What I learned about delivering a humorous speech.

Creating humor is a serious job. It is not as easy as it may sound. After trying hard to learn by experimenting, listening, and observing the accomplished speakers, I am putting together my learning here.

Disclaimer: If this article makes you or does not make you laugh, It is intentional.

Who does not like having a great laugh? It does wonders for your body and mind, and also helps you connect and relate with your audience as a speaker. Many accomplished speakers and presenters use humor to put across their message to the audiences. These persuasive, informative, or entertaining messages can be delivered easily using humor. Here are few ways:

1. Setup: A setup, is the context of the joke. It is the story that will have the twist, that will bring humor. In one instance when I was about to host the program, I narrated a small joke. It went like this “ The god told the man that he will find the most obedient wife in all the corners of the earth, and then…He made the earth round”. Build a set up for humor, and keep it crisp.
2. Surprises: Continuing from the last point, I have observed that humor is created when the audience is served with the surprise, he never anticipated. like in the wife joke mentioned in point no. 1, the last line offers a surprise. The surprise brings the laughter, as it brings a completely contrasting scenario in front of the audience.
3. Pause: This works wonders when used subtlety at appropriate places. In another program, I was invited by the compere to deliver a small presiding address. To draw the attention of the audience, I chose to use humor, and said, The compere told me backstage that he would start the program with a joke…(pause) and then he just called me. I gave a brief pause before completing the second line. The audience laughed and I could successfully get the attention.
4. Self Deprecate: The best subject of any joke is you. It is the safest and non-controversial. It helps engage emotionally with the audience. When you tell your story, which tickles the audiences, they are actually going down the memory lane and connecting with your story by remembering their funny moments. In the examples mentioned above, one was on husbands and the other was on me. One of my speech was on how my relationship with the technology is complicated, and how I am a disaster at it. The speech had incidences about my struggle with the ever changing technology. The struggle was my plight, but it created funny moments for people. Only a caveat: Self Deprecating does not mean turning your self into a joker
5. Deliver straight face: A joke or humor always generates the best result when delivered in a serious way. I recommend you to deliver the joke with a straight face. This is because while self-deprecating you are sharing your embarrassing moments, and a victim never shares his plight with a smile. I don't recommend laughing at your own joke while delivering it. for eg. There was an intense scene in the movie deewar, where two brothers are having conversation, elder brother tells the other about the riches he enjoys like a bunglow, cars and bank balance, and asks the other, what do you have? younger brother replies, I have the mother. Same scene was narrated by a speaker, but with a twist. In his narration the story is happening in 2020 Mumbai, and the younger brother responds, “if you have fleet of cars….I have the parking.” What made the difference was the way he narrated it.

I wish to reiterate, that delivering humor is not an easy job, its a matter of practice and observation. It would be better if you be yourself and be genuine with your humor. Enjoy yourself on the stage and keep trying as this would be one of the noblest of deeds you would be doing, by spreading smiles, laughter, and maybe happiness.