Backstage with Steve Bruner: Comedy Writing and the Craft of Laughter

What does it mean to be "not famous, just successful" in the stand-up comedy world? Veteran comedian Steve Bruner returns to share wisdom from over four decades of making strangers laugh.

The magic of comedy isn't just in the spotlight moments—it's in the careful craft behind the scenes. Steve reveals his meticulous writing process, collecting fragments of ideas on scraps of paper before weaving them into cohesive bits that connect with audiences worldwide. Despite his seasoned status, he still attends open mics to test new material, comparing it to "a baseball player needing to swing the bat to remember how to swing."

Comedy has transformed dramatically since Steve's early days earning $12.20 at the Holy City Zoo. While today's emerging comics can build careers through TikTok and social media—routes unavailable to previous generations—Steve emphasizes that nothing replaces the electric connection between a live comedian and their audience. This becomes especially evident when he discusses the unique challenges of performing on cruise ships, where passengers might have just visited the Vatican the day before his show.

Throughout our conversation, Steve's perspective remains refreshingly grounded. He finds joy in the process itself—seeing connections others miss and sharing that perspective through laughter. For aspiring comics, his journey offers valuable lessons about persistence, adaptability, and finding fulfillment beyond fame.

The episode concludes with a hilarious sample of Steve's clean, observational comedy about wedding traditions that showcases his masterful timing and relatable humor. Whether you're a comedy fan or creator, you'll find both entertainment and insight in this conversation with a true professional who's built a lasting career by making the world funnier, one audience at a time.

Chapters

• 0:00 Meeting Steve Bruner
• 3:03 The Joys of Comedy Despite Challenges
• 5:46 The Business Side of Stand-up
• 9:14 Writing and Finding Your Comedy Voice
• 14:01 Cruise Ship Comedy Challenges
• 21:33 Future Projects and Friendship
• 25:12 Steve Bruner's Wedding Comedy Set

Transcript

announcer: 0:04

This is another episode of Stand-Up Comedy, your host and emcee celebrating 40-plus years on the fringe of show business Stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not-so-famous. Here's your host and emcee, scott Edwards.

R. Scott Edwards: 0:21

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the podcast man. I got some fun for you today. One of my best friends in the standup comedy industry. He has been on this podcast many times but I wanted to get a chance to kind of catch up and touch base with him because he is so busy. I'm going to tell you what he's been doing, but first let's get him on the show. Ladies and gentlemen, my good friend steve bruner I wish every intro was like that they love having you on the show.

Steve Bruner: 0:58

I gotta tell you, in the last five plus years of doing this podcast, one of my favorite regulars and always terrific comedy is mr steve bruner oh well, I'm glad to be here again and I'm really glad that the success of your podcast and everything is uh has gone and you're still including the uh, the old school guys, oh, screaming in the back. They're swimming going on behind me because I'm not in any office situation, so nobody's drowning. I just thought I'd let you know.

R. Scott Edwards: 1:30

Well, that's good to know. So, ladies and gentlemen, let me kind of just remind you who Mr Bruner is. Not only one of the funniest comics in Northern California, but he's performed all over the world. He's also known for being one of the cleanest comics, does a lot of corporate and special events. On this show he shared a lot of really funny material. He does a wineries, private clubs, corporate gigs. He's been on dry bar comedy and just recently you were doing a cruise on the crystal serenity. So you're, my god, look at you, you're all over my social media apparently is working.

R. Scott Edwards: 2:07

Look at that well, I always keep up with my friends. But, steve, you really do work hard and we're getting to an age where that's not quite as easy as it was maybe 20 years ago, but you have been a successful stand-up comic your whole life, made a great career out of it. Do you ever doubt your thoughts of getting into the comedy industry?

Steve Bruner: 2:33

Uh, you know, it was fun even when I was starving. So, uh, you can't live on thoughts and I always thought there was going to be something further going. But when I made $12.20 at the Holy City Zoo, I was like, yep, that's it. I know I can live on $12.20 for about a week and a half. I'll be fine. Top Ramen is good.

R. Scott Edwards: 2:55

Well, it is about perspective and I think you mentioned the key thing there is you always had a good time, it's fun, right?

