Writing Comedy

Jokes as a general rule revolve around a "Bait and Switch" framework. (Presenting the toy to the baby, and pulling it away) You set-upa situation and then twist it at the last minute to something unexpected. "Man I hate public transportation, Last time I was on a busthere was some drunk making my life hell. He smelled and talked incoherently…and that was just the driver!"

The "Switch" formula teaches mis-direction, twist, selectively omitting important facts -- all for the purpose of creating surprise=laughter.

Learn to switch the Who, What, Where, When, What, Why, How.

A typical WHO switch: "I just left this woman I've been with for twenty years. I finally said, 'I've got to get out of the house, Mom'."

A typical WHERE switch: "My wife is always vacuuming during the football game. She claims it doesn't bother anyone else in the stadium."

"I'm Italian and Jewish, I don't know whether to be a defendant or a lawyer."

My favorite technique is "The Combination". Here you use two threads and combine them to form a punch line. Take any twoconcepts that you are talking about, the current thread of discussion and maybe the last one you discussed. Find a way to combinethem to form a humorous idea. Say you were talking about party drugs and someone mentions politics or the war on drugs orsomething. You can combine them to say, "Remember when Clinton admitted he smoked pot but never inhaled? Well I think he DIDinhale…problem was I don't think he ever EXHALED."The group is talking about dating and doctors…"I dated a dentist and we hit it off great --she wants to see me again in 3 months."Think "metaphor" Tie the subjects together.Subjects: men and computers= Metaphor: men are like computers.(In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are the problem.)Women are like cars; bars are like work…find the funny commonality.

Tag-ons: are extra punch lines that follow a linear progression. My classic joke that I tagged to hell was during a unicycle routine. Justafter I got on the unicycle and was riding around a bit I would say:Set-up: You know…riding a unicycle and juggling is difficult, I have to clear my mind and think about one thing and one thing only…(Longpause, build tension)Punch line: …Getting laid after the show.(Wait for laughter)Tag-on: Some nights that's harder than riding a unicycle…(Wait for laughter)Tag-on: And you know…it kinda feels the same too…(Wait for laughter)Tag-on: Maybe I should try women…(Wait for laughter, usually some groans too)Tag-on: …I'm joking…I'm Joking (Pause)Tag-on:…I'll never try women!(Huge laugh)

Call-backs: Free laughs just by using the same punch line again and again without the set-up. Extremely effective. For example youused the "buffalo" joke from above early in the set, then later the you want to bust on the girl again you could add at anytime, fromsomething she said " of course your stubborn, your parent were buffaloes" or "You are a wild girl! I guess I should expect that seeinghow you were raised by a herd of wild buffaloes…" You can call back a joke most all night.

Jokes work because you are intentionally setting into place an awkward moment that creates tension. When you relieve the tension people automatically laugh. Set-up…punch line, Batta-boom… batta-bing.

Your mission: Buy a joke book (Avoid the dirty jokes, blonde joke type anthologies) Get one made for public speakers or general use.They are divided into subject headings. Look for the one-liners. Grab one joke for each of the most popular subjects; relationships,driving, bars, etc. Pick subjects that come up in most conversations. Write the jokes down somewhere, so when that subject comesup you can instantly recall that joke.Watch and listen to other comics. Go to a new talent night at a comedy club, buy a tape, watch comedy central. I learned comedy byworking with 2 or 3 new comics each week, I would have to watch their act 10 or 13 times that week, I got to know their materialpretty well. That's when you start seeing the same formulas in play. Listen to the same comedy tape over and over; it's amazing howyou'll be able to recall those jokes. Your mind will start working like a comedian's and you will start writing your own! (Write themdown!)Be aware of your style; I tend to work best with ONE-LINERS, quickand clever. Other people who may be more animated, good withfacial expressions and physical expressions may do better with longer, anecdotal type ROUTINES. A Richard Pryor as compared to aSteven Wright. Find a comic who best represents your frame and STEAL THE SHIT OUT OF HIS JOKES. (A taboo for theprofessionals, but perfectly OK for a PUA in a social setting)Don't think you have to be a stand-up comic who is constantly "ON". Just a few, well placed jokes here and there demonstrate HUGEHIGHER VALUE. You are instantly granted higher status.Don't worry about ad-libbing or impov comedy. There is no such thing. Improve comedy is the art of 100% recall! Believe me…all thoseimprove groups have done those jokes hundreds of times. The perfect "come-back" has been well rehearsed many times before. If Iam stumped for a "Come-back". I go home and write one up for the next time I am in that same situation, because it will come up againand I'll be ready, and it will seem like I just thought of it and everyone will go "Wow he's clever".