I don’t know about you, but I struggle to add “not lame” humor to my talks. Over the years I’ve gotten better at seeing comedic opportunities. Reading some articles and listening to podcasts on the subject of comedy has helped. I’d like to share the latest article I’ve come across.
BEING FUNNY IS NOT NECESSARILY AN INNATE GIFT, IT CAN BE LEARNED
In the August 2018 issue of Toastmasters Magazine, Tess Iandiorio wrote a piece called “Cracking the Laughter Code.” Ms. Iandiorio worked with veteran comedian Jerry Corley to offers simple, yet effective tools even not-so-funny people can implement to make their audiences laugh. Here is an excerpt from the article…
Corley has studied what makes people laugh from the most intense platform from which to glean this information—standing behind the microphone in comedy clubs. “My whole life I’ve been dedicated to finding out the ‘why’ of comedy,” he says. He has spent 30 years learning what triggers laughter by gauging audience reactions to his own material as well as studying other performers. Now a comedy coach and founder of the Stand-up Comedy Clinic in Los Angeles, California, Corley has written jokes for comedians Bill Hicks and Chris Rock and worked for eight years as a writer for the popular The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. His friends refer to him as “the joke doctor” for his ability to dissect a joke, rework it or tweak it for maximum effect.
Corley contends there is a science behind tickling a person’s laugh mechanism. Would you like to know what they are? I figure if you’ve read this far, you have some level of seriousness about being a better than average speaker or presenter. So, without further adieu, grab pen & paper and start reading Cracking the Laughter Code, A few last thoughts… when reading the “triggers” he discusses don’t rush. There are 6 laughter trigger tools he discusses. I suggest taking each one as its own lesson. Sink your teeth into the concept, chew it a bit, apply it to a section of a talk you already have down. Your A.D.D. self will want to skim through the 6 points. If you plan on doing that, don’t click on the article link. Wait until you are ready to study and learn the craft of making your talks more comedic. If that time is now, then let’s get going.
Gene Urban… your presentation coach
805-729-8459
Serving Santa Barbara and the Central Coast