PROVING A PREMISE

When you’re coming up with jokes, one quick way is to come up with a premise, and then prove it. For example, I have a joke about cats being better than kids, because. . . “. .cats clean themselves, they don’t talk back, and they will survive a drop from the second story window.” Okay, kind of mean, but the point is, I have proved my premise that cats really ARE better than having kids – I’m giving you 2 real and one whacky reason why cats are better than kids. When you’re proving a premise, the 3 line rule is great, because you get time to lure them in with “plausible” reasons and then hit them with the funny. And in my cats joke, the last line is true, it’s just not really ethical. . . but it still gets a laugh because they know I’m joking.

Look Around You For Great Premises

So go ahead and look around the environment to pick out something you’d like to prove – bike riding to work is better than driving, or weight lifting is better than dieting for losing weight. It doesn’t have to be whacky. . .you just have to have a funny reason WHY it’s better or worse, etc. . .a lot of people do think cats are better than kids, so it’s kinda true. If you’re speaking to a business group, maybe your product is better than X because. . . then list out all the good and bad reasons. When proving a premise, sometimes it’s easier to come up with something that you really believe. . .the cats versus kids is something I believe (no kids for me)  – i don’t mean dropping from the building, but just that I’d rather have cats than kids. So fill in the blank “I’d rather have/be/do ___ than ____ to come up with a good, provable premise.

It’s the stuff in your every day life that you think about, but generally don’t say, that will bring out the funny for plenty of laughs.

Jan