Humorously Speaking

Cathy Kuo, Fluency

August 5,07

1.Who is humorous?

?

He…?

Or … he?

Or … he?

2.What is Humor?“

Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place. “

Mark Twain 1835~1910

“The world is

a tragedy to those who feel but a comedy to those who think.”

Horace Walpole 1717~1797

Humor has many benefits for speakers:

1.Help establish a bond with your audience

2.Win over a hostile audience

3.Keep the audience interested

4.Emphasize or illustrate a point.

5 Help people remember you

3.Pro1.Warm Up Your Audience

1. Jokes

2. Stories

Examples:“Ring…Ring… “Daddy! I'm kidnapped! Come and rescue me! I was badly beaten and I'm hurt! Daddy~~~”Does it sound familiar to you? Yes! That's right! It's atelephone fraud. Have you ever received a telephone fraudbefore? What's your reaction toward it? A smart replymight be: “Oh~, really! Take her, don't bring her back,cause I have 10 more kids at my home.” Or you can say:“Wow~ kidnappers?? You guys are so hard-working. It'sSunday; don't you have a day off?” Here is another one:“Again??~~~ She has been kidnapped for three times today!” Claire Lin < Tragic Hero>

Notice:

1.Age range

2. Male / Female ratio

3. Political orientation

4. Education

“ The world is so well stocked with keen, clean fun that there is no excuse for playing in the mud to get a laugh. You can write it down as an axiom that someone maybe offended by an off-color join, but that no person is likely to take offense at a clean one.”

“Dr. Ralph C Smedley”

Pro 2. Leave Them With a Smile

6 elements of humor:

Target Hostility

Realism Exaggeration

Emotion Surprise

Example:“Come to join our English M-J club. If youare interested but don’t know how to play, don’t worry, we will teach you for free! Learn it right now! Life is short, time is money. Hope all of our dream retirements come true. Emily, Sammi ,Cathy ,don’t forget,later 4 o’clock , my house. “ Jessie Huang < My Dream Retirement>

Pro.3 Humor in the Middle

Types of Jokes:

Exaggeration:“We can cook this watch and see what will happen.” Five minutes after, I heard a “boop” from the hotpot. The watch glass was broken. My heart was broken, too! Then I saw two Mickey Mouse’s arms were floating and sinking in the soup with other tiny screws and springs.” Solomon < My Hotpotology>

Incongruity:安潔莉娜出生在小地方 ( 美國紐約 ) ，但還是得取個中文名字。我家相公姓施，我想直接按英文名字翻譯就好了，但她外婆說「施安琪」叫起來好像閩南話的「是ㄏㄢㄐㄧˇ」、「施安莉像是安ㄋㄧ」、「施安娜像是怎樣」。眼看著ㄧ場奶奶與外婆的戰爭就要開始了，於是我女兒建議乾脆就叫「施工中」 Grace Hsu< 安潔莉娜的奶奶 >

Reverse:“ I remembered the first time I had sex, I made a big big commitment to that girl… I married her ! And now, I am still payingthe price. Boy! It’s not just a commitment, It’sCOMMITTING SUICIDE! “

Simon Lin < My one night stand experience on the internet>

Definition:

“36 is around what we called “middle age” and middle age simply means when your age starts to show around your middle. “

Hubert You < What does it really matter>

Combination:“Honey, I'd like to join Toastmasters.”

“No, you just stay home. Take good care of

my kids. What Toastmaster? You are the

toaster. I am the Master!”

Jessie Lee

< How to divorce your spouse>

Play on words:“ 現在是非常男女時間，我血型 B ，星座水瓶，個性溫柔、體貼，喜歡血拼，更喜歡玩「 3P 」不！是「 3M 」！ Make money, make love and

Make friends”

Camille Lai < 明日之星 >

Understatement:“Oh God! It's so hard to make a living

nowadays. Everything is so expensive. When

I go to the petrol station, gas is more

expensive. In the supermarket, food is so

expensive. Even joining Toastmaster is

getting more expensive as well.”

Frankie Wu <Succeed in the Future>

Implication:“I would die for her if I could smell her, touch her and have one night stand with her.”

Allan Lo <Mou-Tse-Ton 毛澤東 and Li-Tsi-Tsang 李自成 > 

4. More Tips: 4P

Set up Pause

Punch Line Punch word

Delivery:

Tempo Rhythm

Inflection Pause

Volume

Exercise 1: Rhythm

“You don’t want to fall in love, please tell me

why? Long night no sleep in your bed,

sorrows fill your dream. All the ladies say

bye-bye .Leave you no smile. Find your angel

in Toastmasters, always in paradise.”

Tell Tan < Sleepless in Tachia>

Exercise 2: Rhythm“I stood up and yell thank my father my

mother my sister my brother my daughter my

neighbor my scooter my helicopter and all

you toastmasters!”

Hubert You < What does it really matter>

Exercise 3: Punch word

“ Money.. no problem, especially pay

by my husband”

Lillian Chang < Fluency Beauty Salon>

Exercise 4:Pause

“ 今年夏天，我 30 歲（停頓）…的兒子於有了可愛的女兒安潔莉娜，順理成章的我成為安潔莉娜的奶奶了！”

Grace Hsu< 安潔莉娜的奶奶＞

Exercise 5: Tempo

”Emily! It is your turn . Hurry up ok ! You

swim too slowly .Middle 碰 . Cathy, wait . It

is 發 .. 碰 Ho!Ho!My turn again.Wow!white

board.Ya ! I got big 3 dollars ,( 大三元 )and

touched myself ( 自摸 ) I won! I won !”

Jessie Huang < My Dream Retirement>

Exercise 6: Inflection

“Do you have a boy friend?

Have you met any decent men lately? 

No?  Told you many times--Don't put your

eyes on your head!  You are tall enough. “

Sammy Su < My Mom and My Dates>

What is humor for?

“Life is tough, and if you have the ability

to laugh at it , you have the ability to

enjoy it.”

Salma Hayek