From Stand-up to Stand-Out
Notes for Tonights workshop on putting humor in presentations.
1. The difference between stand-up comedy and speaking is you use humor in comedy to get the laughs. In speaking you use humor to get the Audience.
2. When using humor in a comedy routine or a speech it is very important to find humor that will fit Your Personality. Humor that doesn’t fit Your Personality is like you trying to be something that your not.
3. Don’t step on your Laughs. Don’t start speaking again until the laughter dies down.
4. When speaking it is important to check the room. Test the microphones___, walk around on the stage or platform. If possible check the lighting in the room.
5. In order to improve your writing and delivery you need stage times.
6. There is no substitute for speaking in front of an audience.
7. No matter how good you are you still need a place to be bad.
Types of Jokes
1. The Power of Three
The audience expects order. The laugh comes when something is unexpectedly out of order. The power of three gets a laugh when the third is out of context with the first two.
Example:
Smile, eyes, assets
My wife says there were three things that made her fall in love with me. My smile, my eyes, and my assets.
2. PUNS AND PLAY ON WORDS
A Pun is a classic play on words using two words (or phrases) that sound alike but have different meanings. The Play on Words uses one word (or phrase) that has two meanings. You use the word as if you are suing the first definition of the word and then the punch lie uses the second definition.
“Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.” Groucho Marks
3. Stating the Obvious
Life is funny. The humor is plain to see as long as you look for it. The funniest things are often those that are so obvious the audience catches on to the punch line before you even say it or they say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“I stepped out for a walk. My girlfriend asked how long I would be out. I said, ‘The whole time’.” Steven Wright
4. THE UNEXPECTED TWIST
This type of joke has the audience thinking you’re going in one direction and then for the punch line you take a detour and go off in an unexpected direction.
“I’ve got two wonderful children – and two out of five isn’t bad” Henny Youngman
5. Self-deprecating
Humor where you put yourself down. Be careful not to use this too much.
6. Theme Jokes The theme jokes are all on the same subject and formatted similarly (like Jeff Foxworthy’s “You might be a redneck if…”). Another form of a theme joke is to use exaggeration (it’s so cold…, I’m so dumb…, Yo-mama….).
7. Humorous stories and anecdotes
Humorous stories that happened to you or someone you know. These are the best because they are true and original.