Unlocking Laughter: Essential Takeaways from a Pioneering Talk on Humor for Aspiring Comedians

📆 Your joke writing challenge topic for today is Hipster Habits.

Did you enjoy this video? Show this creator some love ❤️ by liking and subscribing to their channel on YouTube.

Unlocking Laughter: Essential Takeaways from a Pioneering Talk on Humor for Aspiring Comedians

Andrew Tarvin recently gave an entertaining TEDx talk on using humor in the workplace. As a professional humorist and former engineer, he shared valuable insights for becoming funnier and improving workplace culture through humor. Let’s look at the main lessons from his talk that are useful for our stand-up comedy class students:

😏 TAKE THE QUIZ BELOW 

Key Lessons:

  1. Humor is a Skill – Humor can be learned and improved with practice. Look to comedians for examples, but find your own comedic perspective to share.
  2. Start with “Yes, And” – Improv’s core mindset of accepting offers and building on them applies to workplace humor. Explore “If that’s true, what else is true?”
  3. Engage Fully – Commit to bits and characters. Have confidence in your performance, like asking someone out. The more practice, the more natural it becomes.
  4. Reflect Afterwards – Learning to improve your comic timing takes being aware of missed opportunities and thinking of better responses afterwards.
  5. Share Funny Things – Cite humorous content or make visual jokes. You don’t have to create all your own material to incorporate humor.
  6. Keep Practicing – Performing helps strengthen humor skills. Take an improv class or try stand up. Humor is an ongoing skill to build.
  7. Stay Positive – If a joke bombs, pivot to a positive or inclusive statement. As long as the intent is good, failed jokes aren’t harmful.
  8. Use Humor Ethically – Humor shouldn’t replace work. It enhances engagement and productivity when used appropriately.
  9. Find Humor For Yourself – Even in humorless workplaces, seek out comedy on your own time. No one can control your thoughts or off work activities.
  10. Everyone Can Learn Humor – Regardless of age, background or perception of being unfunny, humor is a teachable skill. Start small and keep practicing.

Andrew’s talk provides many great insights for our stand up comedy students on improving their humor skills. Let’s keep practicing “Yes, and” thinking and finding the humor in everyday workplace situations!

LEADERBOARD

Did you earn yourself a spot on the leaderboard?
Look at the chart below to find out!
Rank
Name
Score
1Stacey 30/30
2Tracey 30/30
3Suzanne Linfante 30/30
4Carla Ulbrich 30/30
5Alan Salzbank 30/30
6Jennifer B 30/30
7Zygy 30/30
8Robert 30/30
9Alyson Chadwick 30/30
10Jane Joan Costagliola 30/30

Leave a Reply

/

Testimonials

If you want to learn stand-up comedy, this is the course for you! The Comedy Trade School stand-up comedy course is the perfect way to learn the ropes of stand-up comedy. The course is taught by professional comedians, and you'll learn everything from joke writing to delivery.

John Smith

Los Angles

This is an excellent stand-up comedy course that will teach you the basics of joke writing, delivery, and stage presence. The course is taught by professional comedians, and you will get plenty of opportunities to perform your material. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in becoming a stand-up comedian.

Iryna Josse

Miami

Comedy Trade School is an excellent way to improve your stand-up comedy skills. The course is thorough and well-structured, and the instructors are experienced and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to take their stand-up comedy career to the next level.

Bob Lopatkin

New York