Use a Minimalist Set List of Single Words
WhatFor an hour‑long comedy set, write 15–20 trigger words on a card, each representing a major bit or chunk, and use that as the sole reference backstage before going on.
WhenBefore performing a full show; keep the list in the green room or backstage, not on stage.
DoseA handwritten list reviewed moments before walking out.
For whomComedians who build their acts in real time and want minimal clutter.
WhySingle words act as memory anchors for 15‑minute blocks, freeing the comic to stay present and improvisational instead of reciting a memorized script.
CaveatsThis only works if the underlying material is thoroughly developed; a word must reliably trigger the entire bit.
Segura showed Huberman his actual set list: 'Gitmo, jail, teacher, duck, Huberman—just kidding. Augusta, kill my wife.' He thinks of an hour as four 15‑minute chunks (setting the table, family topics, social commentary, wilder takes). The words cue each chunk. By relying on a physical list of one‑word cues rather than memorized text, Segura can adjust to the room, improvise, and avoid the stilted delivery that comes from reciting written material. This method dovetails with his practice of never writing bits out fully and dropping everything after a special.
Personal experience
Segura showed the list and explained: 'That’s a set list for an hour.'
That’s a set list for an hour.
Also said
“When you do an hour, a lot of comics think of it as four 15‑minute chunks… you go like, OK, this is setting the table chunk. This is like a kid’s family chunk.”— Explains how the list maps to the structure of a full show.