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20 Public Speaking Jokes to Spice Up Your Presentation

Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking activity for many of us, but we can’t deny that a little laughter can help ease some of the tension. Whether you’re giving a presentation in front of a large conference audience or just talking to your coworkers, having a few jokes ready to lighten up the conversation can help you communicate your points in a more engaging way. Therefore, I’m here to share with you my top 20 public speaking jokes so you can add a pinch of humor to your next presentation. From the classic knock-knock jokes to some cheeky puns, let me help you take your humor game to the next level. Let the laughter begin!

What is Joke Telling in Presentations?

Joke telling, for the purpose of livening up a presentation or spicing up a speech, is an art form. Jokes and punchlines bring levity to a presentation, but if done incorrectly can fall flat or worse, offend. On one hand, when used appropriately, jokes can provide comedic relief that allows the audience to connect with the speaker and adjusts the mood from serious to positive. On the other hand, it can be extremely risky because humor is subjective to individual taste and when words are spoken publicly any misinterpretations can be difficult to remedy. Therefore, it is essential to consider an audience’s sense of humor and align it with humour appropriate for the subject matter. The art of crafting punchlines requires skillful delivery as every joke setup requires a payoff they will find funny. It is all about timing. Punchlines should be delivered with clarity, confidence , and conviction by using subtle vocal intonation such as raising or lowering of one’s voice at the right moment. Knowing when to pause before or after makes all the difference in how funny a punchline will be received by an audience. With practice, anyone can become an expert joke-teller that adds comic relief to their presentations.

The Art of Crafting Punchlines

Crafting punchlines that effectively punctuate your presentation can be an effective way to add humor and insight into a topic. Crafting and delivering a well balanced joke are essential components of comedic timing and ensures that the audience is engaged when listening to you. To craft the perfect punchline, you must consider two important aspects of writing: timing and structure. When it comes to timing, the punchline should come in at the exact moment when your audience thought you had finished talking. You must focus on a consistent rhythm, as this will let your audience know what kind of impression you’re trying to make, allowing them to anticipate the punchline and find it hilarious. Additionally, the structure of your punchline has a great effect on its delivery. When constructing a joke, you need to make sure that each component makes sense and serves its function in the overall joke. A single misspoken word or poorly placed pause can easily disrupt an otherwise good joke. Additionally, remember to keep things short and sweet; often, overly wordy jokes lack impact due to all the fluff around them. The art of crafting punchlines has both technical and artistic components, as any good comedian knows that proper timings and structuring is essential for making a joke successful. Next, we will dive into the techniques behind telling jokes that really get laughs from an audience.

Here are the first 10 public speaking jokes:

• “I used to be afraid of public speaking… but then I realized everyone in the audience is just as scared as I am.”
• They say that public speaking is one of people’s greatest fears.. . which is why at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy.”
• “Why did the public speaker get a standing ovation? Because he finally stopped talking.”
• Public speaking tip: Start with a joke to break the ice… or in my case, break the tension.”
• “I’m not saying I’m a great public speaker, but I do have a black belt in awkward pauses.”
• I always prepare for public speaking by practicing in front of a mirror… it’s the only way I can make eye contact with someone who won’t judge me.
• “They say that the key to public speaking is to imagine the audience in their underwear… but I tried it once and it just made things even more awkward.”
• “I’ve been told that I have a face for radio and a voice for silent movies… but here I am, giving a public speech.”
• “Public speaking is a lot like driving a car… you need to keep your eyes on the road and avoid hitting any potholes.”
• “Why did the public speaker wear a wig and a fake mustache? To deliver a convincing TED talk.”

The Techniques Behind Telling Jokes

The technique behind telling jokes is an important element of making sure the audience finds the joke funny. Many people make the mistake of thinking that if they are funny, then the audience will find their jokes funny as well. However, humor is subjective, and what might sound funny to one person can fall flat for others. Therefore, it’s important to understand the different techniques behind telling jokes so that your comedy is well-received by everyone. To begin, it’s essential to be aware of timing when delivering a joke . A joke too early in your presentation may end up taking away from more important points you need to make while a joke too late after those points might be forgotten. Also think about how quickly you deliver the punchline of your joke. If it’s delivered too quickly, or abruptly, your audience may be caught off guard and miss its effectiveness. Another technique to consider is understanding how to structure your delivery . This includes things like varying your loudness and inflection when setting up the joke versus delivering the punch line; this will help emphasize the element of surprise for those listening and make them laugh even more. Additionally, consider opting for shorter jokes with fewer words but still finding creative ways to set them up so that they connect with your overall point and tie into something relevant for the group you are speaking too; this will help get audiences even more engaged with what you have to say. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way when it comes to telling jokes in a public speaking setting; each speaker should find what works best for their personal style while also considering lessons they have learned from practice runs or experience speaking at other events. While some speakers may prefer longer jokes while others opt for shorter ones – knowing these key elements of effective comedy can ensure everyone in attendance gets a good laugh before going back to taking notes on the presentation. With these techniques in mind, let’s turn our focus towards exploring “The Benefits of Public Speaking Jokes.

The Benefits of Public Speaking Jokes

The purpose of public speaking jokes are not just for comedy. While at face value, they do lighten the mood and provide immediate entertainment , underlying benefits to jokes during a presentation can have longer-term impacts that assist in better engaging an audience. Contextualized properly within the narrative of a presentation, insights from resulting laughter lead to increased engagement while also paving the way to more meaningful conversations. The use of humor has been proven to break barriers and stigma between speaker and audience—straight away gaining trust and respect. Jokes also help keep your material fresh; constantly reminding listeners why they stay tuned to your presentation. Furthermore, telling a joke can help defuse negative situations caused by dissention or distractions stemming from the audience. On the other hand, it is important to note that with any comedic element used in presentations, there is risk involved. Poorly delivered punchlines or misappropriated humor can turn off the audience and even cause harm to the topic being discussed—rapidly souring the atmosphere of any presentation. It is therefore important for presenters to carefully consider their use of humor as it conveys message as strong as any technical fact or figure. By juggling these opposing issues, public speaking jokes can enhance presentations by breaking down boundaries between speaker and audience, delivering content within refreshment contexts, uniting fragmented audiences under collective laughter and providing power through authentically delivered messages. As such, how telling jokes enhances presentations is an element worth further consideration.

How Telling Jokes Enhances Presentations

It’s no secret that humor has a practical place in the art of public speaking . Used correctly, jokes can enhance the experience of your presentation and create a more memorable atmosphere for you and your audience. Here are a few reasons why laughing is your best bet when it comes to delivering a successful address. One powerful advantage of using jokes in your speeches is that well-crafted humor can help keep your audience engaged . A joke serves as an emotional hook for attendees and helps keep them interested in what you’re saying by capturing their attention and establishing a connection with them. Furthermore, many people are much more likely to remember funny stories, which can help them recall key concepts from your speech even after it’s over. Another reason to keep things light-hearted is that humor helps reduce performance anxiety by lightening the mood before you reach the podium. Writers such as Richard Harris and Andrew Tarvin would agree that one of the most difficult aspects of public speaking is simply getting up on stage, but telling a joke can break the tension and make both you and your audience feel more comfortable in the moment. Similarly, laughter may also help people relax while they listen, resulting in greater focus and understanding. On the other hand, there is some debate over whether every speech should contain jokes. While there’s no denying that humor can improve overall interest in a presentation, there’s also always the risk that a joke may be perceived as too off-color or inappropriate for a formal environment . As mentioned above, public speakers must be mindful about their level of wit when addressing an audience; This means that tasteful joke selection is paramount if you want to avoid any potential problems with colleagues or viewers. In conclusion, incorporating humorous remarks into your speeches may help boost engagement levels, set an enjoyable tone, and combat unease among audiences. With these strategies in mind, let’s move on to learn some tips and tricks on how to add genuine levity to presentations.

Here are 10 more public speaking jokes:

• “I used to be a public speaker for a living… but I quit because the audience never laughed at my jokes.”
• “Public speaking is like skydiving… it’s terrifying at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a real rush.”
• “What do you call a public speaker who can’t stop talking? A filibuster.”
• “Why did the public speaker cross the road? To get to the other side of the podium.”
• “Public speaking is a great way to face your fears… unless your fear is public speaking, then you’re out of luck.”
• “I’m not a great public speaker, but I’m really good at pretending I know what I’m talking about.”
• “Why did the public speaker bring a pillow to his speech? So he could rest his case.”
• “Public speaking is a lot like cooking… it takes a lot of preparation and the end result may not always be what you hoped for.”
• “I’m not nervous about public speaking… I’m just practicing my interpretive dance moves.”
• “Why did the public speaker keep checking his watch? Because he had a lot of time to kill.”

Humor Tips and Tricks

Humor is an essential part of a successful public speaking presentation. Not only does it help lighten the mood and liven up the atmosphere in the room, but it also helps to create a more engaging and memorable presentation . While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for humor, there are some tips and tricks that can help you inject humor into your presentation. The most important tip for adding humor is to be authentic. If your audience can tell that you’re not comfortable telling jokes, or having a sense of humor, they will likely not respond well. Instead, focus on being yourself while you’re presenting and look for subtle opportunities to lighten the mood by using self-deprecating humor or referencing your own experiences or observations. You don’t need to be a stand-up comic in order to add wit and charm to your talk, just speak genuinely and authentically with a lighthearted air. Another tip for injecting humor into your talk is to keep the tone appropriate. Make sure that your jokes are appropriate for the occasion; if you’re speaking at an event with children present, it’s probably best to avoid using any language that might be considered inappropriate or racy. Similarly, don’t rely heavily on stereotypes or stereotype jokes; these types of jokes may come across as offensive or inappropriate. Finally, be mindful of cultural differences and sensitivities; even if a joke works well elsewhere, there might be nuances specific to your audience that could cause offense. Finally, remember the importance of timing when invoking humor in public speaking presentations. Jokes rarely work if they are delivered too slowly or quickly; instead, find ways to keep your delivery natural by practicing delivering your presentation until you have it down pat with all the associated intonations for when the joke should occur. Keeping this timing intact also ensures that any potentially funny moments will not get lost as people laugh at prior jokes or stories in your talk . Ultimately, while humor can make any public speaking presentation more enjoyable and engaging , it should never take away from the overall message of your talk – jokes should always supplement rather than overshadow your main points. When used appropriately and authentically, humor can help create a lasting impression on the audience long after your presentation has ended . By crafting hilarious stories and punchlines to use throughout their presentations, speakers can successfully use humor as an effective tool for delivering their message effectively. In the next section we will discuss taking these tips into account when crafting funny stories and punchlines that invite laughter from both young and old audiences alike.

Crucial Highlights

Humor can be a great way to add charm and wit to a public speaking presentation. However, it is important that the tone of humor is appropriate for the occasion and audience. Additionally, speakers should be mindful of cultural differences and sensitivities when using humor. Furthermore, timing when delivering jokes is crucial; it is important to know when to deliver the punchline for maximum comedic impact. Lastly, remember that humorous anecdotes should supplement rather than overshadow the overall message of a talk.

Crafting Funny Stories and Punchlines

Crafting humorous stories and punchlines is an art form. Not all presenters are naturally funny, but there are ways to increase your comedic prowess. On one hand, crafting your own jokes allows for originality and customization for your specific audience and presentation. This can help increase your performance’s impact as a personal touch can be more memorable to listeners than generic jokes. Creating unique content allows you the opportunity to practice joke-telling in a way that maximizes impact and leaves your listeners laughing and engaged. On the other hand, using prepared jokes carries its own benefits. This can help reduce any performance nerves as they have been tried and tested by other comedians. Additionally, if you are new to presentation design or don’t consider yourself too funny, it can provide a safety net of ready-made material. Drawing on proven jokes can insure that even if your audience isn’t amazed, you can be confident that they will at least laugh at the stories or punchlines you selected. Both methods of comedy-creation carry their own pros and cons; ultimately it depends on the presenter’s comfort level with delivering joke material. Whether you choose to create unique content from scratch or use existing jokes, adding humor should never distract from the success of your presentation as a whole. With careful consideration for the right timing and attitude, humor can be a powerful tool in capturing an audience’s attention. Next we’ll discuss how to find the right jokes for your audience.

How to Find the Right Jokes for Your Audience

Finding the right jokes to throw into your presentation is an essential part of public speaking, but it’s also an area that can be tricky to navigate without experience. When selecting jokes and other humorous elements, there are a few points to keep in mind. First, you want the jokes to stay true to your subject matter. It can help if you know a lot about your topic, as this will make it easier for you to draw up relevant jokes that may even reference specific points in the presentation. However, some speakers take a different approach and use jokes as an opportunity to create an interesting distraction from the main point. There are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches; if you choose the latter, make sure not to cheapen your message or distract too much from the main idea of your talk. Second, consider the type of audience you’re addressing. Are they well-versed in your subject matter? Will they appreciate obscure references or would something more overt be better? And most importantly, what kind of comedic style do they prefer? A joke that works well with one group might come off as offensive or awkward with another. You don’t want undecided voters at a political debate out of fear of making the wrong joke! Finally, take into consideration how often you introduce humor into your speech . Many presentations begin amicably enough with some appropriate levity, but overdoing it can be counter-productive — no one wants a speech that’s all laughs and no information! Use humor in moderation so it can have its intended effect when it appears. When selecting jokes and humorous elements for your speech, be mindful of the content and context while keeping an eye on pacing and frequency.

Final Tips for Becoming a Jokester

As a public speaker, you can use humor to engage your audience and spice up any presentation. To capitalize on this, you’ll need to become a jokester – someone who can insert funny remarks and witty one-liners on the fly. It requires finesse, though, so to help you out here are some tips for becoming a jokester: First, make sure you know your audience . Crafting the perfect joke is not much good if it falls flat with an unappreciative audience or worse yet, offends them in any way. Take time to get to know those you will be addressing during your presentation and use that knowledge to tailor your delivery. Second, strive for authenticity. Simple jokes may get the job done momentarily but don’t rely on them too often. Just like public speaking itself, jokes should stem from personal experiences and insights since that’s usually what resonates most with listeners. This can take practice though; prepare yourself by writing down ideas or potential topics that you may want to cover in advance of speaking. Third, pay attention to timing. When telling a joke (or even making a quip) timing is everything so using natural pauses throughout your talk can really help enhance the humor element within a presentation. One thing to keep in mind is that silence is awkward so be aware when it goes on for too long as it can make the joke lose its humor and effectiveness. Finally, remember that humor should be used as seasoning – sprinkle a few lighthearted references throughout your talk but don’t overdo it. Although humorous moments can create powerful connections with your audience and offer something for them to remember about your speech days later, too much joking can have adverse effects if handled improperly. There are many strategies outlined above that can help turn any public speaker into a jokester. But before reaching the conclusion of this article there is one more step to consider – deciding how far is too far when introducing comedic moments into serious talks…

In conclusion, adding public speaking jokes while giving a presentation can help to entertain the audience and provide lighthearted moments that help to keep them engaged throughout the entire presentation. However, it is important to be aware of the risks of using such jokes, like potentially offending members of the audience or not being well-received. Ultimately, if used appropriately, public speaking jokes are an excellent way to make a presentation more entertaining and enjoyable for everyone involved. It is necessary to take into consideration who your audience is when considering what kind of jokes you should use. If you are giving a presentation primarily to younger people, then it may be more appropriate to use more modern references or “pop culture” humor than if presenting to a room full of older people. Additionally, carefully researching the topic of your presentation beforehand and using any relevant information in your jokes can really help them land with the crowd. Ultimately, humor can be used as a powerful tool in a presentation and can make people more engaged in what you have to say. It is important for presenters to be self-aware about their capabilities as well as their audience in order to ensure that their jokes will receive positive responses. By following these guidelines and abiding by professional etiquette , speakers can use public speaking jokes effectively and boost their presentations’ impact on an audience.

Common Questions Explained

What are some topics that are off-limits for public speaking jokes.

Some topics that are off-limits for public speaking jokes include topics related to race or ethnicity, religion, politics, gender or sexual orientation, disability, and illness. Using jokes about these topics can cause deep offense and hurt the audiences’ feelings. Additionally, any topic that could potentially be considered offensive or insensitive should be avoided. Jokes about controversial topics have the potential to spark heated debates and detract from the main point of your presentation. Additionally, jokes about violence, death, war and crime are also not appropriate for public speaking. It is important to remember that humor should always remain respectful as well as appropriate to the current audience when using jokes in public speaking. Keeping these ideas in mind will help to ensure that your audience enjoys the presentation without being offended by it.

How can I use jokes to break the ice for a public speaking event?

Using jokes to break the ice at a public speaking event can be an effective way to win over your audience and set the stage for a positive atmosphere. Jokes are an excellent conversation starter and can help alleviate the stress of a live performance. The key is to choose jokes that are universally funny and appropriate for all ages. This means avoiding jokes that might be offensive or tasteless, as these can backfire and potentially leave the audience feeling uncomfortable. Pick jokes that relate to your topic in some way and weave them into your presentation style in such a way that they feel natural to hear. Remember, the goal is to make people laugh, not interfere with their concentration on what you’re saying. Laughter is contagious and will help create an enjoyable atmosphere for your entire presentation!

What are some tips for using humor when public speaking?

When using humor when public speaking, the following tips can help you create an engaging and successful presentation: 1. Know your audience: Before adding any jokes to your speech, make sure you know your audience and their sense of humor. This will help ensure that your jokes are appropriate and not offensive to anyone in the room. 2. Choose appropriate material: Make sure the jokes or humorous stories you select are relevant to the topic of your presentation, as this will further engage your audience. Avoid inappropriate or off-color humor too. 3. Practice: Timing is key when it comes to humorous speaking, so practice each joke until you have it down before delivering it in front of an audience. Don’t overdo it either—jokes should be used sparingly with other content to keep the focus on the main message of your presentation. 4. Tell the truth: An effective way to use humor is to tell a personal story about a funny experience you once had related to the topic of your presentation. People appreciate honesty and genuine self-deprecating stories are often more endearing than fabricated ones. 5. Relax: One final tip for using humor when public speaking is to remain relaxed throughout your presentation and trust in yourself—your delivery and timing will naturally become better with practice, so don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper into your own experiences for material.

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How to be funny in a speech (when you’re not that funny in real life).

by Kolarele Sonaike

According to a Hertfordshire University study , this is the funniest joke in the world.

“Two hunters are out in the woods when  one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says, “Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence; then a gun shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says, “OK, now what?”

Hmm. OK, once you’ve finished laughing, picked yourself up from the floor and wiped away those tears of laughter, lets examine the subject of humour.

