HOW TO BE FUNNY AND ENTERTAINING IN SIXTY MINUTES

By Mike Moore

www.speakforprofit.com www.motivationalplus.com

copyright(c)Mike Moore 2009

Introduction

I can just hear you saying, “ Come on now, Mike , can you really

teach someone to be funny and entertaining in just 60 minutes?”

The answer is a definite YES I CAN.

I can teach you the skills you need in 60 minutes. What I can’t do is

give you the courage to go out there and use the skills in social

situations. But I even try to help you with this in the section on

shyness and confidence.

There is no doubt that some people have the gift of humor and wit in

abundance. It seems to come naturally to them. The danger many

naturally gifted humorists face is hogging the platform and not

appreciating the humor of others.

While I love being in the presence of naturally funny people I do

begin to get irritated when they dominate the social setting and

don’t appreciate what others have to offer.

I don’t take a back seat to them. Neither should you. Just look for

an opening and jump in.

Even if you don’t have the gift to the same degree as others you can

still shine when it comes to humorous and entertaining conversation.

Only you can provide the DESIRE, DETERMINATION AND

REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ANYTHING BUT SUCCESS.

So stay with me, read and digest my suggestions, practise them daily

and watch yourself transform into a humorous entertaining social

butterfly.

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Everyone wants to be funny and entertaining when engaged in social

interaction but many have difficulty doing so. Join me in unleashing

your Humor Potential.

What’s Stopping You from Being Funny and Entertaining?

* Shyness

* Fear of failure

* Fear of looking foolish

* low self esteem and self image

* negative self talk

* Embarrassment

* You love your comfort zone

To achieve your Funny potential make friends with your discomfort

zone.

Force yourself to do what you are uncomfortable doing and watch great

things begin to happen.

Funny Types

When considering your funny potential you have to examine yourself

closely to determine how you relate to others humorously. In my

thinking there are 5 types of “ humorous” people.

1. People who can entertain and make others laugh easily in both large

and small group settings.

2. People who can entertain and make others laugh in small groups but

not in larger ones.

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3. People who appreciate the humor of others and laugh easily but are

not bold or confident enough to take the humor lead.

4. Those who think they’re real jokers but no one else does. These

people can be real pains when they try to be the constant comic in every

situation. When they tell a story they drag it out tediously, get confused

regarding details, flow and sequence and when they do get to the punch

line it flops BIG TIME.

5. Very shy people who have a sense of humor but who just are not

comfortable or confident when it comes to general conversation let alone

making someone laugh.

No matter which of the above types you fit into there is hope. I am sure

that if you follow my suggestions you can begin a process of emergence

from whatever type you are into the type you’d like to be.

Ten Terrific Self- motivating Tips www.motivationalplus.com

No one can motivate anyone to do anything. All a person can do for

another is provide them with incentives to motivate themselves. Here are

ten very effective strategies to help you get up and get moving toward

actualizing your enormous, untapped funny potential.

* Be willing to leave your comfort zone. The greatest barrier to

achieving your funny potential is your comfort zone. Great things

happen when you make friends with your discomfort zone.

* Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Wisdom helps us avoid making

mistakes and comes from making a million of them.

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* Don't indulge in self-limiting thinking. Think positive, empowering,

expansive thoughts.

*Choose to be happy. Happy people are easily motivated. Happiness is

your birthright so don't settle for anything else.

* Spend at least one hour a day in self-development. Read good books or

listen to inspiring tapes. Driving to and from work provides an excellent

opportunity to listen to self-improvement tapes.

* Train yourself to finish what you start. So many of us become

scattered as we try to accomplish a task. Finish one task before you

begin another.

* Live fully in the present moment. When you live in the past or the

future you aren't able to make things happen in the present.

* Commit yourself to joy. C.S. Lewis once said, " Joy is the serious

business of heaven."

* Never quit when you experience a setback or frustration. Success

could be just around the corner.

* Dare to dream big dreams. If there is anything to the law of

expectation then we are moving in the direction of our dreams, goals and

expectations.

The real tragedy in life is not in how much we suffer, but rather in how

much of our potential we fail to achieve.

Charles Dubois once said, " We must be prepared, at any moment, to

sacrifice who we are for who we are capable of becoming."

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How to Overcome Shyness and Connect with People

The one thing that is vital to achieving your funny and entertaining

potential is overcoming shyness and the one thing absolutely necessary

to overcoming shyness is DESIRE. You must want to, badly.

POSITIVE SELF TALK

We must begin to talk to ourselves about ourselves in a more positive

way. Instead of defining ourselves negatively we must define ourselves

positively.

Tell yourself that...

* I am equal in dignity to anyone else.

* I have a lot to offer other people.

* People are not my enemies.

* I am intelligent and nice to be with.

* I can do anything I put my mind to.

* I am loveable and capable just the way I am right now.

Many times through the day stop and say something like, " Every day, in

every way, I am becoming more comfortable speaking with people."

