How do you do it? To funny people...

[tylersch]

One thing I want to improve is my sense of humor, and also my ability to make others laugh.

So what do you think will help?

Thanks!

(btw I DID do a forum search and didn't come up with anything really)

[Plato]

Copy funny people.

Since you want to be funny you won't need to do this consciously. Human beings learn primarily by copying each other.

Solution: spend more time with funny people.

[aggie]

i find sarcasm extremely funny, tho' many others may not agree...being self effacing is good....

[Wax Frog]

Originally Posted by Plato

Copy funny people.

Translation - DON'T copy me!

Aggie, will I ever get to efface anyone else?

[tylersch]

Hey guys thanks for the replies, I looked up 'efface', but i'd like to hear a more human definition. How would you define and describe 'effacing' / 'self-effacing' ?

I liked what you said Plato 'Since you want to be funny you won't need to do this consciously. Human beings learn primarily by copying each other. '
Seems like when i'm the funniest is when i'm not even trying...

I think the hanging out with funny people is important too, i get stuck with certain people sometimes, and their so-called 'humor' rubs off on me, i can't stand it

Please keep the responses coming! for how much people love humor, it's suprising how little info is available on it..

[Andrew Gubb]

I notice there's a state I get into, where just everything I do is a joke. It's basically an exaggeration of everything. I don't need to be smart, it just flows. When you're in that state, you can say or do something which isn't funny at all and it can be funny. A good example is something I saw John Cleese do once: a minute of doing absolutely nothing. He didn't say anything or do anything specific with his face, but he made it HILARIOUS.

Just say, "OK, I'm going to be funny now," and really believe that. If you believe you're funny, then you are.

Also, don't waste your time making boring people laugh. Boring people don't find anything funny, just like anything you do can be funny in the right conditions. It's all the vibe

[tylersch]

Maybe some general words associated with humor could help get us thinking..
like..
Incongruous, Illogical, Ridiculous

[Wax Frog]

One thing I've noted about the best of my own humor is that it makes connections between things that are superficially totally unrelated.
---
I used to make my sister crack up regularly at dinner when we were kids.

Years later she let me know that it wasn't so much the things I said and did, but the fact that I could keep a totally straight face at the same time.

[Andrew Gubb]

^I can never keep a straight face! I always laugh my ass of at my own jokes... even when other people don't, LOL!

[ProbableReality]

Do you check out Youtube for funny people?

[Aleksander Krstic]

I didn't have much sense of humor, but have gotten it by simple practice. Just relax and care too much if you're not funny at the start. You'll get better and that's what matters.

[KtotheB]

You could take an improv acting class. That always activates humor!

[Angela]

There's so much funny in the world, in what people and animals say and do, in the absurd and unexpected that occurs all around you, all you have to do is practice noticing it!

The other day I delivered some local concert schedules to a guy who runs a yogurt store, and when I told him what they were he laughed and laughed! I got a little self-conscious and asked him what was funny, and he said, "That just sounds like so much FUN! I can't wait! So funny!" It's making me laugh now, just remembering his laughing face.

Now, there's a guy who really leans into funny!

[tylersch]

Originally Posted by Aleksander Krstic

I didn't have much sense of humor, but have gotten it by simple practice. Just relax and care too much if you're not funny at the start. You'll get better and that's what matters.

hey alekasanser, i liked what you said, could you go into more detail about what you do (your simple practice)?
Is there anything you think about, or do you just focus on observing? I think part of my problem is i begin overanalysing and stop observing and taking in info.

thanks to all!

Tyler

[KazeCraven]

Try ridiculous humor. Accomplish ordinary tasks in ways that are completely unwarranted and unnecessary. Some people laugh if you take them too literally, others are just irritated. Probably the most important thing to do is not take yourself seriously. I can't be funny if I take myself seriously. And if you know what a goofy smile is, wear one frequently. I don't even have to be funny to get people to laugh if I'm looking amused by what I say.

If you are looking to make a specific person laugh, you'll need to find his funny bone.

[tsjechov]

Try make yourself laugh first! Stay natural, don't be the funny one if you are not... but try to be as funny as you can.

I mean. Not everyone has it naturally, but they have other qualities.
When you like your own jokes, then at least you like it and you stay with yourself. Maybe you have some secret funny talent hidden inside?!

Just stay realistic. Not everyone has 'it.' Don't try to become funny trying to get admiration or something... then it is better to learn your real talents and use them to get better and the admiration will follow. Everyone has some talents at least.

Good luck!

[songwriter]

well, it's easier to be funny when you're happy... (and it's easier to be happy when you're funny)
One way of being funny is just doing things other don't dare or want to do...
I mean (how I can explain this? ), lack of shame is funny... Like speaking about topics many people refrain to talk about (sex...) when they're thinking about that.
So sincerity can be funny, like saying what you really have in mind...
If you go to a karaoke and just sing to a Sinatra song, now that's not funny. But if you dare to impersonate Sinatra vocal things and gestures, that's funny... cause it shows you have no shame.

