle?

"If anyone believes that this couple should not be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace..."
"YEAH, SHE'S AN ASSHOLE! AND SHE'S EVEN WORSE WHEN SHE GETS DRUNK WITH HER ASSHOLE FRIENDS! AND SHE'S CARRYING MY BABY!"

Nope - because it's never the bride that's the asshole. It's always her friends who don't want her to have the spotlight.

So what qualifies you as a professional expert on pizza? You've never been pizza, so how can you judge it? I'll take a personal PM as an answer so you don't humiliate yourself publicly.

Ich bin ein pizza.

How much pizza have you eaten this week?

I generally eat healthy these days. But I grew up poor in NYC, so pizza was my go to.

That said, I had a slice last night, and am literally eating a leftover slice for breakfast as I do this AMA.

Says he's eating healthily these days, immediately after admits to eating pizza yesterday and today.

Keep up the good work.

You tell me how to get healthy food delivered to a hotel at midnight and 6AM in Florida on Easter Sunday and I will rewind time and do it. I opted for the pizza over the fried chicken.

I saw you at UConn maybe 8 years ago and thought you were so funny. I think they called you "The Thinking Man's Comedian".

What's the funniest joke you've heard?

I remember that show - that was freaking PACKED.

I gravitate towards the dark stuff. Comedians are like porn stars in that it takes WAY freakier shit to get us off. So my favorite is a street joke.

"What is 12 inches long and keeps a woman up screaming all night?"

"Sudden infant death syndrome."

I know it's fucking terrible, but that is why I like it. It's the darkest joke I have ever heard.

So I assume you're a big fan of Jeselnik?

Came up with him at shitty bar shows and open mics in LA a decade ago. Hadn't talked in ages, and we were playing across the street from each other in Dallas. Went over to say hi, and it was like no time had passed.

Good dude. Funny comic.

So, How many kids do you want? I kid. I kid.

Do you like it when people heckle you, in some way, since it has gotten you millions of youtube hits, or do you really just wish they would shut the fuck up and let you do your bit.

With 100% honesty, I'd rather just do my set. I am proud of my stand-up, and I became a comic because I like using the stage to make important points. If a heckler happens, I can handle it. But I'd rather do what I came to do.

A sniper may be a good shot - but only a psychopath enjoys murdering people. Some days they'd rather just sit on a roof and eat a sandwich.

I find your ability to deliver relatable analogies is part of your strength as a comedian.

Good analogies are like toast.

In that if you spend too long on them, they're no longer easily digestible.

Thank you - I've always spoken in analogy and metaphor. I find they help explain your point well.

What should I shout to the love making couple next door to shut them up, in a funny way?

"Use the hold you used at the Max!"

Very obscure Saved By the Bell reference.

If people ask you to tell a joke when they learn you are a comedian, what do you tell them? I assume you get that question asked a lot, so I was wondering how you react to that, if it's true.

My favorite is to look at them, pause, and say "your future".

I've been following you for a few years now and definitely hold you as one of my favorite comedians. With all the insane amount of internet traffic you have from your heckler videos, can we expect a Netflix special in the future?

Thanks! That is up to Netflix. But I am working on my set for a new special. Hopefully with yesterday's insane numbers, it lands somewhere big.

Have you ever been approached by an angry fan after a show because of a joke you made? Thanks for doing the AMA Steve!

I've had security walk me to my car twice. And probably should have a few other times.

Hey Steve, thanks for doing this. Who is your favorite comedian working today? If it's not the same person, who would you say is the all-time greatest?

All-time is Bill Hicks.

SOOOOO many I love working today, but I'll give you the ones you may not have heard of - yet. Tom Simmons, Michael Somerville, Danny Jolles, Taylor Tomlinson, Mike E Winfield, Ramy Youssef, and 100 others I could name. I produce shows with my favorites all over the states - if you ever want free tickets, here's the hookup.

I always doubt a comedian's actual quick wit, sometimes believing it just to be a stage act. After watching the video, my opinion has rather changed.

