Some things I've noticed while my sim works as a comedian.
The first is that in order to complete the requirement "try out material," you have to write a comedy routine. It's possible that a previously written comedy routine won't work for the requirement.
The second is that in order to refine a comedy routine (the requirement at level 7 or
, you have to perform the routine first. So if you've written 4 or 5 routines, but none of them show in your list to be refined, you have to perform one. When you first write a routine, its quality is okay, after one refinement, it's good, and a second refinement will make it excellent. Once a routine is excellent, it can't be refined any more.
While your sim is performing, you may notice microphones in the thought clouds of sims in the audience. Those indicate that a sim is paying attention. You get tips when the routine is finished, not before.