Steve Bruner: 3:04

I tell people all the time if I could find something that was one-tenth as enjoyable because aspects of this can certainly be complicated, the travel and being away from people and the hustle that I'd probably be selling shoes if it gave me just that. But it's a different. I don't want to say it's a drug, but it's because I don't know much about drugs so I certainly don't want to. But it is a. It is just a thrill to come up with a thought and make other people laugh with that thought. It's just like nothing I've ever experienced and I still get to experience it and a new idea that gets a bunch of strangers to think like you do in a way, or be surprised by a twist you put on. It is I don't want to be simplistic, but it's joyful, it's just joyful, it's a fun. It's a fun biz. Yeah, it's a fun biz. I hope that was a good answer.

R. Scott Edwards: 4:03

Well, you won't be quizzed, I promise, but it is true that you have to enjoy what you're doing, and two things I took from what you just shared. One is the importance of being in the moment, enjoying it, and it's really not about the money. It's about sharing the funny with a room full of strangers and getting them on board with your thinking.

Steve Bruner: 4:26

Well, I do like the money, scott. Don't think I'm trying to lower my price here. You know, steve, if you could just come here for the pat on the back, we'd be really happy to have you every week. And the other thing, I don't do very much well, and as I tell everybody, if the zombie apocalypse happened, I would pretty much be food. I am really happy I'm in a time and a place where comedy is rewarded and I'm not famous, I'm just successful.

R. Scott Edwards: 5:00

Well, that's a great way to put it, but I also wanted to mention that you alluded to it. But for the audience, it is a job, it is a career. So there's all the business side. There's the challenges of travel, as you mentioned, being away from loved ones, having to market yourself, and you're basically like a contract lawyer. You have to do not only the marketing but complete the contracts. You're a producer of your show. You have to make not only the marketing but complete the contracts. You're a producer of your show. You have to make sure you're presented well. That means good sound and good lights, and you know from working all the hell gigs that there's nothing guaranteed right.

Steve Bruner: 5:39

No, and I think I'm coming out with a new card called the Ambulance Chaser of Comics. I think that's going to be it for the lawyer reference. I think that's going to be it for the lawyer reference. I think that's going to be it. Yeah, you just got to. There's a lot of things to think about. At this point I'm a little luckier in that I have somewhat of a reputation. I got some things on line that people call because they find it I'm able to spend a little more time writing and a little less time on the hustle. But there was 20 years of of phone calls and and getting agents to like me and there's there's a couple of guys out there that I have gotten down to the top two in wonderful corporate events and they they beat me out at 95 times out of of 100. And I'm just like all right, I just got to keep writing and I think they're extremely funny. They are so such funny people.

R. Scott Edwards: 6:32

But you bring up another point that I try to beat into people that listen to this podcast, so I apologize, but it is so important to be a writer. One of the keystones to being a professional and successful stand-up comic is being a good comedic writer, and I know that you really work at that. In fact, you've had a few writing clubs and you try to write every day, right?

Steve Bruner: 6:59

I do, I do. I look at old ideas and try to come up with a tag. Yeah, I think writing is one of the most important things in the world, and there's a couple of guys that I write continually with and I still go to open mics and I see something and it just gets your head. I see the world, as my grandfather, I think, said a bubble off plum. I just see it different and I can see connections and sometimes I can get other people to see connections. I just see it different and I can see connections and sometimes I can get other people to see connection. I write them down.

Steve Bruner: 7:27

I have so many there's no matchbooks anymore but I have so many small pieces of paper with an idea and I sometimes am able to put them together and make a joke and then a bit If three jokes I always think are a bit because they connect, and then you can maybe sometimes even get a routine and it's uh, it's kind of a fun puzzle to put together new thoughts in the world or old thoughts differently, or uh, I enjoy writing just about as much as anything. So, uh, that's where, that's where I'm lucky enough to be.

