Adam Davidson talks to Brooke Van Poppelen about working as a stand-up comedian in New York.

How Does a Stand-Up Comedian Work? 

How Does a Stand-Up Comedian Work? 

What do you do all day?
May 3 2015 2:05 AM

The “How Does a Stand-Up Comedian Work?” Edition 

Slate’s podcast about work explores how a stand-up comedian makes it in New York City.

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Photo illustration by Slate. Photo courtesy Brooke Van Poppelen.

To listen to this episode of Working with guest Brooke Van Poppelen, click the arrow on the audio player below:

On this episode of Working, Adam Davidson, co-founder of NPR’s Planet Money and columnist for the New York Times Magazine talks to stand-up comedian Brooke Van Poppelen. She explains what it’s like to have to be funny all of the time, how to prepare for gigs, and whether this is good time to be a female comic.

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In a Slate Plus extra, listen to a clip of Van Poppelen’s recent set at the Bell House in Brooklyn. If you’re not a member, enjoy bonus segments and interview transcripts from Working, plus other great podcast exclusives. Start your two-week free trial at slate.com/workingplus.

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To learn more about this series, click here. Visit the Working archive page for more episodes, or subscribe in iTunes.

Adam Davidson is co-founder and co-host of Planet Money. He also writes the weekly "It's the Economy" column for the New York Times Magazine.