Humor Power

I presented a Humor Workshop at a Las Vegas Toastmasters club.  The format of the meeting was a regular TM meeting (business session, impromptu speeches, prepared speeches, and evaluations).  Following the normal meeting, I presented an Observational Humor monologue and then a Humor Workshop.

THE SET-UP (What happened and what was said during the meeting before the monologue was presented.)

1.  The meeting was advertised as a Humor Workshop.

2.  During the business meeting, there was an extended discussion about the purchase of a portable lectern for the club.

3.  Club meetings often begin with the Pledge of Allegiance.

4.  Diane Hunter was dressed with Red-White-and-Blue accents.

5.  A speaker said that the greatest fear was speaking in public.

6.  Someone mentioned the cliche of people “laughing their pants off.”

7.  A quote from Darren LaCroix:  If we improved our speaking skills one percent every day, after seventy days we’d be twice as good a speaker as we are today.

8.  I was presenting a humor workshop for the Lunatics Toastmasters club.

9.  S Frank Stringham is one of the club members.  He is a bigger-than-life, comedic entertainer.

10.  S Frank Stringham, presented some humor thoughts while sharing some printed comic strips with the audience.

THE MONOLOGUE

Welcome to the Portable Lectern Workshop.
(Implied that the main purpose of the meeting was to talk about Portable Lecterns, not to present a humor workshop.)

If we’re ever missing an American flag…we can pledge allegiance to Dianne Hunter.
(I asked Dianne to stand before I delivered the line.  Her standing was part of the setup to the joke, making sure people knew how she was dressed.)

Speaking in public is said to be one of life’s greatest fears.  That’s not true.  The greatest fear is actually trying to be funny and having people just stare at you.  Or trying to be serious and having people laugh at you.
(A simple observational twist.)

My greatest fear is when I present my humor, that people will laugh their pants off.  Please don’t!
(This is a topper, riding on the coat tails of the previous joke.)

If you become one percent funnier each day for 70 days, you’ll become twice as funny.  Of course if you aren’t funny at all…you still won’t be funny.
(Stating a not-so-obvious truth.)

Many people, when they come to a Toastmasters meeting for the first time, expect to see us presenting toasts.  When people come to Lunatics for the first time, they expect to get mooned.  When I found out that S Frank was a member, I was expecting a full moon.  That would be like watching a comic strip!
(I set up the joke series by stating a common misconception about Toastmasters clubs, that we do toasts.  I then used the root from Lunatics, Lunar, Moon to set up the first joke.  The first topper linked S Frank to the Lunatics club name.  The second topper played with the double meaning of “comic strip.”)

Here are some examples of Observational Humor presented at the end of a meeting.  Included are the set-up, the observational joke, and some comments about the structure of the joke.

THE SET-UP (What happened and what was said during the meeting before the monologue was presented.)

1.  As the club President transitioned into the educational part of the meeting, she said:  “And now without further ado…”

2.  A speaker said that she hated to be called on for impromptu speeches, called Table Topics.  Her strategy was to volunteer each meeting for the role of Speech Evaluator.  Normally, if you have a significant role in the meeting, you are not called on for Table Topics.

3.  A speaker said that it would be easy to play the role of Scotty on Star Trek.  He then delivered the line:  “Captain, I can’t give it any more.  I’m giving it all I can.”  He struggled to deliver it in a Scotty-style accent.  He then made the observational remark, “Well maybe that’s harder than it looks!”  He was using self deprecation, poking fun at his poor impersonation.  Huge laugh.

4.  The emcee of the meeting was Pam Shinkle.  She announced the meeting theme of Star Trek and was wearing a Star Trek uniform.  Her partner’s name is Bryant Pergerson.

5.  Erin Pavlina, outgoing club President, presented a Roast of club members in the format of Carnacks (giving the answer first and then providing the question).

6.  Erin is a well-known intuitive psychic advisor.

7.  A speaker told of making a bad batch of cookies because she used baking soda instead of baking powder.

8.  We were told that our grammarian sleeps with a dictionary under his pillow.

THE MONOLOGUE

Ado Ado Ado…and now without further Ado.
(Poking fun at a cliche phrase sometimes used at meetings.)

I don’t like to be called on for Table Topics.  That’s why I always volunteer for the role of Observational Humor Master.
(A humorous explanation of why I normally lead the Observational Humor portion of the meeting.)