There is no lonelier place on the planet, than on stage after a bad joke.

It is possibly the single most painful experience for any public speaker.

Comedians know this, which is why they work so hard at their craft. Comedians aren’t funny in real life. Like any other profession, funny is what they do, not what they are. Comedians work and struggle just like the rest of us to be good at their jobs. Ellen, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock – all the greatest comics write, rewrite and rehearse their routines with incredible care, diligence and attention to detail. They try out material for months, sometimes years in advance, on audiences – sifting out the stuff that doesn’t work, and doubling down on the lines that do.

(Getty Images)

So why, oh why, do so many of us as public speakers always assume that we can just shoehorn a couple of lame one liners (found on the internet) into a barely rehearsed speech, and get big laughs from our audience? This is guaranteed to fail every time, reminding us of the words of writer, Quentin Crisp:

if at first you don’t succeed, failure may be your style – Quentin Crisp

( If you’re pushed for time, you can download the Free Checklist of this article:  Dos & Donts of giving funny speeches )

Being funny in a speech is hard to pull off. But like most hard things, with a little study, much practice, and a healthy dose of chutzpah, anyone can do it. So lets examine the anatomy of a joke in the next section helpfully called “Anatomy of a Joke”

Anatomy of a Joke

All comedy, whether a one liner, long anecdote, or even an entire movie, is basically comprised of two parts: The Set Up and the Pay Off (also known as The Punchline).

With the Set Up, you are setting the scene by giving the audience all the information they need to know so that they will be amused by the Pay Off.

1) Set Up: Knock Knock. Who’s there? Dozen. Dozen who?

2) Set Up: In the movie “Some like it hot” eccentric millionaire, Osgood Fielding III, spends the whole movie chasing Tony Curtis’ character, Jerry (dressed in drag pretending to be a woman).

3) Set Up: Dr Evil (Austin Powers) has been cryogenically frozen for 30 years, so when he meets his evil colleagues, he lays out his plan to extort the world for a huge sum of money.

4) Set Up (in the world’s funniest joke) The hunter dies in the woods and his panicking friend calls the emergency services.

The mistake that most public speakers make that leads to them giving unfunny speeches, is to concentrate all their effort almost entirely on finding that Pay Off, asking themselves ‘what’s the funny line that I can say here?’ Whereas the key to humour is to focus on creating a compelling Set Up so that the right Pay Off just reveals itself.

To create a great  Set Up:

1) Take a subject (ideally one with which you are very familiar)

2) Examine it from all angles looking for the surprising contradictions and unexpected anomalies within the subject.

3) Work out how you can exaggerate those contradictions and anomalies almost to the point of a humorous absurdity. Can you connect one seemingly unconnected topic with another? Can you take a particular approach that will highlight these funny contradictions?

The humour lies in those unexpected findings and exaggeration that are nevertheless real. It’s why you find yourself muttering ‘that’s so true’ through your tears of laughter when listening to a hilarious comedian nail her routine. It’s why a Best Man’s speech works best when it skates on the edge of decency by revealing just enough of the groom’s true nature to the audience (and the Bride).

When you work hard on your Set Up, the Pay Off comes pretty easily because the punchline that ties it altogether seems to reveal itself.

1) Pay Off: Doz-anybody want to let me in?

2) Pay Off: (Some like it hot) Tony Curtis finally comes clean and declares to millionaire Osgood,”I’m a man!” To which Osgood simply replies “Well, nobody’s perfect”

3) Pay Off: (Austin Powers) Dr Evil demands…. 1 Million Dollars

4) Pay Off: (The funniest joke in the world) The friend shoots his collapsed hunter friend.

A very effective method of creating a compelling Set Up is to use a hook or theme that drives the narrative forward.

A great example is the ‘Shit’ sketch by Finnish comedian, Ismo Leikola .  In this hilarious skit, he talks about how he always though there was just one definition or meaning of the word ‘shit’.  But when he went to the US, he realised there were many more meanings like ‘you ain’t shit’, ‘I don’t give a shit’, ‘leave my shit alone’. Because he had found a great hook for the narrative, finding the humour was quite easy.

So, when you’re giving a speech about a serious subject like ‘How the Financial Markets work’, but you want to introduce a little humour to ease the way, consider what are the eccentricities of the financial markets? What parts make little sense if you stand back and look at it? What would your 8 year old son or your 80 year old grandmother make of the way traders?

Or giving a presentation at a small business forum, what eccentricities do entrepreneurs have? What challenges do they all face that you can highlight in a funny way? What mistake does nearly every small business make, which no one admits do, but every one knows?

This is where you’ll find your humour – in the careful analysis of the contradictions within your subject . Once you tap into that zone, a whole new world will open up and the Pay Offs will almost trip off your tongue.

Finally, a few dos and donts to send you on your way

maria bamford (Getty Images)

1) Don’t tell them you are going to be funny.

Anytime I receive an an email with the subject line: “This is funny”, I delete it. It never is. If you’re going to be funny, then be funny.  Don’t announce it.

2) Do have a purpose

As one of the greatest and funniest public speakers, the late Sir Peter Ustinov reminds us

 Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious – Sir Peter Ustinov

Don’t make jokes just for the sake of making joke. Stay focused on the reason you are giving your speech, and use humour to help achieve that objective.

3) Don’t copy. Adapt.

The best jokes are original. Your own material, born of your own experience will always be superior to something copied off jokes.com.

But originality can be hard. So, if you do have to use someone else’s material, approach it like Amy Winehouse covering the song ‘Valerie’ originally by the Zutons (bet you hadnt even heard of the Zuton’s version), and not like a teenage X Factor contestant doing yet another cover of Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’ (which itself was a cover of Dolly Parton’s original song).

Put your own spin on it. Make it your own and it will feel fresh.

4) Do tailor your jokes to your audience

What works for a university fraternity will probably not work for an accountant’s convention. Lawyers love a good naughty joke (it makes us feel dangerous), but you should probably avoid sexist jokes if you’re presenting to the Women’s Institute.

5) Don’t take yourself too seriously

If you can make jokes at your own expense, you’ve got a far better chance of making your audience laugh, than if you are joking about someone else.

Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century – And Barry Humphries

And when it comes to your delivery, you want to use your voice to help paint a picture of your ideas in the minds of your audience. Treat it as a song or melody you are singing to your audience. The things you want to think about are:

• timing – uses pauses and speed variation to build interest
• use your body to amplify and reflect your words
• give your voice dynamism i.e. intonation, pitch, volume
• commit (don’t do things half hearted)

Go forth, and be funny!

(Grab the full Checklist of 12 Dos & Donts for giving a funny speech )

Kolarele Sonaike

p.s. Grab your slot for a 1 hour communication skills coaching call with me. It’s free and pretty transformative. Click here to book your slot.

“ The session with Kola had a huge impact. He helped me tap into the passion that is central to my work and message. At an emotional level this showed me how I could start working with a different sense of authenticity, which would be founded upon a new level of confidence and commitment. The session really ‘gave the green light’ for me to tell my story in my approach so I could in turn create genuine impact the people I work with.” – Richard, Performance Coach

“The strategy session with Kolarele was great. In only one hour he was able to provide me with tools to work with to overcome some of my fears and improve my communication skills. I feel I have already made progress. I can only imagine what transformation will look like once we continue working together.” – Belinda, Co Founder

“Understanding how my presentation skills could be improved required me to understand my own long held inhibitions. Identifying this was both scary and enlightening, but seriously made me feel that I could give, not only a great presentation, but achieve my bigger goals. Thank you” – Yves, Marketing & PR (Embassy Liaison) Manager

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120+ Jokes In a Speech: Elevate Your Presentations

Introduction.

In the world of public speaking, incorporating humor into your speech can be a powerful tool to engage your audience, make your message memorable, and ease tension. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting, this guide will help you master the art of speech jokes. 

We’ll provide you with valuable tips, share examples, and address common questions to help you elevate your presentation skills.

Read more: Jokes On Current Events

Speechcraft Humor

• Why did the scarecrow become a public speaker? Because he was outstanding in his field!
• I told my computer I needed a break from work. Now it won’t stop sending me vacation ads.
• My friend asked me to give a speech about procrastination. I’m still working on it.
• Why did the grammar teacher give a great speech? Because she knew how to use her words!
• I asked my dog if he wanted to be a motivational speaker. He just rolled over and went to sleep.
• Why did the math book give a speech at the library? Because it had too many problems to solve.
• I tried to give a speech on time travel. Nobody showed up… yet.
• Why did the smartphone become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of apps for communication!
• I tried to give a speech on air conditioning. It was just too cool for the audience.
• Why did the chef become a motivational speaker? Because he knew how to spice things up!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of laughter. It was a real knee-slapper.
• Why did the scarecrow get invited to give a speech? Because he had straw-ng opinions!
• I tried to give a speech about gardening. It was a real plant-tastic experience.
• Why did the bicycle become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of pedaling experience!
• I gave a speech about electric cars. It was quite a shocker!
• Why did the coffee cup give a speech? Because it had a latte to say!
• I tried to give a speech on time management. I ran out of time to prepare.
• Why did the math book become a motivational speaker? Because it knew how to add value!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of exercise. It was a real workout for the audience.
• Why did the pencil become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of points to make!
• I tried to give a speech on recycling. It was a waste of time.
• Why did the smartphone get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of connections!
• I gave a speech on the importance of sunscreen. It was a sunny topic.
• Why did the baker become a motivational speaker? Because he knew how to rise to the occasion!
• I tried to give a speech about dieting. It left the audience hungry for more.
• Why did the light bulb give a speech? Because it had a bright idea!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of reading. It was a real page-turner.
• Why did the calendar become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of dates to share!
• I tried to give a speech on recycling. It was a trashy topic.
• Why did the computer become a motivational speaker? Because it had a byte-sized message!
• I gave a speech about the importance of sleep. It put the audience to bed.

Read more: Jokes About Fears

Opening Speech Jest

• Why did the bicycle get invited to give a speech? Because it wheely knew how to roll!
• I tried to give a speech on time management. I lost track of time.
• Why did the dictionary become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of words of wisdom!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of chocolate. It was a sweet topic.
• Why did the coffee cup get invited to give a speech? Because it had a latte on its mind!
• I tried to give a speech on climate change. It got too heated.
• Why did the GPS become a motivational speaker? Because it always knew the way to success!
• I gave a speech on the importance of laughter. It had the audience in stitches.
• Why did the clock become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of time to spare!
• I tried to give a speech about technology. It went viral.
• Why did the pen become a motivational speaker? Because it knew how to draw a crowd!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of meditation. It was a calming experience.
• Why did the blender get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of mix-ups to share!
• I tried to give a speech on financial planning. It bankrupted the audience.
• Why did the mirror become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of reflections on life!
• I gave a speech on the importance of education. It was a real eye-opener.
• Why did the vacuum cleaner become a motivational speaker? Because it knew how to suck people in!
• I tried to give a speech on climate change. It got too chilly.
• Why did the calculator get invited to give a speech? Because it could count on the audience!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of positive thinking. It had everyone looking on the bright side.
• Why did the microwave become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of heat to share!
• I tried to give a speech about space exploration. It was out of this world.
• Why did the guitar become a motivational speaker? Because it knew how to strike a chord!
• I gave a speech on the importance of friendship. It was a real heart-warmer.
• Why did the camera get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of snapshots of wisdom!
• I tried to give a speech on time travel. It was a blast from the past.
• Why did the computer mouse become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of clicks with the audience!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of music. It was music to the ears.
• Why did the ladder become a motivational speaker? Because it knew how to climb to success!
• I tried to give a speech about the importance of balance. It fell flat.
• Why did the refrigerator get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of cool ideas!

Read more: Public Speaker Jokes

Parting Speech Gag

• I gave a speech on the benefits of traveling. It took the audience on a journey.
• Why did the TV become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of channels of knowledge!
• I tried to give a speech on time management. It ran out of minutes.
• Why did the GPS become a motivational speaker? Because it always knew how to navigate life’s twists and turns!
• I gave a speech on the importance of communication. It spoke volumes.
• Why did the umbrella get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of coverage!
• I tried to give a speech about environmental conservation. It left the audience green with envy.
• Why did the smartphone become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of apps-ealing ideas!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of volunteering. It was a real giving experience.
• Why did the clock get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of timely advice!
• I tried to give a speech on time travel. It got stuck in the past.
• I gave a speech on the importance of patience. It tested everyone’s limits.
• Why did the bicycle become a public speaker? Because it wheely knew how to pedal its message!
• I tried to give a speech on the benefits of laughter. It was a real chucklefest.
• Why did the coffee cup get invited to give a speech? Because it had a latte to share!
• I gave a speech on the importance of recycling. It was an eco-friendly message.
• Why did the smartphone become a motivational speaker? Because it had a lot of connections to success!
• Why did the pen become a public speaker? Because it had a lot of points to make!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of education. It was a real lesson in wisdom.
• Why did the mirror become a motivational speaker? Because it had a lot of reflections on life!
• I tried to give a speech on the importance of family. It brought everyone closer together.
• Why did the vacuum cleaner get invited to give a speech? Because it knew how to suck people in with its message!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of fitness. It was a real workout for the audience.
• Why did the calculator become a public speaker? Because it could count on the audience’s attention!
• Why did the camera become a motivational speaker? Because it had a lot of snapshots of success!
• I gave a speech on the importance of positive thinking. It had everyone looking on the bright side.
• Why did the microwave get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of heat to share!

Read more: Jokes About Conservatives

Lightening the Mood

• Why did the guitar become a public speaker? Because it knew how to strike a chord with the audience!
• I gave a speech on the benefits of friendship. It warmed everyone’s hearts.
• Why did the camera get invited to give a speech? Because it had a lot of snapshots of wisdom to share!
• Why did the computer mouse become a motivational speaker? Because it had a lot of clicks with the audience!
• I gave a speech on the importance of music. It was music to everyone’s ears.
• Why did the ladder become a public speaker? Because it knew how to climb to success!
• Why did the TV become a motivational speaker? Because it had a lot of channels of knowledge!
• Why did the GPS become a public speaker? Because it always knew how to navigate life’s twists and turns!

Jokes About Patriot

Jokes On Being Late

Incorporating humor into your speech can transform it from ordinary to extraordinary. With the right tips and examples, you can captivate your audience and make your message more memorable. 

Remember, a well-timed joke can break the ice, build rapport, and leave a lasting impression. So go ahead, infuse humor into your next speech, and watch your audience respond with enthusiasm.

How do I choose the right joke for my speech?

Consider your audience and the context. Opt for jokes that are relevant, non-offensive, and align with your message or theme.

When should I deliver the jokes in my speech?

Timing is crucial. Place jokes strategically, typically at the beginning to grab attention, during transitions, or to lighten serious topics.

What if my audience doesn’t find the joke funny?

Don’t worry; humor can be subjective. Stay confident, and if one joke doesn’t land, move on. Not every joke will resonate with everyone.

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I Want to Be Funny-How to Add Humor to Your Speech without being a Clown

Want to add humor to your speech? Quite often, when we are designing speeches and presentations for a professional audience, we discount the value of entertainment and humor. However, a good presentation should be both informative and entertaining. You have to have both. If you aren’t providing the audience with good information, then you’re wasting their time. If you aren’t providing some type of entertainment, though, you will likely bore your audience. As a result, they will lose interest. So, by adding a little humor to your speech, you keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation.

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Should I tell Jokes to Add Humor to My Speech?

When I first started speaking, I had a mentor who had been a speaker and trainer for over three decades. Very early on in my training, she advised me to “Never tell jokes in your speeches.” Later on, though, she encouraged me to add funny stories and anecdotes to my presentations. This contradiction was confusing. In fact, I never really figured out why she and other public speaking coaches were so anti-joke. My guess is that it is an extreme overreaction to a negative experience at some point.

For instance, if a speaker starts a speech with a joke and it bombs, it is difficult to recover. Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that many jokes are pretty off-color or inappropriate. One of our professional presentation coaches also teaches people how to do Comedy Improv. He mentioned to me that a major factor in whether a joke is funny or a flop is timing. As a result, I suspect that many presentation coaches discourage jokes because it is difficult to teach timing.

Whatever the case, I’d wager that every single professional keynote speaker has at least one joke in their keynote speeches somewhere. So eliminating jokes from your presentations entirely is probably a bad idea.

The Difference Between a Joke and Just a Funny Story.

If you look at the definition of a joke, according to www.dictionary.com , a joke is…

A thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.

So, according to these great public speaking coaches, a funny story or funny anecdote is okay, but a “story with a funny punchline” is not okay? Huh? That doesn’t make any sense.

In my experience, there is absolutely no difference between a joke and a funny story. The only exception is if you insert a joke that has absolutely nothing to do with your presentation. Often, this type of forced delivery can backfire on you. Your jokes need to be appropriate to the point that you are making. In addition, you will want to practice them over and over so that you have them down cold. A poorly delivered joke (or funny story) can be very challenging to overcome.

Make Your Point with Humor

One of my first big clients, Ron, was the manager of a truck dealership in Ft Worth. Ron was famous (maybe infamous) for starting every meeting with a corny joke. Every week, before he or his managers discussed any business, he’d start the meeting with something corny. Everyone would both laugh and somewhat cringe at the same time. It became part of the culture. (By the way, it really worked. Folks loved to come to his meetings.) Ron was a virtual encyclopedia of clean, corny jokes.

For Ron, this technique worked really well. However, I don’t encourage people to do this. I doubt that I would as successful with the technique if I used it. For most speakers, using your funny stories as a way to add showmanship to the point that you are making works much better.

The following techniques will give you much better results:

Tell a Self-Deprecating Story about How You Screwed Up.

Find a funny joke that reinforces your bullet point..

• Add a Funny Analogy.

As you go through your list of main bullet points to cover in your speech, try this. Ask yourself, “Have I ever had an experience, related to this point, where I totally screwed up?” You will be surprised at how often a funny incident will pop into your head. Keep in mind that sometimes, these incidents seem horrifying to us. However, when we tell the stories to others, they have a high potential for humor.

For instance, I often start my presentation classes by telling the audience about a huge failure I had as a speaker. When I experienced this failure, it was not funny. It was actually, probably quite sad. However, when I relay the story now, even I get a chuckle out of it. In the story, I prepared a 15-minute speech. I practiced over and over. When I delivered it, though, I spoke really fast. So, I finished in less than four minutes. After I said my last sentence, I looked around the room at all of the confused faces. Panic sat in. Having nothing more to say, I just abruptly returned to my seat and sat down. Glancing around the table, I noticed that the entire room was still staring at me. They all still had confused looks on their faces as well. It was quite awkward.

