How can one be funny?Is there a science to it?After lots of observation and studying humor devices, I've found that there are many common ways to be funny.
I've compiled a list of 20 techniques that you can try.
Experiment and see which suit your personality well.
How to be funny: 20 Tips and ideasCaricature/impersonation: Exaggerating someone (sometimes a celebrity or someone well-known) and their physical traits, personality, voice, or common expressions.
Saturday Night Live's impersonations of George W.
Bush is one example.
Coining New Words: to modify or combine multiple words to make a new one (e.
g.
beer + gut = beergut) Generalizations: a sweeping statement about a group or subculture (e.
g.
"Men are like creepy vultures.
") Hyperbole: exaggerating something for effect (e.
g.
"Johnny has muscles as big as Rosie O'Donnell.
") Insult: a boorish, straightforward insult (e.
g.
low-brow momma jokes such as, "Your momma is so fat, when she jump for joy, she got stuck!") Ironic words: Saying something counterintuitive (e.
g.
"Why they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?", or something that expresses an idea completely differentfrom the literal meaning.
Joke: a short story that typically ends with a funny twist.
Messup: Humor based on a mistake (intentional or unintentional), which makes a person look silly.
Nonsensical:a statement that doesn't make sense.
For example, Yogi Berra often said illogical statements such as "I never said half the things I said" and "It ain't over til it's over.
" Observational: finding the humor in realistic circumstances or details (e.
g.
"Did you ever notice how butlers always seem to be named 'Jeeves'?)Jerry Seinfeld was the master of this.
One-liner: A short quip, often with something unexpected (e.
g.
"There are three kinds of people in the world: people who can count, and people who can't.
" Parody: a funny mutation of something well-known (e.
g.
"Amish Paradise" song instead of "Gangster's Paradise").
Personal story: a tale from your own experiences, perhaps an embarrassing or humorous situation that you have experienced.
Prank: someone expects a normal situation but is assaulted by something surprising or unexpected.
The humor often comes from the reaction.
Satire: subtle humor that appears serious at first glance, but is actually either sarcasm or something told in a ludicrous fashion.
Slapstick: physical humor, typically with quick horseplay and antics (e.
g.
hitting someone with a baseball bat).
Surprise Ending: a story that builds up to an expected ending, but surprises the listener with an abrupt, silly, and unexpected ending.
Taboo (Crude) Humor: not appropriate for some settings.
This is humor based on subjects that might offend some people (e.
g.
flatulence, body parts, etc).
Understatement: making something large trivial for effect (e.
g.
"Bill Gates could probably afford a few items on the dollar menu.
") Zinger: a typically short quip that pokes fun at someone or something.
(e.
g.
"N'Sync?More like,N'sucked.
")
I've compiled a list of 20 techniques that you can try.
Experiment and see which suit your personality well.
How to be funny: 20 Tips and ideas
Saturday Night Live's impersonations of George W.
Bush is one example.
g.
beer + gut = beergut)
g.
"Men are like creepy vultures.
")
g.
"Johnny has muscles as big as Rosie O'Donnell.
")
g.
low-brow momma jokes such as, "Your momma is so fat, when she jump for joy, she got stuck!")
g.
"Why they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?", or something that expresses an idea completely differentfrom the literal meaning.
For example, Yogi Berra often said illogical statements such as "I never said half the things I said" and "It ain't over til it's over.
"
g.
"Did you ever notice how butlers always seem to be named 'Jeeves'?)Jerry Seinfeld was the master of this.
g.
"There are three kinds of people in the world: people who can count, and people who can't.
"
g.
"Amish Paradise" song instead of "Gangster's Paradise").
The humor often comes from the reaction.
g.
hitting someone with a baseball bat).
This is humor based on subjects that might offend some people (e.
g.
flatulence, body parts, etc).
g.
"Bill Gates could probably afford a few items on the dollar menu.
")
(e.
g.
"N'Sync?More like,N'sucked.
")
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