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REMEMBER... that every person is a unique gift. There is no other

person like you on the planet. There has never been another like you.

There will never be another like you. So treat yourself like the rare,

unique, precious gift that you are.

The Art Of Confident Conversation

When I first started speaking for a living I had great difficulty

participating in one-on-one conversation with members of my audience.

I could speak before 2500 people and enjoy every minute of it, but when

I was expected to mix and mingle my tongue became all thumbs. I

decided to get to work improving my conversation skills and researched

the topic thoroughly. My efforts paid off for now I can speak with

anyone, anywhere for any length of time. Let me share with you what I

learned.

* There are three fundamental principles upon which good conversation

is based.

1. It is better to be interested than interesting

2. There is nothing as flattering as the undivided attention of another

human being.

3. People long to talk about their favourite topic which is "themselves."

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Keep the following in mind and you can't fail in becoming a great

conversationalist.

* Assume the responsibility for starting and maintaining the

conversation.

* I usually begin with a friendly " Hi, I'm Mike Moore and I'm from

Canada" Usually the response is " Hello, Mike I am ____________ and

I'm from___________. (Away you go.)

* Use the person's name throughout the conversation. It shows that

you're interested in and focussed on the other.

* Let the other be the center of attention.

* Show a genuine interest in the one you're speaking with. Maintain eye

contact.

* Ask questions that require more than a one word answer.

* When you ask a question listen attentively to the answer and be quick

to ask another question arising from the response to the first. You learn

what to say by listening carefully to what was said.

* Put the other at ease by smiling and nodding frequently throughout the

conversation.

* Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

* Don't feel the need to disagree until you get to know the person better.

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In all of the above look for the opportunity to insert a little humor

into the conversation.

GREAT CONVERSATION PHRASES

* " That's interesting. Tell me more."

* " Give me an example of what you mean."

* " How would you like to see it turn out?"

* How did you feel when that happened to you?"

CONVERSATION STARTERS

* Give a compliment.

* Ask for advice.

* Seek help with something.

* Give praise.

* Seek an opinion.

Great Tip

Collect one liners and humorous quotations on what both men and

women are interested in talking about. When chatting insert a funny line

or quote related to the topic being discussed.

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Here are the topics men and women are most interested in.

Men* sex

* social life

* money

* politics

* luxuries

* cars

* sports

Women* family and home

* friends

* personal growth

* health

* work

* recreation

* travel

* wealth

* religion/spirituality

* shopping

* clothes

Start thinking like a HUMOR HOUND and develop a nose for

humor related to the above topics. Keep a notebook with you and

jot down anything humorous you read, experience or observe.

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Developing Self Confidence

Humorous, entertaining people must have self confidence. I

looked up confidence in the dictionary and it said "to have belief and

faith in one’s ability." There are so many today who lack self

confidence. If you don't have confidence in your abilities, ideas, and

opinions, then how is anyone else going to have confidence in you and

what you have to contribute?

How to Be Confident When You Don’t Feel Confident

I'm going to spend a few moments discussing how to appear

confident even when you’re not. One of the things we must become

aware of quickly is the fact that people respond to appearance. They

make quick first impressions and these impressions are based on their

initial experience of you. Their first experience of you will result in an

impression, a perception, a judgment whether accurate or inaccurate.

How many times have you met somebody, made a first

impression of them based on a perception you have of the way they

treated you, the way they came across, the way they stood, their body

language etc.? Then you discover afterward that the perception was

totally incorrect? They are really nice, not the way you first thought

them to be at all. People do make first impressions, and that's why its

very important to make certain that their first impression of you is

positive.

If you enter a room hunched over, looking at the floor, expressionless,

afraid, timid and looking irritable people will form an negative

impression of you., an impression people will not easily let go .

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The Act As If Principle

One of the most effective ways I have found to develop self-

confidence when I didn’t have it was to act as if I did. In some of

my other writings I describe this as the act as if principle. It’s a

principle that has been written about a lot and is accepted in most

circles. It’s rooted in the belief that if you act as if you already are

the way you would like to be, you will become the way you act. So

if you want to be confident act confidently and you will become

confident.

I first became convinced of the power of the act as if principle

when I heard the actor Henry Fonda, being interviewed on television.

During the interview Fonda mentioned that he was extremely shy.

The interviewer said “Well how can you act all those movie parts if

you are that shy?” Fonda said “Well I do just that, I act. I act the part

I'm given.” That's what you have to do, you have to act the part of a

confident person. It is difficult at first but becomes easier with

practice.....and it works! I am living proof.

Your Task

Sit down and identify the qualities of a humorous, entertaining,

confident person. Then start acting as if you have those qualities.

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Using The Law of Expectations

The Law of Expectations states that we move toward and

eventually realize what we expect from life. If you expect to be

successful in whatever you are attempting and if you work hard to

achieve success and never give up, you will achieve your

expectations.

