If You Want To Become A Funny Speaker, You Got To Know This…
“Would you have quitted drinking?!”
Yes, I know it is the weekend and I am NOT suppose to be blogging. Or at least that was my promise to my mum who thinks I work too hard. In my defense, blogging isn’t work… it’s something I enjoy doing, especially since I know I have an audience. YOU! (grins)
Anyhow, I think you would love this entry! So read on.
Why is humor so important?
Have you ever come across speakers who are downright hilarious? They make you laugh on cue, with extremely little effort. And after an hour of laughing out loud, the speaker leaves you wanting more. In fact, there is a tinge of disappointment when the speech ends.
Even when you are driving home, you can’t help but to play back some of the speaker’s funny lines so that you have an excuse to laugh again. Weeks after the speech, you still find yourself telling everyone about how funny this speaker is.
Sound familiar?
That my friend, is the unfair advantedge you gain when you are a funny speaker. When you are able to make your audience laugh…
They like you more.
They learn faster.
They remember you… for all the right reasons.
In the professional speaking industry, your ability to make your audience laugh dictates how much more you will be paid.
So here’s the big question - how do you become funnier? And for those of you who swear that they have no funny bone in them, can you even be funny?
To the second question, my answer is a firm YES… and I speak from experience.
Humor can be learnt. IT IS A PROCESS!. And there are many time-tested techniques out there that you can pick up to help you become funnier. And in this entry, I will like to share with you ONE. Trust me, just this ONE technique is sufficient to create 80% of your humor materials.
First, you got to understand this:
AUDIENCE LAUGH WHEN THEY ARE SUCCESSFULLY TRICKED.
So your job as a speaker is to trick your audience.
Let me give you a really simple example. Watch the video below.
Downright hilarious isn’t it? And here’s why… coz half the time, you really thought that he was inspired by the boy. And he tricked you by telling you that this story is the reason why he is here today (which makes you think it is something really important). And he sounded so serious… even to the extent of being moved by what the boy said. And the surprise came when he fired the boy! That was something that you won’t have expected… which is why we laugh. Unexpectedness. An element of surprise. Tada, you were successfully tricked by him!
The same princple can be applied to visuals as well. Check out this:
Got you laughing right? Why? Coz usually if you want to demonstrate on fast a runner is, you will show him out-run his competitiors (a.k.a fellow runners). But in this picture, you see how the runner out-run his shadow. This is highly unexpected. Again, an element of surprise.
Let’s try one more.
Ok this is a no brainer. We laugh because we see Mc Donald buying a burger from his competitor - Burger King. It would have been funnier if it is a video clip. First we will see a man in trench coat ordering a burger. And when the camera pans in, you see that it was actually Ronald Mc Donald! Now that would have been funnier.
So guys, the principle is really simple. You got to successfully tricked your audience in order to make them laugh.
And in order to successfully trick your audience, you need to first figure out what is your audience ASSUMING. And then you break that assumption. That will cause the laughter.
Here’s how.
A man and woman are making passionate love in the bedroom. Suddenly, the apartment door opens and a man walks in: “Darling! I’m home!” He walks into the bedroom, looks at the naked couple and says…
First, what are you assuming here?
We assume the man who walks in is the woman’s husband.
Or we assume that “darling” refers to the woman.
So let’s say we go with the first assumption. How we create a laugh is by inserting this line “Oh damn, I din know your husband is home today”
BUT… this is not going to be as funny as the second one - “What is SHE doing here??!!”
The 2nd one is funnier because it is more unlikely. The first one is highly possible. Get it? The more successful you are in tricking your audience, the more laughs you get. And in order to trick them, you got to first identify the assumption.
Let’s try another one.
Husband: What did the doctor says about your big fat ass?
Again, what are we assuming here?
The big fat ass refers to the wife right.
So to make it funny, we have to twist it… here’s one way - “I don’t know. Your name did not come up.”
There are many many more examples I can give you but I think you get my point. Here’s the bottomline, humor can be learnt and it is a process. Try this technique first and I will blog more in time to come.
To end this really loooooooooooooong entry (did not meant it to be this way), I shall share with this video. One of my favorites. It’s a tribute to Meryl Streep by one of the funniest guys in USA - Jim Carey! If you study his lines, you will realize that he successfully tricked you which makes you burst out in laughter.
Here’s one without spoiling the entire video.
Jim Carey: (he was talking about his first encounter with Meryl Streep) At first I was a little nervous. I don’t know what she was like. But lucky for me… she was open and willing to learn. (audience burst out laughing)
See the mechanics.
We assume that he was nervous because it was Meryl Streep! She is one of the best actresses that Hollywood has seen… but the twist became apparent when Jim says “she was open and willing to learn”, making him THE better actor.
Ok ok… I should just shut up and let you enjoy this hilarious video. Happy laughing.
The comments function is working already (finally!) So do share with me and other readers humor techniques that you have read or learnt elsewhere. Let’s do a little trade here, shall we?
Cheers,
Eric Feng
Your Public Speaking Coach (and Comedian-wannabe)
P.S: If you want to be as funny as the best comedy experts and professional speakers, you gotta check this out: Humor College
Recommended Entries
Ten Comedy Secrets of Being Absolutely Funny on Stage
Here’s How To Be Funny Even If You Are Not
President Bush - Stand Up Comedian??!!
Thanks for this weekend post. I will be giving a presentation next month and this is something I’m going to try.
Hey Robellie, all the best for your presentation and please share with me how it went!
Jia You!
:P
Thanks for you post Eric.
Whether or not you should tell a joke during presentations is actually somewhat contentious: I’ve come across a lot of blogs that suggest jokes and humor are unprofessional and risky. On the other hand, I think the opposite.
Nonetheless, I should clearly differentiate between humor and jokes:
Humor usually occurs when telling stories, revealing one’s foibles or spontaneously from what’s happening in the moment. I ALWAYS encourage clients to include humor.
Jokes should not be attempted unless the speaker can consistently make people life in conversation AND the joke is clearly related and connected to
the topic. After all, there is only one criterion for success. And if it bombs, everyone in the room knows it.
Still, while jokes do sometimes fall flat, this can be another opportunity to connect with your audience. Instead, of letting the awkward silence throw you off, turn it on its head by noting that your joke was a flop with a smile. Talk about the audiences reaction and note the atmosphere. Handling the situation like this if the joke bombs will often make the presenter seem cool, collected and approachable, and if the joke doesn’t bomb, this will lighten up the room and once again make the presenter seem approachable. It is a win-win as long as the situation is handled correctly.
Thanks for the post!
BlaBlaBla
Hey Terry, good point there. Humor is much more appreciated than jokes… organic humor specifically. Meaning to say, the laughs come from the content itself. Like a story relating to a point you are trying to make, or an example that supports your message. Or sometimes even a conversation with your audience, which demonstrates a particular point. In other words, the humor has to have a PURPOSE else it will only distract the audience.
Hey Eric, this reminds me of a Sarah Silverman joke I mentioned in this post:
http://coachlisab.blogspot.com/2007/12/unexpected-sticky.html
“When I was in high school, I went out with my dad’s best friend.
That’s embarrassing, you know, my father having a 14-year-old best friend.”
That’s not what you expected, was it?
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