If one of the monologue jokes isn’t funny, just remember…this is harder than it looks.
(Self deprecation.  Implies that not all of my jokes will work.)

And welcome to the Enterprise, commanded by Captain Pam Shinkle…where no man has gone before.  With the possible exception of Bryant Pergerson.
(A joke and a topper.  Big laugh.)

I thought of presenting my observations in the format of Carnacks.  But good judgment tells me not to engage in Dualing Carnacks with a psychic.
(Good link between the Carnack format and the psychic profession.)

I figured out what was wrong with my first relationship…too much baking soda.
(An absurd statement which is funny.)

I’ve never slept with a dictionary.  Although I did have a one-night-stand with a thesaurus.  Actually I’ve had more than one…but I’ve learned to describe each one with different words.
(A joke and a topper.  I actually thought of the topper driving home from the meeting, and didn’t actually deliver it at the meeting.)

Here’s another Observational Humor monologue presented at the end of a Toastmasters Club meeting.  It’s presented as a learning tool to help you find your own, original humor. 

THE SET-UP (What was said and what happened during the meeting before the monologue was delivered.)

1.  One of our speakers, George Irish, used a note card about the size of a Post-It note.

2.  George gave an excellent speech with good audience reaction.  In fact they laughed in a couple of places where he didn’t expect laughs.

3.  George listed some languages he had experience with, including “Hillbilly.”

4.  George said he was a 40-year on-and-off Toastmaster.

5.  George described himself as a compulsive poker player.

6.  Another speaker talked about a part-time job as a costumed mascot for a Smoothie company.

7.  At the start of every meeting we are reminded to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices.

8.  Frank commented on the hot weather (110 degrees Fahrenheit/43 degrees Celsius), and said that when he stepped into the elevator to come up to the meeting, a woman said to him in a sexy voice, “You’re so hot!”

9.  Donna talked about being a non-swimmer and going to a friend’s pool wearing goggles, a snorkel, a floatie, fins and a body board. 

10.  A speaker talked about an un-characteristic situation where she lost her cool and cussed someone out.  Her first language is German.

THE MONOLOGUE

I have eight observations to share with you tonight.  (I pulled out a one-square-inch note card.)
(This was a visual sight-gag.  I thought it stood out when George used a noticeably small note card, and nobody had commented on it.  So I chose to use an even smaller note card, without making any specific comment about it.)

George Irish gave a great speech.  Based on the audience response, I’d say that everyone here is fluent in Hillbilly.
(Fluent in Hillbilly was an OK line and received an OK laugh.  I primarily used it as something to read off the small note card and as a set-up/transition to the self-introduction which followed.)

Allow me to introduce myself.  I’m John Norwegian.  I’m a country boy from North Dakota, a long-time Toastmaster, and a repulsive poker player.  And I was formerly a smoothie mascot.
(A brief self-introduction based on several call backs.  Switched the sound-alike word REPULSIVE to add a touch of self-deprecation.)

I’m glad the Sergeant at Arms reminded us to turn off all electrical devices.  I almost forgot to turn off my electronic whoopee cushion.
(The humor trigger is Absurdity.)

I saw Frank’s car in the parking lot.  His personalized license plate says Chile Pepper…because he’s so hot.
(Linked his claim to be hot with a ficticious license plate.)

I noticed in Donna’s speech that when she went swimming at her friend’s pool, she wore goggles, a snorkel, a floatie, fins and a body board.  I also noticed that she did not wear a swim suit (huge laugh). Donna, I’d like to invite you to come swim in my pool (huge laugh).
(The first sentence is a set-up.  The second sentence is a punchline.  The humor trigger was “what wasn’t said.”   The third sentence is a topper.  These were the two biggest laughs of the night in a meeting filled with laughter.)

Going home tonight I’m going to be more careful than when I came here.  On my way to the meeting, I accidentally cut someone off on the freeway…and a nice lady cussed me out in German.  (Of course this didn’t really happen.  I dropped myself into someone else’s story.  The set-up builds the tension.  The “going home tonight” made it a good closer.)

Many of my posts give you insights into the Observational Humor monologues I present at my Toastmasters Club, PowerHouse Pros.  This post gives you a case study written by Dana Richardson.