When you combine the law of expectations with visualization

you compound your possibilities. If you expect to be funny and

entertaining and visualize yourself as such, the likelihood of you

achieving your expectations is certain. Remember, we tend to become

what we expect to become.

When you visualize yourself as an interesting, witty, entertaining

conversationalist and you hold this expectation and vision in your

mind firmly you will achieve fantastic results. Don’t let go of it for

anything. Repeat over and over,” I become what I expect to become

and achieve what I expect to achieve. Everyday in every way I am

becoming more humorous and entertaining.”

If you commit yourself to this process you will begin to see

improvement in both your delivery and in your relationship with

people in social settings. You will be on the way to becoming the

entertaining and humorous social animal you want to become. What’s

more, people will want to listen to what you have to say and your

funny and charisma quotient will increase significantly..

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Five Ways to Sharpen Your Sense of Humor and Improve Your

Relationships

Humor has long been considered one of the most effective tools

to judge the quality of any relationship. If there is laughter present

you can be sure the relationship is a healthy one. When the laughter

ceases the relationship is on the down slide. If you want to have more

fulfilling relationships you might want to consider sharpening your

sense of humor as a great place to start.

Here are five ways to improve your sense of humor and improve

your relationships in the process.

1. Begin to cultivate an atmosphere of humor and laughter in your

relationships by focussing on the funny things in life and enjoying

the laughter they evoke. Soon you will be seeing humor all over and

enjoying it fully.

2. If you don ’t laugh as much as you used to and want to correct the

situation start associating with humorous, fun loving people and avoid

the downers.

3. Learn to laugh at yourself. If you don’t you leave the job to others.

So many people are unable to laugh at themselves because of their

own insecurities and fears. We are afraid to look foolish in the eyes of

others and appear to be incompetent. It is important to realize that we

all make mistakes and when we do a good laugh makes the mistake

seem trivial and human.

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4. Collect cartoons and jokes and put them on display on the fridge or

the bulletin board for all to see and enjoy. Make sure to avoid racist,

sexist or filthy humor. There is plenty of good clean humor to go

around without resorting to these. Remember that there is a difference

between dirty and earthy humor. I personally like earthy humor. I

don’t appreciate dirty material.

5. Use humor to neutralize conflict in your relationships. When

things get tense use self deprecating humor to lighten things up. I

remember one evening having an argument with my wife, Carol. In the

heat of the moment she said something totally out of character. She

said something hurtful. In my surprise I looked at her and said, “

Carol, when you say things like that you stoop to my level.” She

started to laugh and so did I. It wasn’t long before things were back to

normal.

Remember that a sense of humor is learned, not inherited. You

can sharpen your sense of humor if you really want to. When you do,

you will find that your relationships become richer and more

rewarding and that people find you more attractive and fun to be with.

This alone makes improving your sense of humor worth the effort.

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How to Cultivate a Humorous Social Style

When you use humor in social situations you have a real

advantage over those who don’t. People love to laugh and be amused

so anyone who can do this is well on the way to social success.

.

Many people have forgotten how to laugh with gusto. It’s almost

as if they put laughter away at the onset of adulthood. Children have

no problem laughing. In fact the research indicates that children laugh

over 400 time a day while adults can only manage 15. It is in our best

interest to rediscover the pleasure found in humor and laughter.

We learn to laugh by laughing. I read recently about a study that

was done on laughter. One person in a group started to laugh. The

laugh began softly and gradually grew in volume and intensity. The

other people in the room had no idea what was causing the laughter

but they began to join in. Soon everyone in the room was laughing

heartily at nothing more than the laughter of another. Try it sometime.

Just start laughing in the presence of others and see what happens.

People tend to join in the fun and good humor whether they know the

cause of it or not.

The same phenomenon applies to any and all social situations.

Some believe that people should never laugh at their own jokes. I

disagree with this totally. If I share a humorous anecdote or one liner

with and individual or a group I always laugh after telling it.

Inevitably the people join in whether they found it funny or not.

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Those who found it funny laugh heartily. Those who didn’t end

up laughing with those who did. It works. Try it. If I share a humorous

one-liner or brief story and I don’t laugh after telling it just how

funny was it in the first place? If I think the story is funny I want the

audience to think so too. They will be more inclined to find it

humorous if I am standing in front of them obviously getting a charge

out of it myself.

Get used to the fact that humor is subjective. What one person

finds funny another doesn’t. Some will literally roll in the aisle

laughing, others will sit there stone-faced. Some will be mildly

amused and many will laugh quietly. It is important to remember that

just because a person doesn’t laugh out loud at your story doesn’t

mean that they didn’t enjoy it. People have different ways of

expressing their enjoyment. I once had a person approach me after a

speech and tell me how much they enjoyed my humor. They could

have fooled me for they didn’t laugh at all throughout the talk. You

really can’t tell a book by its cover.

