The joke you just told fell flat. Maybe it wasn’t that funny, or the listener didn’t get it. Sometimes, it’s how you tell the joke that makes it funny.
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Dave Schwensen, who has coached comics on everything from writing material to finding management and is the author of “Comedy FAQs and Answers” (Allworth Press, $19.95), offered his expert opinion on getting a giggle:
– Be confident the joke is funny. Coming off assured that the gag is the best you’ve ever heard reassures the listener there’s a chance it will be decent.
“You know it’s going to be funny,” Schwensen said. “Why in the world would you tell somebody something that you didn’t think was funny? So you have confidence that it’s going to work.”
– Know the joke inside and out. Relating the bit without hesitations or stumbles helps the listener pay attention.
“It’s like you throw out the hook and the line,” Schwensen said, “and you string them in.”
– Sell the punchline. Push the funniness of that killer line with the proper amount of energy, Schwensen explained.
“Steven Wright has a lot of energy to me,” he said. “Look at his eyes when he delivers the line: `If I bought spot remover and rubbed it on my dog . . . does that mean he’s going to disappear?’ He’s believing what he’s telling you.”
– Phrasing and facial expressions: Anything physical, even if it’s just gestures, will help the joke. But don’t overdo it or the distraction will overshadow the gag.
Schwensen said that by adding those extras, it brings emotion to your presentation.
– Know your audience. Make sure your joke is suitable for the people you’re telling it to.
Working blue in the office isn’t acceptable, for instance.
“You don’t ever want to hurt or offend anybody with your humor,” Schwensen said. “Don’t say anything you honestly wouldn’t say in front of your spouse, your parents or your parole officer.”
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Have any expert tips, on any topic, you’d like to pass along? Any you’d like us to track down? E-mail [email protected]. Put HOW TO in the subject field.