Do you get spooked with public speaking? Then add color with comedy. Why? A smiling audience fends off fear.
Given 24 hours, you can make a one-minute comedy act, according to David Nihill in his book Do You Talk Funny? That one minute can slingshot you into public-speaker stardom.
And what other prizes come with the one-minute-joke? Well, a corporate edge, an academic edge?hey, even extra cash spinning jokes in nightclubs.
But you can’t crack a smile even with a sip of helium? Don’t worry. Get a quick makeover: the funny kind. And if you’re serious about paying down student debt, go pro: four-hour days writing jokes, watching comedians, performing your yarn?paying down student debt.
But if the one-minute joke sounds more your gig, then, either way, I’ll sic comedian David Nihill on you (with his comments in bold):
Best talks use comedy. You’ll gain kudos with comedy. Class-act execs use comedy. So, use comedy in your class. (Dislaimer: If your prof rarely cracks a smile, reconsider.)
Infotainment trumps information. A new wave in education is edutainment. People learn better with laughter, says Nihill. So, up the IQ’s.
Tell personal stories. When you include yourself, people get engaged. And everybody wants to hear your dirty laundry. Start with your failures, hardships, and embarrassments before you state your successes, says Nihill. A list of your successes will turn-off audiences. We love a fool.
State your hero’s desire and obstacles to said desire. Your research question should involve a desire or motivation: to discover this or that. Have obstacles to getting that goal, such as conflicting views (audiences love a fist-fight). Give your presentation a story-structure.
Write your final punch line first. Writing your last line first gives you a roadmap, keeps you honest. Make your last line funny?at least punchy.
Salivate over three. Make a list of three related jokes, with your best joke the third, says Nihill. If no-one laughs at the first two, you’ll at least get smiles on the third. (And keep your thesis to three parts: three is sublime. Just ask Pythagoras.)
Make the stakes personal; otherwise don’t tell the tale. If you tell a story, make it mean big in your life. If the story means little to you, why should anyone care?
Write ten jokes a week. Polish your pencil with jokes. Write ten jokes every week until you stockpile enough to publish a mini eBook on Amazon. Pay down that student debt.
Grab attention right away with a word like “crazy,” “weird,” “scary,” “stupid.” I started this article with the word “spooked.”
Use funny images. Google the words “funny” followed by one or two words describing your topic, says Nihill. When you find a funny image, lead into it with introductory words and then flash the funny pic.
Only a tiny handful of comedians are actually naturally funny. You’ve never gotten a laugh your whole life? Then make-up for lost time: ham up your speeches. Better yet, seek out ?
? open mic nights. But prepare. Practice in front of a mirror. Get your gig down. Then visit open mic nights. Eventually, moonlight as a comedy act.
Nihill overcame his fear of public speaking through comedy; so can you.
So, make a quip in your paper opening. Sprinkle jokes in your act. Borrow cartoons for your presentations.
But whatever you do, don’t freeze. Blast the ice?with belly-laughs.
