8 Simple Things You Can Do To Be Funny
Life today is filled with deadlines, multi-tasking, pollution, traffic and so much more, that by the time you manage to get some time for yourself, you’re probably all stressed out and irritable. With most of the fun running out of life, what with work taking over everything, the one thing that still manages to bring on an instant smile is some easy and casual humour.
We all need some amount of fun in our lives. And with standup comedians becoming more and more popular the world over, it’s no surprise that these impromptu laughathons are becoming the focus point of any gathering.
Being funny is an inherent gift that can instantly make you the life of any social event, at once entertaining and popular. While being funny is all about cracking jokes and pulling legs, it definitely does not mean being sarcastic, or showing someone else in a poor light. If you’re trying to be the funny one, your aim should be to make people have a good laugh and ease off their worries.
If you’re trying to brush up your ‘funny’ quotient for a fun party or an evening with friends, here are a few tips that can help you set the tone right:
1. Ease off your stress and relax:
This should be your number one rule. If you’re casual and comfortable with what you’re doing, your audience will automatically relax, thus giving you the right platform to start cracking jokes. Remember, being funny is a hard job, and it’s best done with a light mind. Don’t try to think too hard about what you’re going to say. Instead, try and talk about topics that come easily to you, like things or situations you are familiar and comfortable with.
2. Prepare:
Watch your favourite comedians perform and try and pick a few of their mannerisms and topics. You can always tweak them to suit your style and taste. Being original is the key, and even though you may borrow ideas from others, the end result should be out of your own creativity. The more you know of other comedians and their styles, the more you can build on yours, till you can perfect your own style. Till then, it’s practice and homework.
3. Know your audience:
Saying the right thing in front of the right audience is the crux of being funny. Be up-to-date about current events in all areas. From important news updates to events, television shows and movies to world issues, you need to be comfortable and aware of it all. Try and know in advance about what kind of a gathering you’re going to. If it’s a friend’s place, ask about the mix of friends who are coming. If it’s a formal occasion, try and understand the various designations that will be present, and make sure your jokes are classy. Understand if you’re playing to a crowd of only females, only males or a mixed group. Also, having some background knowledge about the area or city you are performing in will be a big boost.
4. Engage your audience:
People are more likely to pay attention and enjoy your jokes if they are centered on them. Use your audience as props but make sure you’re not too offensive, as this can create a negative impact and your audience may not react well.
5. The joke is on you:
Self-depreciation is a popular technique that many standup comedians use, because people find it amusing when someone cracks jokes at their own selves. Do it without sounding too negative or self-criticising.
6. Be happy and show some energy:
Be peppy and energetic during your act. Play around with words and keep things lively. If the audience sees you full of life on the stage or during the performance, it’s likely to make them enjoy more. No one wants to sit through a dull performance, even if it’s a funny one.
7. Laugh yourself:
Keep laughing and keep making others laugh! If you’re cracking a joke, make sure you laugh at it too, unless the joke requires otherwise.
8. Enjoy your performance:
Unless you enjoy what you’re doing, others won’t enjoy it either.
Hope you’ll try out some of these tricks at your next gathering. Don’t forget to comment here and tell us how it went!
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