well comedy is really a no brainer, but there are some easy tips to go with.
I myself have done some work for
the Orlando Improv chain, and if you know anything about the Improv chain, I can tell you that they don't joke around. They have some famous acts always rolling through.
First and foremost, the comedian is the star. Make sure you get him above all else. A reliable mic with wide dynamic range is prefered, since you can expect sudden screams, mishandling of the mic and things like that.
The audience is a catch 22. If you have a tough crowd, you might actually have to add some laughter later on to liven up the performance. Usually an experienced comidian won't need that kind of help. So next is knowing how to find the hot spots in the room. I like to capture the areas of the room that may have the most laughter. This is usually in the front. When you are up close to a comedian, you tend to laugh more out of nervous reaction.
If you want to get more of the ambient laughter, then you go further up on the mics, but a small bar setting is intimate. So you can go close on stereo micing. Not too close where you can hear what the audience has to say. The comedian is the star, not the audience. Perferably 2 or more LDC in a cardiod pattern will do the trick.
Other than that, just remember the star over the audience relationship and you'll be fine.
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