If you could learn to tell a joke.

You might think you already can tell a joke.

I guess I understand that. I can play “chopsticks” on the piano, so technically that means that I can play the piano.

But let’s not fight over opinions.

What do you stand to gain if you improve your joke telling skills?

All communication is structured just like a joke. You have a premise, and you have a set up, and you have a payoff. In joke telling we call that a punch line.

Sometimes people tell a joke and it fails. It’s not funny, or the audience doesn’t understand the joke. Why does a joke fail?

The joke teller doesn’t know the joke well. He or she isn’t prepared. The joke teller tries to use too many words. The joke teller doesn’t trust the audience to understand. The joke teller confuses details and muddles the set up.

And finally, the joke teller doesn’t deliver the punch line well. Maybe the joke teller doesn’t really understand the punch line. Maybe the joke teller doesn’t understand the variety of ways the punch line can be delivered. The punch line and even the setup could have been delivered with subtlety, or enthusiasm, or quickly, or slowly, or with seriousness, or with wackiness.

Each joke is deferent, but each joke requires practice, and needs to be delivered with the right mixture of the previously mentioned flavors of delivery. And the joke teller must be very familiar with the joke.

Isn’t this formula the same when you are presenting any kind of information to any kind of group or person?

You need to be familiar with your information.

You need to tell your audience the premise of what you are about to say.

You need to lay out the setup of your information without too many words, and in a manner that your audience can follow and understand.

You must engage your audience with enthusiasm, or seriousness, or speed, or calmness.

And finally, you must deliver your point in a manner that ties everything together and shines a light on the point you are trying to make.

Now, learn to tell a joke, and the next time you’re called upon to deliver another kind of presentation, you’ll have the skills to really make an impact.

And while you're at it, here's a great resource for you:

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0175OJZFY

You Must Be Joking!

Upcoming presentation on Joke telling!

Do me a favor and plan on joining with me on February 17th at the Kaysville library in Kaysville Utah, at 6:00 pm for an evening of great jokes and great joke telling instruction!

For those of you outside of the area, the presentation will be filmed and posted as soon after as possible!

Click here for information on my book

"Iffy" jokes

I heard these jokes recently, and I thought they were both really stupid.

But I can't stop thinking about them, and I can't stop chuckling when I do.

What does that mean?

Check these jokes out, and tell me what you think.

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Jeffrey bought something he had always wanted – A horse.

But the horse didn’t seem to have much energy, so Jeffrey took the horse to see the vet.

“This horse is very old.” Said the vet after examining Jeffrey’s horse.

“Oh no! Will I ever be able to race him?” Asked Jeffrey.

“Yes!” replied the vet, “And you’ll probably beat him!”

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A guy just told me he had his appendix removed five years ago.

I asked him, “Have a scar?”

He said, “No thanks, I don’t smoke.”

Remember Bugs Bunny?

Bugs was ALWAYS joking around at the expense of others.

Things were especially funny when other characters DIDN’T understand the jokes Bugs made.

How did Bugs react to people who didn’t “get it”?

He would lean against something, a wall or a tree maybe, and he would stare at his victim while loudly eating his carrot.

Then he would say,

“What’s up, Doc?”

What’s up? That’s our question. That’s what we’re trying to ascertain when we tell someone a joke. Will they laugh? Will they groan? Will they be confused?

We must, in turn, react to our audience just like Bugs Bunny would. Whether they get it or not, we calmly munch our carrot. Okay, you probably won’t have a carrot when you tell a joke. But don’t be anxious. It’s a joke, it’s not a secret nuclear launch code.

If your audience doesn’t laugh, or groans, don’t exhibit any reaction at all. They will be left wondering if they really understood your joke at all.

That’s an advantage for you.

If they don’t get it, that’s PRICELESS. Stare at them. Stare in the direction they’re looking, as if trying to figure out why they don’t understand. Snap your fingers in front of their face as if trying to wake them. Blow in their ear, as if you’re checking for a pilot light.

The possibilities are endless and HUMOROUS!

And finally, if your audience DOES get your joke, and if they laugh,

QUICKLY TELL ANOTHER JOKE!

The second one will go over even better than the first one did!

Jokes and one liners for New Years Day!

Everyone hates me because I'm paranoid!

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You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard.

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"It is not MY fault that I never learned to accept responsibility!"

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I looked through a book called "50 things to do before you die". I was sure that "shout for help" would be one of them.

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I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize

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A guy goes to the doctor.
Doctor: What's the problem?

Guy: I think I'm a moth.

Doctor: I'm a cardiologist. You should be seeing a psychiatrist.

Guy: I know that.

Doctor: Then why did you come here?

Guy: Because your light was on.