During our Observational Humor segment of the meeting, several members share their humorous observations.

What I’ve learned from hearing other people’s observations is that humor is abundant.  I normally present my monologue after everyone else shares their observations.  Rarely does someone use one of my lines before I have the opportunity to speak.  And many of the lines other people present are terrific…the “I wish I had thought of that” kind of lines.  If we had different people attending the meeting, I know that they would come up with even more new and great lines.

Dana Richardson is one of our very funny members who also creates monologues at our meetings.  He recently posted one of them on his blog.

  – You will find his analysis interesting and valuable.
  – Notice his use of a Top-Five list.  It’s an example of using a “vehicle” for structuring humor.
  – I’ve included my monologue from that same meeting.  Notice how it’s totally different from his.  His monologue is also longer, indicating that more things caught his eye than caught mine.

Dana Richardson’s monologue.

My monologue from same meeting.

Here’s another Observational Humor monologue.  The set-up information helps you understand the context of the humor.  The monologue includes comments and analysis of why the humor works.

THE SET-UP (What happened and what was said during the meeting before the monologue was delivered)

1.  The theme for the meeting was 9 to 5 (work and professions).

2.  A speaker was introduced as The Man, The Myth, The Legend.

3.  A speaker was delivering an Interpretive Reading speech.  We were told that this type of speech required excellent vocal variety.

4.  The emcee referred to the world’s oldest profession.

5.  I am a magician.

6.  The word-of-the-day was OUTSOURCING.

7.  The name of our club is PowerHouse Pros.

8.  My name badge indicates that I joined Toastmasters in 1973.

9.  Club member Bill Lusk joined Toastmasters more than ten years before I joined.

10.  We were told that the first people to be paid to work (Roman

soldiers) were paid with salt.

11.  Frank was assigned an impromptu speech topic:  If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?

12.  It was implied that Pam knew more than Wikipedia.

13.  Pam’s partner is named Bryant.

14.  A speech evaluator critiqued a speaker for concluding his speech with a comment that his speech was mediocre.

THE MONOLOGUE

The odds that this monologue will be funny are 9 to 5.
(A call back and uses the principle of “double meaning” of a phrase.)

I am your Observational Humor Master…The man…the myth…the legend.
(A call back.  And it’s the opposite of self-deprecation, which works well for someone who uses a lot of self-deprecation.  It received a very big laugh.)

Observational Humor is also known as Interpretive Humor…which fortunately does not require vocal variety.
(Self-deprecation.  An implied reference to my low-energy style.)

A lot of people don’t know it, but I’m a magician…the world’s oldest profession…doing tricks.
(An old magician joke recycled.  A topper using alternate word meaning.)

The truth is most of our members are in outsourcing professions.  So many, in fact, that our board is considering renaming our club Outhouse Pros.
(Word substitution to put a twist on our club name.)

I was looking at my name badge tonight and read “member since 1973.  I was feeling really old.  Then Bill Lusk walked in.
(Bill often jokes about his seniority.  That makes him a good target for a joke.)

I don’t want to say Bill and I are old, but our first payday we took home a bag of salt.
(Dropping myself into someone else’s story.  Placing Bill and me into a time in history.  I chose to make the joke about Bill AND me which helped create permission to do the joke.)

Until tonight I didn’t realize how versatile Frank is.  He’s a fruit, a nut and a ham.
(A play on food words, using ones that had double meanings.  It’s the alternate word meanings that trigger the humor.  And it uses the rhythm of a triplet.)

I saw an ad in yesterday’s paper:  Set of encyclopedias for sale.  Wife knows everything.  So I called to see how much.  Bryant answered the phone.
(I recycled an old joke and dropped Pam and Bryant into the story.)

That concludes my monologue…which was mediocre at best.
(Note the opening line of the monologue.  I book-ended the monologue with using similar-themed jokes to open and close.  A call back.  Excellent response.)

Here is an Observational Humor monologue presented a the end of a club meeting.

THE SET-UP  (What was said and what happened during the meeting before the monologue was delivered.)

1.  It was announced that today was David’s birthday.  David spoke up and said that today was NOT his birthday.

2.  A speaker (from Korea) said that some of the first phrases in English he learned were:  Hi, Bye, Thank You and I’m Hungry.