Once in awhile something you say in your conversation will

result in howls of laughter and you will have no idea what made them

laugh. If this happens make a mental note of it and use it again in your

next social situation. If it evokes laughter again don’t question it. Just

go with it and use it intentionally from then on. It was a gift.

Never use dirty humor. Even if there are people listening to you

who like this kind of humor there will be many who don’t. Now earthy

humor is a different matter. While I never use dirty humor in my

conversations, I frequently use earthy material. Most people love a

good earthy story providing it doesn’t cross the line.

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Here is what I mean by earthy humor: Did you hear about the old

man who streaked through the annual flower show? He won first

prize in dried arrangement.

To me this is cute and earthy. Not too many would be offended by this

short piece....I don’t think.

Why Use Humor in Conversation?

Humor is used because it’s enjoyable and fun and that’s what

we all want in social interaction. We all want to laugh and have fun.

These reasons alone are sufficient to justify its use, but it also

distracts people from their pain and problems, clarifies, entertains,

mirrors the human condition, releases tension, promotes relaxation,

emphasizes a point and gets people paying attention to you.

George Bernard Shaw once said that if we find something funny

we should search it for hidden truth. I like to say that the word WIT

stands for W- wisdom, I - insight, T - truth. On top of all these

functions we can add one more. Humor has a fantastic bonding

capacity. People who laugh together tend to become friends more

easily. We are attracted to people who make us laugh and we want to

be in their company as often as possible.

Important Statistic

When women were asked to identify the quality in a man they find the

most attractive and appealing the vast majority said “A sense of

humor.” Women like a man who can make them laugh.

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Humor Distracts:

Humor is frequently used to control pain.. When I first read this I

wondered what there was about humor that was able to do this.

Apparently it is accomplished by distraction. I suffer from long term

back pain which can make my life miserable. If I am out having a

good time and my wife asks how my back is I often realize that in the

process of having fun I had forgotten my back pain. When my

attention is drawn to the pain I start feeling it again. This is what

humor does. It distracts our attention from the pain we are feeling and

focuses it on a story or experience that makes us laugh. When this is

done we tend to forget the pain and enjoy the laughter. If this is true

then we should laugh as much as possible.

There is also research to suggest that humor and laughter lessen

physical pain by increasing endorphin levels in our body. These are

the feel good chemicals which are released by the body under certain

conditions. I can’t really comment on the validity of this research. I

just know that when I am feeling physical or emotional pain, laughter

helps me feel better. When you feel like laughing least, you need it

most.

Humor Reduces Stress and promotes relaxation.

When people are in a new social setting with people they don’t

really know that well, if at all, they become uptight and stressed. If

you appear to be friendly and funny they begin to lighten up, relax and

become comfortable in your presence.

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Humor Maintains Attention.

Have you ever noticed how your ears perk up when someone

tells a funny story? We do seem to be drawn to humor like a moth to a

flame. Don’t we? If you want to get people to notice you and like you

then share a humorous story.

Humor Mirrors the Human Condition.

I have a cartoon book for teachers which reflects the world of

education through humor. Every time I offer it for sale and teachers

take a look at it they are frequently heard to say, “ Isn’t that the

Truth?” This is exactly what humor does when we confront it in any

form. It makes us say, “ Isn’t that the Truth?” It reflects life back to us

and makes us laugh at the absurdities of the human condition.

Humor also makes us aware of the fact that we are not alone in any

situation. Others have been there before us and survived. Someone

once said that when we can laugh at adversities we are on the way to

overcoming them.

The Difference Between a Comedian and a Funny Person.

A comedian is mainly concerned with standing in front of a

group of people and making them laugh They are all alone on stage

and they are the main attraction. Humorous people, on the other hand

engage in general conversation and at the appropriate times inject

humor into the flow of things. They aren’t the main act ,they are an

entertaining amusing part of social interaction. When people are

chatting they don’t want or appreciate someone dominating the

conversation by telling jokes ad nauseam.

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What to Do When Something Meant to be Funny, Isn’t.

We’ve all had this happen to us from time to time in

conversation. Some will find an intended humorous remark funny

while others will sit in silent bewilderment. When this happens to me I

do one of two things. I either move quickly to the next point in the

conversation or I make a comment like this, “ I found that really

funny, but obviously I was the only one who did.” Make this remark

in a light hearted tone and not in one that reflects irritation. I find that

this response often gets the hearty laugh that the funny quip or story

didn’t. This also works well when it happens in one of my

presentations. Johnny Carson was a master at this technique.

What Type of Humor Should I Use in Conversation?

There are many types of humor to choose from - brief quips,

personal humorous anecdotes, jokes, cartoon gag lines, brief one

liners, definitions, newspaper misprints and quotations.

The easiest to use if you are just beginning to use humor in

conversation are the brief one liners, quips, definitions and gag lines.

Stay away from telling jokes and personal anecdotes unless you feel

confident with them. Brief humor doesn’t take a lot of time to tell and

doesn’t require the same sense of timing and pacing that longer pieces

do. As you grow in comfort and confidence you can give longer

humor a try.

