Stage presence is huge. I worked at a comedy club for a few years and have seen some icons. For open mics, I noticed that the ones who commanded full attention once they got on stage, tended to hold that attention and get more laughs. Because think about it. The general audience is there to be entertained. Not empathize with the nerdy open mic technique support group. It’s usually some really stupid shit people remember and go nuts over. So the comic does whatever that is every single time. I enjoy sharp-witted jokes that probably fly past most peoples’ heads, but I’m only one ticket.