R. Scott Edwards: 7:59

Well, I think it's a terrific advice for anybody listening that wants to get into the industry, to know how important it is to be a good writer. And I think you brought up two things that were were one is good and one is surprising. The good thing is is to be a successful standup comic. You do have to kind of view the world with a little bit of your own twist on it. In other words, it's finding the funny in everybody, everybody's life, but you're finding your funny twist on it. The other thing that surprised me is that you're still doing open mics. I mean, you're a 40-year professional comic that's made millions of dollars and you're still doing the free open mics. That's amazing.

Steve Bruner: 8:41

You know I'm not doing them as much much and I do them when I have an idea. There's nothing. I look at it as at that. I'm not a baseball player, but I assume that you got to swing the bat to remember how to swing the bat. And sometimes an idea in your head just sounds better through a microphone and I know almost immediately when it escapes my lip in a crowd of 15 people of which 10 are comics that this joke's going to work. I just know the rhythm and the feel and the taste. It doesn't. The response is nice, certainly in those situations, but just the practice of it that's not in front of your mirror seems for me to be of great benefit.

Steve Bruner: 9:25

And I like the camaraderie of comics. I like people that think differently and put together ideas and see a new piece of thought. Sometimes it's like an old thought seen in a new way. I just really enjoy being around that kind of creativity. I'm not a poet, but I understand that poets go to poetry readings. They read a lot of poetry. Writers, uh of of stories, read a lot of stories. I like the ideas of, of comics that just have a twist or a saying or a way to reveal it and I like being in that environment, man.

R. Scott Edwards: 10:06

Yeah, I always coined it, as you know, find the funny. But I think what's interesting is one of the things I'm always recommending to young people that want to get into the business is you just have to keep getting on stage. And it's kind of like your baseball analogy. You have to practice, practice, practice. You know nothing is going to happen if you just do it once or twice. You know, one of the things that drives me nuts is that people think if they can do a 30 second reel on TikTok, that makes them a comic.

Steve Bruner: 10:37

You know that it can make them a living and we are in a different world than when you started uh, hiring me as an opener scott that it is a different world. Somebody can do seven minutes on tiktok, be seen by 10 million people, get advertising and and and make a car payment. It is, it's way, different. I'm glad I was able to come up and and work clubs and see the people it I I do. I would not know how to make a living in the same way. Now there's still the old school way, the corporate party, the college event but people are sometimes hey, how many Instagram followers do you have? How many people follow you on this, that or the other? And I have no idea. I hired that out because I'm bad at it, but I I spend my time writing and and and. If somebody has a good hook, more power to them.

Steve Bruner: 11:34

I think there's a lot of ways to make people laugh. I laugh on short venues. I think the big thing I don't know when this is coming out. You said it's coming out in a few months or whatever.

Steve Bruner: 11:46

Right now, the audience participation aspect of comedy is huge. I mean, there's so much crowd chat and I've never been super gifted at that. It happens when it happens and sometimes they're able to add some things. Happens when it happens and sometimes they're able to add some things, but it's almost an entire genre of comedy. That is more power to them. It's just not what I do. I kind of stay at home or I have a little writing office. Now that's how successful I am people that I go there and think of my little ideas to share with people, and I want their part of the conversation to mostly be laughter, and every now and again somebody will say something they'll add to a thought, they'll give me a direction that I hadn't really thought about, and I listen to everybody and then I kind of funnel it through my own processes and, uh, it's, it's a great.

R. Scott Edwards: 12:43

I just don't know what else I would do, and this sounds very much like a ted talk, but I'm sorry no but the point is, and I'm sure there are humorous ted talks, but right, yeah, but what you're making, the point is, is that things are different, marketing is different, uh, interacting with the audience is different and, yes, I'm old school, I'm an old guy and I got started back in, you know, the late 70s, 1980, when I opened my chain of clubs.

Steve Bruner: 13:10

But I still first club I ever worked a week at buddy, just so you know well I'm very proud of that and all the success you've had.

R. Scott Edwards: 13:20

But going back to the old school thought, I still think that, even though there's tiktok success and in real success and of course I even use reels for marketing, but I think that to be a successful variety artist in the field of stand-up comedy art industry, it all is that interaction, that live, person-to-live person engagement with a room full of strangers and getting them to follow your path, your thought pattern, and they see the funny that you find in regular life. For example, I mentioned that you were just on the Crystal Serenity cruise, but you've done a lot of cruises I have. The cruise audiences are a little different than a comedy club or a winery, right.