How many (percentage) of your stage jokes are prepared beforehand and how many come on the fly in an average show?

I come in with a prepared idea of what I'm going to do, but I give myself permission to go where the show takes me.

Every comedian is a combination of ad-libbing, writing, and delivery. The first two are my strengths, I rely on them to distract from the third.

How do you feel that you are mostly known for your videos dealing with hecklers more than your actual act? It seems like very year or two, a video of you ripping a heckler to shreds goes viral.

When that happens, I get a bunch of new fans. Some stay permanently because they like the other things I do, and some leave when I talk politics or baseball because they were never going to really be fans. No problem - the people who get that all entertainers are complex and not known for just one thing are the ones I want.

EDIT: typo.

Why do you never come and visit /r/CenturyClub anymore?

A few folks made it not fun anymore.

We had them...

...removed.

It's safe to come back now.

I still read it sometimes. I'll try to comment more. It just stopped being fun when Id be jumped on for posting ANYTHING.

How many times have used stuff from Reddit to come up with material?

I get a lot of my news here, so a decent amount. But I will NEVER take someone else's creativity and pass it off as my own. That should be Rule #1 on reddit - if you ever get caught purposefully stealing someone else's work, your screenname and IP should be banned.

What was the hardest thing about starting a career in stand up comedy?

Paying rent.

There would be a day when you would totally get stumped by a heckler, what will you do then?

I am as worried about that as a gunfighter is worried about being shot by a guy with no gun.

I used to enjoy the articles you wrote for NHL.com. Do you think the Rangers willl get a cup for Hank or has their window closed?

Once you make the playoffs, it's anyone's Cup to win, so it's still possible (and I will be rooting my ass off for them). But man, that Kings series was sad. I was at Game One. Totally could have taken that.

Yeah that series was pretty depressing for Rags fans - playing so well the first two games and still being down 0-2. Ouch, could have gone so differently.

Who (if anyone) is your dark horse if NY is out? Think anyone can come out of the West past la/chi?

Thanks for the reply, cheers :)

Oddly, LA is my second favorite team, a friend got me into them back in that year where they kept winning playoff games in OT. Turns out that ability would be my undoing.

Washington looks REALLY good. And that city could use a championship.

You wrote for NHL.com? thats pretty awesome. So what are your thoughts on obamacare John Scott's ASG mess?

Also i'm looking forward to seeing you in Boston when you come in... why arent you coming to boston damnit?

I was SO glad to see him triumph. I love stories like that. What a seemingly good dude, too.

I will be back in Boston soon - but I can't play every city at once. Stay tuned for my triumphant return, I promise!

The helicopter/sport analogy, did you have that prepared beforehand just in case, or is it something you came up with on the spot?

Either way, I had a great laugh. Subscribed.

The helicopter bit was on my last special, so when she said what she did, it led into it perfectly. Dusted the joke off, and boom.

The sports one was in the moment. If she wasn't a sports fan, I was going politics next. But sometimes the universe has a way of working out perfectly.

Woah #1 on reddit? What does it feel like to finally be famous?

Well, trending #1 on Facebook was the part that made me feel famous. I heard from just about everyone I ever met yesterday.

But Reddit famous is on a whole other level of prestige. Who cares about friends and family when you can rake in all those internet points.

Check my karma. I am no stranger to fantasy internet points.

But yesterday it was a fan (/u/Ahdilable) who posted the video. A very awesome fan.

EDIT: for fan username

what the fuck do you know about Reddit posts?

Here to say thanks for the laughs

SO MUCH!!!!

Former comic here. After doing sets for a long time I ended up getting very tired by having to pander to audience expectations at commercial venues. Do you find the emerging realm of trigger warnings frustrating as a comic?

Fuck those idiots.

If 200 people come and buy tickets to see me in each city, I'll make a great living. So let a million other people not find me funny. My show isn't for them.

You handled this heckler spectacularly well, but have you ever completely bombed on stage due to a heckler? What happened?

Once, early on. There was a kid who kept sending me hateful Facebook messages, and he showed up to a show and sat in the front. He laughed sarcastically at my first few jokes "Haaaah. Haaaaah."

