How to be funny?

[Skid Row 89]

Now that was funny.

You see? You didn't even try and it was just a natural thing.

The funniest people are almost always the ones who don't have to try hard to make people laugh. I could make people laugh as a kid but it's a different story now; well, people might laugh AT me now actually so I haven't lost my mojo completely

 

[user 115627]

I always was a quiet guy, but given a comfortable setting and the right audience I could make people laugh. I've been watching a lot of comedy and cabaret and that helped me hone my skills. Never liked cracking preset jokes, but I learned how to play with language, use irony properly and to adapt to each situation. At some point I wanted to turn this into my profession, but I never had the guts. I'm only comfortable with a group up to four people and could never act on a stage...so I keep it to myself. Total lack of confidence in any public setting.

But when you have some eloquence and wit you certainly are more flexible - therefore it becomes easier. A lot of people seem to be more receptive to situational humor.

So you don't have to wait for the right moment - every moment can be the right one. Never waste an opportunity to make someone laugh.

 

[M_also_lonely]

I always was a quiet guy, but given a comfortable setting and the right audience I could make people laugh. I've been watching a lot of comedy and cabaret and that helped me hone my skills. Never liked cracking preset jokes, but I learned how to play with language, use irony properly and to adapt to each situation. At some point I wanted to turn this into my profession, but I never had the guts. I'm only comfortable with a group up to four people and could never act on a stage...so I keep it to myself. Total lack of confidence in any public setting.

But when you have some eloquence and wit you certainly are more flexible - therefore it becomes easier. A lot of people seem to be more receptive to situational humor.

So you don't have to wait for the right moment - every moment can be the right one. Never waste an opportunity to make someone laugh.

Honestly speaking, that didnt help me.

 

[user 115627]

Honestly speaking, that didnt help me.

Well, different approaches work for different people. Mine works for me. You can still try this:

Memorize joke books?

Seriously though, have you asked yourself what makes you laugh? Because I can also see how trying to appeal to others people's tastes with jokes that aren't even funny to yourself easily comes across as try-hard and fake. And as others pointed out before, trying too hard can be quite off-putting.

 

[VanillaCreme]

Two words... that are technically names. Are names words?

Anyway...

Charlie. Murphy.

 

[Stonely]

I've been the funny guy since 5th grade.

It's because I have a higher than average intelligence and I'm also very childish.

As long as you're smart and childish, you can be funny.

But do be warned, if you decide to be the funny guy, people won't take you seriously much.

 

[Finished]

Say obvious things but just put a different spin on them:

 

[StarDust]

This best explains my thoughts on humor:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-are-jokes-about-a-tragedy-funny/

 

[TropicalStarfish]

I think experience is probably the best asset of a comedian. Every experience is like a card in the deck. When you have enough cards, you've got a full deck. At that point, you can start doing things with it, and practice makes perfect.

Some people just have more of a natural ability, plus the right time, and right place, too.

Just realized the necro-bump...

 

[Adamridge79]

Just be the youngest child in a severely domestic abuse family...someone has to make others laugh, let it grow from the harsh and arbitrary abuse you suffer for being the most recent 'mistake', and it just splinters off from there. Sure, you're usually an *******, but an ******* that make people laugh. I mean, it has to begin somewhere, and those healthy, well adjusted people never attempt to cross that line. Or, study multiple comedians. Whichever

 

[Macsimum Myers]

I want to be a funny person. How to create jokes that are funny and make people laugh? How to be humorous so that people will be interested in talking to me??

Try waking up and looking like me

 

[M_also_lonely]

Try waking up and looking like me

WOW.
Just wow.

Just this evening I was thinking about my life in college. It used to be a miserable life.
I almost cried looking at this and reading my older posts.
Can't believe I once had these questions.
By highlighting this post, you gave me a flashback of 7 years back when I was at the lowest point of my life. And made me feel grateful for getting my life sorted.

Got rid of loneliness, gynophobia and low self esteem.
Got a high paying job. Got invited to pursue a master's degree from one of the leading institutes of my country.

Gave up pursuing women and relationships. Gave up trying to impress people.

Thanks! Have a nice day.

 

[user 148069]

WOW.
Just wow.

Just this evening I was thinking about my life in college. It used to be a miserable life.
I almost cried looking at this and reading my older posts.
Can't believe I once had these questions.
By highlighting this post, you gave me a flashback of 7 years back when I was at the lowest point of my life. And made me feel grateful for getting my life sorted.

Got rid of loneliness, gynophobia and low self esteem.
Got a high paying job. Got invited to pursue a master's degree from one of the leading institutes of my country.

Gave up pursuing women and relationships. Gave up trying to impress people.

Thanks! Have a nice day.

Can you share how and what you did to get here? Maybe share on a new thread if this old thread brings back unpleasant memories.
Only if you feel comfortable sharing though.

 

[Loner_Wolf]

I agree with the notion of not caring what people think. I think some people’s minds are more geared toward comedy than others. Try to look for the funny side of whatever situations you find yourself in. You’ll get it with practice.

 

[NoxApex(N/A)]

Humor's a natural ice breaker.
Stressful situation, pop in some humor, and it cuts the tension.
IF of course, it's the right kind of humor for that stressful situation.

You can't say anything these days without somebody being a killjoy and getting offended.
Maybe I'm a little bit thick-skinned, but even as a kid if I'd get hurt doing something dumb playing around with my friends outside, I'd usually laugh it off provided I didn't need to go to the hospital, and even in some instances in which I did need to go to the hospital, I still laughed it off.

This is because the brain, has an automatic neurochemical response to humor.
And that's why it works.

 

[LeeG]

I think the best way to be funny is to learn to make fun of yourself and your situation. If you poke fun at anyone else that can be offensive to somebody, but about yourself and people usually find it funny. Great comedians like Rodney Dangerfield built their entire career around self deprecation, and he was really hilarious to me. I'll describe myself to people sometimes as a troubled loner or an awkward weirdo, and its so true, and that's what makes someone else think it's funny. You have to pick something about yourself that has some truth to it. It also gives other people permission to make a joke at your expense, I always laugh if someone does that as well.

I'm obviously not a comedian, but whenever I want to say something funny I look at myself to make the joke about.

 

[howdidifindmyselfhere?]

Humor is a funny thing you know, what one person finds funny another person may not. Maybe figure out what you find funny, what makes you laugh and try going from there. Not everyone like Mr Funny though, or at least I don't think they do, I could be wrong, so don't over do it. The simplest little thing can be funny and brighten someones day.

 

[CenotaphGirl]

Humor is a funny thing you know, what one person finds funny another person may not. Maybe figure out what you find funny, what makes you laugh and try going from there. Not everyone like Mr Funny though, or at least I don't think they do, I could be wrong, so don't over do it. The simplest little thing can be funny and brighten someones day.

Sooo right about everyone not liking Mr or Mrs funny, my jokes have landed me in some hot water, my humour is so dry it takes people a little while to work out im joking lol however, I like jokes thats make you think.

 

[howdidifindmyselfhere?]

Sooo right about everyone not liking Mr or Mrs funny, my jokes have landed me in some hot water, my humour is so dry it takes people a little while to work out im joking lol however, I like jokes thats make you think.

My humor has never got me into any trouble thankfully, but it can take a while for people to understand. I guess I used it as a kind of self defense mechanism when I was younger, if you could take the piss out of yourself and laugh, it made all of the name calling easier to ignore.

 

[Finished]

Sometimes I like to make jokes that others don't understand even though I find them hilarious.