Steve Bruner: 14:07

They are especially the Crystal Serenity. I believe that this was a 60-day cruise, so let me just point that out.

R. Scott Edwards: 14:15

Wow, that's a long time on a boat.

Steve Bruner: 14:16

Hey, that's 20 days more than Noah, so I'm just. That was so long. That's funny. They went everywhere and I was on the last couple days. So my point was and I think I made a comment about it one they're very wealthy and're much older and they're in Europe, and I could have been the best comedian I had ever been. I could have been at the, and I think I'm pretty good at this thing, or else my reputation hasn't gotten out enough to get me left behind. But these people were at the Vatican you know the the the afternoon before they saw my show. So it didn't matter. If I was great, I would have. I didn't even make the top 20 of the things that they would write home about.

Steve Bruner: 15:04

So it is a different, it's a different ego. It's it's a little harder in that you're doing at this point two different 45-minute shows and that's a lot. That's just a lot to work, that's a lot to connect, that's a lot that just has to go right. It's a different animal and fortunately I've been able to write that much material and enough. I don't do stuff out of the newspaper. I've never been real strong on topical and some political stuff these days can certainly divide a room. But here you are, in Europe and on the ship, and I can mention a couple of things about the ships. But I think they've already seen and been. I mean, they were on the ship 56 days when I got there or something like that. I'm not exactly sure, but I uh, yeah, it is different than a corporate event where you're the big cheese and everybody's like had their good time, they've got their awards and now they're just settled back to be entertained. This is they've seen 60 shows. Wow, you are one among a myriad of them, and sometimes they've had a busy day and they're just tired and um, uh, you shake a lot of hands. I? I this.

Steve Bruner: 16:21

This last cruise. It was such a beautiful serenity, is, um, such a beautiful ship. I I just could. I. They're all at this point, at this level, ships are just great and uh, but but they are kind of reserved after a long day of of touring and seeing sights and sounds. So yeah you gotta, it's definitely not a club where every you know 15 seconds you're getting a big laugh or getting a comment, or, if some people do the metrics, it's every six seconds. You want to laugh and uh, boy, that's some rapid fire stuff.

R. Scott Edwards: 16:57

So well, I think it's, uh, it speaks, but it speaks well of your writing, because I know your act. I know that you've got a whole five, ten minutes of, uh, you know, welcome to the cruise, where it's the first day or second day on the cruise ship and after they've been on for that long, you're not, you're having to edit all that material out.

Steve Bruner: 17:18

Yeah, yeah, they don't care about the welcome aboard. A lifeboat drill to die, yeah, hey, this is really good, scott, because if I'm ever feeling poorly I can have you do one of my shows.

R. Scott Edwards: 17:33

Well, I only know your act because it's so funny, but it is true that it goes to another regular thing that people hear on this podcast. So I apologize to my audience, but every audience is different. You have to read the room. So, even though you're on a cruise ship and you've done hundreds, if not thousands, of cruise shows, you have to adapt to an older audience that's been on ship for 60 days.

Steve Bruner: 17:59

Yes, and a quick story that I got to see that maybe my third cruise is a wonderful singer. I believe it was Elvie Rose out of Florida, beautiful Cuban background, fantastic voice, and as I recall, she was closing the last night of the cruise and I had done okay and the juggler was on and he had done okay and the dance shows had done fine, but she was the big and what a booming voice, or whatever. And at the end she sings my Way and there was somebody that had a helicopter was flying in and they had to be wheeled out through her show and she was singing my way, you know. And now the end is near, I have to face my final curtain and it was probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my entire life, you never know what's gonna happen she just dealt with it and she goes this is an inappropriate song for the moment, I am gonna sing it.

Steve Bruner: 18:59

and everybody gave her a standing ovation because the band already knew the number she wasn't going to impromptu. Uh, a happy birthday. And she did it with such and people you know, standing ovation. Given one of the more complicated situations I had seen, she handled it with great aplomb. So, yeah, aplomb. So yeah, you have to sometimes verve. Comics can verve a little bit more than people in a musical or a band playing stuff or whatever. So yeah, I love show business Every night's different, and sometimes your material works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm just lucky that mine's worked more often than not so far.