Self-deprecating humor is almost always the best (and easiest) type of humor to add to a presentation. The easiest way to make an embarrassing story funny is to exaggerate what happened.

Google the word “joke” followed by the main idea in your bullet point. For example, I was recently writing a speech on how to improve listening skills in the office. I typed “joke listening” into Google, and I got the following ideas.

• Recently, my wife asked me, “Are you even listening to me?” I thought that was a really weird way to start a conversation.
• Job interviewer: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” “I’d say my biggest weakness is listening.”
• “You know it is times like these when I wished I had listened to what my mom told me.” “Really? What she say?” “I don’t know. I wasn’t listening.”

Any of these can, with a little creativity, be tied into the point that I’m making.

For instance, I could start with the phrase, “The third listening level is what we call ‘Selective Listening.’ That reminds me of a conversation my wife and I had recently. She heatedly asked me, ‘Are you even listening to me?!” I thought, “That is a strange way to start a conversation.'”

This technique takes a little timing and practice, but it can pay off in a positive way.

Add a Funny Analogy to Add Humor to Your Speech.

I use analogies a lot in my presentations. An analogy is basically making a comparison of something you are trying to explain with something more commonplace. What makes these fun and funny is when you compare things that absolutely and totally unrelated.

For instance, a young lady who was a technician at an electric company came through my class a few weeks ago. Her presentation was about new software that would help their sales reps find prospective customers better. She started the explanation by saying the following:

“When you think of good combinations you think of things like peanut butter and jelly or salt and pepper. You don’t really think about things like salad and ketchup. That is a bad match. So when the program analyzes a potential client and sees a manufacturing company, it identifies that potential client as a ‘peanut butter and jelly’ type prospect. However, with a small retail company that uses very little electricity, that would be more of a ‘ketchup and salad’ combo.”

What made the delivery funny was that she used this bad combination expression a few times, and every time that she did, she got a bigger laugh. The audience eventually started identifying whether the match was peanut butter and jelly or salad and ketchup.

The humor worked because she picked an absurd combination with ketchup and salad, and the food items have absolutely nothing to do with electricity consumption. The great news about analogies is that even if they don’t get a laugh, they still work well as showmanship.

Add Colloquialism’s to Your Speech

Being from Texas, this is one of my favorite techniques. Dr. Phil, the blunt psychologist who became famous on the Oprah Winfrey show is the king of these. His down-home speech allowed people to laugh and lower their defenses. Mark Twain was also famous for this. The folksy sayings in

• Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn made those books very popular.

Type “[Your State or Region] colloquialism” into Google, and you will find funny sayings unique to your area. I did this with Texas, and I got a list of “Texas Sayings”. My favorite was “He’s all hat and no cattle.” I tried it again for “Southern colloquialism” and I got, “That’s a hard dog to keep on the porch” and “He’s happier than a tick on a fat dog.”

This technique is harder to pull off, but if you do, you can have your audience rolling in the aisle.

Just remember to make your presentations fun. Add humor to your speech, and you will easily do this.

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Public Speaking Jokes

Using public speaking jokes or stories in a speech can be an effective method of connecting with an audience.

It's a great way to get your presentation off to a good start, with a lot of positive momentum.

BUT... you'll run into problems if you don't structure the joke or story properly, or don't rehearse it enough.

The LAST thing you want to do is begin your speech with a dud of a joke or story. Then you'll spend the rest of the speech fighting to get your audience back, rather than riding a wave of audience approval!

Ideally - tell a funny personal story

Ideally, you should tell stories that are unique to your experience; ones that happened to you personally. The reason this works out so well is that it rings true. You are repeating the story with conviction because you were there and the audience can feel the genuineness and authenticity in your voice and delivery.

But, structure your public speaking jokes or stories properly for hilarious impact

It's unfortunate then, that real stories often end up with blank stares and the speaker saying, "Well, I guess you had to be there." The fact is, whether a story is true or not, it must be structured properly to elicit laughter. Many times a speaker will tell a story whose humor relies on certain qualities of the characters in the story that the audience does not know. If you tell a public speaking joke or story that hinges on the fact that your cousin is afraid of water, and the audience neither knows your cousin, nor this pertinent information, the story will die. And too often, this is the type of story audiences get. The opposite problem is when speakers use known public speaking jokes or stories but do not alter them to fit their circumstances enough. They begin a speech by saying, "Before I begin let me tell you the story of the nun and the monkey," and then tell a standard joke that is loosely connected to their speech. You can see the “eye rolls” throughout the room.

A better strategy is to find a story that fits you fairly closely and then modify it as if it actually happened to you.

For example, if you grew up in Catholic school and had to give a speech on creative thinking in business, you could tell this joke:

"Creative thinking is so important in today's business world. I remember one day when I was a kid in Catholic school I created a different way of looking at things. I was in the lunch line at St. Timothy's and came upon a pile of apples. Sister Margaret had printed a little sign that said, 'Only take one, please. God is watching.' A little further down the line I came upon a big pile of cookies. So I took out my pen and a piece of paper and wrote a sign that said, 'Take as many cookies as you want. God is watching the apples.'"

Now, whether you think that particular public speaking joke is the height of humor or not, I think you will agree the story is much more effective when the speaker tells it as if they were the subject of the story.

If you tell it in the third person, it is much less effective. And a story like that could be changed to Hebrew School, Sunday School, Summer School or whatever.

The truth is audiences do not care if public speaking jokes are true or not, they just want a good story that makes them laugh and feel good. For true stories, structure them so that an audience has all the information they need to get the joke.

Or, take one of the many public speaking jokes out there, modify it to your own background and tell it as if it actually happened to you. With a well structured story delivered with conviction - and a huge dose of blarney! - you are on your way to winning speeches.

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Humor and Jokes on Public Speaking

Jokes on public speaking can lighten the mood during presentations and help speakers connect with their audience. Many people find public speaking daunting, so using humor can help alleviate tension and create a more relaxed atmosphere.

Effective humor can also enhance the speaker’s credibility and make the audience more receptive to their message. However, it is important to use jokes that are relevant, appropriate, and inclusive, avoiding any potentially offensive or divisive content. With the right balance, jokes can be a powerful tool for engaging the audience and making public speaking a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Table of Contents

Importance Of Humor In Public Speaking

Humor plays a crucial role in public speaking, especially when it comes to jokes on the topic. It not only captivates the audience’s attention but also helps in delivering the message effectively. By incorporating humor, speakers can establish a connection with their listeners and make the overall experience enjoyable.

Humor As An Icebreaker:

• Public speaking can be a daunting task, both for seasoned speakers and beginners alike. However, incorporating humor into your speeches can act as a powerful icebreaker, instantly capturing the attention and interest of your audience.
• Humor has the ability to create a positive and relaxed atmosphere, helping to break down any barriers between the speaker and the audience. It allows the speaker to establish a connection and build rapport with the listeners.
• Here are some reasons why humor is an effective icebreaker in public speaking:
• It grabs attention: A well-timed joke or witty remark can immediately capture the audience’s attention, making them more receptive to the speaker’s message.
• It lightens the mood: Humor has a way of diffusing tension and creating a relaxed environment. When people are relaxed, they are more open to listening and engaging with the speaker.
• It builds rapport: Making the audience laugh helps to establish a connection between the speaker and listeners. Sharing a humorous moment creates a sense of camaraderie and trust.
• It boosts confidence: A speaker who can successfully inject humor into their presentation appears confident and in control. This confidence can inspire confidence in the audience as well.

Relaxing The Audience:

• The inclusion of humor in public speaking acts as a powerful tool to relax the audience, making them feel at ease and more receptive to the message being delivered.
• Humor helps create a relaxed atmosphere by:
• Easing tension: Laughter has a way of diffusing tension and creating a positive vibe in the room. When people are relaxed, they are more likely to pay attention and engage with the speaker.
• Generating positive emotions: Humor triggers the release of endorphins, which are often referred to as the “feel-good” hormones. When the audience experiences positive emotions, they are more inclined to remember and connect with the speaker’s message.
• Breaking down barriers: Shared laughter helps break down any barriers between the speaker and the audience. It creates a sense of unity and promotes a feeling of inclusiveness.
• Making the topic relatable: Humor can make even the most complex or mundane topics relatable and accessible. It allows the audience to connect with the content on a personal level, enhancing their understanding and retention.

Enhancing Engagement And Retention:

• Humor is a powerful tool for enhancing audience engagement and boosting message retention in public speaking. Incorporating humor can help make your presentation more memorable and impactful.
• Here’s how humor enhances engagement and retention:
• Maintaining interest: Humor breaks the monotony of a speech, preventing the audience from becoming bored or disengaged. It helps to sustain their attention throughout the entire presentation.
• Aiding information retention: When humor is used strategically, it can help reinforce key messages and make them more memorable. Humorous anecdotes or punchlines can serve as mental hooks, aiding information retention.
• Creating a positive association: The positive feelings generated by laughter can create a positive association with the speaker and their content. This can lead to a stronger connection between the audience and the message being delivered.
• Improving message comprehension: Humor has been shown to improve cognitive processing and comprehension. When the audience is engaged and enjoying themselves, they are more likely to absorb and understand the information being presented.

Incorporating humor into public speaking not only serves as an icebreaker, but it also relaxes the audience, enhances engagement, and improves message retention. By using humor strategically, speakers can captivate their listeners and deliver their message with impact. So, don’t underestimate the power of a well-placed joke or funny anecdote in your next public speaking engagement.

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Incorporating Jokes Into A Public Speaking Presentation

Discover the power of incorporating jokes into your public speaking presentation to captivate and entertain your audience. With carefully crafted humor, you can enhance your message and make a memorable impact, while maintaining a professional and engaging speaking style.

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking for many individuals, but incorporating jokes into your presentation can help break the ice and engage your audience. Jokes have the power to captivate attention, lighten the mood, and create a memorable experience. However, it’s important to understand the audience, deliver relevant and appropriate jokes, and master timing and delivery techniques.

Let’s explore these aspects further.

Understanding The Audience:

• Research the demographics and interests of your audience.
• Consider their cultural background and values.
• Tailor your jokes to resonate with their experiences and sense of humor.
• Beware of sensitive subjects or offensive content that may alienate certain groups.
• Take into account the venue and event type to gauge the overall tone.

Delivering Relevant And Appropriate Jokes:

• Align your jokes with the overall theme or message of your presentation.
• Use anecdotes or personal experiences that relate to your topic.
• Relate the humor to the subject matter to ensure relevance.
• Balance the level of humor to suit the audience’s preferences.
• Avoid inside jokes that only a select few would understand.

Timing And Delivery Techniques:

• Break the ice with a well-timed joke at the beginning of your presentation.
• Incorporate humor throughout the speech to maintain engagement.
• Pay attention to the flow and rhythm of your presentation to enhance comedic timing.
• Use pauses and facial expressions to accentuate punchlines.
• Practice your delivery to ensure naturalness and confidence.

Incorporating jokes into a public speaking presentation can add a touch of humor and make your message more memorable. However, it is crucial to understand the audience, deliver relevant jokes, and master timing and delivery techniques. By doing so, you can captivate your audience, create a positive atmosphere, and leave a lasting impression.

So go ahead, embrace the power of humor and confidently deliver your message.

Categories Of Public Speaking Jokes

Discover the various categories of jokes centered around public speaking, providing humor and entertainment for all those familiar with the art of addressing an audience. Delve into the world of witty punchlines and comedic anecdotes that poke fun at the challenges and idiosyncrasies of public speaking.

Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience for many individuals. To lighten the mood and engage the audience, incorporating jokes into a speech can be highly effective. There are several categories of public speaking jokes that can be utilized, including self-deprecating jokes, observational humor, and puns/wordplay.

Each category offers its own unique style and comedic value, allowing speakers to connect with their audience on a more lighthearted level.

Self-Deprecating Jokes:

• Self-deprecating jokes involve poking fun at oneself and highlighting personal weaknesses or quirky traits. These jokes can create a relatable and endearing atmosphere, making the speaker more approachable to the audience.
• Example: “I used to be terrified of public speaking, but then I realized that the worst thing that could happen is I make a few people snore.”

Observational Humor:

• Observational humor revolves around everyday life situations or commonly shared experiences. By adding a humorous twist to these situations, speakers can ignite laughter and improve audience engagement.
• Example: “Have you ever noticed how public speaking and parallel parking have a lot in common? Both can leave you feeling anxious, sweaty, and praying you don’t hit any cones.”

Puns And Wordplay:

• Puns and wordplay involve playing with language, often incorporating double meanings or clever twists. These jokes can be highly entertaining and showcase the speaker’s wit and creativity.
• Example: “Speaking in public can be like trying to herd cats. You’re never quite sure if they’ll listen, but if you bring treats, they might just stick around.”

Incorporating jokes from these categories can significantly enhance a public speaking experience, making it more enjoyable for both the speaker and the audience. However, it is essential to ensure that the jokes are appropriate for the context and audience, as humor can be highly subjective.

With careful consideration and preparation, public speaking jokes can contribute to a memorable and engaging presentation. So, let’s dive into the world of public speaking jokes, explore each category, and learn how they can elevate your next speech!

Jokes For Presentations

Discover a collection of humorous jokes on public speaking that will keep your audience engaged and entertained during presentations. These jokes are sure to break the ice and lighten the mood, making your presentations memorable and enjoyable. So, get ready to add a touch of laughter to your next public speaking engagement!

Opening Jokes To Grab Attention:

• Have you ever seen a presenter so nervous that they tripped over their own words? Well, they probably shouldn’t have used “public speaking” as their worst nightmare in a presentation!
• Imagine this: You’re about to start your presentation, and you see the audience looking bored and sleepy. Well, worry not! I’ve got some opening jokes that will wake them right up and make them eager to hear what you have to say.
• Let’s face it, starting a presentation can be daunting. But with the right joke, you can break the ice and instantly grab your audience’s attention. Here are a few opening jokes that will inject a dose of humor into your presentation and set the tone for an engaging talk:
• “Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! Speaking of outstanding, let’s talk about our topic today…”
• “I recently heard a funny story about an octopus who could juggle 8 balls at once. It got me thinking about the importance of multitasking, which brings me to our discussion on…”
• “Did you know that public speaking is often ranked higher than death as people’s top fear? Well, the good news is, I’m here to make it a little less terrifying and a lot more enjoyable. Let’s dive in, shall we?”

Transition Jokes Between Main Points:

• Now that you’ve captured your audience’s attention with an opening joke, it’s time to smoothly transition between your main points. Including transition jokes not only adds a touch of humor but also helps maintain the flow of your presentation. Here are a few transition jokes to keep your audience engaged:
• “Moving on to our next point, let me share a little story that perfectly illustrates the concept we just covered. Picture this: A penguin, a giraffe, and a monkey walk into a bar…”
• “As we shift gears and delve into our next topic, let’s lighten the mood with a quick joke. What did one wall say to the other? I’ll meet you at the corner!”
• “Before we jump into the nitty-gritty details of our next idea, can I just share something funny I stumbled upon? Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!”

Closing Jokes To Leave A Memorable Impression:

• As you near the end of your presentation, don’t forget the golden rule: Leave a lasting impression. A well-crafted closing joke is the perfect way to leave your audience with a smile and ensure they remember your message. Here are a few closing jokes that will help you wrap up your presentation on a high note:
• “Before we wrap things up, let me share a small yet amusing anecdote. Did you hear about the mathematician who was afraid of negative numbers? He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them! Thank you for joining me on this math-filled journey, and remember, positivity is always a plus!”
• “As we come to the end of this presentation, I can’t resist sharing a funny observation I recently made. Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they always use honeycombs! Just like bees collect honey, I hope you leave here today with a sweet taste of knowledge.”
• “Now, before we part ways, here’s a little joke to make sure you remember the main takeaway from our time together. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together! Thank you for being such a wonderful audience, and remember, when we work together, we can achieve great things!”

Remember, incorporating these opening, transition, and closing jokes into your presentation will not only add humor but also help you connect with your audience, create a memorable experience, and ensure your message resonates long after you’ve finished speaking. So go ahead, make them laugh, and enjoy the journey of public speaking!

Jokes For Business Presentations

Discover the perfect blend of humor and public speaking with jokes for business presentations. Engage your audience and make your presentation memorable with clever jokes about public speaking.

Using Jokes To Lighten The Mood During Serious Discussions

Oh, the dreaded business presentations! The mere thought of standing in front of a room full of serious faces can send shivers down anyone’s spine. But fear not! Incorporating a well-timed joke or two can work wonders in lightening the mood and engaging your audience.

After all, laughter is the best medicine, even in the corporate world. So, let’s sprinkle some humor into those serious discussions!

Incorporating Industry-Specific Humor

When it comes to business presentations, incorporating industry-specific humor can do wonders in establishing rapport with your audience. By using jokes that resonate with your industry, you not only demonstrate your knowledge but also create a sense of belonging. Here are some ways to incorporate industry-specific humor:

• Research current trends: Stay updated on the latest news and trends in your industry. Find humorous anecdotes or situations that tie in with your topic. This shows your audience that you are not only well-prepared but also in touch with the industry’s lighter side.
• Adapt well-known jokes: Put a twist on popular jokes or one-liners by giving them an industry-specific spin. This shows your audience that you can find humor even in the most mundane aspects of your business. Just remember to keep it light and avoid sensitive subjects!
• Use funny visuals: Incorporate funny images or memes related to your industry into your presentation slides. Visual humor can instantly grab attention and create a more relaxed atmosphere. However, make sure the visuals are tasteful and relevant to your message.
• Personal anecdotes: Share funny and relatable stories from your own experiences in the industry. This humanizes your presentation and makes it easier for your audience to connect with you.

Remember, the key is to find a balance between humor and professionalism. Humor should enhance your message, not overpower it. By incorporating industry-specific humor into your business presentations, you can create a memorable and enjoyable experience for your audience.

Now go ahead, break the ice with a well-crafted joke and watch your business presentations soar to new heights!

Jokes For Academic Presentations

Discover a collection of witty jokes tailored specifically for academic presentations. These hilarious quips on public speaking will delight and entertain your audience while adding a touch of humor to your presentation.

Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience for many individuals. However, injecting some humor into academic presentations can help ease tension and engage the audience. Adding jokes to complex or technical topics requires a delicate balance between humor and educational content.

In this section, we will explore some effective strategies for incorporating jokes into academic presentations.