3.  I noticed that Ryan usually laughed at his own jokes.

4.  Pam said that she hated Three Stooges movies and would only watch one if you Duct-Taped her to a chair.  He partner is Bryant.

5.  Karen said that her first home was built in 1910.  She is one of our senior Toastmasters.

6.  A speaker mentioned the word DYSLEXIA.

7.  Darren sang a few bars of a song, but prefaced his singing with saying that he can’t sing.

THE MONOLOGUE

March 1 is pick your own birthday day.  The great thing is that you can pick your year. 
(This is a joke with a topper.  The first line creates a non-existent holiday.  The topper plays with people’s desire to pick their own age.)

I perform humor at a Korean school.  I don’t speak Korean, but I know key humor phrases, such as:  Hi, Bye, Thank You and I’m Hungry.
(A good call back of phrases which are not thought of as funny.)

Here’s a humor secret from the Ryan Mulligan School of Humor.  To guarantee that your jokes are funny…laugh at your own punchlines.
(An observation which was good for laugh.  It helps that other people probably noticed the same thing, but they didn’t give it much thought.)

Last week Pam said that she would only watch a Three Stooges movie if you duct-taped her to a chair.  On the way home I stopped at WalMart and saw Bryant buying a Three Stooges DVD and a roll of Duct Tape.

(Of course I didn’t really see Bryant at WalMart.  But the joke implies that Bryant is getting ready for a fun video night at home.)

Karen said that her first home was built in 1910.  I was impressed that for their first home, they would have bought a new one.
(This is a time-released joke which required a larger pause than normal.  It will take the audience time to process the implied joke.  It implies that Karen must be over 120 years old.)

I have a friend who has dyslexia.  He says bad things about Lexus cars.
(DISS-LEXUS.  I wasn’t sure this line would work…but it did.)

Darren told us he can’t sing.  And then he spent 60 seconds proving it.
(Linking the apology with PROVING it.)

It’s time for the results of our Celebrity Couples humor contest.  This month’s theme was suggested by Sol Morison from Santa Barbara. 

New Joke Contests    are announced on the first of the month (alternating months).

New Cartoon Caption Contests are announced on the first of the month (alternating months).  The next caption contest is May 1, 2010.

Here are this month’s top lines selected by our panel of ten judges (speakers and improv players):

** FIRST PLACE **

Peter and Val A. Parker
     Jim Spero, Las Vegas, Nevada

** SECOND PLACE **

Farrah and Lee K. Fawcett
     Marty Bernstein, Oak Park, Illinois

** THIRD PLACE (TIE) **

Harrison and Iona Ford
      Tom Nee, OakLawn, Illinois

Muddy and Delta Waters
     Candace, Crofton, Maryland

HONORABLE MENTION (in random order)
 