I knew who he was but the audience didn't - I tried explaining what a prick he was, but all they saw was him laughing a little weird. And that's when I learned you need to get the crowd on your side first before you rip anyone.

I follow all of your online media and have always been curious to ask.

You handle hecklers so well and you do release video at a good rate. I assume you don't get heckled any more or less than other comedians. Why do you think more comedians don't share their heckler experiences as you do? Not only are they entertaining when dealt with appropriately but it emphasizes how not to behave at shows.

I tape every show, which already makes me in the minority among comedians. I am also good at dealing with hecklers, and I'm not ashamed to share the videos (or worried I'll become only known for that).

Most of all, I don't steamroll hecklers. Most comedians will ignore someone and move on. But when I hear someone interrupt, I will often ask them to repeat themselves to make an example out of them for the rest of the crowd, and maintain control of the room.

Also, thank you!

Do you remember the first joke you ever told on a stage?

It was so bad. I said "here's my impression of every upstairs neighbor I've ever had" and then I started jumping up and down and yelling towards the stage. Such a fucking hack.

Hey Steve, I love your videos on YouTube, and you have been crushing it! What was your first time doing stand-up comedy like? What kind of things can someone do as a beginner to start stand-up?

My first time was great. My second time was eh. My third time was an abortion.

Find a local club or bar that has an open mic (http://www.badslava.com) and just go up. Your job when you start isn't to be funny. It's just to learn how to be funny. And embrace the suck, because everyone does when they start.

Been watching you deal with hecklers for a few years now and it's awesome! What do you think was the most mean or most hurtful comeback you've said to a heckler?

I told a woman I hoped her husband left her and she died alone, and the crowd applauded because they wanted even worse for her.

And like a fucking idiot, I had double clicked the record button on my camera so I didn't get it on video. ARGH!

What did she do to deserve that?

Interrupted the show half a dozen times, including shouting out her own name.

Who was your favorite comedian and inspiration growing up and who are your favorite current comedians?

P.S. I saw you at Morty's in Indy last year and you killed it! Definitely going to try to see your show here again in May.

Thanks! I just answered this elsewhere, but see you in Indy! Morty's just moved to a new, better location with a full kitchen. I'm excited to see the new place.

The US is a whole another world to me.

Where are you based? And do you ever do any tours across the pond?

LA. I did a few weeks in the UK and loved it. I've also played South Africa. Hoping to do more international stuff in the future.

How did you first get into comedy?

Fired from several other jobs.

I started doing it to promote a book I wrote for collegehumor.com, and just loved it. So I got on stage whenever I could, produced my own shows, and just kept plugging away.

Who is the best in your business with controlling a rowdy audience? I've sat a few feet from Jerry Sadowitz tearing into a bloke on the front row but that's kind of his act. Destroying anyone and everything.

Adam Hunter is pretty fucking good at it. I am never nervous when the crowd is chatty and he's about to go on, because he can handle it.

I noticed that you often repeat what hecklers say before answering it. Do you do that so that everyone can clearly hear it or to give yourself more thinking time?

Both. Neat little trick, huh?

I've had a venue owner and friend tell me that in emails you said Laughs is a stage for comedians who are somewhat established...how established is established?

For those not in the know, "Laughs" is the TV show I hosted and executive produced in 2014-2015. I'm no longer the host or the EP. I was the consulting producer the last season. If there is a next season, I do not yet know if I will be involved with the show.

Some comics on the show have been doing it less than a year and some have been doing it for decades. It's not time in the game or prestige - it's how tight your short set is (as well as how TV-friendly it is and if its different from what the show already has).

Do you enjoy writing humor for things like collegehumor.com? Or do you prefer stand up?

I don't write for them anymore (I am what the kids call "old and gross"). But I love being creative in every form. I recently developed a TV show with a bunch of creative people and that was a ton of fun. And this week I am covering baseball games and interviewing ballplayers (Podcast plug! Major League Podcast) - it's all fun.

