(Especially when performing for non-native speakers) Controlling your cadence is crucial for any stand-up comedian. But it becomes even more important when performing for audiences where English may not be the primary language. In this post, we’ll look at cadence techniques to maximize laughs, as well as specific tips for …
185 BLANKS WALK INTO A BAR
A joke writing format from improvisation comedy. This is a fun exercise you can play alone or with fellow comedians to work on your punchlines. You have a fixed setup and you can make multiple punchlines. First you need to think of a random object or ask an online tool …
POINT-OF-VIEW. The Heart of a Joke
Your joke needs at least 2 parts, a setup and punchline. This is joke structure. But what makes a joke very satisfying is attitude. What is it you are really trying to say? Having a clear point-of-view is what helps you create a relationship to your audience. Ideally every joke, …
THE SECOND OPEN MIC
So you survived your first standup comedy open mic. Congratulations. Whether you killed it or you bombed or (more likely) something in between, you are no longer a standup comedy virgin. You got up there and showed the audience you have a right to be on that stage. Congrats. Now …
SETUP & PUNCHLINE. The two parts of jokes
The key to writing a successful joke is to make sure you understand how joke structure works. PREMISE. First you need a setup. This is a topic that is what your joke is about. It could be about relationships or politics or or even an anecdote of something that happened …
WRITING SETUPS FOR JOKES.
Random Punchlines – A setup joke writing exercise. It is helpful to be able to separate a punchline from the setup. Below are a list of 30 punchlines to real jokes. You should pick a random punchline and write as many setups as you possibly can for it. Setups should …
PREMISE DECONSTRUCTION. Using Improvisation to find Joke Premises
As a standup, you know the importance of strong, focused premises. But coming up with great ideas can be difficult. Taking a tip from improv can help spark new premises in a low-pressure, creative way. The format “Armando” asks an improviser to give a truthful, autobiographical monologue about a word …
JOKE RACK SIMILES. Comparing unlike things.
Write original punchlines using comparisons to random objects. Fill In The Blanks with an object, and then write your own punchline. Sex with me is like a (blank). We will choose ‘meeting’ for this example.. Now write your own punchline. It lasts too long and 80% of the people don’t …
101 TOM SWIFTIES. A Pun exercise
A Tom Swiftie is a short joke that uses a slightly different double meaning for an adverb, which is great for practicing wordplay jokes. Pun a phrase with an adverb, using the format: “[phrase]” he said “[adverb]-ly. I have a split personality,” said Tom, being frank. “I hope you freeze to death”, …