Joke Telling Tips and Tricks

Here are some quick ways to improve your joke telling skills….

Know your joke inside out and know where & how you’re headed. Know the punch line and how you will deliver it.
Be aware of where you are. Remember that offensive jokes offend. Be relaxed. Any discomfort will infect the audience.
Your audience must be a ˜warm’ one. If they don’t like you, don’t attempt the joke. If THEY think you are a funny person, they will be prepared to laugh.
Have a few jokes to tell one after the other. Don’t tell a ˜groaner’ first and save the best one for later.
Take your audience by surprise; be spontaneous.
Just start. Have a punchy opener. Avoid saying, Hey this is a funny one.
Set up to the joke. Offer only relevant details, clues, and necessary information in a commanding voice.
Keep it simple. Keep on topic. Don’t veer off course with irrelevant details. Keep the momentum.
Vary tone, volume, and speed. Emphasize essential words, concepts and pauses. Project the feelings of the characters.
Follow through. Hold the punch line. The wrap up is vital. Offer it at just the desired moment for full effect.

For more good insight on joke telling, read our article How To Tell Jokes.