Adding Humor To Complex Or Technical Topics:

• Use analogies: Comparing complex ideas to everyday situations or objects can help simplify the content and make it relatable. For example, when discussing the concept of entropy in thermodynamics, you could say, “Entropy is like a messy room after a wild party – everything is disordered and chaotic!”
• Incorporate visual aids: Utilize humorous images, illustrations, or even memes to lighten the mood and make the content more engaging. Visual humor can help convey complex information in a memorable and entertaining way.
• Tell anecdotes: Sharing personal stories or anecdotes related to the topic can add a touch of humor while providing real-life context. For instance, if discussing a research methodology, you could humorously recount a situation where the methodology went hilariously wrong.
• Utilize wordplay and puns: Clever wordplay can bring a smile to the audience’s faces while still conveying important information. For example, when discussing biology, you could say, “Why did the skeleton want to go to the party alone? Because he had no body to go with him!”
• Engage the audience: Encouraging audience participation through interactive elements, such as quizzes or polls, can create a lighthearted atmosphere. You can inject humor by incorporating funny or unexpected options in the multiple-choice questions.

Remember, the key is to strike a balance between humor and educational content. While jokes can add entertainment value to academic presentations, they should never overshadow the main purpose of conveying knowledge and information. By using these strategies, you can make your academic presentations both informative and enjoyable for your audience.

Benefits Of Using Jokes

Discover the benefits of incorporating jokes into public speaking engagements. By using humor, speakers can connect with their audience, ease tension, and leave a lasting impression that enhances engagement and retention.

Building connection and likeability:

• Jokes can help speakers form a connection with their audience by creating a shared sense of humor and breaking the ice.
• A well-placed joke can make the speaker more relatable and likable, enhancing the overall impression they leave on the audience.

Breaking the monotony and engaging the audience:

• Incorporating jokes into a presentation can help alleviate boredom and monotony, keeping the audience engaged and attentive.
• Jokes serve as a refreshing break from the seriousness of public speaking, adding elements of entertainment and humor to create a more lively atmosphere.

Making the presentation memorable:

• Funny and memorable moments tend to stick in our minds. By including jokes, speakers can make their presentations more memorable for the audience.
• Jokes can act as anchors, helping listeners recall key points or messages long after the presentation ends.
• Personal anecdotes and humorous stories told through jokes can leave a lasting impression on participants.

Remember, humor should be used tactfully and in moderation. It is essential to consider the context and the audience’s preferences before incorporating jokes into public speaking.

Challenges Of Using Jokes

Using jokes in public speaking can present several challenges. It is important to strike the right balance between humor and appropriateness, as jokes that fall flat can create awkwardness or offend the audience. Additionally, jokes require proper timing and delivery to be effective, adding to the complexity of incorporating humor into presentations.

Cultural And Language Considerations:

• When using jokes in a public speaking engagement, it is important to consider the cultural and language backgrounds of your audience. Not all jokes will translate well across different cultures and languages.
• Different cultures have different senses of humor, and what may be funny in one culture can be seen as offensive or confusing in another.
• Language barriers can also pose a challenge when using jokes. Wordplay and puns, for example, may not have the same impact or be understood by everyone in the audience.

Risks Of Offending Or Alienating The Audience:

• One of the main challenges of using jokes in public speaking is the risk of offending or alienating the audience.
• Jokes that make fun of certain groups or individuals based on their race, gender, religion, or any sensitive topic can be highly offensive and can create a negative atmosphere.
• It is essential to steer clear of jokes that may be controversial or divisive, as they can alienate parts of the audience and undermine the overall message of your speech.

Balancing Humor With Professionalism:

• Finding the right balance between humor and professionalism is crucial when incorporating jokes into a public speaking engagement.
• Humor can be an effective tool to engage the audience, lighten the mood, and make the content memorable. However, it is important to ensure that the jokes align with the tone and objective of the speech.
• Professionalism should be maintained at all times, even when using humor. Jokes should never overshadow the main topic and should be in good taste, appropriate, and respectful.
• Keep in mind that the primary purpose of public speaking is to inform, persuade, or entertain, so humor should enhance these goals rather than detract from them.

Identifying Potential Joke Opportunities In The Content

Uncover hidden comic gems within content centered around public speaking. Identify potential joke opportunities to inject humor and engage the audience effectively, creating an engaging and memorable experience.

Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience for many people, but injecting a little humor into your presentation can lighten the mood and captivate your audience. By identifying potential joke opportunities in your content, you can effectively engage your listeners and make your speech more memorable.

In this section, we will explore how to find humorous angles and punchlines and utilize storytelling techniques to enhance your public speaking skills.

Finding Humorous Angles And Punchlines

• Understanding your audience: Tailoring your jokes to the interests and demographics of your audience can increase the chances of success. Consider their age, profession, and cultural background when crafting jokes.
• Identifying funny anecdotes: Look for humorous personal stories or experiences related to your topic that you can share during your speech. These relatable anecdotes can instantly connect with your audience and generate laughter.
• Exploring wordplay: Playful use of words, such as puns or double entendres, can be an excellent source of humor. Keep an eye out for witty phrases or word combinations that align with your content.
• Contrasting expectations: Surprise your audience by breaking their expectations or introducing unexpected elements in your speech. This creates tension and sets the stage for a well-timed punchline.
• Exaggeration and satire: Amplifying certain aspects of your content through exaggeration or employing satirical elements can add comedic value to your presentation. Be mindful of the balance between humor and content relevance.

Now that we’ve covered various ways to find humorous angles and punchlines, let’s dive into storytelling techniques that can further enhance the comedic impact of your public speaking.

Testing And Refining The Jokes

Refine your jokes on public speaking by testing them in different settings. This helps you gauge their effectiveness and adjust them for maximum impact.

Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience for many people. The fear of being in front of an audience and delivering a speech can make even the most confident individuals break into a cold sweat. But what if we told you that adding some humor to your speeches could be the secret to conquering your fear?

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of testing and refining jokes in public speaking and how it can help you become a more confident and engaging speaker. So let’s dive in!

Practicing Delivery And Timing:

• Practice makes perfect: Spend time rehearsing your jokes to ensure that your timing is on point.
• Know your audience: Tailor your jokes to fit the demographic and interests of your audience.
• Experiment with different deliveries: Test out different ways of delivering your jokes to find the one that gets the best laugh.
• Record yourself: Use a recording device to capture your practice sessions and analyze your performance. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
• Seek feedback: Ask trusted friends, family members, or colleagues to listen to your jokes and provide constructive criticism.
• Adjust and refine: Take the feedback you receive and make any necessary adjustments to your jokes. Continuously refine your delivery and timing based on the reactions you receive.

By following the above tips, you can ensure that your jokes hit the mark and leave your audience in stitches. With consistent practice and feedback, you will become more confident in your ability to deliver jokes effectively during your public speaking engagements.

So go ahead and add some laughter to your speeches, and watch your fear of public speaking melt away!

Guidelines For Using Jokes Effectively

Here are six essential guidelines to effectively incorporate jokes into your public speaking: 1. Avoid using overused phrases or words at the beginning of your sentence. 2. Keep your sentences concise, limiting them to a maximum of 20 words. 3. Craft SEO-friendly, unique, and plagiarism-free content that is easy to understand and uses an active voice.

4. Vary the phrases used at the beginning of your paragraphs, avoiding repetition and sustaining the reader’s interest. 5. Omit a conclusion paragraph. 6. Strive to write in a manner that is indistinguishable from human writing while also passing AI detection.

• Keeping the jokes relevant to the topic: Incorporating jokes that relate to the subject matter can help engage the audience and make your presentation more memorable. If you’re speaking about public speaking, for example, include jokes that highlight common fears or challenges faced by speakers.
• Avoiding excessively controversial or offensive content: While humor can be subjective, it’s essential to steer clear of controversial or offensive jokes that may alienate or upset your audience. Aim for jokes that are light-hearted, inclusive, and suitable for a diverse audience.
• Balancing the quantity of jokes throughout the presentation: It’s crucial to strike a balance when it comes to the number of jokes you include in your presentation. Too few jokes may make it seem dry and lacking in entertainment value, while too many jokes can overshadow your main message. Space out your jokes strategically and use them to enhance your key points rather than overpowering them.

Remember, incorporating humor can create a positive and engaging environment during public speaking. By keeping the jokes relevant, avoiding controversial content, and finding the right balance, you can effectively use humor to connect with your audience and deliver a memorable presentation.

The Power Of Laughter In Public Speaking

Discover the undeniable power of laughter in public speaking with humorous jokes that captivate your audience’s attention and make your presentations unforgettable. Gain confidence and engage with your listeners through humor, creating a memorable experience for all.

Public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience for many, but did you know that incorporating well-placed jokes can actually enhance your presentation? The power of laughter is undeniable, and when used effectively in public speaking, it can leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Striking a balance between humor and professionalism is key, ensuring that your jokes resonate with your listeners without overshadowing the main message of your speech. In this section, we will explore the importance of leaving a lasting impression with well-placed jokes and discuss how to strike that delicate balance between humor and professionalism.

Leaving A Lasting Impression With Well-Placed Jokes:

• Engage your audience: A well-timed joke can instantly capture the attention of your listeners, making them more receptive to the rest of your presentation.
• Create a relaxed atmosphere: Laughter can help to break the ice and lighten the mood, making your audience more relaxed and open to receiving your message.
• Foster a connection: Sharing a light-hearted moment with your audience through jokes creates a sense of camaraderie and can help you establish a stronger rapport with them.
• Improve information retention: People are more likely to remember information that is presented in an engaging and entertaining way. Incorporating jokes into your speech can help enhance the memorability of your key points.
• Relieve tension: Public speaking can generate anxiety for both the speaker and the audience. Well-placed jokes can help diffuse nervous energy and reduce tension, creating a more enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone.

Remember, it is crucial to strike a balance between humor and professionalism. Avoid jokes that may offend or alienate your audience and ensure that the humor aligns with the overall tone and purpose of your speech. By leaving a lasting impression through well-placed jokes, you can create a positive and memorable experience for your audience.

So go ahead and add a touch of humor to your next public speaking engagement!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i overcome public speaking anxiety.

To overcome public speaking anxiety, practice regularly, breathe deeply before speaking, visualize success, and focus on connecting with your audience rather than on your own nervousness. Additionally, joining a public speaking group or seeking professional guidance can provide you with valuable techniques and support.

What Are Some Tips For Delivering A Funny Speech?

To deliver a funny speech, start with a humorous opening, use appropriate timing and pacing, incorporate relatable anecdotes and jokes, and maintain a confident and playful delivery. Remember to gauge the audience’s reaction and adjust accordingly, and don’t be afraid to use self-deprecating humor if it suits your style.

How Can Humor Enhance A Public Speaking Engagement?

Humor can enhance a public speaking engagement by capturing the audience’s attention, creating a positive and engaging atmosphere, and helping to build a connection between the speaker and the audience. It can also make the content more memorable and relatable, and reduce tension or anxiety in both the speaker and listeners.

Public speaking can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be a source of anxiety. By learning to approach the situation with a sense of humor, we can alleviate some of the stress and even turn it into an enjoyable experience.

Jokes and humor can help break the ice, engage the audience, and make the speaker feel more at ease. Whether it’s poking fun at our own nervousness or sharing a lighthearted anecdote, incorporating humor into public speaking can create a positive atmosphere and leave a lasting impression.

So next time you find yourself in front of a crowd, remember to lighten the mood with a well-timed joke or funny story. Embrace the power of laughter and watch your public speaking skills soar. Don’t be afraid to embrace the humor and remember, the more fun you have, the more fun your audience will have too.

Public speaking doesn’t have to be scary, it can be a whole lot of fun!

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A 9 Step Guide to Using Humor in Speeches

During a presentation, small touches of humor, added to the main subject, can attract and captivate your audience, helping, including forming ideas of people who are participating.

Compelling speakers don’t tell jokes to get laughs. Instead, they use humor to illustrate their message; in this article, we will give you some tips to help you include and understand the importance of humor in your speeches.

Highly Recommended Articles:

Entertaining Speeches: How to Give one and Examples of Topics

1. Don’t bet it all at first

Under the justification of “breaking the ice,” there are those who sketch some classic joke in the first seconds of the presentation. Unfortunately, if you are adept at this practice, red light, this strategy can lead to a scenario of perverse self-sabotage.

At the beginning of the presentation, the adrenaline levels tend to be higher, and the insecurity is latent. Because of this, if the audience’s reaction to playing is frustrating right away, all of their strategies to captivate it may be compromised.

“If the joke isn’t funny, you’ll be destabilized. Prefer to leave the more classic jokes to the middle of the presentation, when your security is already consolidated.” 

But if you are perceived as a humorous person and feel able to use humor, take your chances. If you make that decision, don’t forget that there are key moments to use humor, usually during the introduction or completion of your speech.

2. Observe and write down

Start by paying attention to the things that make you laugh; observe the world around you in search of funny moments, and in this way, you will find countless ways to use humor.

3. Be natural

One of the most important things when using good humor is to use it naturally. If you have a more severe and formal speech, making a very stripped-down speech might not go over well.

In such cases, prefer to play subtle games that can be processed quickly to go ahead with the core issue; if your speech is more informal and relaxed, let your speech flow and wait for the right moment.

4. Use Pauses and tone of voice

Rhythm, intonation, and pauses are critical elements that can make the mood take off or sink, and mastering them in a specific story requires trial and error. So don’t risk using humor in an entire audience before being sure that you will present it well, based on numerous essays. 

This combination creates emphasis on speech and greater public involvement. So you can also give people time to laugh and enjoy the moment.

5. Juggle with the negative

If you’re in a difficult situation, with something on your shirt or somehow getting the audience’s attention for something other than your story, learn how to use it to your advantage.

Reverse this situation and take advantage of your own mistakes to make people laugh. Self-mocking adverse events can help you, but you need sensitivity to do it at the right time.

“to make people laugh, you need to know how to take your pain and play with it.”

6. Consider your qualities

Humor should be naturally used in oratory, so if that’s not your speaking style, trying to force it can make the moment awkward. That’s because humor and play need to be aligned with your tone of voice, posture, and body language.

If you want to develop this skill, start by training in front of the mirror, with family and friends, until it becomes natural.

Even if humor is not a natural skill for you, you can develop it through training and practice; so if you want to have a more cheerful and relaxed speech, start working on it.

7. Take into account the culture of the public.

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9. Don’t run away from the context of your presentation

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An easy guide to all 15 types of speech, how can i have a successful speech using humor.

A successful speech using humor depends on your ability to handle comic material in the best possible way; how often have you heard a person tell a long, complicated joke to swallow the ending and ruin the story? The same thing can happen with a short joke or even with a tirade.

Is there an ideal audience for a humorous oratory?

3 basic principles to keep in mind when using humor in speeches:.

When we have been invited to inform and instruct an audience, we may likely need/want to entertain them because in doing so, you will have more success in our main task, which is to deliver a speech.

However, we forget that humor is not the end in itself; it has to reinforce why we are in front of the audience, and our presentation has to show that we understand that.

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How to use humor in speeches

What gets a laugh what doesn't and, why.

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 10-02-2023

Have you ever wondered how to use humor effectively in speeches?

What gets a laugh? What doesn't, and why?

Most of us, me included, would love to effortlessly entertain as well as inform when we present. We know and appreciate the gifts humor brings.

There's audience rapport: their bright-eyed eagerness to hear what you have to share, their easy readiness to laugh, the way they lean forward to catch your next comment...

Benefits of using humor effectively

Humor creates a bond, a sense of closeness. The audience relaxes. They're at ease. They feel good, energized, alert and eager to hear what you have to say. They like you, and because they do, they're  more likely to remember what you talked about later. 

If your subject is serious they'll appreciate you for leavening it with well-placed appropriate humor to break the tension. 

Use humor effectively and you will leave the audience happy and impressed with your speaking skills.

But what happens if your audience doesn't respond?

What if your carefully crafted laugh lines aren't caught up, and they fall to the floor, to wither and shrivel?

What if your audience  shuffles in their seats, folds their arms, raises their eyebrows, and looks away?

Help to avoid the pain of NOT being funny

Use the links below to move around this long page easily. They'll give you a good starting point toward understanding how humor works.

• Know your audience
• Safe speech humor
• Integrated humor
• How to rehearse humor
• The difference between a joke and contextual humor
• And lastly, for those of you who are unsure whether or not to risk adding a laugh: The benefits of using humor in a speech.

1. Know your audience

Plan your humor around your audience. Always.

To make humor work well you need:

• a demographic overview of your audience: those factors may include age, gender, religion, ethnic background, class, sexual orientation, occupation, education, location (where a persons lives), membership of specific groups ...  
• an understanding of how they view your speech topic and the reason you have for giving the speech. They may be a friendly audience:  well disposed toward your topic. Therefore what you say will be in accord with their own beliefs and they'll chuckle along merrily. They may be apathetic : not care actively one way or the other about your subject. If that's the case it's your task to let them know what's in it for them, to make them interested. They may be uninformed , ignorant on the topic. This audience needs educating, ie. background information, before they'll appreciate what you have to say on your topic. They may be hostile : actively against whatever it is you're wanting to share. And this audience needs to know you respect and understand their point of view before you launch into your own.  

A  humorous story, anecdote or joke told without knowledge of your audience because you think it is funny is dangerous. They are often the ones likely to lurch sideways, leaving you stranded. 

How do you know they won't find it offensive? How do you know they'll understand it at all?

Humor varies from person to person and group to group. What we find funny is not always a reliable indication that everyone else will find the same type of humor amusing.

Do some digging. Ask. Find out as much as you can. 

2. Use safe humor

The audience is not your target, usually! ☺

Use humor that doesn't use the audience as the butt of the joke. 

This is not the time to make jokes about audiences so thick their brains have the consistency of rapidly setting concrete or similar observations.

Avoid dividing an audience

Use humor that doesn't isolate and target a segment of the audience: all the blondes, males, females, English speakers, people of Italian descent, people who have a commerce degree, or Sunday afternoon yoga practitioners...

A descriptor that separates and intentionally sets one group up to laugh at another is, as my mother would say, 'not nice dear, not nice at all'. 

Keep out of the gutter

Use humor that doesn't rely on 'coarse' language or profanity to make its point.

For instance, a string of loud beautifully enunciated f**k, f**k, f**kity, f**ks may be hilariously amusing in some settings, but a serious lapse of judgment in others. 

Stick to safe subjects

Use humor that avoids taboo subjects: religion, politics, race, class or sex.

Focus the laughs on yourself

Using humor effectively often means using yourself as the subject, but only if it's relevant to your topic, and done in a kindly way.

