In response to this controversial THR article by Seth Abramovitch that indeed claims, “…a newer comic just breaking into the L.A. circuit can earn anywhere from $1,250 to $2,500 per week,” many of LA’s stalwart comedians gave Vulture the true figures as to what they’ve actually made while trying to come up in LA (spoiler alert: it’s a lot of drink tickets, if anything at all).

What’s essential to understand is that being in comedy involves being in it for the sheer love of it, then trying to figure out how you can patch enough gigs, comedy-related or no, to make any sort of living. From there, a select few actually do get to make the so-called “big bucks”, but it’s pretty much feast or famine (that’s the case for most creative endeavors by the way).