  – Kevin and Maykin Bacon
  – Citizen and Candy Kane
  – Orlando and Rose Bloom
  – Hardy and Ben D. Rhodes
  – Michael and Ima Savage
  – Will and Silver Smith
  – Elton and Onda John
  – Johnny and Anita Cash
  – Steve and Wanda Jobs
  – Bill and Pearl E. Gates
  – Harry and Miss Reid
  – John and Sharon Candy
  – Billy and Candy Graham
  – John and Bambi Deere
  – John and Doe Raimey
  – Barack and Tuscaloosa Al Obama
  – Nicolas and Tiger Cage
  – Kate and Pete Moss
  – Sean and Ivory Combs
  – Brad and Cheri Pitt
  – Brad and Olive Pitt
  – Doris and Valentine Day
  – Charlie and Gus Sheen
  – Dalai and Dolly Lama
  – Dinah and Sandy Shore
  – Lloyd and London Bridges
  – Ansel and Gretel Adams
  – Dick and Daisy Cheney
  – The Wright Brothers and the Wong Sisters
  – Stephen and Bea Stills
  – Diane and Boom Boom Cannon
  – Ernie and Robin Banks
  – Mary J. and Ima Blige
  – Kim and “Ma” Jong-Il
  – Eartha and Etta Kitt
  – George and Sunny Burns
  – Anita and Ginger Cookie Baker
  – Elijah and Ebony Wood
  – Garry and Les S. Moore
  – Eddie and Dee Cantor
  – Pauly and Sandy Shore
  – Isla and Marlin Fisher
  – Norman and “Stonewall” Rockwell
  – Christopher and B. Mia Guest
  – Sheryl and Raven Crow
  – Johnny and Summer Winter
  – Carrot and “Pop” Top
  – Johnny and Penny Cash
  – Dinah and Rocky Shore
  – Paula and A. Prentiss
  – Mickey and Olive Oyl Spillane
  – Wilson and Ivana Pickett
  – Steven and Jonathan Livingston Seagal
  – Gerard and Juan Way
  – William and Bea Holden
  – Kate and River Hudson
  – Max and Woody Planck
  – Lee and Sargeant Majors
  – Willie and April Mays
  – Sid and Viv Vicious
  – Stevie and I. May Wonder
  – Beatrice and King Arthur
  – Drew and Cordie Roy
  – Artie and Rick Shaw
  – Henry and Ivana B. Kissinger
  – Nelson and Ima Riddle
  – Anna and Carmela Kournikova
  – Rhoda and Moe R. Grass
  – LeBron, LeSilver and LeGold James
  – George Roy and Beverly Hill
  – J. Paul and S. “Pa” Getty
  – Teri and C. Garr
  – Charles and Diamond Ringling
  – Ringo and Lucky Starr
  – Tyra and Robin Banks
  – Russell and Juana Crowe
  – Ted and Page Turner
  – Bernie and Sue Mac
  – Michael and Sugar Caine
  – Morgan and Ivana B. Freeman
  – Michelle and Al Obama
  – Tom and River Cruise
  – Tina and Paige Turner
  – Tiger and Twiggy Woods
  – Jamie and Sly Foxx
  – Henry Cabot and Moose Lodge
  – Rev. Jeremiah and Eileen Wright

Here’s another Observational Humor monologue.  It’s not provided to make you laugh (you probably had to be there), but to give you insight into what makes humor work.

THE SET-UP (What was said and what happened during the meeting before the monologue was delivered.)

1.  A speech evaluator pointed out how a speaker increased the energy in the opening of her speech by standing at the back of the room immediately before being introduced.

2.  The theme of the meeting was “Being Happy for No Reason.”

3.  Bill told us he was a retired Air Force air crew member.  He also said he raced cars.  He was “the fastest old man in the group and the oldest fast man.”

4.  A speaker who was a juggler said he didn’t want to tell his mother he had become a professional juggler…so he told her he was in jail.  He also joked that growing up he had no friends.

5.  A speaker told about playing soccer with the Czech national team.  He mentioned dribbling and passing the ball.

6.  Dana said that I was a funny person and drove a funny car.

7.  A speaker talked about whether you should “rent or own” and related it to original material for your talks.

THE MONOLOGUE

Before I was introduced, I stood up at the back of the room.  Which explains my high energy.
(Self-deprecation of my low-energy style.)

At the end of this monologue you will be happy…for no reason.
(A call back provided a great opening line.)

I have several things in common with Bill.  I’m retired from the Air Force.  I am a former air crew member.  And I’m the slowest old man…and the oldest slow man.
(The rule of three.  And a reversal.)

I’m a typical humorist.  I grew up with no friends.  And my mother thinks I’m in jail.
(Good call back, dropping myself into somebody else’s story.)

I played soccer with the Czech national team.  They were not impressed.  The entire time I was on the field I was dribbling.
(Activated by the double meaning of the word DRIBBLE.)

Dana said I drove a funny car.  That’s not true.  But it does hold twenty clowns.
(A twist provide by the stereotype of a clown car.)

Should you rent or own?  When it comes to humor…jokes are renting.  When you use Observational Humor…you own it.
(Not especially funny, but great closer which makes a good point.)

Here’s an Observational Humor monologue presented at an Ed Tate storytelling workshop presented at a PowerHouse Pros Toastmasters meeting.  Ed is an awesome storyteller and is the Toastmasters 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking.

THE SET-UP (What happened and what was said during the meeting before the monologue was delivered.)

1.  Ed pointed out that most of history’s great speeches had no humor.  Although humor is important…humor is optional.

2.  Ed told a story where one of the punchlines was “until they put on the handcuffs.”

3.  Ed told a story where a guy he called “Ordinary Joe” got arrested.  “If they arrested Ordinary Joe…a black guy doesn’t have a chance.”  Ed is black.  In discussing the story structure, he pointed out that most people probably assumed that Joe was white, “even though I never said he was white.”

