Where do Hecklers Come From?

They have probably been around since anyone decided to stand up and speak. Where there is one person talking, there's usually another who wants to do the same.

People talking back to the performers onstage can sometimes make the performance more amusing, most of the time they turn that well rehearsed and timed out routine into something that falls flat because no one could hear the punch line.

According to Wikipedia the term heckler comes from textiles. People who teased or combed out fibers. The word we use to describe the interrupting audience member, comes from Scotland where a group of the textile hecklers would debate the news. Pretty simple. One person reads and the others add commentary. It seems like a great way to pass the work day.

It's difficult to know what to do with a heckler. Standing on the stage, you aren't sure if they are only going to say what they just said and stop, or if it will continue. When it continues, all you can think about it this person taking what you've worked on, and what others came to see, and distorting it, controlling it so that it is now their performance. If you stop everything and address the person it can escalate. If you incorporate them into the performance it encourages them. Any way that it goes it's awkward for everyone.

The heckler is brave. They are sitting in a crowd, completely anonymous, and suddenly they make their presence known. All eyes turn from the stage, to this person. They single themselves out. They presumably want the attention. What is it that encourages them to say their own quips and commentary to more than just the person sitting beside them? It isn't that these particular people are the only ones to have thoughts and opinions during the performance. We all do. Some of us keep it to ourselves and discuss after. Some whisper to the person next to them. The rare few want the entire room to know.

You can't blame movies, television, and internet for hecklers because they existed long before people were entertained by recorded performances you could talk over or make smoothies during. I blame selfishness. The person sitting in the audience doesn't think beyond themselves to the people all around who came to see what is on the stage. They don't think about the performer and what they go through to create what they are presenting. The heckler only sees an opportunity for themselves and they take it.

Sometimes it works. Most times it doesn't. It is a problem that will always pop up and I've seen performers handle it beautifully but I've also seen situations where there's no choice but to kick the person out. By then it's hard to get the energy back up to overcome the negativity.

For the regular heckler, the occasional heckler, or first time hecklers:

1) Stop and think before you speak. That way the moment will pass and you wont have time to say anything.

2) If your mouth works more quickly than your brain, practice talking quietly so no one can hear you when you speak except the person next to you.

3) Each live performance is a unique. Just like you.

4) Thank you for coming to the show.