The comic who goes up last at the open mic, to six tired people, is getting the realest practice of the night.

Difficult conditions teach more than good ones. A late slot in front of six exhausted strangers removes every advantage, the warm room, the willing crowd, the momentum, and what is left is purely whether the material works. Anything that gets a laugh there is genuinely strong. Easy rooms flatter you and tell you very little.

Take the awkward slot when it is offered rather than holding out for the good one. Notice which lines survive a cold room and mark them. Keep that list, because those are the ones you can rely on anywhere.