Frank Switzer on Humor:
SELF-DEPRECATING or SELF-DEPRECIATING HUMOR:
Funny how things go in cycles.
Twenty years ago, one of
the most popular strategies in humor was to pick a target--a person, an
organization, or a group--and go after it with
everything you had. Furthermore, it was considered arrogant and
boorish to talk about yourself, even if you were making fun of yourself.
Now, attacking someone or
something else--even in good, clean fun--is about the riskiest thing a
person can do because you are bound to offend someone.
As I have been in humorous
speaking competitions in the NCAA,
Toastmasters, and other venues, the most successful humorous speakers
have found characteristics or features about themselves that they can exploit
in hilarious ways. It is also no longer unacceptable to talk about
yourself as long as it does not comprise more than 50% of the speech.
One of the best things a
person longing to get into humorous speaking can do is to find something
about herself or himself that can be exploited to the humorous delight
of others.
Among things I have seen and heard used are:
Stature (height & width)
Hair (or lack of it)
Fashion sense
The "nerd factor"
Occupation
Ethnic or cultural background
Education
Personality traits
Obsessive tendencies
Skills, or lack of skills
CATEGORY SHIFT:
Carolyn is a master at this.
Using lists of threes, the
third item in a list is completely unexpected
in the logical flow of the list.
EXAMPLES: (The first three are from Adam Bergman's great speech
on dogs)
"People in our country have
simply quit treating other people with
kindness, respect, and dignity. As a result, our divorce rate
is
skyrocketing, violent crime is out of control, and graphic sign-language
has become the most popular means of communication on our roads."
"Unlike my past girlfriends,
my dog adores me just because I am me. I don't have to diet, work
out, or put the toilet seat down. In fact, he
prefers it up!"
"There is nothing like the
greeting that my dog gives me when I get home after a long day at work--that
is, if he can pull himself away from the Lassie, 101 Dalmatians, and Martha
Stewart videos."
"In an effort to calm tensions
between the United States and China, the administration has called upon
several experts in conflict resolution,
including Jimmy Carter, Jesse Jackson, and Jerry Springer."
By changing the logical flow
of the list your are producing, the
"category shift" in the mind often produces a response of laughter.
I will also be adding my
two cents every now and then as Carolan
does her presentation.
Frank Switzer
Registration Opens - First Timers