EDIT: Fixed link

I've heard it's very hard to start out as a comedian. How many times did you bomb before you were consistently doing a great show? Did you ever think of giving up along the way? What kept you going? Thanks.

Didn't keep track, but even when you start consistently doing well you can still bomb. The key is getting to the point where bombing is an aberration.

I thought of giving up (still do) but not because of my set, but because sometimes I wonder if writing or producing would be more fun.

How much material should I have to go to an open mike?

How difficult was your start in comedy?

Thanks.

Find out how much time you get, write three times as much material as you need, and do the best 1/3 of it.

Difficult - because it's worth doing. As they say in "A League of Their Own", if it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it good.

Jerry Seinfeld and some other comedians have said that doing college gigs is difficult today because of political correctness. Do you agree? Seems like you've been successful on the college circuit.

Yes and no - my material is never excused by "it was just a joke!" as I say the same things I'd say off stage.

I found that the number of students who make up things about you being offensive has increased. But it's no harder to get laughs from the rest of the crowd if the material you're doing is socially responsible.

Pineapple on pizza? Yay or nah?

So much nay. I love pineapple, too. But pizza is not a place for fruit.

Steve - I remember in the early days of Facebook, when you were on a mission to friend every single person on the network.

So why'd you unfriend me, bro?

Facebook unfriended you. There's a limit of 5,000 friends, and they took off everyone I wasn't in regular contact with.

Was she planted?

Absolutely not, and that's an odd conclusion. It is much more likely that I'm just good at my job.

Titusville is a small town. The town judge, their state rep, the police chief, they were all there. This woman was the 72 year-old mother of someone who bought tickets.

People who think I could plant hecklers don't understand the logistics of finding fantastic actors and making enough $ at a 70-seat gig in rural Florida to pay them. And me also being a good enough actor to make it look natural. If my hecklers were plants, give me my Emmy.

The radio said you did some dodgy things with making other comedians pay to work at your festivals. Any truth to that?

I don't know what radio you're referring to, but no. Most festivals have submission fees, much like college applications. It's industry standard in the states. I can only think of three that don't (because they have enormous corporate sponsors or private donors)

I work with a few comedy festivals I am very proud of. Submission fees (unless you're late) run from $10-$25, which is on the low end for the comedy industry in the states. (Usually they're $30 to $40, some are as high as $100). Where as many festivals are just comedians performing for free for fans, we make sure there's powerful industry at every festival that can really help someone's career, and we give most of the tickets away to the local community.

The point of the submission fee is to have enough $ to pay a qualified selection committee to comb through every application as well as create a barrier of entry so we're not getting submissions from crazy people who have never done comedy before. Even with the fee, we'll occasionally get a video of someone talking into a comb in their bathroom.

EDIT: a more in depth answer.

Hello Steve!

Who are your biggest influences? Got a funny clip of them you'd like to share? Like maybe a "THAT is why I want to be a comedian!" moment?

Hi! Got this a few times on this thread. But here's a clip of Danny Jolles, who I find super funny and is currently quietly driving us to a baseball game, so I can sit in the passenger seat and do this AMA.

Who's your favorite comedian and who inspired you to do what you do?

Hi! Answered this elsewhere in the thread.

But my non-comic inspiration is actually Jackie Robinson. Grew up to bedtime stories of him. His quote "A life is only important in the impact it has on other lives" is one of my favorites.

Do you like football?

I do. I'm actually a part owner of a new expansion team in the IFL where fans vote on most decisions.

Do you have any advice for an aspiring stand-up comedian. I have been working on material for a few years and have a lot written down but i'm not sure what the next step should be. Should I practice in front of the mirror or friends? Should I just put together a set and go for it? Or just any advice in general. P.S. you inspire me

I run a Facebook group and accompanying website with all sorts of comedian advice. Hope it helps!

Hey Steve, saw you at Ruby Tuesday in Columbus a few years back and it was fantastic. As a newer comedian, I've only been around my state to perform. I'd love to travel more, so I wanted to know what is your favorite country you've performed in, and what country haven't you been to yet that you'd most like to book shows in?

