Stand-up in Russia: an (un)funny and (non)toxic profession in the context of new creative spheres of professionalization

The professionalization of stand-up comedy is examined in the broader context of creative careers embedded in the creative industries of contemporary Russia. Drawing on the analysis of biographical interviews with standup comedians in Russian cities, an analysis of the development of career paths alongside the formation of professional identity is proposed. Emphasis is placed on the uncertainty and instability of employment combined with the accessibility and comparative independence in the shaping of work routines, which makes the choice of such career paths attractive and, at the same time, risky for young people. Authors identify local peculiarities and stages of standup comics' profession formation, ways of comedians' adaptation to the conditions of the local creative industry. Attention is drawn to the markers of attributing oneself to professionals, the characteristics of one's career development in the conditions of ambiguity of its definition. Based on a consideration of informants' narrative stories about the production of comedy itself, the choice of comedic accents and joke subjects, including toxicity within professional communication and attitudes towards censorship, an analysis of their own contexts of professionalization, work and career, status hierarchies in relation to the financial non/stability of stand-up comedy, and the transformation of their experience from amateur to professional is offered. In conclusion, an analytical option is offered to standardize and categorize the stages of career and professional participation of young comedians in contemporary Russia. The study contributes to the understanding of how young people adapt to changing labor market conditions and form new professional identities in conditions of instability and uncertainty.