Aristocrat of the Week: @Curlycomedy

Each Friday, we pick one Aristocrat we think you should follow. (Even though you should follow all of them.) Meet Abbi Crutchfield.

What was your first exposure to Twitter?

I checked whendidyoujointwitter.com and found out I joined in 2008. I’ve heard that the first person you followed is who got you into it, but the earliest person on my list is @friedmanjon, and I have no recollection of Jon Friedman telling me to join Twitter when I was 13.  

I do remember thinking it was for me to stay connected to friends and family. It never occurred to me to follow strangers until my buddy told me about a funny guy he liked to read. I laughed at everything that guy said and noticed he had 5,000 followers. That was an unheard of number of family members! A lightbulb went off that I could use the site to hone my material for the stage. Then I gradually accrued more likeminded followers and continued to use it to interact with comedians.

When did you really get into using the site?

The first couple of years I posted jokes without much regard to how they were doing, except for noting that the ones that got a few stars (and the elusive retweet) I considered ready to be folded into my act. Those one-liners would be promptly welcomed with a wall of silence and followed by my indignant declaration, “Hey that one killed on Twitter,”  which at the time was like saying, “My D&D club gets me!”

Then came the occasional word of encouragement, “I had to stop following you because you post too often.”  

One day I posted a picture of myself performing as Sarah Silverman, and she sent a direct message of appreciation. That’s when it clicked that the people from Thuh TeeVee could see what I was saying.  They say dress for the job you want, not the job you have. I started wearing a power suit when I tweeted. 

What has been your proudest Twitter moment?

I appreciate how connections I’ve made through Twitter have led to professional opportunities. Your work there can serve as an informal portfolio and your profile as a resume. While I really value being followed/acknowledged by people whose work I admire, my proudest moment was when I learned not to seek validation through it, on May 17, 2032.

What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever tweeted?

My most popular joke on favstar.fm was written right after an earthquake: “Luckily I was holding a bag of chicken cutlets filled with breadcrumbs.”  It was fun in the moment and has since lost all meaning. Except for the fact that I’m always holding raw poultry in a bag.

What advice would you give to aspiring comedians or comedy writers?

There are no rules on how to use it. But I believe Twitter is for fun, not beef. Don’t use it to terrorize people. That’s what Craigslist is for.

Abbi Crutchfield is a touring stand-up comedian and sketch performer at UCB Theater in New York. She can be seen in national commercials.

Follow Abbi on Twitter, and check her out on WitStream.