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.
My cat Rockette - cats r better!
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
Timing Your Jokes
Sure there’s timing of your jokes when you say ‘em, but the time I’m talking about is a little different. Yesterday I was at the new Aria hotel in Las Vegas. . .very cool, very high tech! When I walked into the room, music from the TV kicked on, the room lights lit up, and the blinds opened to reveal the Las Vegas strip – very impressive. The whole room was wired – it did everything but make you dinner. . .it was so cool. And of course my first thought as a comedian was. . .I’ve got to have some fun with this stuff on stage – what material! And I would have written some jokes about it, IF I was the opening speaker. But I was the closing speaker.
the aria hotel in Vegas... very hi-tech!
2 Reasons to NOT write jokes about your first impression
What does that have to do with my jokes? Well, on the first day of the conference, this stuff is funny because it’s new to EVERYONE. By the 4th day, it was only new to me. . .the rest of the group had been there since Monday, so they’d seen the stuff and they were over it. Jokes about it would be outdated. . .yeah, jokes can be outdated that fast.
Also, by the time I got there, some people were actually upset because their room technology wasn’t working very well. . .someone had even started a blog complaining about it. So if I go swooping in with some jokes about how cool it is, not only would people not be impressed, but they might be angry – it was an old subject, so move on.
I battle this issue all the time when I’m sitting in a conference session and am writing material about what the audience is listening to. Many times, when the speaker says something, I immediately think of a line. . .but then I have to determine if the audience will remember that point that the speaker just made. . .because if it’s not a significant point, or it didn’t make a big enough impression, then the group probably won’t remember it, and then my line will go flat. I’ve dropped many good jokes because they would’ve worked in the moment, but not, say, 3 hours later.
Jokes With Legs
How do I know it’s a subject with “legs” that will last? A couple of things I consider:
–how much time will elapse between me and the event I’m having fun with
–does the speaker repeat the point and/or is the point really relevant or is it just a passing comment
–does the point I want to poke fun at drum up a visual that the audience is certain to remember throughout the day
I have to remember to look at it from the OTHER people’s perspective if I want fresh material, not just the stuff that’s striking ME as new and funny.
Jan
Making the Familiar UnFamiliar
One very quick way to come up with some humor on the spot is to use adages and/or familiar wording and then twist it. There are tons of adages – you know, sage advice like “when it rains it pours” or “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck.” These are great to wrap up a speech with because people don’t see ‘em coming and it sounds like you’re going to give them some advice, but it’s really a joke. Especially if you’ve had a pretty dry speech (because, you know, you didn’t buy my book on humor writing!), twisting an adage will really come out of the blue. . . You can end your speech with a funny twist such as “Like you all know what they say, when it rains it. . .means you’re probably in Seattle (sorry Seattle people).” You can also use some familiar wording that isn’t quite an adage. For example, one of my college drinking jokes (that I don’t do much anymore), asks the question: “Did you ever wake up from one of those wild college parties and think ‘I could have another beer out of that keg.’ Then that ‘voice of reason’ kicks in. . . you might as well, the tap is still in your mouth.” Okay, stupid joke, but it got a lot of laughs at the late show in the clubs. But the twist is the “voice of reason” because everyone expects the “voice of reason” to say no. It’s not an adage, but we’re being led that way with the wording, but instead it’s twisted to go the other direction. So take a look at what you’re writing and see if you can find some familiar words that will in turn lead people astray. And of course listen to familiar words and phrases being bantered around in the media. . .in June I think EVERY commercial had the words “dads and grads” in it – very annoying, but maybe you could twist it to “dads and convicts” or “dads and dropouts.” Go ahead and give this method a try next time you’re really stumped for a joke. And don’t get discouraged, because you know, if at first you don’t succeed. . . try another profession. JOKING. . try, try again! Jan
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