I also find that brief one liners, gag lines, etc., tend to fit better into

the flow of conversation than longer forms do. Here are a few

examples of short humor and how I use them when chatting with

people.

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The Quote:

Related Conversation Topics: Individual well-being. eating well,

overweight, positive/ negative attitudes etc.

When the conversation is on over eating or the latest diet craze wait

for an opening and inject one of these lines. ( In all conversational

humor wait for an opening or a link and then inject your funny stuff.)

“ If we are what we eat, many of us are in serious danger of becoming

french fries.”

“ Begin each day with a smile......and get it over with.” W.C.Fields

“ Some people should have written on their tombstone, DIED AT 35.

BURIED AT 80.” G.B. Shaw

The Quip:

Related Conversation Topics: Communication, parenting, family

relationships...

It’s OK to hold a conversation, but not too tightly or too long.

Getting into an argument with a teenager is like getting into a peeing

contest with a skunk. You’ll never win.

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Newspaper misprint:

Related Conversation Topics: Communication

In an employment want ad: The successful applicant should have 203

years of experience. Hopefully they meant 2 or 3 years experience.

Humorous Question and Answer:

Related Conversation Topics: Finances, spending, the economy

If money talks, why is the only word it says to me “ goodbye”?

Definition:

Related Conversation Topics: Attitude, perception, golfing, health,

medicine, aging...

A mature person is one who can play golf as if it were a game.

A medical specialist is someone who has had the operation.

Middle age: when a man has more hair growing from his ears and his

nose than he does on his head.

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Cartoon Gag Lines:

Related Conversation Topics : Coping in today’s society, high

medical costs...

Old man ( holding a bill in his hand) to dentist’s receptionist “ Excuse

me, but last month I was in here for a root canal and you billed me for

the Suez Canal.” I would love to send this to my dentist.

One liners: ( Heard on the radio or read in the newspaper)

Related Conversation Topics: Human relations ,Communication,

health

Former President Clinton was said to have lied falsely. ( Can you lie

truthfully?)

It was recorded on a medical record that the patient had failed to

achieve his wellness potential. ( He died)

Graffiti:

Related Conversation Topics: Aging

Inside every old person there’s a young person saying, “ What the hell

happened?

Related Conversation Topics: Parenting/Perception

Raising teenagers is like trying to nail jello to a tree

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Related Conversation Topics: Positive Attitude

Isn’t it wonderful that wrinkles don’t hurt?

Signs:

Related Conversation Topics: Modern Living

It’s not hard to meet expenses, they’re everywhere.

The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you’re on the

toilet.

Sayings:

Related Conversation Topics: Modern Living

It’s hard to make a comeback when you haven’t been anywhere.

The problem with being punctual is that there’s no one around to

appreciate it.

Humorous Remarks:

A frustrated first grade boy named Marc, to his teacher: “ For 20 years

I have spelled my name with a “c” and you still want to spell it with

“k”.” This is a true story.

Wife to husband who was getting ready to give an important speech: “

Now don’t try to be witty and charming. Just be yourself.”

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These are just a few samples of the humor I have collected and use

effectively within my presentations. Feel free to use them in yours.

Remember that this type of humor cannot be copyrighted so you don’t

have to worry about breaking copyright law.

Just How do I Insert one of the above into conversation?

Here are a few suggestions to help those of you who might have

difficulty inserting humor into conversation smoothly.

Conversation Connections

* In my opinion..............................

Example: In my opinion a conservative is someone who wishes

nothing had ever been done the first time.

* I believe that........................if we are what we eat then there are a lot

of us in great danger of becoming cheeseburgers.

Are you getting the idea??

* I read recently that................insert humorous line

* It’s been said that.............................insert

* Many people believe.........................

* I saw this funny cartoon on this topic the other day................

( Briefly describe and deliver the gag line)

* I think people who...............................

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* People wouldn’t..................( worry about what people thought of

them if they only knew how seldom they did.)

* Have you ever wondered why ................... insert

* I think..............getting into an argument with a teenager is like

getting into a peeing contest with a skunk ( This always evokes

laughter when discussing parenting teens)

* Did you know that................ insert humorous line

* Well I’ve seen/read a lot of strange things in my life but this one

takes the cake..................insert BRIEFLY what you have seen or read.

IMPORTANT..... Wait for the right time to insert the humor and then

GO FOR IT. People laughing at your witty remark will encourage and

affirm your sense of humor. Just remember to keep it simple, brief

and power packed. Don’t hog the limelight. Enjoy the humor of

others.

Don’t you just hate it when one humorous remark turns into a

competition.

Process: Jump in, insert your humor, get out and enjoy the

laughter.