Nobody wants to hear or see you putting yourself down harshly. You may laugh at your foibles or quirks publicly but not prostrate yourself for a whipping in front of an audience. That will embarrass them.

When you poke fun at yourself in a balanced, truthful way you are giving the audience permission to laugh with you, not at you.

You are also inviting them to identify with you, creating openness and trust. Your audience will be more likely to listen because you're reflecting or showing them an aspect they know to be true of themselves, as well as you.

These stories do not have to be about big life events to work. Those small incidents where we are brought up short are very effective in the right place.

The chocolate yoghurt faux pas

For instance, here is a story about what happened one late afternoon, after I'd finished teaching for the day, and had picked up my son, then aged four, from childcare.

On the way home we called into the supermarket. We were standing in front of a chiller cabinet full of frozen desserts: ice cream of all flavors, different sorts of gelato, and yoghurt.

A woman next to us opened the door and took out a large tub of chocolate flavored yoghurt. My son was amazed. He looked up at me, and then told her loudly, "My mother says that's full of sugar and complete rubbish!"

Yes. Quite. Hmm.

I was deeply embarrassed as was the woman with the rubbish yoghurt in her hand. 

We're human. We all have stories about ourselves to use. ☺

Laugh about what you know

Use subjects you've earned the right to joke about.

For example an over weight person may make comments about being large, a disabled person can joke about the difficulties they encounter on a daily basis or a woman can laugh about the trials of child bearing, provided she has had a child.

A safe guideline is, if you don't know it, as in having lived it, don't jest or make light of it.

Test and refine. Is it really funny?

It is better to have several strong anecdotes in your presentation rather than a string of weak ones.

Always rehearse and test the humor you plan to use. (Scroll down for rehearsal tips.)

To test have several people listen and give you honest feedback. Listen to it.

It maybe that the subject is wrong for the situation, or perhaps your delivery needs work, or your language choice needs altering. Any of those could cause a humorous throwaway comment or a story to fall flat.

3. Integrating humor 

Integrate any joke/humorous remark or story you use into your speech or presentation.

If you're thinking of telling the joke because you think it's a good one and bound to get you laughs but it has nothing to do with your speech topic, leave it out. It might be hilarious, but it is not relevant.

Unless you find a plausible, believable way to link the material into your subject, forget it. Please.

Introducing humor

And if you do want to tell a joke or add humor and IT IS relevant make sure it is not introduced along the lines of:

'Have you heard the one about ...?' 'This is really funny. You're going to howl with laughter.' 'There was this Irishman/Scotsman/Australian...'

None of these openings show the humor is blended with your own material and the second one is particularly nasty if your audience sits poker faced!

Stick to your speech purpose

Unless you were briefed to be a comedian, don't attempt it. This doesn't mean don't use humor. It means stick to your speech purpose and find the humor within that subject matter. The audience is not expecting a stand-up comedy routine from you.

Giggle, chortle and smile

Read content suggestions (with examples) about what goes into making a great funny speech . 

Choose yourself a light-hearted subject to talk on from this list of 60 fun speech topics .

Don't want a serious persuasive speech idea? Try one of these 105 fun persuasive speech topics !

What about a not-so-serious demonstration speech? Give your audience a giggle with a topic chosen from these  188 funny how to speech ideas .

Blend your humor

Weave your humorous material through your speech while keeping the ratio of laugh-lines to information balanced appropriately for your topic, audience, the type of speech and its purpose.

For example, if your speech is primarily to entertain rather than inform, it may be right to use more humor. Judge each situation carefully.

4. Keys to rehearsing humor in your speech

Use an expressive voice.

Live into the story you are telling to make it seem as if it were happening again in the 'here and now'.

If an angry voice is needed. Use one. If wheedling is asked for. Whine, like you really mean it. This gives the audience the 'feel' of the situation. They will grasp it and its emotional content more quickly.

If you need a hand, you'll find it here:   How to develop and use an expressive voice .

These simple vocal variety exercises covering pitch, tone, volume and rate will help you identify where you need to place your effort.

Use simple pared down language

The less complicated the set-up and story, the more direct it is and the less chance your audience has of misunderstanding.

For help with how to enter or set up a story check this page on story-telling step-ups . You'll find examples of what not, and what to do to.

Remember the rule of three

The rule of three works in all areas of presentation. It can be three examples to illustrate a point. It could three repetitions of the same word or phrase for emphasis, a device often used in oratory.

Or it could be three characters in an anecdotal story e.g. a variation on the classic:   An Irishman, Australian and an American ...

Three in storytelling is a naturally believable number whether it be words to describe people and their actions or, the events themselves.

The first usage sets whatever it is up in the audience's mind as possibly believable. The second, reinforces it and by the time the third instance comes along, the audience has accepted it as truth.

Three, works!

Practice, practice, and then, practice some more

Practice telling your story in as many ways as you can and listen to yourself.

What happens if you speed up here, and slow down there? What happens if you emphasize this word instead of that word?

As a general rule comedians point up the punch line. They give a cue to the audience that it is coming, preparing them to listen and laugh using a combination of slowing down, pausing and emphasis.

It's called finding 'the beat'. Miss it and nobody will laugh. Find it and the same joke that previously bombed will fly. The only sure-fire way to locate it is through practice. After enough, you'll sense it and know when to slow, pause and stress a word.

To find out more about the dynamic inter-play of speech rate and pausing check in here: speech rate and pausing in speech .

Record yourself

• Is your lead-in or set-up smooth? The 'lead-in' is the integration of the one liner, story, or anecdote with the body of your speech. It is the bridge between your core information and the humor. Part of learning how to use humor effectively is to make it believable by introducing it as a part of the general flow of your speech. This makes it truthful in the ears and eyes of your audience. It also sets up the element of surprise as the audience will not be expecting your cunning comedic twist. A smooth set-up helps you achieve that.
• Is your voice expressive?
• Is your language simple, effective and easily understood?
• Have you pointed up the laugh line?
• Is the laugh line clear?

What's funny? Is it you or your story?

Make a distinction between the humor and yourself. Are you funny or is the story you are telling funny ?

For example, a comedian does not laugh at his own jokes as it breaks the illusion of truth.

When you laugh at your own material you are on the outside of it, looking in, rather than BEING it.

Use simple large gestures

If you are going to incorporate acting into your story practice using clear decisive gestures rather than a flurry of small ones.

Think mime. It crosses audience boundaries easily through involving your whole body in the action.

Everybody, regardless of who they are or the language they speak, understands the body language of weeping in despair, pulling your hair out in desperation, or swooning with love.

For an introduction to using gesture in speeches check this page on  characterization techniques . You'll find exercises to help you.

5.What's the difference between using humor and telling a joke?

Humor is usually part of its context. In other words it is derived from the situation or setting.

Here's a wonderful and  true story  to illustrate.

Instant karma

In one of my classes I had a very mouthy, opinionated student. Whatever the subject he knew more about it than anybody else and he always made sure everybody knew, he knew. He corrected, interrupted, and sometimes jeered at his classmates.

One day in the middle of yet another unasked for torrent of information, a hanging pot plant above him let go of its hook in the ceiling. It crashed spectacularly to the floor showering him in earth, plant and shards of pottery. The class, dissolving into mirth, fell off their chairs laughing and I heard someone say; 'I reckon that's instant karma, Jason.'

Fortunately only his pride was hurt.

A joke is often isolated from or very loosely connected to what is happening. It tends to be a pre-formatted story following known, well worn lines.

Example: How do you confuse a blonde? Answer:  Put her in a circle and tell her to sit in the corner.

6. The benefits of using humor effectively

When you use humor well you benefit,  along with your audience.

Here's how:

• Humor breaks through barriers. Laughter can transcend age, race, gender, belief or class barriers.
• Humor relaxes your audience and puts them in a receptive mood. After you have made them laugh, they are more likely to want to listen to you!
• Humor alerts your audience to listen. They become more interested in what you're saying than what happened prior to them listening to you or what is going to happen afterward. It brings your audience into the happening-here-and-now.
• Laughter adds 'juice' to a presentation. It can enliven potentially dry or dull material.
• Humor releases tension.
• Humor binds people together: that is, humor based on common experience unites a group. For example, almost every profession has its own humor. For instance, there are lawyer, teacher, doctor, computer tech, and so on, jokes. Likewise, every relationship has its jokes. There are husband jokes, wife jokes, daughter, son, baby, mother-in-law, father-in-law, boss...

More about how to use humor effectively:

Find out about differing types of verbal humor .

Your audience will appreciate it.

When you've finished discovering the joy of strategically using a sprinkle of malapropisms with a side serving of irony, try some physical humor .

And continue to ...

PRACTICE telling your stories, PRACTICE timing and PRACTICE looking for the comedic or humorous element in all the events of your life.

If you're considering entering a humorous speech contest, please don't do as I did!

Read about what happened when I overlooked a critical element in my preparation. This was a humorous speech lesson I'll remember. 

Understanding how and why humor works:

• What makes something funny? by Ben Healy, March 2018, The Atlantic
• A quest to understand what makes things funny by Shane Snow, April 1 2014, The New Yorker

The psychological and physiological benefits of humor:

• The laughter prescription - American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, Dexter Louie, BA, Karolina Brook, MD, and Elizabeth Frates, MD, 2016 Jul-Aug; 10(4)

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40 Funny Speech Opening Lines: Make ‘Em Laugh Before You Even Begin!

Think of your speech opening line like the first bite of a delicious meal – it sets the tone and leaves you wanting more. A well-crafted, funny speech opening lines can instantly break the ice, make your audience feel at ease, and build anticipation for what’s to come.

But crafting that perfect line? It can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you! If you read our article about “ How to Write a Powerful Speech Opening ?” you will get a full understanding of how to craft your speech opening.

Below, you’ll find 40 funny speech opening lines that cater to a wide range of topics and situations. Whether you’re addressing a formal business conference or a casual wedding reception, these lines will help you the ice and kick things off with a bang.

General Icebreakers

Everyone loves a good laugh, right? These funny speech opening lines are designed to do just that – break the ice and get your audience smiling. They’re perfect for any occasion where you want to start things off on a light and friendly note.

• “Before we start, can everyone please look under their chairs? I lost my contact lens, and it might be a little blurry up here…”
• “Good evening, everyone! Or as I like to call it, the part of the day where I try to sound smarter than I actually am.”
• “It’s a pleasure to be here tonight. Or as my therapist would say, ‘It’s a start.'”
• “Thank you for that warm welcome. I was worried you’d all be asleep by now.”
• “Hello, everyone! I’m here to talk to you about [topic]. Or as my kids call it, ‘The thing that makes dad boring.'”
• “Before I begin, I want to thank the person who invented coffee. You are the real MVP.”

Self-Deprecating Humor

Want to show your audience you don’t take yourself too seriously? Try poking a little fun at yourself ! These self-deprecating funny speech opening lines can help you appear more relatable and down-to-earth.

• “I wasn’t sure what to wear tonight, so I asked my cat. He said, ‘Meow’ (which I think means ‘go for the tuxedo’).”
• “I’d like to thank [person] for that glowing introduction. I must say, I’ve never heard myself described as so… fictional.”
• “I’ve been practicing this speech in front of my dog. He hasn’t understood a word, but he sure does wag his tail a lot.”
• “I’m a little nervous tonight, so bear with me. I’m not used to talking to people who aren’t my plants.”
• “I promise to keep this speech short. My attention span is about as long as a goldfish’s.”
• “I know what you’re thinking: ‘This guy doesn’t look like a public speaker.’ Well, you’re right. I’m actually a ninja in disguise.”

Situational Humor (Weddings, Business, etc.)

Every event has its unique flavor, and your opening line can reflect that! Use these tailored jokes to match the mood of your specific occasion.

• (Wedding) “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s an honor to be here tonight. And for the single folks out there, don’t worry, your time will come. Or it won’t. Either way, there’s cake.”
• (Business) “I’m here to talk to you about increasing productivity. But first, let’s be honest, who here is secretly checking their email?”
• (Graduation) “Congratulations, graduates! You made it. Now go out there and prove your parents wrong about that whole ‘art history degree’ thing.”
• (Birthday) “Happy birthday, [person]! You don’t look a day over… well, let’s just say you look amazing.”
• (Retirement) “Congratulations on your retirement! Finally, you can stop pretending to know what the young people are talking about.”
• (Awards) “I’m truly honored to receive this award. Although, I must admit, I was hoping for a cash prize.”

Read our funny maid of honor speeches guide if you plan to do a speech on your friend’s big day.

Pop Culture References

Do you love movies, TV shows, or music? Sprinkle in a pop culture reference! It’s a fun way to connect with your audience, especially if you share a common interest.

• “I’m so nervous, I feel like I’m about to go on stage for the first time since my middle school production of ‘Grease.'”
• “I’m not sure if I’m qualified to give this speech. I mean, I’ve never even won an Oscar.”
• “If this speech were a Netflix series, it would be called ‘Awkward Silences and Dad Jokes.'”
• “I hope my speech isn’t as forgettable as the last season of ‘Game of Thrones.'”

Audience Participation

Want to make your speech even more fun? Get your audience involved ! These funny speech opening lines are designed to spark interaction and create a lively atmosphere. They’ll help you build a connection with your listeners right from the start.

• “Can I get a show of hands? Who here actually read my bio in the program?”
• “Who’s excited to be here tonight? [Pause for response] Liars.”
• “I have a joke, but it only works if you laugh. So, on the count of three, everyone laugh… One, two, three… [Pause] Well, that was awkward.”
• “Let’s play a game. I’ll say a word, and you shout out the first thing that comes to mind. Ready? [Topic of your speech].”

Bonus Lines (Just for Fun)

Looking for something a little extra? These lines are just for fun. They might be a bit silly, but they’re sure to get a chuckle out of your audience.

• “I’m not saying I’m lazy, but I once hired someone from fiverr to watch a YouTube video for me.”
• “I’m so bad at math, I can’t even count the number of times I’ve said ‘I’m bad at math.'”
• “I’m not a morning person. I’m barely even a person before noon.”
• “I’m not sure why I was asked to give this speech. I think they confused me with someone who’s actually interesting.”
• “My therapist told me to take up public speaking to overcome my fear of judgment. So, feel free to judge away!”
• “I’ve been told I have a face for radio. But hey, I’m here, aren’t I?”
• “I’m like a fine wine… I get better with age. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself.”
• “I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I’ve never been wrong… yet.”
• “I’m not sure what’s more nerve-wracking, giving this speech or trying to parallel park in front of all of you.”
• “I’m so glad you all came to hear me speak. I was starting to worry I was only talking to myself.”
• “I’m not sure what’s more confusing, the economy or my love life.”
• “I’m like a box of chocolates… you never know what you’re gonna get. But hopefully, it’s not salmonella.”
• “I’m not saying I’m old, but I remember when Netflix was just a DVD rental service.”
• “I’m like a good book… worth sticking with until the end. Or at least, the first few chapters.”

Watch this compilation video of comedians delivering hilarious opening lines during their stand-up routines.

Remember, your opening line is your first chance to make a lasting impression. It’s your secret weapon to grab your audience’s attention and set the tone for an unforgettable speech.

We’ve covered a wide range of options to get you started:

• General Icebreakers: Perfect for warming up any crowd with lighthearted humor.
• Self-Deprecating Humor: Show your audience you don’t take yourself too seriously.
• Situational Humor: Tailor your jokes to your specific event and audience.
• Pop Culture References: Connect with your audience on a shared cultural level.
• Audience Participation: Get everyone involved for a truly interactive experience.
• Bonus Lines: Just for fun, because who doesn’t love a good laugh?

So, take a deep breath, step up to that microphone, and let your humor shine! Experiment with different types of speech opening lines until you find the perfect fit for your personality and your audience.

And if you’re ready to dive deeper into crafting a speech that truly resonates, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive guide on speech structure . It’ll give you all the tools you need to build a presentation that’s not only funny but also informative and engaging from start to finish.

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Funny speeches: how to use humor in public speaking.

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Humor can be hazardous to the health of public speakers. Most speakers want to be funny, but you’ve got to do humor well, or it falls flat and that’s worse than no humor at all. Here I provide a guide for avoiding the worst mistakes of traditional one-liners and cheap irony, replacing them instead with ironic and witty humor that works and wins audiences over to your side. And, if you insist on using one-liners, I show you how to ‘sell’ them successfully.

Traditional jokes with punch lines are the hardest to pull off

Let’s start with an example of a funny speech by Emily Levine.

Emily Levine is a self-proclaimed trickster and a very funny person. She’s Harvard-trained and still manages to be hilarious. Emily’s humor is all about finding the contradictions in modern life that we’ve stopped noticing. Things like the following sign in a beauty salon: Ears pierced while you wait.

Just imagine the alternative. I’ll leave my ears hear until 5. I’ve got a couple of errands to run. But I’ll be back to pick them up. What? I couldn’t hear you.

Trickster humor is all about finding those sorts of contradictions and pointing them out. Also about crossing boundaries that are normally left intact. If there were an Olympics in martyrdom, my grandmother would have lost on purpose…

Check out Emily and learn from her. She’s a comedian in the classic sense — she tells jokes. That’s very hard to do. As you watch the talk, note how she ‘sells’ her jokes with her body. When she talks about not hanging up on telemarketers, because Emily Post says itŠs rude, she devises another strategy. After the telemarketer has delivered about half his pitch, she says, “I interrupted with, ‘You sound really sexy’. He hung up on me!” She says the ‘really sexy’ line with a husky voice, and sells the punch line with a pelvic stance. The tone of voice and the posture are essential to the humor.

So, if you’re determined to attempt traditional comedy in your speeches, then practice selling the jokes with your body language and voice. You’re got to be 100 percent committed to the joke — body and all. And then you’ve got to have a back up plan for recovery. Study tapes of Jon Stewart , or any other of the late night comedians — he is the master of what to do when the first joke goes flat. Often his comebacks and reactions are funnier than the original line.

Beyond that, look for the contradictions. That’s where the humor is, and the punch lines. Traditional humor is all about setting up expectations and then violating them, crossing the boundaries of expectation. And finding connections where no one else sees them.

Irony is the humor of the era

If you don’t want to risk throwing out punch lines, consider irony. At its worst, irony is a cheap, easy way to get a chuckle and avoid making a commitment. At its best, irony is a memorable way for the alienated to comment on the ‘in crowd’, the powerless to bring down the powerful, and the hip to skewer the not-so-hip. John Hodgman provides a brilliant example of wonderful irony on TED.com. Check it out for how to do irony well.

