Inside Plauzzable: The Game-Changing Virtual Comedy Platform

Virtual Comedy Platform

After over a decade in corporate America, Leanne Linsky took a leap of faith to pursue her true passion – comedy. She immersed herself fully in the New York and LA comedy scenes, performing at open mics, producing shows, and honing her craft.

However, she soon faced frustrations like spending more time in LA traffic than on stage. This prompted her to start exploring online solutions even before the pandemic hit.

Listen And Share This Software Spotlight Podcast

Watch And Share This Software Spotlight Podcast

In an insightful interview on the Software Spotlight podcast, Plauzzable founder Leanne Linsky unveils her innovative virtual platform designed specifically for comedians. Linsky shares her entrepreneurial journey and how Plauzzable bridges the gap between online and in-person comedy by replicating the interactive live experience.

The Visionary: Leanne Linsky's Comedic Calling

For Leanne Linsky, the path to founding Plauzzable, a revolutionary virtual comedy platform, was an unconventional one. With a business degree and a 13-year corporate career, Linsky's passion for comedy blossomed unexpectedly. “I took my first comedy writing class during that time and fell in love with the art.” When she was laid off, her friends encouraged her to pursue comedy full-time, leading her to move to New York.

“I packed two suitcases and moved to New York to fully immerse myself into the world of comedy and acting.” Linsky immersed herself in the comedy scene, running an open mic for over seven years and producing shows.

The Catalyst: Solving a Pandemic Problem

The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a turning point for Linsky. “I started doing things online to solve some of my own problems before COVID, believe it or not. So before COVID and then COVID happened and everybody started doing things online.” Recognizing the need for a better virtual comedy experience, Linsky set out to create a platform tailored to performers' needs.

“I went back to school and got my master's in innovation and entrepreneurship from University of California Irvine…I had to find the right team. And that actually took me a while to find the right developers who could share my vision.” After assembling the right team, Plauzzable launched its beta version in December 2022.

Plauzzable: Redefining Virtual Comedy

Performer-Centric Design

At its core, Plauzzable is designed to cater to the unique needs of comedians and performers. “This is typically a performer who relies on the immediate feedback of the audience in which they're speaking. And in comedy, we look for laughs in that reaction.” Linsky recognized that existing platforms lacked the interactivity and real-time feedback essential for comedy.

“If I'm in the flow and I'm doing comedy, I have to stop and I have to read, that breaks everything up and changes the timing and the cadence and momentum of a comedy set.” Plauzzable solves this by enabling performers to hear audience laughter and reactions in real-time, without disrupting their flow.

Interactive Virtual Stage

One of Plauzzable's standout features is its interactive virtual stage, designed to mimic the experience of performing in front of a live audience. “We have it so where you can scroll through the audience and you can see them appear as if you're panning the audience this way rather than this way.” Performers can see audience members' faces and reactions, fostering a sense of connection and allowing them to gauge how their material is landing.

“We keep the speaker, the performer, dominant…we wanted to make sure that the speaker has the ability to bring other people to the virtual stage, put them back in the audience, and remain focused on the entertainment at hand.”

Monetization and Growth

In addition to its performer-centric features, Plauzzable offers tools for monetization and growth. Comedians can schedule and sell tickets for virtual shows, with a straightforward revenue-sharing model. “If you sell one ticket, you get this much money…you don't have to have a minimum number of followers, you just have to sell one ticket and you're already making money.”

Linsky sees immense potential in the virtual comedy market, citing the trillion-dollar live entertainment and streaming industries. “Live streaming is projected to grow, I think like 800% by 2028…people with live streaming find themselves connected more to the creator. They find it to be more authentic, more real.”

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