R. Scott Edwards: 19:43

Well, it's because you're so good. But you bring up a real truism and that I feel from my time on stage and as a producer that the audiences always appreciate honesty. So if something goes awry or there's some unique situation and you're willing to deal with it honestly with the audience, they appreciate that and understand that.

Steve Bruner: 20:07

You know I've heard of uh from other guys that do cruises that you know, right in the middle of the show somebody might die and right, that has not happened, but I would keep that joke, I would put it in Listen, folks, this joke has killed a couple people, so I just want to say you killed, yeah, yeah, this has literally killed people and oh my gosh, I would want that horribly on tape, just to show people that the power my comedy has.

R. Scott Edwards: 20:40

Well, what's interesting about it was that it does happen sometimes in these cruise ships with the older people, but the comedy entertainer or the singer or the magician or whatever you know, it's kind of the old adage the show must go on. And so if you're just audience, you know honest with the audience. Hey, everybody, this has been a tragic moment and you know we send our prayers to the family. But you know we want to make sure that you have a good time and you segue back slowly into what you're doing. Whatever the entertainment is, the audience appreciates that you're all going through a difficult moment and it's your job as the entertainer, whatever you're doing, to keep that cohesion in the group right.

Steve Bruner: 21:22

You, absolutely you. You're sharing the moment. It's probably one of the most beautiful things that happens in live performing. I don't care who or where or what you are. It's wonderful that way. I was on a I I have a bit about that. Oh, there's somebody sleeping in the front row. Can we be? Can we keep our, our laughter a little bit more muted? You know, because he he should be. It's his vacation, he should be able to sleep where he wants to. And you know what? He's not a young man. Maybe he's not asleep.

R. Scott Edwards: 21:52

Well, you know, reading the room and moving along with whatever happens is what makes our industry so amazing. Now we're going into 2026. Are there any projects, anything you're looking forward to anything special coming up for Mr Steve Bruner?

Steve Bruner: 22:10

I'm always trying to figure out. You know I always read a lot of books on comedy. Some of them leave a little bit out on my process of writing. It would be wonderful to actually get the ideas that I have in a little folder together and just put out, not a how-to or whatever, but how I do, and maybe it would help somebody out there. There's so many great books on how to write jokes that I just it's more the like. I don't like making fun of people per se, I like making fun of people in general, not people in specific, and I just I someday just want to write it out for me. So it's coherent. If it helped anybody else out there, I would, uh, I would find that a value. But no, 2026 is just going to be another year where I'm figuring out, uh, new ways to be amusing to strangers.

R. Scott Edwards: 23:03

Well, you heard it here. Ladies and gentlemen, steve Bruner is not the Don Rickles of the generation. He doesn't Not yet, not yet.

Steve Bruner: 23:12

Maybe the world will turn and I will be. Oh yeah, you know what? Let's make fun of everybody. We do it so well. I don't do it that well.

R. Scott Edwards: 23:22

Well, the other thing is that you are a wise man, you are a good writer is is that you are a wise man, you are a good writer. So I imagine that a book about what, how you made your comedy and your view of the world funny for so many tens of thousands of people over the years, I think would be a value, especially to the next generation of entertainers. Well, steve, it's always great to have you on the show and I appreciate you sharing, you know, some of your wisdom and some of your experience.

Steve Bruner: 23:54

Thank you so much I know that your your podcast. At some point, after reaching a certain level, you're like okay, I've done this. I just want to express to everybody out there listening what a pleasure it is for you to include people like me, being a friend for a long time. It's always fun to talk to you. It's always fun to talk comedy with you. I appreciate your insight and I also appreciated all the work over the years. But beyond that, our friendship has been greatly entertaining for me and I appreciate it.