Hodgman begins by talking about Enrico Fermi the brilliant Italian physicist, and aliens. The kind that come in space ships and land in the Nevada desert, that is. Hodgman says, “Isn’t it strange that he only asked for one thing? A gift of two healthy sperm whales? That’s not true, but it is strange.”

There are 3 rules for making irony memorable rather than cheap.

Rule Number One. Create an overarching story that is different from what you’re apparently talking about. This narrative misdirection enables you to take an ironical (because distant) stance toward your real topic. There’s considerable wit in what Hodgman does, but the predominant mode is ironical. “The aliens might be very far away,” he says, in explaining why we haven’t seen them yet, “Even on other planets.” He brilliantly illustrates the first rule of great irony by providing an overall narrative that is different from what he is apparently talking about. Hodgman’s apparent narrative is all about his (non) encounters with aliens, but his real narrative is all about how he, a nerd, found love, got married, and remains in love today.

It’s a very sweet story, told with delicacy and tact — and irony. Most cheap irony lacks the meta-narrative that gives a good story its structure. Cheap irony is usually just a pot shot at something the narrator doesn’t like but can’t do much about.

Rule Number Two. The second rule of great irony is that something important has to be at stake. In Hodgman’s case, it’s love. He is traveling in Portugal with the girl who becomes his wife, and she goes off on her own to check out a beach. She’s a long time coming back to the hotel, and Hodgman realizes how alone he is in the universe. As he says, “I could not call her on a cell phone because the aliens had not given us that technology yet.”

But what’s at stake can be anything important that the speaker-narrator cares about. Cheap irony has nothing behind it — no alternative that it is proposing. Powerful irony points to a better way.

Rule Number Three. The third rule of irony is that its viewpoint has to run counter to the one held by those currently in power. Again, in Hodgman’s case, the predominant viewpoint is that nerds can’t find love. After all, it’s the Prom Kings and Queens that get love, right? Hodgman quietly and ironically insists on the contrary, that nerds can find love, too. “Even though we are married, I love her and wait for her still,° he says, perhaps the best last (ironical) line of a love story in recent years.

Wit is the humor that creates charm and impresses with intelligence

I have three suggestions for how you can achieve wit, but first begin by watching J. J. Abrams, the TV and movie producer and director of hits like MI-3 , Lost , and the new Star Trek . The talk is witty, as is the man. This TED.com talk is also full of insights into creativity that will stick with you once the wit has worked its charm and moved on.

First Suggestion: Don’t try too hard. Wit flows from passion for the subject. If you feel strongly about something, you will find wit in the subject and you will share it with your audience. Unless of course you’re a corporate accountant who’s idea of fun is a late night with a multi-celled spreadsheet.

That said, one of the wittier speakers I’ve heard was a lecturer on accounting, who used the Wells Fargo company as his example, back in the day when it had to account for losses of the strong box because of marauding Indians. His passion for the subject of accounting led him to this witty way to explain an otherwise dreary subject.

Second Suggestion: Wit is all about upending expectations. The wit is in the surprise. J.J. shows a clip from the “Lost” pilot episode, with a downed aircraft and lots of gore and mayhem, with very impressive special effects. He says, “Ten years ago if we wanted to do that, we would have had to kill a stunt man… Take Two would have been a bitch.” You’re not quite sure where he’s going, but the second sentence is witty because it is surprising.

Third Suggestion: To be witty, take the subject, but not yourself, seriously. Wit begins with yourself, with self-deprecation. It’s one reason why the British are so much better at it, culturally speaking, than Americans. The British are expert self-deprecators, probably because they have to put up with more pomposity in the form of 2,000, rather than 200, years of tradition and history. But when pressed, we can do it too. J. J. Abrams says, of filming Mission Impossible III , that his favorite scene is the one that involves shooting a dangerous drug up Tom Cruise’s nose. He says, “I quickly learned that there are three things you don’t want to do. Number two is hurt Tom’s nose.” The scene, which you should now go back and watch again, actually has Tom Cruise’s hand shooting the dart-filled gun up his own nose (because he knew how hard to push).

That’s the magic of the movies. And that’s wit.

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10 Hilarious and Engaging Funny Speech Topics for Your Next Presentation

Crafting a presentation that sticks in the minds of your audience can be quite the challenge, right? Believe me, I know the struggle all too well. However, after pouring over more than 510 funny speech topics , I stumbled upon a comedy goldmine that’s sure to captivate any crowd .

This article is your ticket to selecting side-splitting and memorable topics guaranteed to keep your audience hooked. Brace yourself for an entertaining ride filled with laughter !

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Choosing funny speech topics keeps your audience interested , builds trust, and reduces tension . It makes complex ideas easier to understand and the presentation more memorable.
• Relatable content connects directly with your audience. For high school or university settings, consider common experiences like navigating social media or balancing school and personal life.
• Practice delivering your speech with effective timing and body language . Record yourself to improve delivery, use pauses for emphasis, and vary your tone to keep listeners engaged.
• Personal stories make speeches engaging. Share amusing anecdotes from your own life to connect with the audience and make them laugh.
• Understand who you are speaking to. Choose topics that match the interests of beginners in public speaking as well as seasoned audiences looking for humor in presentations.

Why Use Funny Speech Topics?

Using funny speech topics keeps your audience entertained and reduces tension, making your presentation more engaging. It also builds trust and creates relatable content for your listeners to connect with.

Keeps audience interested

Choosing funny speech topics is a smart move to keep your audience glued to your presentation. Humor breaks the ice and pulls listeners in, making them eager for what comes next. I learned the hard way that dry, dull topics lose audiences fast.

But when I threw in jokes or picked amusing speech topics, people perked up. They laughed, engaged more , and even asked questions after my talks.

One thing’s clear: everyone loves to laugh . It makes complex ideas easier to grasp and messages more memorable . During my Toastmasters days , I saw firsthand how laughter could transform an average presentation into a standout one.

Now, with over 510 hilarious and engaging funny speech topics available, choosing content that tickles everyone’s funny bone is easier than ever. This approach not only captivates attention but also turns potentially snooze-worthy sessions into lively discussions.

Builds trust

Using humor in speeches can build trust by creating a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere . This allows the audience to see your authentic personality , making them feel connected and comfortable with you as a speaker.

Funny speech topics also demonstrate that you are confident and capable of engaging people beyond just delivering information.

Humor in speeches builds trust by creating an enjoyable atmosphere and demonstrating confidence in engaging audiences authentically through lighthearted content .

Reduces tension

By incorporating humor into your speech, you can lighten the atmosphere and make the audience feel more relaxed. This can help to alleviate any nervousness or tension that may be present in the room.

Using funny speech topics allows you to connect with your audience on a more personal level, making it easier for them to engage with your presentation .

Incorporating lighthearted content into your speech helps to reduce tension and anxiety among your listeners, creating a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. It also demonstrates your ability to connect with others through humor , making you appear relatable and approachable as a speaker.

Relatable content

Relatable content in your speech topics can connect directly with your audience , making them feel understood and engaged. When choosing funny speech topics for high school or university settings, consider common experiences that students can relate to, such as navigating social media pressures or the challenges of balancing school and personal life .

For presentations in corporate settings, incorporating humorous anecdotes about everyday office scenarios can make your speech more relatable and enjoyable. Remember to tap into universal experiences and observations that will resonate with your audience, creating a shared sense of humor.

When crafting impromptu or short speeches, think about relatable content that everyone can identify with quickly. Imparting amusing perspectives on daily occurrences like commuting mishaps or funny family dynamics will captivate the audience’s attention from the start.

Fun Speech Topics for Various Settings

Fun speech topics for different situations can make your presentation more enjoyable and engaging. Explore the best humorous speech ideas to captivate your audience’s attention.

High school

High school can be nerve-wracking, but funny speech topics can make it fun. Choose light-hearted subjects students can relate to. Topics such as “Why Homework Should Be Banned” or “The Unwritten Rules of High School Cafeteria” work well.

Keep it relatable and enjoyable for your classmates.

Encourage participation: engage with the audience by involving them in your stories. Use humor and anecdotes that everyone can connect with. This will ensure a lively and entertaining presentation, setting you up for success in front of your peers.

When it comes to addressing a university audience , using humorous speech topics can be a great way to captivate the attention of students and professors alike. Entertaining presentation topics tailored towards college settings include light-hearted and amusing subjects that resonate with the academic environment .

It’s not merely about delivering information but also about keeping everyone engaged through humor. 510 funny speech topics designed for educational settings are available, making it easier for speakers to choose an appropriate and enjoyable subject for their presentations.

With tips on how to select a fun topic and deliver it effectively, crafting an entertaining university presentation becomes less daunting.

Presentations

When it comes to presentations, using funny speech topics can keep your audience engaged and entertained. Whether it’s a high school project or a corporate presentation, incorporating humor can make your speech more relatable and enjoyable.

Myassignmenthelp.com offers over 400 funny presentation topics for you to choose from, ensuring that you can add lightheartedness to any speaking engagement . Remember, understanding your audience and practicing the delivery of jokes or anecdotes is crucial in making your humorous presentation effective.

Argumentative

When crafting an argumentative funny speech, it’s important to pick a topic that sparks debate and generates laughter. A good humorous argument needs to be light-hearted yet thought-provoking , inviting the audience to see things from a different perspective while enjoying the humor.

Some fun ideas for argumentative speeches could include debating whether cats or dogs make better pets, or if pizza should be considered a breakfast food. Choosing these kinds of topics can lead to lively discussions and keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

Now let’s move on to “ Persuasive ” speech topics.

When crafting a persuasive speech , remember to choose a topic that resonates with your audience and appeals to their emotions. Incorporate humor and light-hearted elements in your speech to keep the audience engaged.

Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to support your points, making it easier for your listeners to connect with your message.

Use body language and vocal intonation effectively to emphasize key points and create an impactful delivery. Additionally, maintain eye contact with the audience and exude confidence while delivering your speech.

Practice beforehand to ensure a smooth flow of ideas and an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression on your listeners.

Impromptu speech topics can be challenging, but they’re essential for building confidence and adaptability. They help you think on your feet and communicate effectively in unexpected situations .

These impromptu speeches are usually short, lasting 1-3 minutes or up to 7-10 minutes if given a little more time. Think of everyday scenarios, such as describing the contents of your bag or talking about your favorite hobby.

These quick-witted speeches require spontaneity and creativity to keep the audience engaged.

Remember that impromptu speeches are spontaneous opportunities to showcase your speaking skills without any prior preparation. Whether it’s at school, work, or other public settings, being able to respond confidently and humorously is an invaluable skill that will make you stand out as a speaker .

Short speeches (1-3 minutes, 4-6 minutes, 7-10 minutes)

Crafting short speeches requires focused content to engage audiences quickly. Here are some engaging and amusing topics for your next presentation, tailored according to the length of your speech:

• 1-3 minutes :
• How to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee
• The Benefits of Laughter in Daily Life
• Hilarious Dating Disasters : Lessons Learned
• 4-6 minutes :
• Embracing Failure : Turning Setbacks into Success
• The Art of Storytelling : Captivating Your Audience
• Mastering the Art of Sarcasm : A Survival Guide
• 7-10 minutes :
• Overcoming Stage Fright : Embracing the Spotlight
• The Power of Positivity : Changing Your Mindset, Changing Your Life
• Unleashing Creativity : Finding Inspiration in Everyday Moments

Tips for Choosing and Writing a Hilarious Speech

Understand your audience before writing.

Incorporate personal experiences and funny anecdotes or jokes.

Understand the audience

When crafting a speech, it’s crucial to understand the audience’s interests and preferences . For public speaking beginners, it’s essential to choose engaging and relatable topics that resonate with their experiences and humor.

Public speaking novices often appreciate light-hearted and amusing subjects that can help ease any nervousness or tension. Engaging presentation topics for beginners should be easy to comprehend, entertaining, and relevant to their everyday lives.

By keeping the audience in mind, speakers can tailor their content to ensure maximum engagement and enjoyment from the listeners.

Understanding your audience helps create a connection through shared experiences or common interests . For those new to public speaking, choosing funny speech topics that align with the audience’s sensibilities is key to capturing their attention.

Use personal experiences

During my time in graduate school, I had to give a presentation on a lighthearted topic. I chose to talk about the struggles of learning how to swim as an adult and incorporated some humorous incidents from my own experience.

Sharing personal stories not only made the audience laugh but also helped me feel more connected with them. Using personal experiences can make your speech relatable and engaging for the audience .

When crafting a funny speech, think about a moment from your life that can be turned into an amusing anecdote or story . It could be something embarrassing, challenging, or simply hilarious that you are comfortable sharing with others.

Incorporate funny anecdotes or jokes

When crafting a speech, sprinkling in some funny anecdotes or jokes can keep your audience engaged and entertained. I often mix in personal experiences or humorous stories to add flavor to my presentations.

For example, when discussing the importance of staying confident during public speaking, I once shared a lighthearted anecdote about the time I accidentally called my teacher “mom” in front of the entire class – it had everyone laughing and made them feel more at ease.

Remembering to keep it relatable and light-hearted is essential for all speakers looking to make their speech memorable.

Funny anecdotes not only alleviate tension but also create an environment where everyone feels included . They help connect with different types of audiences, whether they are high school students or corporate professionals.

Practice delivery and timing

When practicing your speech, record yourself and listen back to improve delivery. Use pauses effectively for emphasis and timing. Vary your tone to keep the audience engaged. Rehearse in front of a friend for feedback on pacing and humor delivery .

Now let’s explore some fun speech topics for different settings.

Additional Resources

Looking for more resources to level up your speaking skills? Check out our wealth of commemorative speech topics, fun essay ideas, and funny informative speech options. Need guidance on keeping any speech entertaining and engaging? Our FAQ section will provide all the info you need!

372 commemorative speech topics

Crafting a compelling speech is essential to keep the audience engaged and amused. To help you with this, here are 372 commemorative speech topics for your consideration:

• How to honor and commemorate historical figures
• Celebrating achievements of influential leaders
• Paying tribute to revolutionary inventions and discoveries
• Commemorating significant events in history
• Remembering and honoring war heroes and veterans
• Celebrating the impact of cultural icons
• Commemorating milestones in science and technology
• Honoring contributions of literary legends
• Recognizing humanitarian efforts and philanthropic individuals
• Memorializing important moments in sports history

And many more topics encompassing various aspects of commemoration for you to explore!

406 fun essay topics

When selecting fun essay topics , consider the interests and humor of your audience. Here are some exciting and amusing ideas to consider:

• The impact of pet shaming on animal behavior
• How to survive a zombie apocalypse using only office supplies
• The life lessons learned from talking to animals
• The challenges of being a superhero in a normal world
• A day in the life of a talking parrot
• Why cats make better roommates than dogs
• The benefits of having a personal cloud that rains candy
• How aliens would react to human social media trends
• The secret lives of inanimate objects at home
• Explaining complex adult problems to children

Now, let’s explore how these fun topics can be adapted for different types of presentations!

420 funny speech topics

Are you ready for some fun speech topics? Here are 420 hilarious and engaging ideas to keep your audience entertained and amused:

• Awkward first date experiences
• The most embarrassing moments in my life
• How to survive a zombie apocalypse
• If animals could talk, what would they say?
• The art of procrastination : A beginner’s guide
• Ridiculous fashion trends throughout history
• An ode to bad hair days
• The science of why we love cheesy jokes
• Why cats are secretly plotting to take over the world
• Life advice from a five-year-old

And many more await you for your next presentation or public speaking engagement!

Tips for making any speech fun

Engage your audience by infusing humor into your speech.

• Use relatable content to connect with the audience.
• Incorporate funny anecdotes or jokes to lighten the mood and keep everyone entertained.
• Practice delivery and timing to ensure your comedic elements land well.
• Understand your audience’s sense of humor and tailor your speech accordingly.
• Share personal experiences that can bring a smile to your listeners’ faces.

Now, let’s explore how you can turn any speech into an engaging and amusing experience for your audience.

FAQ on funny informative speech topics

Thinking of incorporating humor into your next speech? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about using funny informative speech topics:

• How do I choose the right funny topic for my speech?

When selecting a funny informative speech topic, consider your audience and the occasion. Choose a subject that you find humorous and that resonates with your audience.

• Should I incorporate personal experiences into my funny speech?

Yes, sharing personal anecdotes or experiences can make your speech more relatable and engaging for your audience.

• What if I’m not naturally funny?

You don’t have to be a professional comedian. Simply finding light-hearted and amusing subjects to discuss can help infuse humor into your presentation.

• How can I ensure that my humor is appropriate for my audience?

Understanding your audience’s preferences and cultural sensitivities will help you gauge what type of humor will be well-received.

• Is it okay to use visual aids or props for added humor in my speech?

Absolutely! Visual aids, props, or even short video clips can add an extra layer of entertainment to your presentation.

• What if my humorous material falls flat?

Not every joke will hit the mark, but acknowledging the moment with grace and moving on is key to keeping the audience engaged and entertained.

• Can I use funny informative speech topics in serious settings, such as at work or during formal presentations?

Certainly! Appropriately timed humor can break tension and captivate your audience, making it suitable even for serious settings.

• Are there resources available for finding more funny informative speech topics?

Yes! There are numerous online resources offering collections of hilarious and engaging speech topics designed to entertain various audiences.

• How can I practice delivering funny speeches effectively?

Rehearse your timing, delivery, and punchlines while seeking feedback from friends or colleagues before presenting in front of a live audience.

• Are there any tips for overcoming stage fright when delivering humorous speeches?

Embracing nervousness as part of the experience and trusting in your preparation can help alleviate stage fright when delivering a comical presentation.

Ryan Nelson is the founder of Speak2Impress, a platform dedicated to helping individuals master the art of public speaking. Despite having a crippling fear of public speaking for many years, Ryan overcame his anxiety through diligent practice and active participation in Toastmasters. Now residing in New York City, he is passionate about sharing his journey and techniques to empower others to speak with confidence and clarity.

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How to Write a Funny Speech

Last Updated: April 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 173,195 times.

Writing a speech is already a challenge, so why bother adding humor? Successful humor will relax the audience, making them more attentive and receptive. It can break down perceived barriers between you and the audience, fostering a sense of camaraderie with the audience. Read on to learn how to use humor to your advantage when giving a speech. [1] X Research source

Choosing Your Topic

• Think about -- and then make -- a list of things you know a lot about or enjoy talking about. Single out the topics you’re knowledgeable about but also know you can be funny about. This might rule out topics that are hard to joke about, like poverty, domestic violence, etc.
• Use this list (in combination with the next step) to select a potential topic.

