Part I: Beginning our work together. Things I know about you -- The road ahead -- "No!" -- Part II. The forms of stand-up comedy. Observational stand-up -- Anecdotal stand-up -- The stand-up sketch -- Act-outs -- Put-down humor: celebrity put-downs -- Put-down humor: people in your life -- Put-down humor: hecklers -- Put-down humor: insult comedy -- Put-down humor: self-deprecating humor -- Crowd work -- The comic flaw -- Character stand-up comedy -- Edgy stand-up comedy -- Specialties -- Ad-libbing -- Part III. The handbook for creating stand-up comedy material. Preparing for your first draft -- The first draft -- Trying out your first draft -- Setup and punchline -- Working backward -- Creating your set list -- Part IV. The handbook for performing stand-up comedy. Nerves and the three gifts they give you -- The single most important thing: joyous communication -- Coming alive onstage: emotional fullness -- Be in the room -- Delivery -- The things to do before you get to the club -- Before the show starts -- Showtime -- Part V: Get undeniably good. Building an all A set -- Creating your persona -- The six characteristics of a successful persona -- The seventh characteristic -- "The this joke used to kill and now used to kill and now it's bombing, what the hell is going on" Checklist -- Hosting -- The voice -- Everything you need to know about the business of stand-up comedy.