In response to Chhoun Nara, who wants to be a comedian, Perk Mi, a comedian at Cambodian Television Network (CTN), gives suggestions for how to be a successful comedian.

To get a good laugh, Nara should possess three important things. “First, he must have natural talent,” said Perk Mi. “Comedians cannot only follow what other people say and read from scripts. Comedians must be flexible, innovative and be able to think of silly jokes on the spot.”

“My second tip is about group work. No comedian can perform alone. They need to work in groups,” he continued adding that the team should help each other and work in good harmony when performing.

Last but not least, Perk Mi talked about the importance of the skits. “There should be a person who can produce an easy skit to perform. Some comics may have their own talented troupe, but that doesn’t mean the audience is bound to laugh.”

Besides those three main points, Perk Mi added that the TV station, face, behaviour and speech are also things all great comedians must pay attention to.

Perk Mi recommended that all young people who want to be comedians to practise by reading comic books and learning from senior comedians who have experience in the field.