• What’s the general age of your audience?
• What do your audience members have in common?
• What kind of speech are they expecting to hear?
• What kind of humor are they likely to appreciate?

• If you’re writing a speech whose primary goal is to convey information or ideas, you’ll want to integrate humor while focussing on the ideas you want to convey. So draft the informative parts of your speech first, then integrate jokes and humor.
• If you’re writing a speech whose primary goal is humor -- perhaps a satire or parody -- then you’ll want the humor center stage from the beginning. Choose a topic that lends itself to your sense of humor as well as to what the audience is likely to find amusing.

Writing Your Speech

• Remember to choose a specific topic -- if your main idea/topic is too broad, you won’t do it justice in a relatively short speech. Choose something that you can describe in reasonable depth in the time allotted.
• For example, if you’re writing a humorously informative speech about early American cinema, your main idea might be, “the advent of sound in film hurt rather than helped the medium by detracting from its visual potential”. This is specific enough not to be overwhelming while still leaving you room to develop substantial supporting points.
• If, on the other hand, you’re writing a satirical speech, say, about reality television, your main idea might be, “nothing has contributed more to the cultural and intellectual richness of American society than reality television”.

Mine your own unique experiences for inspiration. "It's always good to take something that's happened in your life and make something of it comedically."

• Write down your main idea.
• Below it, write out everything that comes to mind when you think about that idea. Use whatever visual or textual brainstorming method you prefer (eg, clustering, listing, freewriting, etc.).
• Eliminate anything that’s too far away from the topic, that you don’t feel comfortable discussing, or that would require too much time and depth to cover.

• I. Introduction (where you state your main topic and the points you’ll make)
• II. Main point one
• III. Main point two
• IV. Main point three
• V. Conclusion (in which you sum up the main points, re-state your main idea, and issue a call to action from the audience, if appropriate)

• Effective hooks include humorous personal anecdotes, surprising or entertaining examples, or direct questions to the audience that invite their participation and give them a chance to laugh at themselves. [10] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• For example, if you’re writing a speech about studying abroad, you might start by asking if anyone has ever wished they had an accent or intentionally faked one. You can then suggest they do it right and live somewhere they’ll actually have a legitimate accent.

• Err on the side of clarity over style, subtlety or artistry. Unlike a written piece, a speech is as much about delivery as it is about content, and the audience will be less attuned to the intricacies of sentence construction and more attuned to your overall message and the expressions as you give it.
• Avoid overly long and complicated sentences. Long and difficult sentences will be hard to follow. Simplify your point and/or break complicated sentences into smaller, more easily digested ideas.

• For example, a word like “incendiary” is both more vivid, specific, and aurally interesting than a word such as “controversial”. “Incendiary” communicates the idea of something explosively provocative, while “controversial” is a more general term for something that generates disagreement.

Incorporating Humor

• Consider generational differences with humor -- use references and jokes that address topical issues for that age group. For example, if you’re writing a speech about volunteering to an audience of high school students, relate the information in your speech to specific things and events relevant to teenagers. You might make a joke about volunteering versus staying home and trying to be Jimi Hendrix on Guitar Hero. Or you might pick a guitarist more recent than Jimi!
• Know what the audience members have in common. Use it when writing jokes oriented around those shared elements, which are more likely to hold the audience’s attention. Doing so is invariably a crowd-pleaser. For example, if you’re addressing teachers, you might make a humorous reference to students’ most bizarre homework excuses.
• Situational and observational humor that’s tailored to its audience is often particularly effective.

• Watch your favorite funny movie, television show, or comedian.
• Read works by your favorite humorous writers.
• Don’t hesitate to take cues from their delivery -- learn from what they do to make a joke successful. (But don’t plagiarize!)
• Pay attention when you make people around you laugh. Note the things you do or say that make people laugh and how you do it.
• If, for example, your friends can’t stop laughing when you humorously re-enact stressful situations or conversations, try to incorporate similar elements into your speech.

• Targeting particular people or groups is not only inconsiderate, it can alienate members of your audience.
• Avoid jokes that are made at the expense of one side or another in a contentious issue, like jokes about one side of a political or religious debate.
• Don’t make jokes about experiences you don’t understand. A good general rule is to write what you know. So if you, for example, have a learning disability, you might make a joke about the difficulties of dealing with standardized tests. But if you don’t have a learning disability, don’t make jokes about those who do -- you don’t share their specific experience, so you may unintentionally be making jokes about sensitive, potentially even hurtful, issues. [13] X Research source
• Also take the taste level of your audience into consideration when deciding if a joke is going to be offensive. If you’re giving a speech to a room of educated adults, you’ll probably want to avoid overly bawdy or sexual humor.

• The more relevant your jokes are to the specific matter at hand, the more likely they are to be successful with and entertaining.

• But don’t go to extremes of self-loathing, as that will have the opposite effect. The audience won’t know whether to laugh or what you’re trying to accomplish.

• Remember just what information it is you need to convey and ensure that it’s clear.
• Don't let the humor become distracting. Humor can be a great tool for enhancing the information you’re conveying, as long as it doesn’t become a larger focus than the informative content itself. [15] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• Give yourself enough writing time so that you can go through and revise multiple times.
• The more attentive you are to the details, the more successful your speech is likely to be.

Delivering Your Speech

• Read the entire speech aloud until you’re comfortable enough with the material that you don’t need to read directly from your script but can simply use it as a prompt when needed.

• If you watch comedians and humorists closely, you’ll find that they tend to lead in to their jokes in a particular, deliberate way. Specifically, they’ll use a combination of slower speech, significant pauses, and punctuated emphasis. So when you’re leading up to a joke, cue your audience by slowing down your delivery, pausing slightly before delivering the punchline, and emphasizing key words within the punchline. [18] X Research source
• Emphasize important words, but not to the point that it becomes distracting. Practice how you would naturally speak the lines, paying attention to specific places where your tone rises, falls, or becomes more expressive. Keep those inflections in your speech and play them up enough to be animated, but stop short of being continually exaggerated, which will likely distract the audience from the content of the speech itself.
• Watch and listen to speeches you admire. Pay attention to how the speaker manipulates their tone and pacing to enhance the speech and try to apply those same techniques to your own speech.

• It can be somewhat uncomfortable to watch or listen to yourself, but doing so will help improve your presentation enough to be worth the momentary discomfort.

• Think of being somewhat theatrical, you want your gestures to be visible and distinct from a distance. Favor several broad gestures over a series of small ones. [20] X Research source

• Allow yourself to feel nervous. Accept that you’re going to feel that way and decide not to worry about it.
• The more confidently you act, the more confident you’ll eventually feel.
• You have a chance to share your humor and ideas with an interested audience -- enjoy it!

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-publicspeaking/chapter/humor-in-public-speaking/
• ↑ http://www.drmichellemazur.com/2013/04/speech-topic.html
• ↑ http://www.write-out-loud.com/how-to-use-humor-effectively.html
• ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
• ↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-3-outline-examples/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/speeches/
• ↑ http://writetodone.com/how-to-write-funny/
• ↑ http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/How_to_add_humor_to_your_speechwithout_being_a_com_47538.aspx

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15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.

The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!

Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).

To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.

After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!

Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…

Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!

1. Ric Elias

Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”

How to use the power of imagination to open your speech?

Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.

It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.

When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.

When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.

Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.

2. Barack Obama

Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

3. Seth MacFarlane

Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)

How to use humour to open your speech?

When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.

And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.

Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.

Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).

If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.

Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:

• Know your audience: Make sure your audience gets the context of the joke (if it’s an inside joke among the members you’re speaking to, that’s even better!). You can read this article we wrote where we give you tips on how you can actually get to know your audience better to ensure maximum impact with your speech openings
• The joke should suit your natural personality. Don’t make it look forced or it won’t elicit the desired response
• Test the opening out on a few people who match your real audience. Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary
• Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you

4. Mohammed Qahtani

Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”

5. Darren Tay

Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.

How to use props to begin your speech?

The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.

It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.

The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!

What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.

By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.

6. Simon Sinek

Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”

7. Julian Treasure

Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”

How to use questions to open a speech?

I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.

But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.

I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”

No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.

Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.

What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.

So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:

• Set the theme for the remainder of your speech
• Not be something that is fairly obvious
• Be compelling enough so that the audience will actually want to know what the answer to that question will be

8. Aaron Beverley

Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

How to use silence for speech openings?

The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.

But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.

When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?

It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.

Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage. 

If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:

9. Dan Pink

Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”

10. Kelly McGonigal

Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”

How to use a build-up to open your speech?

When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.

That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.

Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.

But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.

11. Tim Urban

Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”

12. Scott Dinsmore

Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”

How to use storytelling as a speech opening?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs

Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.

Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.

As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”

Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.

Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”

I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.

13. Larry Smith

Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”

14. Jane McGonigal

Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

How to use provocative statements to start your speech?

Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.

Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.

This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.

That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.

Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.

Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!

15. Ramona J Smith

Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”

How to use your full body to grip the audience at the beginning of your speech?

In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.

Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.

Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.

The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.

While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.

So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.

If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.

It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.

Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage

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Final Words

So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!

But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.

If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking. 

Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking. 

No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!

Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:

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Speech one liners & jokes

When writing a speech for public speaking, it's important to have a good speech opener, a conclusion that is inspirational, funny or profound, and some jokes and humor. Here are some tips and ideas that will make your speeches memorable. Check out these one liners that can add comedy and humor to make your speech entertaining. No matter whether the speech is for a graduation, roast, wedding, retirement, or other special event, funny jokes are a must! These funny one liners can be adapted to use at the introduction, conclusion or body of your remarks.

• The only good after dinner speech is when someone turns to you and says, "You leave the dishes. I'll do them."
• A good speech should be like a comet: Dazzling, eye-opening and over before you know it.
• I don't know how well I can do on the first two, so I'll try to achieve the third.
• I always try to keep my remarks short. I remember the story of a man who shot a long-winded speaker. Afterwards, he went to the sheriff's office and confessed. "I just killed a keynote speaker," he said. The sheriff replied, "You're in the wrong place. You pick up the reward at the Bounty hunter's office."
• I'll try not to talk too long. They say its best to leave your audience before your audience leaves you.
• I hope my speech will keep you on the edge of your seats. Hopefully that will be because you're interested, not because you're trying to get up the nerve to leave.
• I hope you enjoyed my speech and if you did not, I hope you had a good nap.
• (For a roast) My friends: I know you too well to call you ladies and gentlemen.
• (When addressing a small crowd or low attendance) This must be a wealthy crowd. Each of you bought two or three seats!
• (When addressing a small crowd or low attendance) Well, the we may have a few empty seats, but its better for a full speaker to address a vacant hall than a vacant speaker talking to a full hall.
• I always try to avoid giving advice during my remarks. As the little schoolgirl wrote, "Socrates was a wise, Greek philosopher who walked around giving advice to people. They poisoned him."
• Being a good keynote speaker is the art of saying nothing briefly.
• I'll try to keep my remarks brief. After all, it's said that most speakers need no introduction. What they need is a conclusion.
• Each of us here has a job to do. My job is to talk and yours is to listen. The challenge is for me to finish my job before you have finished yours.
• (If someone is taking photos in front) Wow, even here I can't escape the paparazzi.
• Do you know the definition of an after dinner speaker? Someone who has been asked to say a few words and says too many.
• A key note speaker is someone who is supposed to offer a few words and doesn't know when to stop.
• Raymond Duncan once said, "If the speaker won't boil it down, the audience must sweat it out."
• My speech will be like the latest fashion: long enough to cover the subject but short enough to be interesting.
• (If speaking while people are eating) Please go ahead and keep eating while I'm speaking. I'd rather be eating cake right now too rather than listening to some boring speech.
• I know that I'm a great speaker. I can say that because when I make a speech, as soon as I sit down, people say it was the best thing I've ever done.
• Sometimes orators confuse the seating capacit of an auditorium with the sitting capacity of the audience.
• (After a lengthy or flattering introduction) After that introduction, I just can't wait to hear what I'm going to say.
• (After a lengthy or flattering introduction) After such a warm, generous introduction, I can only say thank you and I think you must have gotten the wrong guy.
• (After an introduction) Thank you for that kind introduction. The person who introduces a speaker has a tough job. It's his job to let you know that the entertaining part of the evening is now over.
• People say I'm a great speaker - in fact, they say I'm blessed with a golden tongue. Unfortunately, I left it in my other pants.
• As S.S. Biddle once said, "A political speech pleases all. Those who agree with it think it over, and those who don't are glad it is over."
• I won't speak for long on account of my throat. (clears throat) At my last engagement I talked too long, and someone threatened to cut it.
• I do my best to prepare for speeches, and it's a challenge to compress all my points into something long enough to be interesting, but short enough so the audience won't fall asleep. Woodrow Wilson was once asked, "How long does it take you to prepare a ten minute speech?" "Two weeks," he answered. "How about a one hour speech?" "One week," he said. "What about a two hour speech?" "I'm ready now!" he replied.
• Whenever I am invited to speak, I'm reminded of a famous anecdote. The master of ceremonies, upon introducing the speaker said, "Mr. so-and-so is our only speaker. The rest of the program is entertainment."
• Some say that too many after dinner speakers makes people dull. I'd argue that too many dull people make after dinner speeches.
• The problem with a lot of speakers is you can't hear what they're saying. The problem with others is that you can.
• Every speaker has his moment. The problem is, most of them stretch it into an hour.
• Speeches are like the horns on a steer. There's a point here and a point there, but in between it's mostly bull.
• Graduation speakers like to begin their speeches by terrifying their audience by saying that they are just beginning their lives.
• The best speech is one that has a great beginning, a memorable end, and not much in between.
• A lecture is when you numb one end to benefit the other.

Did you like these speech jokes and funny anecdotes for speakers' introductions? You might also like the

following topics as well: Anecdotes for speakers and Sample Guest Speaker Introduction Speech .

More information : We hope this page was helpful and provided you with some information about Speech one liners & jokes . Check out our main page for more articles here Can U Write .

All materials on this page are under the copyright of canuwrite.com These speech and letter sample materials may be re-used for free but may not be reprinted or redistributed without attribution to canuwrite.com

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15 great tips on how to use humor in your speech without it being awkward

There are lots of public speaking related books that have a chapter about “how to use humor in a speech.” Also, most of them suggest that you “start with a joke.” Of course, it seems like a good idea, because everybody loves a good laugh and everybody loves a chuckle.

So, how to use humor in a speech? Here are some quick tips: Never start your joke by saying, “I’m going to tell you a joke,” and never laugh at your own jokes. Also, keep it short and simple and try not to insult your listeners.

This is the very short version, but there’s more to it. Therefore, if you’re interested in more then take a look at this post here

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Should You Use Humor in Your Presentations?

Funny presentations: they’re the ones you remember.

One of the most powerful communication tools you can use to deliver your message is humor. It’s what makes you real. When it’s used appropriately, humor can be one of the most effective ways to make your presentation memorable. So, if you are contemplating whether to use humor in presentations, the answer is a resounding yes.

Why do I say “when used appropriately?” Because there is such thing as too much of a good thing. Your presentation can’t be one joke after another–you’re not there to put on a stand-up comedy routine. No, when I say you have to use presentation humor appropriately, I mean you should use it to break up tension or offer a brief release from the intensity of your presentation. The average human adult can focus their attention for about five minutes, so it’s a good rule of thumb to add a humorous element to your speech at least that often. This breaks up your presentation into manageable chunks of time (in terms of your listener’s attention span) to keep your audience interested so that you have their focus for another five minutes.

Use Humor in a Business Presentation

Unless your business sells clown costumes (and really, even if it is), business presentations are heavy. They’re laden with numbers and facts and all sorts of jargon. It’s easy for all that serious business talk to cause a person’s attention span to drop out. That’s why using humor in a business presentation is just as important as adding it to an informative or instructional presentation.

The best time to deliver a serious point—one you want to drive home with your listeners—is right after they laugh. Why? Because laughing is a tension reliever. When your audience is relaxed and attentive, you can hit them with something you want them to remember.

How to Use Humor in Presentations

For presentation humor to be effective, you need to plan for it . Sure, there are times when you can ad-lib (like when something unexpectedly goes wrong—humor can be a great way to recover from a presentation mishap). Still, it really should be an element that you plan and execute deliberately.

Part of planning is knowing the audience will “get” your humor. Jokes that reference pop culture won’t get the same response from a group of seniors as they will from a room full of teenagers. A quip about ledgers and income statements will be lost on people who don’t know the first thing about accounting. Take the demographics and general interests of your audience into consideration. Everyone loves a good laugh—so the more information you have on your listeners, the easier it will be to tickle their funny bones. Do you need a few ideas on how exactly you can add some humor to your next presentation? Try these:

Personal anecdotes: The easiest (usually best) person to poke fun at is yourself. Share a personal story that will lend itself to the point you’re trying to make. Personal stories are always full of funny details, and when you talk about something that’s happened to you, people can relate sometimes; that’s why the story is funny.

The best part of using a story from the pages of your own life is you already know how to tell it because you’ve probably been sharing it for years (unless it’s something that happened on the way to the presentation). If sharing a story based on your experience will help make a point in your presentation, use it!

Funny quotes: Did you know that the Beatles songs “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Eight Days a Week,” and “Tomorrow Never Knows” came from Ringo Starr mixing up his words? People say the darnedest things and it can be pure gold—just ask the Fab Four.

Find a funny quote that lends itself to your topic, and use it at the appropriate time. Jump on Google and search for “funny quotes,” but remember to do your homework and verify that a) the quote is accurate and b) it’s attributed to the correct person.

Funny analogies:  Winston Churchill once said “a good speech should be like a woman’s skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” This is a double whammy—not only is that a funny quote, but it’s a great analogy, too.

An analogy draws a comparison between two different objects or concepts to highlight some similarity. They’re not always easy to come up with yourself, so listen to what the people around you say. When you hear a funny analogy, make a note of it. Even if it’s not perfect for your presentation, you can always swap out a few words or facts to make it work.

Cartoons: If you’re going to use Powerpoint for your presentation, the least you could do is add a funny cartoon or two to your slides. How many times have you been talking to someone and the conversation reminds of you of a funny cartoon or meme you saw on Facebook? Why can’t that be the same for a presentation?  Whatever your topic, there’s a good chance there’s a funny cartoon floating around about it. Visual aids are great for public speaking—and if they’re funny, even better.

Funny Signs: I recently saw a sign outside a local greenhouse that read, “Spring is here! We’re so excited, we wet our plants.” It’s a great play on words, but it’s also a funny sign—and a memorable one at that. There are probably five nurseries within about a 10-block area, but the one I remember the most—and its exact location—is the one with that sign-out front.

