And even within your group of friends, different people are going to find different things funny. Try to take note of each of your close friends’ tastes. How are they different? Know how to handle your teachers, too. If you were assigned to write a variation of the famous “to be or not to be” speech from Hamlet and you go up and recite the lyrics to “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by the Clash, some teachers may find it hilarious. Others? Not so much.
Pain. If you’ve ever seen even just one cartoon, you know this concept. Think Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. Garfield. Bugs Bunny. Mickey Mouse. They all do the pain schtick. It’s timeless. The unexpected. It’s only when we don’t see things coming that they have the potential to be anything – surprising, scary, funny, you name it. So take any normal circumstance and go somewhere else with it. Cloudy out? Put on sunglasses. No one laughed at your joke? Bust out laughing. Trying to hide? Hide behind a small plant. Be as ridiculous as you feel comfortable! Wordplay and puns. More on this bit later, but twisting words can be a great way to make people laugh.
Think about dead silences. Take the line, “Who wants the last mozzarella stick?” Not funny. But when you and your friends are sitting at the lunch table and no one’s talking, everyone is totally awkward, and no one has anything to say (cricket, cricket, cricket), and you bust out a nervous, eye-shifty, “So. . . who wants the last mozzarella stick?” while creeping your fingers along the table to eat it yourself.
For example, when your tall, skinny friend walks in the room, ignore them briefly and then say, “Oh, I’m so sorry! I mistook you for a lightpost. " They obviously know you didn’t think they were actually a lightpost. It’s clear it’s a joke, so they shouldn’t have reason to be offended. Some people aren’t great at taking jokes. If you have friends that you know are like this, avoid this tactic with them. Only poke fun at people who you know are okay with it.
If you’ve ever heard of Lucille Ball (one of the most famous comediennes of all time) or the “I Love Lucy” show, you might remember that the most popular episodes of this show were where she was learning how to stomp grapes, where she was shoving chocolates in her face, and when she was eating a meat drink. The most timeless comedy is physical. Dunno who she is? Then think Mr. Bean or Charlie Chaplain! They each have entire bits without words dedicated to the art of physical comedy.
Need some examples? wikiHow has that, too!
The only way to do this is keep everything light and funny. So even when you have a terrible test coming up or things are looking a little bleak, be the one ready with a joke to liven up the situation.
Sometimes your image will help your humor. Imagine your boring Aunt Marge trying to tell jokes. Wouldn’t it be a lot funnier if she were wearing shoulder pads and a terrible, terrible hat?
Go a little outside the biggest names to get away with murder. Try Tig Notaro, Pete Holmes, Jim Norton, or Nick Kroll on for size. And don’t just use their jokes – take their jokes and make them your own!
Try not to use them too often. You don’t want people to groan every time you start, “So this Canadian walks into a diner. . . "
If they don’t laugh, so what? You’ll hit ’em next time with a great line. You don’t have to be funny 24/7. Comedy is a process of trial and error. Some comedians hone the same joke for years. Give yourself a break!
Aziz Ansari has a good bit where he talks about trying to meet girls. None of them like him, so he consoles himself by telling them, “It’s okay. My friend Brian likes me. " Not an especially funny line! But he delivers it with gusto and almost anger, pouting, scoffing, and widening his eyes. It’s his embodiment of his emotion behind the joke that seals the deal.
What do you and your friends pay attention to? Do you have favorite TV shows? Favorite music? Favorite celebrities? Allude to these in your jokes! Bust out Gangnam Style to the beat of your teacher’s choral music. Stick out your tongue and purr like a cat when Miley Cyrus comes up on your friend’s iPod. Quote you and your friends’ favorite TV show when an opportunity arises. Be ready for it!
Sometimes you can use it to mean the opposite of what you actually mean. Think along the lines of “George Bush was the best president ever” or “Wow, that’s the best idea you’ve ever had!” Or you could use it to say something a bit absurd: “You like dogs? I like dogs, too. Let’s exchange recipes!” A lot of sarcasm comes in the tone of voice. If you say that George W was the best president with a serious face, acting all offended, people won’t know whether you’re kidding or not. That method can work too – just know when you need to drop the act to let them in on your joke.
Try to take the normal, everyday, mundane stuff and turn them into a punchline. By staying alert and observant, you can do just that. Say your friend is showing you pictures of her on vacation and she says, “Ugh, I look so fat. " You respond with, “It’s okay; they say the camera adds 10 pounds. How many cameras are on you here?” Just make sure your friends won’t get mad!
Need an example? Let’s say your best friend just got called on by your teacher. He has no idea what to say, so he goes, “Umm. . . I. . . well. . . huh. . . yes?” You then slip in a, “God, it’s like me trying to talk to girls. " Instead of making fun of him, you turn it onto yourself!
