The Quest For the Perfect Comedian's Watch
I wanted to have my cake and eat it and I'm eating damn good cake.
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect watch for what feels like forever. A lot of comedians swear by that iconic £15 Casio—cheap, reliable, and it’s got a stopwatch. Hard to beat, right?
One thing that drives me nuts is when a comedian is looking at their watch on stage. It’s not just a distraction for me, it’s a total immersion-breaker for the audience. It gives off as what Adam Bloom would decribe as a ‘boom mic moment;’e veryone notices, and it kills the moment. Plus, it can look a bit rude, like I’m checking the time because I’m bored. Think about it: if someone kept glancing at their watch during a date or a meeting, you’d assume they’d rather be somewhere else. I definitely don’t want the audience thinking that. Some comedians would say that you should know your set well enough that you don’t need to know the time, but sometimes that can be twisted if the gig is going particularly well and pausing for breaks or bombing so hard that after planned breaks the set only lasts for a minute.
I’ve worn an Apple Watch since its release date back in 2015. but after nearly 10 years, all the buzzes and dings has made me feel like I had a bunch of tiny bosses living on my wrist. Notifications about new tweets, reminders to stand up—seriously, I can’t keep track of all that while I’m trying to write or rehearse. It’s not that the Apple Watch isn’t cool (it’s brilliant, actually), but I got real sick of the constant pings. And then on stage, it would randomly light up and distract not just me but anyone who caught a glimpse of the screen. Even worse, if it locked itself mid-set, I’d go to check the time and be greeted by a passcode prompt. Not ideal when you’re in the middle of a joke.
Timing is everything in comedy (we’ve all heard that), but it’s not just about punchlines—it’s also about ending a set on time. If you run over, you can mess up the entire show schedule, annoy the promoter, and sabotage the other acts. It also looks unprofessional to the audience. So for me, having a watch that keeps me on track without shouting “I’m checking my watch!” is a must.
So - I wanted a watch that was dumb, but a bit smart and something I didnt have to charge every couple of days.
Enter the Casio G-Shock GBD-200 (Amazon). This thing has been a game-changer. I can set it to gently vibrate at certain times, configured through my phone, so I never have to glance down. There’s no risk of it going dark mid-performance or draining its battery halfway through a set. It’s basically foolproof.
It’s also saved me from those awkward “light” moments. Sometimes, if I’m really in the zone, I miss the promoter’s cue. But with this watch, I don’t need someone waving a flashlight like they’re signaling a plane to land. I can just feel the gentle buzz on my wrist and know I need to start wrapping up.
All in all, the GBD-200 slips seamlessly into my life, both on and off stage. It’s professional, reliable, and, best of all, it doesn’t bombard me with notifications. It might seem like a small tweak, but it’s made a massive difference for my focus and timing whenever I hit the stage.