4.  Ed pointed out that larger movements of the mouth, while speaking, automatically result in larger gestures.

5.  When Darren LaCroix introduced Ed he told a story about Ed being an avid learner and asking so many questions at a program that the presenter was becoming annoyed.  Ed started writing his questions and passing them to Darren so that Darren could ask the questions.

6.  At the start of the meeting, Bryant announced that PowerHouse Pros is the largest Toastmasters club in District 33.

7.  We had about 50 guests at the meeting that night.

8.  The unpublished agenda called for Bryant to recognize the club President at the start of the meeting.  He forgot to do that and during the meeting he asked me to do it at the end of my monologue.

9.  Ed told a story about a movie on a plane being terminated before coming to the who-dunnit part of the movie.

THE MONOLOGUE

Humor is optional.  Thank you very much.  (I started to leave the speaking platform.)
(A quick call back provided a good opener.)

Last week I was delivering a humor monologue.  It was going great…until they put on the handcuffs.
(Another call back slipped into an unexpected place.)

Ed Tate is a funny guy.  In fact I was sitting in the back of the room thinking…if they laugh at him…a white guy doesn’t have a chance.
(The humor is triggered by a reversal.)

You’ll notice that I didn’t say Ed was black.
(Another reversal.  A big laugh.)

I learned two things which may come in handy tonight.
1.  How to be funny…move your mouth.
2.  If the audience isn’t liking my jokes…I’ll write them down and give them to Darren LaCroix.
(First line, I dropped Ed’s punchline onto my own setup.  Second line I used the “drop myself into their story” technique.)

Bryant told you that we are the largest Toastmasters Club in District 33.  Actually, that’s not true.  The truth is that we have so many guests that nobody has figured out that we only have three members.
(The situation where guests out-number members provides a great set up for the understated punchline.  There is a touch of self-deprecation.  Also working is the principle of “tension” when I state “that’s not true.”  What someone lied to us?  Release of tension results in laughter.  However, within the structure of a monolgue, tension is a minor factor, because the audience expectation is that most setup lines are fabricated or said in jest, and the result is that no tension is built.)

Bryant Pergerson was supposed to recognize our club President at the start of the meeting but was unable to do that.  The problem is that we’ve had so many new members join in the past two months…that nobody can recognize the President.  Is Erin Pavlina in the room?
(The previous joke about guests provided a setup for me to recognize the President using humor.  The joke also plays with the double meaning of “recognize.”)

In closing, I caught a news flash on TV just before coming to the meeting.  Remember, six months ago, the two pilots that overflew Minneapolis by 150 miles?  The investigation just uncovered why.  The pilots were waiting to find out who-dunnit.
(This joke didn’t fit into the logical flow of the monologue, so I chose to use it as a closer.  It worked well.)

Here is an opportunity for you to see and hear an Observational Humor monologue presented on January 25, 2010.  It was delivered at the end of a program, “Good to Great — Speech coaching with Patricia Fripp and Darren LaCroix.”  This was a special event sponsored by PowerHouse Pros Toastmasters Club.

Here is what Patricia Fripp and Darren LaCroix said about the humor:

“You ROCKED. Wow…that was funny.”  Patricia Fripp.

“You were hysterical!”  Darren LaCroix

And here are a couple of comments from people who watched the program on the Internet:

“John Kinde ROCKS!  He had me and the audience rolling in the aisles.  I love his observational humor.”  Bruce Ellingsen

“I’m still laughing.  Wow!  You made it look so easy.”  Patty K, Victoria, BC, Canada

The video link is at the end of this post.  You will have two choices:

  – You can listen to the entire program and experience it as the audience did.  The content is terrific and your 95 minutes would be well spent viewing the entire program.  You’ll also have more insight on the set-ups and the punchlines.  It’s almost like “being there.”

  – You can “express view.”  First, read the SET-UP comments which are provided in the post.  Those comments, about what happened during the meeting, will put the humor in the proper context.  Then when you go to the link for the video, skip to the end to see the monologue.  It’s a 95 minute program and the monologue is in the last five minutes.

  – Note that most Observational Humor has a “You Had To Be There” factor.  As you study Observational Humor, don’t pay attention to what YOU think is funny, but note the AUDIENCE reaction to the monologue.  The audience response is the true measure of the power of Observational Humor.

