by Darlene Davies, DTM
Have you ever thought about entering the Toastmasters fall humorous speech contest?
“But I am not funny,” you might say. The fact is everyone has a humorous story inside them.
At your family gatherings, are you taking notes about the stories that make your family howl with laughter? We all have memories that make us smile. People laugh at stories they can relate to. They laugh at the unexpected twist. They laugh at situations we face every day. They laugh at themselves.
If you have never smiled, never laughed, never got into a ridiculous situation with kids, stores, or travel, then you are excused. But if there is the teeniest glint of laughter in your eyes, you can write a humorous speech.
Take one of those stories that made you smile, write it down without editing. Add in what your reactions were and what made you laugh about the situation. Now add another story in the same theme or about a similar situation. Always keep the funniest line for the end of each story. That is called the punch line.
The punch line is the surprise, the twist, the words that will make them laugh. Pause just before you say it. Deliver it with confidence. Emphasize the most important words.
What do you do if they don’t laugh? The comedian, Jack Benny, used to slowly fold his arms and wait for the audience to get it. They always laughed. Maybe that is not your style but do try waiting a few seconds, then move on to the next story.
What do you do if they do laugh? Take a few moments to enjoy their laughter. Let them enjoy it too. Let the laughter swell like an ocean wave, and then just before it dies down, say your next line.
Start with a short opening that makes you laugh. It is better to use your own experience than to grab something from the internet. The audience wants to get to know you. Close with a line that ties it all together and makes you laugh.
You can do it. Your own stories, wrapped in laughter, will be a gift that only YOU can give to the audience! If you have fun, the audience will have fun.
See you at the club contest!
Literally Speaking Toastmasters 