Episode 44: How to Market Your Comedy

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell dive into one of the most frustrating realities of show business: being funny isn’t enough—you have to sell it. From reels to newsletters to shouting into the algorithm void, the guys peel back the curtain on the constant pressure to self-promote, even when you just want to write jokes and hit the stage.

Vince opens up about the emotional toll of being your own marketing department—scripting, editing, posting, and pushing a brand while still trying to create meaningful comedy. Dobie weighs in with his veteran perspective on how things used to work (hint: you had a manager) and how performers now have to do it all themselves—like it or not.

Together, they tackle the uncomfortable truth that if you’re not seen, you’re not booked. But at what cost?

Key Points Discussed:

• Why being funny isn’t enough to succeed anymore
• The exhausting reality of managing your own marketing as a comedian
• The myth of “going viral” and how it poisons expectations
• Why people with less talent often rise faster—if they’re better marketers
• How marketing is often the full-time job behind your side hustle
• Balancing artistic integrity with algorithmic strategy
• What makes someone a brand—and why it’s both a blessing and a burden