Five Keys to Finding Love, According to the Cupid of Stand-Up Comedy
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Martin Amini isn’t the first comedian to post clips of his crowd work — and that’s the problem. “As more comics started to do it,” he tells me, “I realized it had to be a little bit more unique to stick out on social media.” That’s one reason Amini started bringing audience members on stage — specifically, single people looking for love. “People really trust my character, and they think that I can help them find a person who matches their vibe.”
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Boy, can he. What started as spur-of-the-moment matchmaking during a live set has turned into a phenomenon, with Amini making love connections that drive audiences into a frenzy.
The clips have gotten so popular that a few have more views than Amini’s new YouTube special, I’m Transcending. But that’s okay with the comic — the more people who discover his videos on Tiktok and Instagram Reels, the more people it drives to his new hour of stand-up. How does Amini hook up potential matches in a way that’s hilarious but not creepy? Here are his five keys to making a real love connection…
Crowds Can Decide Chemistry
Singles self-select if they want to come up on stage for a potential comedy romance, but sometimes that means multiple candidates for a first date. While the participants themselves choose whether or not to hit the town together, the audience influences the vibes. “We let the crowd sometimes decide if the chemistry is there,” Amini says. “And sometimes, they even kiss.” (Based on his videos, they often kiss.)
Love Is Funny — But So Is Not-Love
“It’s just very human,” says Amini. “People say things when they’re nervous that might be funny, awkward or uncomfortable. That’s where I step in.” With Amini there to keep things from getting too embarrassing, it’s okay (and relatably funny) if there’s no spark. But when there is? “Yeah, there’s just something exciting about people potentially finding their match.”
Vet the Lovers
Bringing the wrong people on stage — too drunk, too obnoxious, too whatever — could result in disaster. It didn’t take long for Amini to realize he couldn’t just invite random audience members into the spotlight without risking chaos. “I like to vet people,” he explains. “I ask them how long they’ve been single, what they do for a living. And when I’m doing these questions before I bring them on stage, I’m looking for any red flags or bad energy that might be offensive or not help the show.”
Amini also has rules built around respect and good vibes. While the comic might ask a single person what they’re looking for in a prospective date, he discourages insulting comments. “You don’t have to say what you don’t like, right?”
Break the Tension
“I’m there for community relief,” Amini says. “I use my comedy chops to keep things positive and moving. That’s really the formula that works — as long as things are very positive with good intentions, this can go as long as I want to. The moment it becomes like chasing moments or content-driven, that’s when it can get a little dirty. And that’s what I’m trying to avoid.”
Get That Consent
Do audience members ever feel pressured to respond to audience chants of “Beso! Beso! Beso!”? Amini wants people to feel all in before a big onstage kiss. Protecting audience members, “that’s first and foremost, and make sure that they’re comfortable,” Amini tells me. “But as long as the woman’s okay with it, they’re free to take the kiss as far as they want, as long as it doesn’t get too crazy. I’m happy to see it play out.”