How to Give a Humorous Speech

So you’re thinking about entering a humorous speech contest, or you’re going to an event where you’ve been asked to deliver a humorous speech and you need funny speech topics. Think it’s difficult? Think you can’t do it? Yes you can. Here’s a quick guide to help you develop the skills to deliver a speech that will make them laugh!

Steps:

1. Gather as much information as possible about the audience that will hear your speech. Will they be all women? All men? Married couples? Single? Executives from your organization where you work? Gain a good understanding of the appropriate speech material to use, and the degree of humor to incorporate into your speech. For example, do not include any sexual suggestive humor if it is inappropriate. Stick with what your audience is comfortable with.
2. Determine what commonality the audience has that they can identify with you. Some common themes could include, driving a car, raising children, dealing with strange neighbors, or visiting the in-laws for the holidays. There are a multitude of ideas out there. Brainstorm for ideas, and write some ideas down while thinking of them. Then choose one that is most suitable for your audience, and most appealing to you. Enthusiasm shows where a speaker is interested in what they are telling the audience. Develop your idea into a speech idea. Remember that a humorous speech is not stand up comedy. Do not stand in front of the audience and tell one-line jokes. Develop an idea into a good story that starts out slowly, drawing in the audience, and delivers the humorous conclusion to make everyone laugh.
3. Determine how long the speech length will be. Then develop the speech into a speech that is no longer than the required time for which you’ve been given the opportunity. Although everyone likes to laugh, it is better to stay within the scheduled length of time. This may require cutting out parts of the speech that are too lengthy in the introduction, and it may cause the speaker to get to the punch line more quickly than the original speech was planned. But a well-planned humorous speech will keep the audience entertained, and it will have a rythym that everyone will enjoy – a beginning that will draw them in, a middle part to make the story even more interesting, and an ending that will make them howl with laughter. Just remember to deliver the punch line at the end of the story. Not the middle of the story.
4. Consider using special props, or special clothing. Bring different hats to wear for different parts of the speech. Or consider using a ladder, a special chair, or even consider bringing an old steering wheel. Whatever the props used, it will bring more interest to the audience, and the more interesting the props, the more entertained the audience.
5. Practice the speech. Use a tape recorder, a kitchen timer, or a video recorder. View the speech over and over again using these tools. A humorous speech can be improved upon considerably by the speaker by reviewing through these tools not only the speech material, but the hand movement, the facial gestures, and even the steps taken during the speech. Find a step pattern to use during the speech so not to distract the audience too much. For example, throughout the speech be sure not to go out more than a few steps to the left, a few steps to the right, and back to center. Use the step movement to help you remember where you are in your speech: Introduction for moving right, main part of speech moving left, and moving back to the center for the conclusion. Learn to develop the ability to pause at the appropriate times so the audience can enjoy their laugh before going to the next sentence. Glance around the room slowly while speaking. Try to look at several people for a few seconds before moving to the next person. Then deliver the punch line at the end, and the audience will enjoy the presentation.

Tips:

• Know your audience
• Determine an idea of a common idea that you and your audience has in common
• Determine ahead of time how much time you will have to deliver your speech
• Special clothing or props to help put your audience in the mood for humor
• Develop a good story into a great story to make the audience laugh

[Via eHow]

Related posts:

1. 7 Ways To Make A Humorous And Funny Speech
2. Incorporate Humor in Your Next Speech
3. How to Write a Funny Speech
4. Entertaining Speech Topic Checklist