It's basically a "I do what I want to do, no matter what they think, so I'm free" thing... so there's a little celebration called laughter

[BeyondtheWrap]

Originally Posted by songwriter

One way of being funny is just doing things other don't dare or want to do...
I mean (how I can explain this? ), lack of shame is funny... Like speaking about topics many people refrain to talk about (sex...) when they're thinking about that.
So sincerity can be funny, like saying what you really have in mind...

It's basically a "I do what I want to do, no matter what they think, so I'm free" thing... so there's a little celebration called laughter

Yeah, that's true. I have found that saying what everybody is thinking but no one wants to say tends to make people laugh. The truth is funny. (Because it's secretly uncomfortable, and people will laugh to detach themselves.)

Another way I like to be funny is to make references, i.e. quote things in the midst of a normal conversation, but this is a little hard to teach. Watch "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series" for examples.

If you want to be really advanced, you can make your entire life into a joke. I kind of do this, but it's not recommended, seeing as how it's not for everyone. Just let go and have fun. Amuse yourself. Talk in a funny voice, i.e. enunciate everything and play with the pitch of your voice while maintaining a monotone. Difficult objects can be your antagonists as you struggle with them (clowns know this well). Do ridiculous things. Purposely make things difficult for yourself (in other people's eyes, when you don't mind at all and actually like it). Think differently from everyone else and have slightly controversial opinions. Be shamelessly honest (or, you can be full of ****) and get a kick out of it. Either have no emotions or exaggerate them; if you ever get mad, you still think it's funny because you know it doesn't really matter anyway.

I like to think of the above as my personal path to enlightenment. Use humor to see through the illusion!

[chrisrushton]

Originally Posted by Angela

There's so much funny in the world, in what people and animals say and do, in the absurd and unexpected that occurs all around you, all you have to do is practice noticing it!

The other day I delivered some local concert schedules to a guy who runs a yogurt store, and when I told him what they were he laughed and laughed! I got a little self-conscious and asked him what was funny, and he said, "That just sounds like so much FUN! I can't wait! So funny!" It's making me laugh now, just remembering his laughing face.

Now, there's a guy who really leans into funny!

Steven K Amos, a standup comedian did a bit where he said "find the funnies". What angela said at the top is pretty much the gist of it. Train yourself to look at things and think what's funny about that? There's usually something funny about almost everything, work hard to notice them and the more obviously funny things will become, well, more obvious.

After you've developed your sense of humor, work on selling it. Even if you find the funniest things in the world to talk about, if you can't talk about your ideas clearly and confidently, people wont find them funny.

Retrospectively, the second point should be the first point

[songwriter]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheWrap

Yeah, that's true. I have found that saying what everybody is thinking but no one wants to say tends to make people laugh. The truth is funny. (Because it's secretly uncomfortable, and people will laugh to detach themselves.)

Another way I like to be funny is to make references, i.e. quote things in the midst of a normal conversation, but this is a little hard to teach. Watch "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series" for examples.

If you want to be really advanced, you can make your entire life into a joke. I kind of do this, but it's not recommended, seeing as how it's not for everyone. Just let go and have fun. Amuse yourself. Talk in a funny voice, i.e. enunciate everything and play with the pitch of your voice while maintaining a monotone. Difficult objects can be your antagonists as you struggle with them (clowns know this well). Do ridiculous things. Purposely make things difficult for yourself (in other people's eyes, when you don't mind at all and actually like it). Think differently from everyone else and have slightly controversial opinions. Be shamelessly honest (or, you can be full of ****) and get a kick out of it. Either have no emotions or exaggerate them; if you ever get mad, you still think it's funny because you know it doesn't really matter anyway.

I like to think of the above as my personal path to enlightenment. Use humor to see through the illusion!

You're like Monty Python to me, lol

[BeyondtheWrap]

Originally Posted by songwriter

You're like Monty Python to me, lol

Haha, that thought occurred to me, too. These lyrics to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" explain it well:

Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

[marinik]

Well I used to be not very funny, then I started watching very funny people, how they do it. Everything, the choice of words, tone, topic, timing. First never tell a joke after a very funny one. No matter how good it is if you are not a champ at being funny it will be greeted with lukewarm polite smiles. The best to start with are your own "mishaps". In time I learned to tell every situation, no matter how dire as a joke in 20 minutes, sins it happened. It not only helped me go through some tough times but made a funny person out of me to. The best jokes are pointed at yourself and not some other person. When making fun of someone else it has to be with love and care. Knowing they will take it well. Today I am considered a very funny person. I was always positive and an optimist, this is just an added value.

PS: Never force it. Go with the flow. Good luck and practice!!!