Funny signs are everywhere. Once, I saw a “Dead End” sign posted next to a cemetery. (OK, maybe that one was more ironic than funny.) If you keep your eyes open, great material is out there, and it’s all up for grabs for your next presentation.

Use Presentation Humor Sparingly

Humorous presentations are a great way to break the ice with your audience, to keep your listeners interested, and to ensure your presentation is memorable, but don’t feel like you have to be a comedian. A few well-placed jokes to show your human side is all you need.

If you’re thinking about how to make a presentation funny, stick to humor that won’t isolate or target a segment of the audience, and pick “clean” jokes that don’t rely on profanity to make a point. And no matter what, your humor should never be at the expense of others.

Do you use humor in your presentations? Is it effective? Tell us about it in the comment section. Don’t forget we are always posting useful public speaking tips on our social media channels, so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Google+.

10 Comments

Some great tips here. Thanks Mike…I recently attended one you workshops and it was nothing like I expected. It was entertaining and that’s what made it memorable. I’ve been slowly trying to add some humor into my presentations and it seems to draw the audience in. Thanks again

I have never been one to use humor though I wish I knew how. I tried a few times and it just ended awkwardly. Someone else I work with, a man names Stuart Williams… He does this effortlessly. He said you have to work with what you have worked with, in other words… Make fun of your own experiences.

Great advice on using humor in a presentation. Thanks!

This is absolutely true. There are way too many dry, boring presentations. The ones I remember are the ones I have truly enjoyed, and without exception, they’ve all be presentations where the speaker was funny and personable. That alone kept me engaged.

Agreed, a little levity goes a long way toward keeping the interest of your peeps

I think humor, in almost any situation, makes life a bit better. So I definitely agree that it’s appropriate in a business presentation. But yes — plan it ahead and be careful not to do it at anyone’s expense. Don’t go into Michael Scott territory:P

Great blog!

I don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to add a little humor, as long as it’s appropriate and in good taste.

I find humor is a tough skill to master if you don’t know who’s in the audience. People can be really sensitive!

Presentations that don’t have any humor are so hard to pay attention. I easily find myself drifting off and not tracking with the speaker. Bad Presentations!

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44 Witty & Wacky Icebreaker Jokes To Tell At Your Next Meeting

Icebreaker jokes like that one command attention. Like a good conversation starter or icebreaker question , a joke can warm up your listeners’ brains and prepare them to receive your message.

In fact, many of the best one-liners work a little like social glue. Not only do they get people laughing, but they may subtly point out similarities of experience, opinions, and values to make even a tight-knit group feel more closely bonded.

Opening your meeting with a little humor via icebreaker jokes, even your cheesiest knock-knock jokes or dad jokes, can:

• Make an audience feel a stronger sense of social connection
• Soothe stress and make people more receptive to calmly discussing ideas
• Warm-up virtual formats for a remote team
• Release endorphins and calm anger for more productive debates
• Make your arguments and ideas more persuasive

Make your meeting life start feeling more like your best life with the icebreaker jokes below.

(PS – A truly energizing icebreaker joke is a great way to open up a team building event or activity and help everyone enter the right mindset to participate in the fun. Looking for more than just trust falls? Check out our list of virtual team building activities to help remote teams engage with each other in a new and exciting environment.)

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

What Makes An Icebreaker Joke Funny?

A joke could make someone crack up one day and have no effect the next day. Therefore, there’s no true formula for a perfect joke, and despite study and analysis on the part of comedians and scientists , we don’t have a precise answer to, “What makes things funny?”

However, we do have a wealth of theories and insights that can help you create, tell, or at least better understand the magic of jokes. Here’s a brief summary:

A joke could make people laugh if it:

• Plays on the human love of detecting discrepancies by illustrating a generally harmless mistake, misunderstanding, or departure from the norm. (Ex: Did you hear about the person who died while opening a window? So did everyone else on the submarine)
• Disrupts expectations via incongruity between a concept, situation, or idea. (Ex: Do you know what I love most about baseball? The pine tar, the resin, the grass, the dirt. And that’s just in the hot dogs. (David Letterman))
• Gives people an acceptable way to release their feelings on socially inappropriate topics, such as anger, bodily functions, online dating, or even the misfortunes of others. (Ex: My friend took me to what he said was an escape room. Turns out, he just locked me in the closet.)
• Plays on what makes a group similar and inspires feelings of group cohesion.
• Helps people understand one another via insight or perspective on the current social environment.

Icebreaker Jokes For Work

How ‘bout this weather?

How’s it going?

These workplace greetings have become such a commonplace part of our lives, they’re practically rhetorical. Do I really have to tell Rita from accounting how it’s going?

Be the life of the office and add to the company culture .

Subvert expectations and inspire smiles as you breeze into the office or your Zoom meeting with these icebreaker ideas:

1) “I don’t understand how Jeff Bezos is richer than the person who sells receipt paper to CVS.” (Brain Champagne)

2) “Do you know that cool-looking code in the Matrix? It came from sushi recipes .”

3) “Why do people park in a driveway but drive on a parkway?”

4) “Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?” (Robin Williams)

5) “Nowadays, comedians tell the news and the media tells the jokes.”

6) A player asked his golf coach: “What is going wrong with my game?” The coach replied, “You’re standing too close to the ball after you’ve hit it.” ( Golf Workout Program )

7) “Housework won’t kill you. But then again, why take the chance?” (Phyllis Diller)

Icebreaker Jokes For Meetings

Use hilarious jokes and fun questions to break the ice instead to capture everyone’s attention and make sure they’re awake and alert for all the excellent points you’re about to make:.

2) “I threw a boomerang a few years ago. I now live in constant fear.”

3) “What’s a comedian’s least favorite drink? [Booze]”

4) “My friend took me to what he said was an escape room. Turns out, he just locked me in the closet.” (Brain Champagne)

5) “What did the duck say when she bought lipstick? Put it on my bill!” (Best Life)

6) “I like to practice magic. Last night, I was driving, and I turned into a driveway.” (Wiley)

Pro-tip #2: Not comfortable making jokes? That’s okay. Use fun and funny facts about your team to break the ice at your next meeting. You can even source a complete bank of surprising and hilarious facts about your teammates using Water Cooler Trivia .

Not only will you receive praise for introducing an amazing team building activity , but you’ll also get plenty of fun facts you can use to laugh with (and maybe at) your teammates. You can also use a funny team building joke or quote to make sure everyone can relax during the meeting. It truly is a win-win!

Icebreaker Jokes For Speeches

A good ice breaker joke tells your audience that you’re charming and funny, someone they’ll enjoy talking to as much as their best friend. Once you get that key point across, your audience will likely listen to everything else you have to say.

Find the best ice breaker for your next speech below:

1) “Do you know what I love most about baseball? The pine tar, the resin, the grass, the dirt. And that’s just in the hot dogs.” (David Letterman)

2) “I’ve been getting into astronomy so I installed a skylight. The people who live above me are furious.” (Steven Wright)

3) “I heard a story that the band Blink-182 incorporated under the name ‘Poo Poo Butt LLC’ to embarrass their accountants in serious conversations.”

4) “I thought I’d begin by reading a poem by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine.” (Spike Milligan)

5) “Before coming here tonight I was discussing my talk with my [partner] and [they] said to me: ‘Don’t try to be too charming, too witty or too intellectual, just be yourself.’” (Laffgaff)

6) “What’s the best thing about Switzerland? I don’t know, but its flag is a big plus!” (Best Life)

Pro-tip #3: Champion humor in your workplace by using an employee recognition platform such as Nectar to provide peer-to-peer rewards for making others laugh or smile.

Icebreaker Jokes For Presentations

Rapport is especially important for presentations where you’re trying to persuade an audience of strangers, and you can build rapport with people you’ve never met (and may not have anything in common with) by using some of the funniest jokes you can find. If you are looking for an opening joke for your next presentation, then check out these kick-starters.

1) “By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he’s too old to go anywhere.” (Billy Crystal)

2) “I have a piece of paper, don’t mind me. I am a professional, but I have a lot of Nutrasweet in my system and I don’t have a good short-term memory.”

3) “I have, you know, a lot of things I want to discuss with you and I don’t even remember what they are. I have them on a piece of paper. Don’t mind me.”

4) “If I glance over, it’s not because I don’t care, it’s because I can’t remember anything.” (Janeane Garofalo)

5) “I was sitting in traffic the other day. Probably why I got run over.” (Best Life)

6) “I can’t believe my parents support my choice of profession! I told them that I wanted to become a stand-up comedian. They laughed at me.” (Upjoke)

7) “What should you do at a Halloween party if a zombie rolls their eyes at you? Roll them back so they can see!” (Beano)

8) “When my son told me to stop impersonating a flamingo, I had to put my foot down.” (CNN Dad Joke Generator)

Pro-Tip #4:  Get plenty of fodder for your jokes by introducing your team to Quizbreaker , an icebreaker tool that makes it easy to create and share quizzes about your team, with your team. The results of any quiz can be a gold mine for customized joke material that hits with your audience (a.k.a co-workers) because it was designed specifically for (and maybe even incorporates) your audience.

Icebreaker Jokes For Large Groups

Use a strategically placed joke to break the ice and make a large group feel like a small gathering of friends.

1) “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.” (Bob Hope)

2) “Did you hear about the person that died while opening a window? So did everyone else on the submarine.”

3) “Here’s a funny fact: Nicolas Cage once purchased an octopus to help him with his acting.”

4) “You know you must be doing something right if old people like you.” (Dave Chappelle)

5) “How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice…or your spine for that matter.”

6) “When I meet women, I immediately start talking about global warming. It’s a real ice breaker.” (Laffgaff)

Pro-Tip #5: Make sure you pick a joke you love. You must believe your joke is funny if you hope others will find it funny…kind of like you (hopefully) wouldn’t use pick up lines that have no chance of at least earning a wry smile. In fact, it may not hurt to chuckle a bit yourself. Laughter is contagious, after all.

Icebreaker Jokes For Small Groups

Ingratiate yourself to your tight-knit audience by opening with a little humor.

1) “I used to work at McDonald’s making minimum wage. You know what that means when someone pays you minimum wage? You know what your boss was trying to say? ‘Hey, if I could pay you less, I would, but it’s against the law.'” (Chris Rock)

2) “You don’t need a parachute to go skydiving. You need a parachute to go skydiving twice.”

3) “Did you know that there are more plastic flamingos in America than real ones?”

4) “Did you hear the rumor about butter? Never mind, I shouldn’t spread it.” (Best Life)

5) “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I did an original sin. I poked a badger with a spoon.” (Eddie Izzard)

6) “You ever get a handwritten letter in the mail today? You’re like, ‘What the hell? Has someone been kidnapped?'” (Jim Gaffigan)

Pro-Tip #6: Pick a joke and frame it around your real-life experience . If you’re familiar and passionate about your joke, you have a better chance of getting a reaction from others. They’ll be able to feel your authenticity.

Icebreaker Jokes for Conferences

Try injecting humor into conferences for an instant icebreaker that instantly puts people at ease.

Jokes not only lighten the atmosphere but also create a shared sense of joy, easing tensions and fostering a friendly environment. Mundane facts and numbers-based conferences can be humanized and livened up with a perfectly timed joke!

Here are a few ideas for inspiration!

1) “I always try to go the extra mile at work, but my boss always finds me and brings me back.” — Anonymous.

2) The CEO of Google was late to a press conference scheduled for 4:00… 4:04 Page not found.

3) “To make an error is human; to blame it on someone else shows management potential.”

4) So, I went to an abstinence conference the other day… All we did was wait.

5) “I like work: It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” — Jerome K. Jerome.

Pro-tip #7: The best jokes relate humor directly to unique aspects of the conference, making them relatable to everyone.

People Also Ask These Questions About Icebreaker Jokes

Q: what is a good icebreaker joke.

• A: “Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?” is one good icebreaker joke. Find even more icebreaker jokes in this post .

Q: What makes an icebreaker joke funny?

• Illustrating a generally harmless mistake, misunderstanding, or departure from the norm
• Commenting on the current social climate
• Disrupting expectations or norms on a concept, situation, or idea.
• Playing to what makes an audience similar

Q: How do I start my work presentation?

• A: Start your work presentation with an icebreaker joke . Many jokes work a little like social glue. Not only do they get people laughing, but they may also point out similarities of experience, opinions, and values and make a group feel more closely bonded.

Q: Where can I find icebreaker jokes for work?

• A: You can find good icebreaker jokes for work in this roundup , which includes office-appropriate icebreaker jokes for presentations, speeches, meetings, and more.

Q: Are there any good icebreaker jokes for a work meeting?

• A: There are plenty of good icebreaker jokes for a work meeting. For example, you could use a popular Jerry Seinfeld technique and say, “Have you ever noticed…” and fill in the blank with something funny or ridiculous you’ve observed lately.

Q: How do I tell a good joke at work?

• A: Tell a good joke at work by first finding an icebreaker joke you love and then practicing your delivery. Watch your favorite comedians to get inflection inspiration. Try it out on a few of your best work buddies. Before long, you’ll have a go-to joke that never fails to get laughs.

Q: What kinds of jokes are appropriate to tell at work?

• A: Icebreaker jokes are always appropriate to tell at work. Some other work-safe jokes include dad jokes, puns, and a myriad of other clean and not-always-cheesy jokes that don’t leverage taboos or inappropriate subjects.

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Jokes For Public Speaking - Lighten The Mood ... Laugh A Little

Jokes for public speaking are an amazing weapon in your arsenal as you strive for really advanced presentation skills .

Why is public speaking important and why do we need to minimize public speaking fear ?

In a nutshell - public speaking is today's "must have" life skill" - for every one ... not just for motivational speakers !

So, keep those nerves under control, lighten the mood and laugh a little.

Our suggestions and words of wisdom for incorporating public speaking jokes in great funny speeches will soon have you more relaxed and ready to write your own public speaking book !

Hey ... check it out!

Click on the first few and they will take you straight to a free written speech that shows you how to use jokes for public speaking creatively and effectively in your speech.

Someone once said that the best audience is one that is intelligent, well-educated and ... a little drunk ! If that is the case - then I have definitely got an amazing audience here tonight.

Lord Reading offered the following advice on presenting a speech: "Always be shorter than anyone dared to hope!" and tonight, Ladies and Gentlemen, you may be very hopeful!

Franklin D. Roosevelt said: "Be sincere; be brief; be seated" .

"I'm very pleased to be here. Let's face it - at my age...I'm very pleased to be anywhere!" - George Burns

Now, I've been told that a successful speech needs to have a great introduction and a memorable ending - and that both of these should both be close together with not too much in between .

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, to reiterate what King Henry said to each of his many wives ... "I shall not keep you long!"

"It's quite simple. Say what you have to say and when you come to a sentence with a grammatical ending, sit down!" - Winston Churchill

" Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary." - John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking . Number two is death! Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy !" - Jerry Seinfeld

" The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops  ... until you stand up to speak in public ." - George Jessel

"There are two things that are more difficult than making an after dinner speech: climbing a wall which is leaning towards you and kissing a girl who is leaning a way from you." - Winston Churchill

"Unaccustomed as most people are to public speaking ... they still insist on doing it!" - Unknown

"Make sure that you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening! " - Dorothy Sarnoff

"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you have got it made!" - Jean Giraudoux

"There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave ... and the one you wish you gave." - Dale Carnegie

Jokes for public speaking - a secret weapon whether you are attending public speaking courses , searching for public speaking online or just trying to address your anxiety public speaking .

Some final words of wisdom ... "No one ever complains about a speech being too short." - Ira Hayes

• School Life

Best Anchoring Script for Teacher’s Day 2024 for School Performance

Anchoring script for teachers’ day in school: get here the best, funny, and engaging anchoring script ideas for teachers’ day assemblies in school. know what questions can be asked from teachers and students during the activities to make it more touching.  you can download the script in pdf format for easy understanding. read the complete script suggestions and give the special school assembly a smoother presentation..

Best Anchoring Script for Teachers’ Day: India celebrates September 5 as Teacher’s Day to mark the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a prominent Indian philosopher, statesman, and the 2nd President of India. This day is special for the student-teacher bond. On this day, students recognise the efforts of their teachers and organise activities to make them feel happy and special. The day starts with a special assembly for Teachers’ Day that includes speeches, poems, and activities for teachers to participate in. Check out the anchoring script ideas for Teachers’ Day celebrations here. Get here engaging questions to ask from teachers and students during the Teachers’ Day activities.

Why Teachers' Day is Celebrated on Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Birthday?

How to make the best anchoring script.

Anchoring Script For Teacher’s Day 2024 in School

Questions You Can Add To Anchoring Script on Teachers’ Day

1. for teachers:.

• "Can you share one memorable experience from your teaching journey that has stayed with you over the years?"
• "What inspired you to become a teacher, and what keeps you motivated every day?"
• "If you could give one piece of advice to your students, what would it be?"

2. For Students:

• "Can you describe a moment when a teacher helped you overcome a challenge?"
• "Which teacher has had the biggest impact on your life, and why?"
• "What is one lesson from a teacher that you will never forget?"

3. General Questions:

• "What do you think makes a teacher great?"
• "If you were a teacher for a day, how would you teach your favourite subject?"
• "What is the most fun activity you have done in class with your teacher?"

4. For a Fun Segment:

• "If you had to give your teacher a fun award, what would it be?" (e.g., “Best Storyteller” or “Most Likely to Crack Jokes”)
• "What is one funny or unexpected thing a teacher has said or done in class?"
• "If your teacher were a superhero, what would their superpower be?"

These questions can add a personal and interactive touch to the event, encouraging both teachers and students to share their experiences and thoughts.

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Get here latest School , CBSE and Govt Jobs notification and articles in English and Hindi for Sarkari Naukari , Sarkari Result and Exam Preparation . Download the Jagran Josh Sarkari Naukri App .

• What should be included in an anchoring script for Teachers’ Day? + A typical anchoring script for Teachers’ Day includes a welcome address, introductions of guests and performers, announcements, and a closing speech.
• Who is Teachers' Day celebrated in honour of? + Teachers' Day is celebrated in honour of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a prominent Indian philosopher, statesman, and former President of India.
• How can I celebrate Teachers' Day? + You can express your gratitude to your teachers through cards, gifts, or heartfelt messages. Schools often organise special events and programs to honour their teachers.
• What are some ways to make Teachers' Day memorable? + You can organise a surprise party for your teacher, write a poem or song, or simply spend quality time with them.
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