Who invented stand-up? The origins of a peculiarly American form of comedy

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, America pioneered the concept of stand-up comedy, an art form that was an odd kind of basic, no-frills entertainment. A person facing a crowd, with a mic in hand, has to make them laugh.

The origins of stand-up comedy are traced to burlesque shows at New York City’s vaudeville theaters, mostly catering to people familiar with modern city life. The initial shows by the earliest ‘stand-up’ comedians were short and full of slapstick humor, as if racing to please the audience in the least amount of time.

The initial content of stand-up comedy wasn’t sarcasm or observational comedy. It had standard gags that involved gold-digging females, harping ladies, problems with money, and chasing unattainable women.

The routines were kept lively, fast-paced and punchy.