How to Use Humor Effectively
(A good joke is very good. A bad one can be devastating.)
Some folk choose not to learn how to use humor effectively for a very good reason.
They are afraid. When a good laugh turns ugly it can explode in ways they never dreamed of. They feel attempting to learn how to use humor effectively is similar to tip-toeing through a live mine field barefoot. At any moment their carefully rehearsed joke or nifty one-liner could explode causing complete destruction of a presentation. Rather than risk it, they decide to err on the safe side and become a humor-free zone.
While their fear is understandable as nobody likes or actively seeks public humiliation, it doesn't have to be that
way.
You can learn how to use humor effectively.
Yes, it is risky. Yes, you might trip occasionally.
But one or two slips is hardly fatal and unless you risk you
will never experience the joy of bringing humor to an audience.
When you learn how to use humor effectively YOU BENEFIT and so does your audience.
How?
- Humor breaks through barriers- laughter can transcend age, race, gender, belief or class
barriers
- Humor relaxes your audience and puts them in a receptive mood. After you have made them laugh they are more likely
to want to listen to you!
- Humor alerts your audience to listen. They become more interested in what you're saying, than what happened
prior to them listening to you or what is going to happen afterward. It brings your audience into the NOW!
- Laughter adds 'juice' to a presentation. It can enliven potentially dry or dull material.
- Humor releases tension
- Humor binds people together ie. humor based on common experience unites the group. Example: work-place
humor. Almost every profession has its own humor. For instance,there are lawyer, teacher, doctor, and computer jokes. I'm sure with dedicated searching you could find jokes or humor about any type of employment.
The fears around using humor can be managed. When you've learnt how to use humor effectively, you will
have minimized the possibility of the laugh falling flat at your feet.
The How to Use Humor Effectively Tips
How to Use Humor Effectively Tip One: Know your Audience.
Never,ever plan a joke without knowing who will be in your audience.
To make humor work you need to know:
- the approximate age of your audience
- And their general interests ( Clue: What unites them to come together to listen to you?)
A joke told without knowledge of the audience because YOU think it is funny or humorous is dangerous. They are the ones most
likely to explode.
How do you know they won't find it offensive?
How do you know they'll understand it at all?
Humor varies from person to person and group to group. What WE find funny is not a reliable indication that everyone else will find the same humor amusing.
If you don't know who your audience is FIND OUT!
Always integrate any joke you make into your speech or presentation.
What do I mean? If you're telling the joke because you think it's a good one and bound to get you laughs BUT it has NOTHING to do with your speech topic, LEAVE IT OUT. It might be hilarious but it is not relevant. Unless you find a plausible, believable way to link the humor into your subject, forget it.
And if you do want to tell a joke or add humor and IT IS relevant make sure it is not introduced along the
lines of:
'Have you heard the one about...?'
'This is really funny. You're going to howl with laughter.'
'There was this Irishman/Scotsman/Australian...'
None of these openings show the humor is blended with your own material and the second one is particularly nasty if your audience sits poker faced! The bottom line is unless you were briefed to be a comedian, don't attempt it. This doesn't mean don't use humor. It means stick to your speech's purpose and find the humor from within that subject matter. The audience is not expecting a stand-up comedy routine.
How to Use Humor Effectively Tip Two: Always Use SAFE Humor
- Use humor that doesn't use the audience as the butt of the joke. This is not the time to make jokes about
audiences so thick their brains are the consistency of concrete or similar observations.
- Use humor that doesn't isolate one segment of the audience as the butt of your remarks: blondes, males,
females...anything that separates and sets one group up to laugh at another.
- Use humor that doesn't rely on coarse language or profanity to make its point.
- Use humor that avoids taboo subjects: religion, politics, race, class or sex
- How to Use Humor Effectively often means using yourself as the subject but in a kindly way, making sure it is relevant to the subject.
Nobody wants to hear or see you putting yourself down consistently. You may laugh at your foibles or quirks publicly but not prostrate yourself for a whipping in front of an audience. That will embarrass them. When you laugh at yourself in a balanced, truthful way you are giving the audience permission to laugh with you, not at you. You are also inviting them to identify with you. This creates openess and trust. The audience will be more likely to listen because
you're reflecting or showing them an aspect they know to be true of themselves as well as you.
- Ask yourself have you earned the right to make the joke or use the humor about a particular situation.
Example:- An over weight person may make comments about being large.
- A disabled person can joke about the difficulties they encounter on a daily basis.
- A woman can laugh about the trials of child bearing provided she has had a child.
The 'how to use humor effectively' guide is if you don't know it as in having lived it, don't jest or make light of it.
- Always weave your jokes or humor into a small story or anecdote related to your topic And keep the ratio of laugh
to information balanced appropriately for the style of speech.
For example:
if your speech is primarily to entertain rather than inform, it may be appropriate to use more humor. Judge the situation carefully.
If in doubt ask.
- Remember the 'rule of three'.
The rule of three works in all areas of presentation. It can be three examples
to illustrate a point. It could three repetitions of the same word or phrase for emphasis, a device often used in oratory or
three characters in an anecdotal story.( An Irishman, Australian and and American!) Three in storytelling is a naturally believable number whether it be words to describe people and their actions or the events themselves. The first usage sets whatever it is up in the audience's mind as possibly believable. The second, reinforces it and by the time the third instance comes along, the audience has accepted it as truth. Three, works!