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The Humorous Personal Anecdote

This is the one form of humor which requires practise to master

but really goes over well in conversation when used at the appropriate

time.. You must know the story well enough to tell it smoothly and

effectively. Write the story out in detail trying to lead the reader to the

humorous punch line and deliver the punch line crisply after being

well set up. Don’t get too wordy in the telling of the story. Keep the

story flowing smoothly, pausing for effect and pacing yourself so that

you create the desired humorous impact at just the right time. Watch

comedians in action to get a real sense of what I mean here. Try to

imitate them.

Here is an example of something funny that happened to me in a

talk which I now use in all my presentations on the value of humor. It

goes over well. I will share the essence of the story followed by how I

tell it for the desired humorous effect.

Basic story line: When I mentioned that adults only laugh 15 times a

day, while kids laugh over 400 times per day, I asked the audience

why adults have stopped laughing. One woman in the front row

answered, “ We got married.” When this happened everyone roared

with laughter. Quite possibly the laughter was due, in part, to the

spontaneity of the woman’s statement as well as the humor in it.

When I retell the story to other audiences I have to recapture the

atmosphere of the original experience. That means I have to create

drama using vocal expression, pausing and pacing as I lead the

audience to the punch line, “ We got married.”

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Here’s what I mean. In the course of my talk on the value of humor I

tell this story like this: “ I recall speaking to a group of middle aged

women one evening on the subject of humor in our lives. I happened to

mention that children laugh over 400 times a day and adults can only

manage 15. I looked at the women and said, Something terrible has

happened to us as adults.( Pause). We have stopped laughing.

(brief pause).

WHY HAVE WE STOPPED LAUGHING? (Ask the question

with emphasis) No sooner had the question left my mouth than a

woman in the front row looked up at me and, without missing a

beat, said in a loud voice, “ WE GOT MARRIED!!” If the timing

and the pacing are correct it always get a huge laugh.

YourTask: Identify a funny experience you have had and try to tell it

in a way that will make people laugh. If you can do this consistently

then you will be able to include this form of humor in your talks and

presentations. If it doesn’t work for you then use those forms of

humor that do. The shorter pieces outlined earlier are pretty foolproof.

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER!! Keep the story brief and crisp.

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MINING THE MOMENT

In my books and talks on the value of humor to human health and

well being I refer to a skill I call “Mining the Moment”. When you

mine the moment you analyse your experiences, looking for the humor

they contain. Humor is all around us if we only have eyes to see and

ears to hear. I suggest that when something funny happens, write it

down in your ever-present notebook. Just jot down the story line.

Don’t worry about details, you can add them later.

The important thing is not to forget the essential humor of the

moment. Later add the colour to the story and use the story in

conversation with friends. You can begin the story with, “ You’ll

never believe what happened to me today...” Once again your aim is

to tell the story so that you get them laughing.

Not only does mining the moment sharpen your humor

identification skills but it provides you with the many therapeutic

benefits that humor evokes. ( For more on “Mining the Moment” and

the benefits of laughter and humor see my book LIGHT UP WITH

LAUGHTER available at

http://www.motivationalplus.com/mpstore.html

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Start Your Own Humor Collection (A Laughter Log)

I give 5 or 6 different talks on topics including parenting, humor

in the workplace, humor and stress, positive attitude, etc. I collect

humor on all these topics and file them under the many subject

headings. At present I have literally hundreds of short humor pieces

filed in my collection. Whenever I am preparing a talk I go to my files

and select a number of appropriate humor pieces to work into the

content of the talk. Where do I find my humor? Well, I have become a

real humor hound over the years. I look for funny material while I

read newspapers, watch television, listen to the radio or have a coffee

at the local coffee shop.

I recall having a coffee one morning when a smartly dressed

man entered talking on his cell phone looking and sounding very

authoritative and important. As he stood there in all his self-perceived

glory he finally noticed what many of us had already noticed.....HIS

FLY WAS OPEN and a piece of his white shirt was sticking out for

all to see. When he became aware of the situation he took off for the

washroom in a hurry and emerged a few minutes later a much more

humble man. I immediately took out my notebook and recorded it.

This funny story is now used in my talks on leadership and human

relations and the people love it. Become a humor hound.

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Tips On Using Humor in Your Conversations

* Select the humor that suits your style, comfort level and comedic

ability. Never use a specific form of humor if you are uncomfortable

with it. Trust your instincts.

* Know the story well enough so you don’t become confused or too

wordy in the telling of it. Make it short and crisp to the punch line.

* Tell the story, never read it.

* Have a smile on your face as you share your humor so your audience

will know that you find it amusing and hope that they will too.

* Share your humor with enthusiasm and expression.

* Just before you hit them with the punch line pause for a second for

dramatic effect. Then let them have it.

* Never use dirty, racist or sexist humor.

* Never make fun of someone in the group to get a laugh.

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How to Become More Entertaining

If you look up the word entertaining in the dictionary you will

find that it means amusing, interesting and pleasing. So, to become

more entertaining you must become more amusing, interesting and

pleasing to the people with whom you are conversing.

