Should you heckle a comedian? A short answer and a longer one

Any uninvited contribution from the audience: shouting comments at the comedian, “correcting” a joke, loudly telling your friend what you thought of the last one, or the timeless classic, “You’re rubbish!”

Answering a question the comedian has asked you is not heckling. That is crowd work, and you were invited.

Mostly, no. A heckle stops the show for everyone. The people around you paid to hear the comedian, not you, and even when the comedian flattens the heckler with a brilliant comeback, that is a professional making the best of an interruption, not a request for more.

Hot Water Comedy Club’s help centre says heckling and talking among your group while the comedians are on stage “is not part of a comedy night”, and that it ruins the show for the people nearby. Then it delivers the most polite put-down in British comedy: “We kindly ask that if you plan to heckle or talk whilst the acts are on stage that you do this at another comedy club, or even better at home.”

They become material. The comedian has a microphone, a spotlight, years of practice and an audience that has already picked a side. You have a pint and a strong feeling. It is not a fair fight.

For a demonstration, see Phil’s Angry heckler gets HUMILIATED (plays here), from one of his own shows in Chester, where an audience member who was not enjoying the show flipped when challenged and then tried to turn on the audience. It did not go the way she planned.

Then answer it. That is not heckling, that is taking part. Keep it short and true and let the comedian do the rest; the front row survival guide explains how.

When you are asked to. If the comedian says “Anyone here from Wigan?”, a cheer from Wigan is welcome. Laughing out loud is always allowed, and so is applause. Those are the only two noises a comedian wants from you, in that order.

Stay quiet, get a drink in the interval, and complain about it on the way home, as is the proud British tradition. Or hang on: the next act might be your new favourite.

A little. Clubs have security for a reason, and spoiling the show is a quick way to meet them. If your friend is likely to be the loudest person in the room, sit near the back. Better still, near the door.