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to laugh, and how you translate your gift into an that, why not own it as inevitable and have fun
award-winning speech while we can?
I’ve always loved comedy. I grew up with
tons of comedians on TV all the time, which This competition was not your first. What prompts
probably influenced me a lot. I think our brains you to compete?
like comedy because it’s often about hearing Big secret: Speech contests are fun! For a while
something unexpected, which wakes us up and Toastmasters stopped having the Humorous
intrigues. If I’m doing a presentation and there contests. I think the last time I competed was back
are parts that are potentially boring, adding a in 2013 or 2014. So, when I heard the Humorous
little humor is a good way to increase the odds Contest was coming back, I was thrilled and had
that the audience will remember those parts. to get in there. It’s so much fun to hone a speech
Humor helps engage the memory. I think I tend with different audiences and experience all the
to like humor that makes fun of institutions or creativity and laughter from so many other
people that take themselves too seriously or that talented contestants! Humor is as important
juxtaposes things in a surreal way. as exercise or diet for me. It helps my mood
On the old TV show M*A*S*H, the surgeons and keeps me feeling buoyant as I navigate the
made fun of everything as a way of coping with craziness of life.
the horrors of war. I think comedy is like that.
The world right now can be a pretty scary place, Back to the biographical info—married? Kids? What
and comedy can be a great comfort to cope do you do outside of Toastmasters that makes you
with all of those things we can’t control. For feel complete
me, humor started out as a defense mechanism I’m married with a 14-year-old son. As I
as a kid, then evolved into my outlook on the mentioned in my speech, I became a father much
world—a helpful reminder to not take life too later in life than most guys do. I think that was
seriously. Things are a lot less scary if you find good in some ways, because I was a little more
a way to poke fun at them and laugh a little. A mature and responsible than if I’d become a dad
lot of my speech is about our bodies failing us in my twenties. I love the outdoors, and I’m also
as we get old. That’s a scary reality! But being a rabid science fiction and movie fan. My side
able to laugh about a common shared experience gig is writing crazy fantasy suspense novels, so
helps it be less frightening. We’re all going to if you know any publishers looking for juicy
die, eventually, so rather than be terrified of content, send ‘em my way.
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