THE SET-UP (What happened and what was said during the program, before the monologue was delivered.)

1.  Barbell was the last speaker to be coached, just before I was introduced to do my monologue.  Darren coached her to have a happy expression as she mimed looking at a baby:  “Your look couldn’t have been more stoic.”

2.  The first time Fripp critiqued a speaker using notes, she said:  “Yes, this is me…with my glasses.”

3.  Fripp shared weak word choices which some speakers use to bury their punchlines, like:  “each and every one of you here in this room.”  Also the adding of “today” or “tonight” at the end of a phrase.

4.  A speaker said “when you think of Panama…you think of cows.”  And she shared some funny connections.

5.  Darren owned a Subway sandwich shop and attended Subway University.  He related being a farmer and having an MBA to skills which work to make you a better speaker and comedian.

6.  In the past, Fripp told a John Cantu story about a speaker who shared that she was a cheerleader and that women in the audience might think, “I have fat thighs.  I hate you!”

7.  Darren said, “All of you have written a world-champion quality speech…you just haven’t finished yet.”

8.  Darren told us about weaving free speeches around his work-week when he started developing his speaking skills.

9.  Darren gave an example of how a speaker’s emotions were expressed when his facial expression went from excited to nothing.

10.  Dana, one of the speakers being coached, posted a profile on our club’s web site.  He wrote:  “I’ll let you call me a pretty boy.”

THE MONOLOGUE

Barbell could have looked more stoic. (Big laugh.  Because of the response, I dropped a scripted topper “She could have looked like me.”  The topper line was implied and the audience “got it” without my having to spell it out.  Usually an implied punchline is stronger than one which is stated.  At its core, this is a self-deprecation line, poking fun at my lack of expressiveness.  Also, recency helped make the line work.  Barbel was coached immediately before my monologue, which made my opening the best place to use it.)

Yes, this is me…with my glasses.  I’m going to share some funny lines with each and every one of you here in this room…tonight.
(Some simple callbacks.  Effective.)

I’m from North Dakota.  I grew up around cows.  I know what you’re thinking…Panama!
(A reversal.  Big laugh.  What helped make the line work was that Panama/Cows was a significant part of the program, not just a quick mention.)

I’m just like Darren.  I, too, am a farmer.  And I have an MBA. And of course you’re thinking, “No wonder he’s so funny.  And he did it without going to Subway University.”
(Callbacks liking things in common between Darren and me.  The Subway University topper was perfect.  The audience senses that the humor is over…and then you drop the unexpected, additional line on them, playing with the element of surprise.)

Did you notice that the people who aren’t laughing…have fat thighs?
(An excellent call back.)

I’ve written a funny monologue.  But I haven’t finished it yet.
(I twisted Darren’s sound-bite phrase to fit the writing of a monologue.)

Just like Darren, I worked a day job and gave free speeches at night.  I worked with nuclear weapons, sitting by the button which I never had to push.  And every night I spoke to a civic club…and bombed.
(“Things in common with Darren” becomes a running gag.  Also uses the double meaning of the word BOMB to trigger a laugh.)

You may have noticed that specific line worked because my facial expression went from nothing to nothing.
(Twisted a Darren phrase again.  Also self-deprecation.)

I was reviewing the club’s web site today and noticed that Dana’s profile says “It’s OK for you to call me Pretty Boy.”  What I want to know is, “How late is too late to call?”
(I actually had visited the club’s web site that day, but not for the purpose of creating humor.  I was asked to give feedback on the site by another member.  Since Dana had a significant role in the program, I decided to pull a quote from the site to wrap up the monologue.  I didn’t use the exact words from the site, but took the liberty of structuring the words to set up my punch line.  A strong closer.)

THE LINK.  When you click on the link to watch the video, you’ll have two choices.  You can watch the entire program (95 minutes) OR you can skip to the monologue which is in the last five minutes of the program.  Here is the video link.

I highly recommend Darren LaCroix’s Humor Boot Camp, April 30 – May 2.  Spend a three-day weekend in Las Vegas at an energizing and entertaining event.  You’ll discover a funnier you!

Don’t miss the Patricia Fripp Public Speaking and Presentation Skills School, June 10 – 11, 2010, in Las Vegas.  She is a world-class speaking coach and the school is one of the best investments you can make.