{"id":6972,"date":"2018-03-01T23:05:32","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T23:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/?p=6972"},"modified":"2022-11-04T17:30:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T17:30:40","slug":"how-to-tell-a-good-joke-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-a-good-joke-story\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Secrets for Telling Better Stories and Jokes"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a comedian and keynote speaker<\/a>, I have discovered 5 amazing keys for telling great jokes and stories. Use these tips to enhance the entertainment level the next time you give a speech. Apply these techniques as you sprinkle stories into your presentations. And keep this in mind: facts tell, but stories sell. Your audience will thank you for sharing funny stories (and jokes) with them.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how you can improve your ability to connect with humor and storytelling:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Let your set-up sink in.<\/h2>\n

Ever notice how most good jokes<\/a> begin? The joke-teller says something like: \u201cThese two guys walk into a bar\u2026\u201d The key thing to establish, in your jokes and stories, is the WHO, WHAT, and WHERE. Comedians call this the \u201cset-up.\u201d The same idea applies to a good story. Remember, before your audience can follow your story, they have to know who it\u2019s about. Make sure you set the table before you serve the meal. Before you launch into your joke or story, let the listeners know who\/what it\u2019s about and where the action is taking place!<\/p>\n

\u2022 Don\u2019t just tell it . . . live it.<\/h2>\n

You must invest in your story. What should you put in? More of yourself. Your listeners are silently hoping you will put your heart, voice, and movements into your joke\/story. If a funny event happened to you, don\u2019t just re-tell it, RE-LIVE IT. Help the listeners see and feel what you experienced. A great joke is not just told–it is performed. Here\u2019s another little secret: When you enjoy sharing it, your audience will enjoy hearing it.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Punch up your punch line!<\/h2>\n

Do you remember Coca-Cola\u2019s classic slogan? \u201cThe pause that refreshes.\u201d Well, a strong pause in your story or joke might be called the pause that empowers. Every good story, and every good joke, has a surprise twist. You can hit your audience much harder\u2014and make them much happier\u2014when you pause before the joke\u2019s final punch line or your story\u2019s big finish. Sometimes, this silence might feel a little uncomfortable to you. Use it anyway. You will be amazed at the way a well-placed pause will draw your audience in. And BOOM. It will make the impact of your tale so much stronger.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keep a straight face.<\/h2>\n

Steven Wright is one of the great comics of the last 50 years. His humor is outlandish, but his delivery is always straight serious. When he says hilarious things like: \u201cA friend of mine has a trophy wife. Apparently it wasn\u2019t first place\u201d, what makes his humor even stronger is the way he delivers it. Don\u2019t make the mistake of thinking that you need to be silly to tell a good story or joke. You don\u2019t. The straighter you tell a joke or story\u2014like it really happened\u2014the funnier it will be. Rick Reynolds once performed a solo show based on this premise: only the truth is funny. Keep this in mind the next time you speak to an audience. Present your material as fact, even when it\u2019s funny.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Wait for your audience.<\/h2>\n

Here are three things you can learn from famous comedians and great storytellers: A) Don\u2019t laugh at your own jokes<\/a>! \u2028B) Don\u2019t step on the laughter. This means, give your audience the space to react to your joke or story. Let it breathe. \u2028C) Listen to the reactions you are getting (or not getting). This will help you crank up what\u2019s working and tone down what isn\u2019t the next time your tell your funny story. When you wait for your audience to respond, you will to improve your \u201cLPMs\u201d . . . Laughs Per Minute.<\/p>\n

Now you try these techniques.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a classic joke\/story you can tell. Try it out loud in front of your friends, family, and your next audience. Can you apply the 5 Secrets to your telling of it?\u2028 I\u2019m worried about my health. My doctor called and said, \u201cYour test results are back, and I need to tell you that you have ten . . .\u201d I interrupted him. \u201cTen what? Ten years? Ten months? Ten weeks?\u201d He said, \u201cNINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Did you set the table for this joke by emphasizing your health concerns and the word doctor?
\n\u2022 Did you invest yourself and your emotions into the joke?
\n\u2022 Did you punch-up the ending with great emphasis?
\n\u2022 Did you tell the story straight\u2014like it really happened to you?
\n\u2022 Did you wait for the laughter?<\/p>\n

The next time you are asked to make a presentation, give your group the gift of laughter. Use these 5 Secrets to make your jokes and stories more fun and maybe even unforgettable.<\/p>\n

The most important thing is not the joke or the tale you tell, it\u2019s how you tell it!<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Adam Christing is a popular Event MC and Funny Motivational Speaker. He is the author of Your Life is a Joke: 12 Ways to Go from Ha Ha to AHA! (For more information go to AdamChristing.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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