Here are a few practical suggestions to help you improve your

entertainment quotient.

1. Focus on the needs and wants of the people you are conversing

with. Remember that a bore is ME deep in conversation. To avoid

being boring be people centered not ME centered.

Speak in terms of their desire to be

recognized

to belong,

to feel important

to be appreciated

to be accepted

and to enjoy pleasure and laughter.

People need attention. There is nothing more affirming than the

undivided attention and appreciation of another. If you want people to

give you their undivided attention give them yours.

2.Put a smile on your face the moment you enter the room and keep it

there until you leave. Be conscious of the importance of your smile in

meeting the needs and wants of your social group.

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3. Be enthusiastic about your life and your message. Enthusiasm is

contagious and does get attention. Ask yourself if you were a member

of your group would you be listening attentively to what you were

saying?

4 Tell stories. A study was done at an American university to observe

the factors that impacted positively on student attention and their

retention of course content. It was found that when the professor used

humor and storytelling in a lecture retention of material and attention

to what was being taught increased significantly. There is a good

message here for us in our conversation style.

5. Laugh at yourself during your chat. There is nothing people enjoy

more than hearing and seeing someone being able to laugh at his/her

weaknesses and human foibles. It gives them permission to laugh at

themselves when they see their own shortcomings and weaknesses

reflected in yours. It promotes a “ we’re all in this together” attitude.

I frequently tell a story about the time I had parked my car outside our

local post office. I got out to find a beautiful middle aged woman on

the step of the post office. I sucked in my stomach, smiled as I

bounded up the steps like a young gazelle and gave the woman an

enthusiastic “ HELLO!!” When I came out after doing my business she

was still there so once again I gave her the time of day and got into my

car looking and feeling quite suave. When I took out my keys and tried

to insert them into the ignition they wouldn’t fit.. I looked in the

rearview mirror only to see my automobile two cars behind me. In my

exuberance to impress and look suave I had entered the wrong car.

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All I could do is get out, look at the object of my attention and say, “

OOOPS WRONG CAR” She just stood there looking very amused by

my antics.

Whenever I tell this story the audience roars and when I finish my

presentation I usually have three or four people come up to share

similar experiences with me. We are all in this together.

If you don’t laugh at yourself you leave the job to someone else.

If you do laugh at yourself you will be constantly amused.

If you are able to laugh at yourself you tell the world that you have

forgiven yourself for being human.

6. Use your voice as an instrument. Show emotion, joy, intensity,

amusement, frustration with your voice. Whatever you do, don’t be a

monotonic speaker. They are deadly.

7. Tell stories. We all love to be told stories whether we are six or

sixty years old. In my audio CD “ The Art of Storytelling” I talk about

the importance of storytelling and show you how to use them

effectively in social interaction.. Stories amuse, inform, and entertain

so use them frequently. JUST DON”T DRAG THEM OUT.

9. Be yourself. Get rid of the masks you hide behind and let people see

and enjoy the real you.

10. Relax and enjoy the experience.

These are the basic elements involved in being more entertaining

whether you are speaking with one person or 200.. Take one element at

a time and try to incorporate it into your conversations. You will be

pleased with the results.

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Your Task. Record yourself practising social conversation in your

room. Listen to the recording and make improvements. Put a

person’s photo on the pillow and pretend you are chatting with

them.

Why Be Funny in the Workplace

1.Humor reduces stress levels and stress is the number one problem

confronting employees today.

2. Laughter boosts morale while stress erodes staff morale. It is in

the best interest of any business to invest in the happiness of its

employees. Laughter is an effective barometer of just how happy

your people are.

3. Keeping things in perspective tends to boost morale and humor

helps us keep things in perspective.

4. Humor helps facilitate change. Change is inevitable and people

who laugh well and often tend to be more flexible and adaptable.

5. Communication improves when humor is used appropriately.

The timely use of humor can get a point across effectively and

assists in the process of problem solving.

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6. Laughter and humor relieve boredom and increase creative

energy.

7. Humor builds confidence. When we laugh at ourselves we are less

rigid and more spontaneous. We tend to bounce back more quickly

when negative things happen. Humor also makes us less fearful of

making mistakes and more confident about overcoming setbacks.

8. Laughter and humor promote positive relationships. When you

hear a funny story your first impulse is to tell someone and share the

laughter. When laughter is shared a natural bonding takes place.

9. Humor promotes happiness and joy. It's good to be alive.

10. Quality relationships are measured by the amount of laughter

present. When relationships are good, people laugh a lot. The same

applies to businesses. When employees enjoy one another and laugh

easily and often, we see performance improve and profits increase.

11. The humor I speak of here must never be based on laughing at

someone, racism, sexism, put downs, sarcasm or ridicule. These

forms of humor are destructive attempts at making one look good by

making another look and feel badly. There is enough good humor to

last a lifetime. Just look for it.

