Jokes and Humor for Business and Marketing
How to Write Funny -- Its All About Timing
My Dad has this old joke that goes, "What's the most important thing about humor?" After a short pause, he interjects, "TIMING!" I've rolled my eyes many a time over this joke. But here's a new version for writers: "What's the most important thing about writing funny? ...... WORDING!" Whether you're talking about stand-up comedy or humorous writing, surprise is one of the biggest elements of laughter. (Yes, Dad, I know, "Surprise" is what your little timing-joke is really all about.) Readers become accustomed to seeing things written a certain way. As a writer, you have a choice: give it to them they way they expect, or surprise them with something different. Here's an example: In my article "Does Target Shun Veterans?" I say that Internet Urban Legends are "stories that scare readers into believing such things as rat urine contaminating the tops of their canned peaches, and so forth." I could have just as easily written, "Internet Urban Legends are stories that scare readers into believing the tops of their canned food is dirty." But that wouldn't surprise anyone, and it would have made my piece just another bland "news story." I also shook up the sentence about Internet Urban Legends by including some humorous exaggerations. Simply writing "canned food" isn't nearly as funny as being super specific and writing, "canned peaches," and being "dirty" is far more typical than having "rat urine" on your lid. The idea of being very specific is what comedian (and my hero) Jerry Seinfeld has built his entire career on. He doesn't just talk about flying on an airplane, he mentions everything from the really small bag of peanuts to the pilot announcing the flight play-by-play. As an audience, we laugh at these things because it's something we've experienced but never given much thought to. Who else but Seinfeld could have an entire 30-minute television show about toxic glue on envelopes? Drawing attention to things that are common to all but seldom discussed makes people chuckle. This is mostly due to their slight embarrassment when they realize "wow, I do that," but it's also because for the first time they are paying attention to something they might not have otherwise. But aside from timing, exaggerations and calling attention to life's quirks, sentence structure may be the ultimate weapon for writing humor. Just as a lyricist times his verses to a beat, writers need an internal rhythm to make their work conversational and surprising. There is quite a difference between writing a factual news piece and composing a humorous essay, but the biggest difference is sentence structure. Cut-and-dry news pieces need to follow a formula so that the content doesn't get lost. When writing a narrative or essay, however, you can play with pauses (dashes, colons, etc.), italics and words to create a feeling and rhythm. Follow these hints and your writing will be surprising and funny....AND have great timing. About The Author ++You may reprint the above column on your website so long as the following is included the URL address is actively hyperlinked back++ THIS MUST BE INCLUDED: Copyright 2004 Sarah Smiley http://www.SarahSmiley.com - Sarah Smiley's syndicated column Shore Duty appears weekly in newspapers across the country.
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Present With Humour
Are you mustering the power of humour in your presentations When used appropriately, it helps you to build tremendous rapport with your audience, gets your point across with impact and develops your reputation as an entertaining and engaging speaker
Watch out for these evil April first jokes
You reach your hand out to shake your friend's hand, and upon pressing palms you get a nice, annoying, ZAP. The jolt up your arm drives you nuts. He did it again, pulled what seems like the 100th practical joke since you've known him. It's none stop, he does it all time, he's like a 12 year old. Well, lucky for you he's still into these lame physical practical jokes. Practical jokesters have become a lot more sophisticated in the past decade, the jokes are considerably more clever. If you've got a friend who is constantly out to embarrass you, you better hope that they don't know much about computers.
Presentation skills Training - Presentation Jokes
Real Leaders know how to uncover the humour in their message to make their audience laugh.
How to Insert Humor Into Your Writing
What's good in humor writing It's true that most people out there cling on to humor and apply it within their writing context such as novels or stories, articles, essays, speech and other forms writing especially the informal ones
Do You Wish You Had More Laughs In Your Life? Well Now You Can!
Humor is used for all kinds of reasons. But one of the most obvious reasons is to MAKE people laugh. Another reason is to simply get away from life for a few minutes for a small break. This is especially good for people with really stressful jobs or lives. It gives them a few little chuckles between appointments or lunch breaks to read a few, unwind, relax, and get ready for the rest of their day. And the third most popular reason; to be the "cool" guy or girl that sends jokes to his or her friends.
The Show With Humor and Emotions - White Christmas On Broadway
White Christmas is an adaptation of the 1954 musical film featuring songs by Irving Berlin and stars Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. This movie, directed by Michael Curtiz, was the top grosser that year. White Christmas on Broadway arrived once again. It will officially open on Sunday, the November 23rd and will run through Sunday, January 4th 2009 for 65 performances.
To make a joke to your friend
A joke is not a thing but a process, a trick you play on the listener's mind. You start him off toward a believable goal, and then by a sudden twist you land him nowhere at all or just where he didn't expect to go with Freebobblehead.com.That listener is none other than your friend. Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life and in that jokes play an important role. With Freebobblehead.com that important role can be played easily. With Freebobblehead.com the jokes would become simple as possible.
Wedding MC Jokes - The Key to Being a Great Master of Ceremonies
Being asked to be the Wedding MC can be a nerve-wracking experience for many men Responsible for making sure the reception timetable is adhered to, the wedding MC is also expected to be funny, although he doesn't give a speech unless he is also best man - the role was traditionally performed by the best man, but these days is often a separate function
Enjoy Political Humor -- The Legacy of an Open Society
George Bernard Shaw once said, ýThe problem with political jokes is that they get electedý Well, at least there are a lot of material for political humor
RECESSIONJUNCTION.COM - Humor and Gifts for a Tough Economy - Recession Junction What's Your Function ... Hooking Up Gifts and Humor and Downturn
For Consumers looking for great ideas and gifts to get them through the Recession with a sense of humor RECESSIONJUNCTION.COM will fill those needs.
Finding Both Crude and Tasteless Humor
There's a wide range of humor out there, and regardless of who you are, there is a lot to appreciate That being said, one of the most universally appealing forms of humor has to be rude and crude humor
Best Political Jokes - Capitol Steps Political Satire
Intellectual Midgets and Pee Wee Herman The Congressman: Hell Will Freeze Over Before Politicians Can Fix This Economy The economy is in shambles. Unemployment is at an all-time high. Foreclosure has become an epidemic and we are looking to the same screw-ups who put us in this mess to get us out.
Advertising Humor: Smart Advertising Choice?
The big sin in advertising and marketing is being boring. A market will forgive almost anything else. But a boring sales letter, commercial, or video will generate absolutely no interest in your product. The advertisement must be interesting to the prospect. Not interesting in general, but to that prospect.
The Anatomy of Humor : The Makings of Funny Videos
Because sending and posting videos online have becoming easier and more convenient than ever, many Internet users are currently using this technology to spread entertaining and hilarious materials through blogs, e-mails, and forums. Among these materials are those funny videos that you see everyone onlinefrom personal websites to forums, from Youtube to sites dedicated to funny videos. These funny video clips become so popular that they are widely spread all over the cyberspace. If you spend even just a few minutes online, you are probably familiar with these videos. And once these videos become so popular, it gains popular even beyond the Internet. These funny video clips are usually called viral video, named after the viruses with their ...
