How to be Funny
Whether you’re a writer, teacher, politician or mortician, this three-part series will help you be wittier. In the previous post, I talked about the why of being funny. Now let’s look at the how.
First and foremost, comedy feeds on conflict, or at least the potential for conflict. It can be an awkward situation (blind date, first ballet class, first football practice); a difficult one (going on an uber-restrictive diet, having to use your opposite hand due to an injury); a tense one (job review, therapy session). Or even a dangerous one:
For example: My friend Barry took a skydiving class. During his first solo jump, both chutes failed to open! Fortunately, this potential tragedy turned into a comedy. Barry’s story about bargaining with God, then shouting for the people on the ground to “catch” him, and about his chute finally opening within the last few hundred feet, is hilarious.
So, whatever the situation, big or small, start with conflict. And then decide how you want to tell your story, using the DRIP method to brew up something funny. (Hey, I’m proud of this stupid acronym, so just go with it, OK?):
- Different Perspective – Look for a skewed or unexpected way of seeing things. Much of comedian Demetri Martin’s best material comes from this approach. He tells us all vests are for “protection.” Then he starts naming types of vests: bullet proof (well, yeah), life vests (sure), sweater vests–wait, how are those for protection? “They protect us against girls,” he explains.
- Relatability – At my first big youth event as a guest speaker, I did a bunch of abstract wordplay. Which was hilarious if you were a college professor. Not so much if you were a 14-year-old. Result? I was de-hired because I “wasn’t funny.” So all the next day I got busy…weeping. And then I wrote completely new material for another upcoming youth event. This time I talked about The Three Ps: pets, parents and puberty…and got a standing ovation. Make it relateable!
- Incongruity – Look for mismatches: Roommate from Hell stories, Redneck Meets Sophisticate, Hardened Criminals vs. Lone Victim (Die Hard, Home Alone). Many sitcoms and movies are built around incongruity: The Odd Couple, The Office, Pretty Woman, Some Like it Hot, Legally Blonde, and Every Buddy Cop Movie Ever Made.
- Play with the meanings of words – Misconstrue words or concepts. There’s a scene in my monster movie Notzilla in which haiku (poetry) is used as a martial art in a battle between an American scientist and a Japanese paleontologist. Puns and groaners are also based on wordplay (watch any Muppets show or movie!).
Next, we’ll talk about How to Get a RISE Out of Your Readers. Yes…
Another acronym!
To read the next How to be Funny post, click here.
A student of Gene Parrot, perhaps?
? Don’t know the name, Tom. Unless that’s a pun I’m missing.
No, not a pun. He was a writer for Carol Burnett and Jay Leno.
I misspelled his name. It’s Gene Perret. Wrote, “Comedy Writing Step by Step.”
Aha! I haven’t read the book, but with those credentials he was certainly qualified to write it.
I just heard someone talking about this recently (albeit without an acronym). Mark Rober (former NASA scientist, now famous YouTuber) said, “Subversion of expectations equals comedy.” That’s obviously over-simplified, because subversion of expectations can also equal disappointment, like if you are expecting a raise at work but get denied. But it still fits in with what you said.
I find the study of humor interesting. It has to be tailored to the audience (as you illustrated). Some people think I’m funny while others think I’m too serious, even though I’m not trying to be different. A similar example is with movies — some people think Monty Python is funny while others think it’s stupid. Likewise with some of the Leslie Nielson movies (which are definitely funny). And some people lose their sense of humor, particularly politicians, but that’s a topic for another day.
Yep. In my humble but correct opinion, there’s stupid-stupid and hilarious-stupid. Monty Python is the latter.
I never get anything about that drip thing until I read this
thanks for this Mitch. here’s one of my favorite Norm McDonald jokes on Conan:
https://youtu.be/jJN9mBRX3uo
Watched the video, Mike, and laughed uncontrollably. It’s brilliant!
lol glad you liked it Mitch!
Barrys story still sounds tragic
It certainly could have been, but he seems to relish telling it. He considers it his miracle story.
amazing article ❤️😍
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Some of the funniest things come out of our struggles, we don’t have to rue the difficult times, but they can teach us something about persistence, and finishing the prize at the end of the fight.
Blessings
Amen, Pete, and thanks.
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Great post, Mitch. You made me laugh, and chuckle, a few times. Well written too!
Thank you, my Anonymous friend.
Love the anecdote about the skydiver. I too have bargained with God to get me someplace safe. Imagine for a moment driving down a rural road at dark in the Maritimes when a fog bank rolls in and while you know this is a moose area, all you can see are shadows moving along the road beside you. Prayers and begging were the order of the day.
Yes, and therein lies a funny, relatable story, Susanne.