I speak a great deal on Humor in the Workplace mainly because of it

many social, physical, psychological and financial benefits. I wanted

to include the article above for those of you who would like to

explore the issue. Remember that what I say about the value of

humor in the workplace also applies to humor in the home and

humor in any other relationship. 36

THEY WHO LAUGH TOGETHER............LAST TOGETHER

35 Humorous One Liners

I believe in the awesome power of humorous one liners to get and

maintain peoples’ attention and make them enjoy and appreciate your wit

and wisdom.

Mastering the art of the one liner is simple, much easier than mastering

the art of telling humorous stories. The latter requires a keen sense of

pacing and timing to deliver a punch line which results in laughter. Some

people have a difficult time mastering the timing of a longer story but

usually have no problem at all with one liners.

If you know who said the one liner always give credit, but if you don’t,

just use it and forget about authorship. Many one liners are credited to so

many sources, that no one really knows from whom they originated. The

origin and authorship of most are lost. Just use them and let them make you

sound witty and entertaining.

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Here are 35 of my favorite humorous one liners for you

to use in your speeches. Practise delivering them with

sharpness and confidence.

1. Expecting people to treat you nicely because you’re a good

person is much like expecting a bull not to charge you because

you’re a vegetarian.

2.Start each day off with a smile..............and get it over

with. W.C. Fields

3. My Mother told me I wouldn’t get far in life because of my

procrastination, but I told her,“ Just you Wait!”

4. If you go to a doctor’s office and find all the plants

dead, get yourself another doctor. Erma Bombeck

5. If at first you don’t succeed, so much for sky diving.

6. My insides feel so much younger than my outsides look.

7. We must do more than gargle from the well of knowledge.

8. I read recently in the newspaper that impotence is on the

rise. Really? MM

9. I’m not afraid of dying, I just don’t want to be there

when it happens. Woody Allen.

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10.They laughed at Joan of Arc, but she went right ahead and

built it anyway. Gracie Allen

11. The only time the world beats a path to your door is when

you’re on the toilet.

12. It’s not hard to meet expenses, they’re everywhere.

13. Some days you’re the dog and some days you’re the hydrant.

14. If all is not lost where the hell is it?

15. If God wanted us to bend over and touch our toes He would

have put them on our knees.

16. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the

depth.

17. It’s hard to make a comeback when you’ve never been

anywhere.

18. If a cat could speak it would probably say something

like, “ Hey I don’t see a problem here.”

19. Isn’t it wonderful that wrinkles don’t hurt?

20. Parenting teens is much like trying to nail jell-O to a

tree.

21. You know you’re getting old when you stoop to tie your

shoes and wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.

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22. Inside every old person is a young person wondering what

the hell happened.

23. I know there is no life on Mars. It has never shown up on

my daughter’s phone bill.

24. The problem with being punctual is there’s no one around

to appreciate it.

25. Minister at grave side: “ What we have here is a mere

shell. The nut is gone.”

26. Her husband is always willing to go that extra mile. He

just won’t stop and ask directions.

27. Why is it that when I throw a pity party no one ever shows

up but me?

28. You know you’re getting old when friends compliment you

on your new alligator shoes and you’re barefoot.

29. When you come to the fork in the road, take it.

30. Charisma is that special quality bald, boring,

overweight billionaire’s have.

31. Despite the high cost of living it is still quite popular.

32. I started to take Flintstone vitamins. I didn’t really

feel any better, but you should have seen me stop my car with

my feet.

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33. There’s one advantage to being 102 years old. No peer

pressure.

34. Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

35. Any day above ground is a good day.

LAUGHTER MAKES GREAT THINGS HAPPEN

I have a publication called 121 Humorous One liners. You can check it

out here. http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?101liners

Another publication to help you with your confidence

Unleash Your Potential ( The Art of Confident Living)

http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?potential

Mike Moore is an international speaker/humorist/cartoonist on humor and

human potential.

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CONCLUSION

As I bring this report to a close I want to take a moment to really

encourage you to work hard at developing or sharpening your humor

delivery skills. Keep in mind that you can do anything you put your mind

to. Your efforts will pay off in increased group attention and interest.

Hearing you speak will be a fun experience everyone one will want to be

involved in. Your reputation will spread as a humorous entertaining

guest and people will want to be n your company. All because you can

make people laugh as you share your important message with them.

Remember, people love to laugh.

Good Luck!

Mike Moore

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mike Moore is an international voice on the role of appreciation, praise

and humor in performance motivation and human potential. He has

spoken to groups throughout Canada and the United States on getting the

most out from life and achieving our enormous untapped potential. If you

would like Mike to speak to your group or organization you can reach

him on- line at www.motivationalplus.com or www.speakforprofit.com

His email address is mikemoore@motivationalplus.com If you want to

use regular post write to:

Mike Moore

193 Balmoral Dr.

Brantford, ON

Canada N3R7S2

Ph 519-753-0702

FOR MORE ON PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR PROFIT AND

PLEASURE visit http://www.speakforprofit.com