Can anyone offer a suggestion of why some audiences respond better one set and crickets another set???  I did a showcase two weeks ago and killed 4-6 LPM (laughs Per Minute), then the very next week I do an open mic I get scattered laughs.  How do I know if it’s the audience OR me, OR my material???  I guess I’m not that experienced enough to read the audience yet.  Which bring me to another question, how do you read an audience?  Thanks

Usually the famous ones already mastered reading the audience, AND/OR already know what works and goes with those jokes. Maybe their audience is predisposed to like their material.

I recently saw Kimartin’s stand up—where she banters with the audience, hears what they have to say and almost like improvises as she’s going. I think its awesome and a good lesson. We can’t just go off our pre-written material without being flexible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aq_AXyGL0c
She calls out when people don’t laugh, says things like “You didnt laugh cuz I’m a woman..” and it’s true, some of her material is pretty stunning.  No wonder she got picked up by the Conan show as a writer.

Good luck out there.. feedback is key, and your audience will not lie.