Last Comic Standing Champs Dish on Post-Show Career

Third-season winner and current Last Comic Standing judge Alonzo Bodden has some advice for the new crop of comics as they begin to compete for America's laughs.

"Being funny is the biggest thing," Bodden told USA Today on Wednesday. "But [viewers] have to like you, because you're asking them to vote for you."

The 44-year-old Queens, NY-native had previously worked as a jet mechanic - but after being crowned the winner of Last Comic Standing's Fall 2004 edition, he's appeared on everything from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien to working in such films as Scary Movie 4 and the upcoming National Lampoon's Totally Baked: A Pot-u-mentary.

"The biggest change is you become a name," Bodden said. "Before, I was working the clubs. People laughed, but they didn't know who I was. I've gone from club headliner to being a nationally known act."

John Heffron won Last Comic Standing's second installment. He agreed with Bodden's assessment with what the reality competition show can do for one's career. While the 36-year-old had some stand-up success prior to appearing on the Summer 2004 edition of the series, his career has really taken off since, as he's currently finished his third comedy album "The Better Half" and also has plans to develop a television show.

"After Last Comic Standing, things just went insane... comedy clubs, corporate events. I was on the road 44 weeks last year," he told USA Today.

Original winner Dat Phan was able to land cameos and voice-overs in a few movies and television shows thanks to his success on the Summer 2003 edition of the series; he's currently touring and developing his own reality show, The Dat Pack, chronicling the journeys of his "comic crew."

"[Last Comic Standing] kicked off my career immensely," the 32-year-old said.

As Last Comic Standing's most recent winner when he took home the fourth-season title last summer, Josh Blue's victory was also probably one of the most heartwarming since the 28-year-old has cerebral palsy. However, he's based most of his shtick on the neurological disorder since his early days as a stand-up comedian at Evergreen State College.

"I was pretty big on the college circuit before. But [Last Comic Standing] blew the doors off everything," Blue said. "I travel all over the country to sold-out shows."

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.