R. Scott Edwards: 24:27

I don't know if I've ever been told I'm an entertaining friend. It is kind of funny because I'm the producer and I'm usually interacting with people like you the funny ones. But thanks for those kind words and thanks so much for all you've shared, not only to me and my podcast and my life, but also what you're doing as an entertainer, whether it's a cruise ship, a winery, a corporate or a comedy club. Whatever you're doing, you bring your humor and your view of the world and I think that that's very special. So thank you.

Steve Bruner: 25:01

You bet I look forward to seeing you in person, even if we're not doing something for the masses.

R. Scott Edwards: 25:07

All right, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed that interview with my good friend, steve Bruner, seeing you in person, even if we're not doing something for the masses. All right, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed that interview with my good friend, steve bruner. Let's listen to a little bit of a stand-up comedy right now women are in charge because they have everything to remember.

Speaker 4: 25:19

They don't trust us to be in charge I have to admit that because really they think guys would do things backwards. Probably true, every guy I know he was in charge of his wedding. He'd start out with a honeymoon, Move to the reception, get drunk with his friends, feeling no pain what the hell get married? Women are in charge because they have everything to remember. First, they have to remember to get a beautiful dress for themselves.

announcer: 25:42

Then they have to remember to get a bunch of ugly dresses for their bridesmaids, saying that really dumb thing.

Speaker 4: 25:47

You'll wear it again. I promise You'll wear it again. Oh yeah, when's this Pepto-Bismol pink big bow on?

announcer: 25:53

the back thing going to happen for me again and I'm going to wear this frock again at your funeral. That's what I'm saving it for.

Speaker 4: 26:01

They have their little traditions, as I understand Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue saying Something old something new, something borrowed, something blue. Guys have nothing like this. What do you got? Something old underwear, something blue underwear when women are crazy about their dress. My wife spent $2,000 of her dad's money on a wedding dress.

Speaker 4: 26:20

Good thing it was her dad's money. She came to me asking for $2,000 for a dress she was going to wear one time with a. What are you crazy? Borrow an old blue dress. Come on, that's three out of four. I'm thinking of you. That's what you do, dare, at the wedding, like a lot of you lovely ladies, with your big, beautiful dress. She had it boxed up and then sat in the top of the closet. $2,000 worth of dress. If I was her dad, I'd pay anywhere near that much money for a dress. I'd better be getting pictures of her wearing that dress out in the yard mowing the lawn. Good thing she never came to me and said Honey, I have nothing nice to wear. Au contraire, I think this dress still has a few miles left on it. Come on, you're going to be the best looking babe at the bowling alley.

Speaker 4: 27:09

Hurry up, we've got to go, which is why women are in charge of the wedding Because they have a more romantic vision of what it takes to put a wedding together.

announcer: 27:17

That's what women want.

Speaker 4: 27:18

Romance and extravagance, and I know all about these two because I married a Catholic gal, so some of us know it was one of those long religious stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight kind of weddings. And I'm not Catholic myself, so my entire side of the family was totally out of shape for this thing. Ten minutes into it, completely winded Okay, we'll convert. Just let us sit on these cushy knee pads for a minute. Any chance I'm passing out that wine again. That would really help us out.

Speaker 4: 27:49

We missed it the first time. I thought it was a secret handshake deal. Didn't know how to get in the club. The camera pans it's like her half is crying, my half is smearing on pinke. Grandma, you stay down there, we'll leave you at halftime. Somebody get a banana for grandma, she's cramping. Come on, it was a long wedding, people. We not only lit candles, we made them.

R. Scott Edwards: 28:14

Ladies and gentlemen, that's been my good friend Steve Bruner. We'll be back next week with some more great stand-up comedy. Steve, I know you're up at the cabin having fun with the boys. Thank you so much for finding some time to share with us. You bet Talk to you soon.

Steve Bruner: 28:28

Ladies and gentlemen Boys, thank you so much for finding some time to share with us. You bet Talk to you soon.

R. Scott Edwards: 28:30

Ladies and gentlemen, we'll talk to you soon. Bye.

announcer: 28:34

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Stand Up Comedy your host and emcee. For information on the show, merchandise and our sponsors, or to send comments to Scott, visit our website at wwwstandupyourhostandmccom. Look for more episodes soon and enjoy the world of stand-up comedy. Visit a comedy showroom near you.