Page 22 - December 2020 Voices

I WAS THINKING . . .

Humor – Is It Really a Difficult Concept?

Emilie Taylor, DTM - Immediate Past District Director

How has Covid-19 changed the way we aspiring tend to lose the feedback cues in online meetings.
Toastmaster comedians deliver our punch lines? Watch the “Late Night” monologues. You
I got to thinking about this after delivering a notice the joke or comment, then a brief
Level 3 speech in the Engaging Humor Path to pause. Early on, when the comedians had to

Sunrise Toastmasters, a club I had never been be on the Social Distance Platform,
to before. I hadn’t slept well—perhaps because there was no audience to provide
of too much anticipation and excitement. feedback (laughter).
I gave the speech. The afterglow of making Giving your speech, what do

members laugh brought a wonderful feeling. you do to keep yourself going,
Reading the chat comments, especially alas, moving forward through to the
where one person said they had tears from grand punch line or conclusion?
laughing, brought so much joy and a feeling of Self-doubt may try to work its

accomplishment! way in and try to trip you during
It was very tough not hearing the immediate the speech.
feedback from the audience. (Laughter or Not) The challenge is to trust your
One of the most important lessons I have learned material that you know will bring the

in Toastmasters is: When you give a speech to laughter after practicing with your loved
a live audience, you can’t step on laughter—or ones many times. Family and friends
for that matter, you need to pause for effect. The had told you the speech was funny.
audience must process your lines and find the Just believe them and hope that

interrelations of a word play or have a chance they were not just being polite.
to sit down in the “Theater of the Mind” and If you have the kind of family
envision that comedic situation you have just and friends that lie to you to
described. For you the supercomputer that just make you feel better,

delivered the line, a few millisecond pause seems then do not try this
like minutes. After all, you created the line, you at home. Find new
know the funny part. The audience has to do a friends or put yourself
memory search, turn on the DVD player, get past up for temporary adoption and get the feedback.

the previews, and only then put it all together. My path in learning how to give humorous
The feedback of laughter is a missing piece. speeches was (and still is) a long one. I didn’t
Why? Because you MUTED EVERYONE! You think I was funny. My husband would always

22 ONE COMMUNITY