Thanks! The scene in the UK is great because they respect comedians SO much more than we do in the states. They also like smart material more. Had I not already been established here, I'd have moved there when I found out what it was like.

Hey Steve I enjoy your channel. I've been doing comedy for about 4 months, my material is coming together, but I'm struggling to get bookings or even find places to go up. Any advise for that or anythin for a new comedian?

You're four months in! Set your expectations lower. No one performs brain surgery the first day of medical school. At four months in, your choices are open mics or producing your own shows. Get up as much as humanly possible.

Were you payed for any of the videos besides your personal youtube?

I don't know what this means.

Hey steve! Just started following you recently and love your YouTube channel.

Does heckling happen alot more than people tend to think to stand up comedians, or do hecklers just seem to flock to your shows just to get savaged?

Thanks!

I have never, not even once, seen an example of someone purposefully heckling me to get on my YouTube channel. And if that ever does happen, I will just kick them out and not post the clip. Fuck people who try to get famous by being a dick.

If you could make a documentary about any topic that isn't comedy, what would you make it about?

Dead Dog Beach.

When your holding the Mic speaking to the heckler it looks as though your flipping the bird with the hand your holding the mic with, was this on purpose or did you not realise your doing so?

When I'm in the moment, I'm not thinking - I'm just acting. It turns out that my subconscious is a total bad-ass.

Have you ever come across a heckler that has made a valid point against what you said?

Nope, nor will I. I am very careful with what I say on stage - though sometimes I will riff and stumble on something I didn't quite mean. But those smart enough to make good points are smart enough to make them in civil conversation after the show.

Hey Steve, thanks for doing this. I tried looking into your upcoming show in St. Paul and couldn't find much information about it from your site. Is it free? If not, how would I go about buying tickets? Thanks in advance and I'm looking forward to seeing your show!

Thanks! At 90% of college shows, they're only open to the campus community. So to go to one, you have to attend with staff or a student. BUT - I play MN often (was just there in January) and I will be in Rochester this summer if you wanna make the drive down.

Hi Steve! Love your stuff, and thanks for doing this today, I needed to procrastinate starting Monday's workload :D

1. How did you get your start in professional comedy? Since you work on and offstage with production, which is more challenging?

2. Have you always been savvy with hecklers, or is that something you've worked at because they exist regardless? Do you think your talent with handling them encourages people to try and get your attention/disrupt your set?

2.5 What's your favorite video clip involving a heckler?

1. Who are/were your comedic inspirations? Are there any "new faces" you'd recommend we pay attention to?

2. I know nothing about sports so I'll just ask what your favorite Batman movie was, and what you think of Batman vs. Superman?

I started by passing out fliers in a brutal NYC winter in exchange for stage time. Toughened me up quickly.

Production is harder than stand-up because you're dealing with a lot of other people, often hired by a network trying to spend the least amount of money possible.

I've always been naturally good with hecklers, it happened organically. I'd be on a show with a few other comics, and producers would send me on early if someone in the crowd was being mouthy because they knew I could handle them.

No one has ever come to a show to purposefully heckle for glory. People who like my videos want to see someone else get taken down - they don't want to be that person.

Favorite heckler clip is this one - it's the first one to go viral. And I somehow stayed clean.

I've answered the inspiration/favorite one ITT, it's here somewhere.

I'd say Batman Begins, but I also loved the original Batman. I haven't seen the new one, but we were talking about this in the car last night. Danny Jolles (a comedian I'm touring with) pointed out that Superman is a terribly boring character because he only has one weakness so we always know how it's going to go.

How do you actually feel when you get heckled? Is it the same?

Totally the same.

Um, as what?

Why are comedians so offended when it comes to hecklers?

That is like asking why a race car driver would get offended if someone cut their breaks.

"He's just trying to help make the race exciting!"

I don't think that analogy applies to comedians. Cutting the brakes would kill a race car driver.

Unless they pull off something fantastic.

Heckling kills the show, unless we pull off something fantastic.