| Laughter is really the best medicine, and it has been | | | | pay attention to detail, to find something humorous. If |
| humor that has helped me cope through my darkest | | | | there is not something funny, they will try to make it |
| days, and there have been many! The healing power | | | | funny, using the tools of the trade like exaggeration; |
| of humor cannot be measured. Over the years, people | | | | irony, etc. Stop; Look; and Listen! That's what people in |
| have asked me questions about humor, and I'll share a | | | | humor do...and, others just walk by and pay no |
| few of those questions and answers with | | | | attention.QUESTION; How is the best way to break |
| you.QUESTION: What is the most important thing I | | | | into comedy/humor?ANSWER: The K.I.S.S. |
| should know about getting into humor or wanting to be | | | | Principle...keep it simple, stupid! Start with short |
| a funnier person?ANSWER: Be honest with yourself! I | | | | material...short jokes; short anecdotes; short stories; |
| can't emphasize this enough. Take an inventory of | | | | short everything! Don't start blabbing about your |
| yourself...your abilities; your capabilities; and limitations | | | | vacation that's going to take about 7 hours to tell. |
| and ask yourself, if you have what it takes to get into | | | | (YAWN) If you do this, you will get your 15 seconds of |
| comedy. At some point in time, you're going to get | | | | fame very quickly! Memorize the short pieces for |
| embarrassed; you will fail; you will embarrass others; | | | | smooth delivery, etc.QUESTION: What is the single |
| you're going to say the wrong thing at the wrong time; | | | | most important thing about comedy?ANSWER: |
| you're going to eat a little "crow"; your're going to get a | | | | DELIVERY...without a doubt! I don't care if you have |
| little "egg on your face": your timing and delivery will be | | | | the best joke or story to tell...if you stumble on |
| off; and you might even get slapped in the face if you | | | | delivery...YOU'RE FINISHED! You MUST have a |
| are not careful, etc.Humor is quite subjective! What | | | | smooth delivery to be successful in humor! Breaks in |
| one person thinks is funny, is an insult to somebody | | | | your delivery and forgetting the punch line, will get you |
| else! Care has to be taken about what you say; what | | | | to the Hall of Shame in a hurry!QUESTION: What is a |
| you do; where you say it; who you say it to, etc. Ask | | | | no-no in comedy?ANSWER: Telling the same joke |
| yourself: "Can I embarrass myself and then make a | | | | over and over and over and over until you find |
| comeback?" If you can't, find something else to do. If | | | | yourself on a stage and heading out of Dodge City! |
| you embarrass somebody else, can you apologize for | | | | DO NOT DO THIS with your humor! Jokes get old and |
| it? If you get into humor, it's just a matter of time, when | | | | tired very quickly! If you can't come up with new and |
| you do this. All of us in humor do this...it comes with the | | | | fresh material, don't get into comedy. That's why |
| territory. A slip of the tongue here...a slip of the tongue | | | | comedians are always looking for new material...to |
| there. I can assure you, judgement day will come very | | | | keep everything fresh!QUESTION: How important is |
| quickly if you get into humor. Your 15 minutes of | | | | style?ANSWER: If you can't tell a joke without |
| fame...could turn into your 15 seconds of SHAME if | | | | screwing it up, you can cancel your world tour, and |
| you're not careful. I don't want discourage anyone from | | | | forget about style! Style is only important if you CAN |
| getting into humor, but you must know the honest | | | | tell a funny story, and you plan to get your world tour |
| facts and be prepared to deal with them. That's why | | | | back on track! (don't count on it) Everyone should |
| you MUST be honest with yourself.QUESTION: Can | | | | develop their own style, and do what's comfortable for |
| anybody get into humor/comedy and be | | | | you. And, you should NEVER copy anyone else! There |
| successful?ANSWER: NO...NO...and three times NO! | | | | is only one Lucy; one Bob Hope; one Norton the sewer |
| There are people who have crossed my path who | | | | guy; one Robin Williams; one Erma Bombeck, etc. Like |
| should stay away from humor all together. The first | | | | Uncle Milty says, "Never steal material from other |
| thing a person needs to successful in humor is a | | | | comedians...but, you can borrow it forever if you |
| personality. I've known people in the past who have a | | | | want!"QUESTION: What else is important about getting |
| personality of a rock; chopped liver on a cutting board; | | | | into comedy?ANSWER; PATIENCE! After you've told |
| an orange traffic barrel, etc. The person in humor has | | | | your first joke successfully, put your world tour on hold |
| to be a little out-going; an extrovert or someplace in | | | | for a few months! Trust me...you're not ready! You're |
| the middle. The person has to be able to enjoy people | | | | not going to be funny overnight! Like anything else, |
| and communicate well. I've worked with many | | | | there will be a long learning process. Engineers; medical |
| technical people like engineers for over 12 years, and | | | | people; entertainers; athletes take a long time to be |
| many of these people are brilliant. They can do the | | | | good at what they do. There is no such thing as an |
| math and engineering to put somebody on the moon! | | | | "overnight success" unless you are a "coat-tailer" in |
| But, when it comes to having a personality...sometimes | | | | Washington, D.C.QUESTION: Is there a way I can get |
| it's difficult to get even a sentence out of them. Some | | | | a laugh right away?ANSWER: But, of course! Why |
| of these people are so introverted, that it would be a | | | | don't you show everybody you know you're |
| disaster if they tried their hand in comedy! The answer | | | | paycheck...that ought to get you a few laughs, don't |
| is NO...not everyone can get into humor and be | | | | you think? How about showing everyone you know a |
| successful.QUESTION: What other qualities should a | | | | few of your baby pictures when you were |
| person have who wants to get into | | | | potty-training...WOW!QUESTION: Jerry, who are a few |
| comedy?ANSWER: That person should have high | | | | of your all-time comedians?ANSWER: |
| self-esteem and confidence of himself or herself. This | | | | MMMMM...there's so many! I would have to say, Henry |
| is terribly important, because, as I said earlier, the | | | | Kissinger; Al Gore; Hillary Clinton; and George W. Bush, |
| person is going to put "thy foot into thy mouth" a few | | | | not to be confused with plain old George |
| times. And, that person is going to get up and dust | | | | Bush.QUESTION: Tell the truth to the world, Jerry...do |
| thyself off if that person wants to stay in comedy. | | | | you really thing you're a funny person?ANSWER: |
| If you decide to get into comedy all you have to do is | | | | Does a porcupine cross his legs carefully?I certainly |
| to exercise common sense.QUESTION: Are | | | | hope a few of these tips have helped you. There is |
| comedians/humorists different from ordinary | | | | nothing like humor to brighten up your day and brighten |
| people?ANSWER: YES! Comedians are different | | | | someone elses day. I encourage everyone to get into |
| because they see the world differently. They are | | | | humor...start slowly...be careful...use common sense as |
| always looking for something funny. They stop and | | | | you go along...and, you'll be glad you did! |
| smell the roses, while everybody else walks by. They | | | | |