stand-up
this could be the year for you to do some of those things you've always wanted to do! it doesn't have to be a big-ticket item, either.
for me, it was taking a stand-up comedy class! i learned so much. there are a lot of funny people in the world, but i took for granted how much effort they put into their routines. it's not enough to be funny, it helps; so does having a keen sense of timing. but there are key portions to creating a stand-up comedy routine that is a hit with your audience.
exercises the teacher led us in:
1) brainstorm things you think are funny
2) WHY are they funny? (ironic, contrasting, shared experience, etc.)
3) what does your audience need to know about you/the topic in order to understand the humor?
i appreciated that they said, "never punch down", that is, comedy is not about degrading anyone, but it is ok to make fun of yourself, use humor to work through an experience, or join in a common cultural irony together.
just because something is funny to one person does not mean it will be a hit with someone else. spending time answering and developing "where is the joke?" and being self and others-aware, though, can greatly increase the odds at joining in the laughter.
in my case, teaching middle school has a lot in common with improv and feels like a small department of insane hilarity woven into my everyday world. what are some things you find funny and why?
for me, it was taking a stand-up comedy class! i learned so much. there are a lot of funny people in the world, but i took for granted how much effort they put into their routines. it's not enough to be funny, it helps; so does having a keen sense of timing. but there are key portions to creating a stand-up comedy routine that is a hit with your audience.
exercises the teacher led us in:
1) brainstorm things you think are funny
2) WHY are they funny? (ironic, contrasting, shared experience, etc.)
3) what does your audience need to know about you/the topic in order to understand the humor?
i appreciated that they said, "never punch down", that is, comedy is not about degrading anyone, but it is ok to make fun of yourself, use humor to work through an experience, or join in a common cultural irony together.
just because something is funny to one person does not mean it will be a hit with someone else. spending time answering and developing "where is the joke?" and being self and others-aware, though, can greatly increase the odds at joining in the laughter.
in my case, teaching middle school has a lot in common with improv and feels like a small department of insane hilarity woven into my everyday world. what are some things you find funny and why?
Comments
Post a Comment