(Beware: Less or more than three doesn't work!)
- It is better to have several strong anecdotes in your presentation rather than a string of weak ones.
- Always rehearse and test the humor you plan to use.
To test have several people listen and give you honest feedback. Listen to the feedback. It maybe the subject is wrong for the situation, or perhaps your delivery needs work, or the tone of language choice needs altering.
If you don't understand how to use comedic timing to make your humor more effective use the tips below to practice.
How to Use Humor Effectively Rehearsal Tips
Before you begin to work with the How to Use Humor Effectively Rehearsal Tips, understand why humor works.
All humor is based on two fundamental premise:
- that COMEDY IS TRUTH
( We have to believe whatever is being told or shown to us is 'real')
- that COMEDY IS UNEXPECTED
( We expect one thing to happen but another occurs. The outcome is always a
surprise.)
Part of learning how to use humor effectively is to make it believable by introducing it as a part of the general flow of your speech. This makes it truthful in the ears and eyes of your audience. It also sets up the element of surprise as the audience will not be expecting the comedic twist.
Use an expressive voice. Live into the story you are telling to make it seem as if it were happening again. This gives the audience the 'feel'of the situation. They will grasp the situation and the emotional content more quickly.
(Do you need tips on How to Develop and Use an Expressive Voice? These will definitely help you learn how to use humor effectively and they're here!)
Use simple pared down language. The less complicated the set-up and story, the more direct it is. This is a vital ingredient in your task of learning how to use humor effectively because the audience has less chance of misunderstanding or getting lost in your telling. The essence of this how to use humor effectively tip is to understand yourself exactly what is funny and why. Jokes use a short hand form of referencing to set a scene. The briefer and more explicit the better which is why a vast number of jokes start with stereotypical situations and characters. The teller does not have to explain them to the audience in order to be understood. Everybody knows what is being talked about immediately and they can get on with the story.
Practice telling your story in as many ways as you can and listen.
This is an essential step in learning how to use humor effectively.
What happens if you speed
up here, and slow down there?
What happens if you emphasise this word instead of that word?
As a general rule comedians point up the punch line. They provide a cue to the audience that it is coming and
prepare them to listen and laugh by a combination of slowing down, pausing and emphasis. It's called finding 'the
beat'. Miss it and nobody will laugh. Find it and the same joke that previously bombed will fly. The only sure fire way to
locate it is through practice. After enough, you'll sense it and know when to slow, pause and stress a word.
Use a recorder to listen to yourself.
This too, is an invaluable step in learning how to use humor effectively.- Is your lead-in smooth?
(The 'lead-in' is the integration of the anecdote with the body of your speech. It is the bridge between your core information and the humor.)
- Is your voice expressive?
- Is your language simple, effective and easily understood?
- Have you pointed up
the laugh line?
- Is the laugh line clear?
Make a distinction between the humor and yourself.
Are you funny or is the story you are telling funny? For example, a comedian who has learnt how to use humor effectively, does not laugh at his own jokes as it breaks the illusion of truth. When you laugh at your own material you are on the outside of it, looking in, rather than BEING it.
Use simple large gestures.
If you are going to incorporate acting into your story practice using clear decisive gestures rather than a flurry of small ones. Think mime and involve your whole body in the action. Remember gestures need to be integrated with your speech to work.
Also remember mime crosses all boundaries beautifully.
Everybody regardless of who they are or the language they speak understands the body language of weeping in despair, pulling your hair out in desperation, or swooning with love. If you are prepared to work at it, gestures add a great deal to how use humor effectively.
Unsure what the difference is between humor and telling a joke?
Humor is usually part of its context. In other words it is derived from the situation or setting.
Here's a wonderful and true story to illustrate:
In one of my classes I had a very mouthy, opinionated student. Whatever the subject he knew more about it than anybody else.
And what was more, Jason always made sure everybody knew he knew to the extent he corrected, interrupted and sometimes jeered at his fellow students.
One day in the middle of yet another uncalled for torrent of information, a hanging pot plant right above him let go of its
hook in the ceiling. It crashed spectacularly on his desk showering him in earth, plant and shards of pottery. The class
dissolved in mirth. They fell off chairs laughing and through it I heard someone say, 'I reckon that's instant karma,
Jase.'
A joke is often isolated from or very loosely connected to what is happening. It tends to be a pre-formatted story following
known, well worn lines.
Example:
How can you tell when a blonde has been using your computer?
Answer: There is twink (white-out or correction fluid) on the screen.
Would you like to know more about how to use humor effectively?
Find out about differing types of verbal humor. Put more and varied fare in your laugh menu. Your audience will appreciate it.
When you've finished discovering the joy of strategically using a sprinkle of malopropisms with a side serving of light
irony, try learning about more about physical humor.
In the meantime:
PRACTICE telling your stories, PRACTICE timing and PRACTICE looking for the comedic or humorous element in all the events of your life.
Have fun learning how to use humor effectively!
If you're looking for proven, effective exercises to develop confidence, spontaneity, creativity and fluency while having fun, click here. These free word games are suitable for small to large groups from approx. 12 yrs. old upwards.
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There is MORE to fun than a pun! Learn about other verbal humor types here.
Release your inner clown. Learn Physical Humor Basics
Read an article from a stand-up comic to learn how he walks his talk
Free word games to develop confidence, spontaneity, creativity and fluency while having fun!
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