Page 49 - December 2020 Voices

Humor: How to stop worrying and start joking

Sudhir Gautam, DL4

Boom! That’s 2 examples on the Rule of 3 so the Thanksgiving table that his moustache

far. Remember this Glengarry Glen Ross rule of makes him look like he’s about to get busted on
funny. ALWAYS BE EXAGGERATING. MSNBC’s To Catch a Predator show. You wrote a
joke. It’s like your baby. Now raise it at least like
Fun vs. Funny you raised your first puppy.

This should eventually not be a choice but
in the beginning choose fun over funny. You Risky Business

cannot make people laugh if you wrote a bit You can’t be funny on stage or on paper if
that made George Carlin jealous in heaven but you never take risks and be spontaneous with

you delivered it like it was an application for a your jokes. Risk telling that joke on a hot date.
grant for your non-profit. Uggggh – application If it doesn’t work, fix it and try it again on an
requesting $1,999 grant money to help spread average date. Nothing stops you from telling it
awareness about Koala bear chlamydia pandemic to that Bob Ross painting on your wall until you

denied. get it right. Remember, there are no mistakes,
only happy little accidents.
Laugh at Your Own Jokes
Don’t do it unless you already have a Netflix Golden Rule

comedy special. You can’t make a bad joke funny Ignore all these tips and just do it. You’ll
by providing laughter cues for your audience in know when you’re ready because that’s when
real time. One exception to this rule is if you’re your uncle will stop threatening to punch you
having a mental breakdown in the middle of in your face when you tell him a joke across the

writing the joke—then laugh like nobody’s Thanksgiving table.
watching.
If you’re trying to be funny and it’s not
Trust Issues working, please contact us by clicking on this

Don’t have them. It’s a process. In the link. We, at Jefferson State Toastmasters, have
beginning you will eat humble pie, crow, and some custom humor semantics, tips, and books
dry turkey. Eventually you will trust your waiting for you.
jokes and tell your bully uncle sitting across

VOICES! | DECEMBER 2020 49