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\nHow to Write Funnier Jokes<\/h2>\n
One important aspect of stand-up comedy is knowing how to write funnier jokes than other comedians. With that in mind, here\u2019s a professional comedian\u2019s insider tip on how to write funnier jokes.<\/span><\/p>\n
“In stand-up comedy, you strip out everything except what serves the joke.” – Patton Oswald.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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One of the best ways to better joke setups and punchlines is to keep it short. When you are editing your jokes, try to cut out any unnecessary words. Every word should serve a purpose. The vast majority of jokes are only a couple of sentences long. Any longer and you risk losing your audience’s attention. If a word does not help advance the joke, cut it out.<\/span><\/p>\n
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The setup’s function is to misdirect the audience into believing a false narrative. Once that is accomplished, the setup is done. Any added information clutters up this function. The punchline’s function is to communicate an idea that\u2019s compatible with the setup’s narrative, but completely unexpected.<\/span><\/p>\n
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For instance, this overwritten setup and punchline.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Setup:<\/b> “As a single parent, I’m raising two mixed-up teenage boys that cause me no end of trouble. Running away is one of the many problems that I face every single day and I’m always afraid it’s going to happen.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Punch:<\/b> “But I don’t run away from them. I stay because I’m their only parent.”<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Good idea for a joke, but it contains too much unneeded information. Here’s a shorter version<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Setup:<\/b> “As a single parent, I’m raising two teenagers. So running away is a problem.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Punch:<\/b> “But I don’t.”<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0It only contains the information to make the joke work. Setup idea: teenagers might run away. Punchline Idea: parent doesn’t run away. Anything else makes the audience work too hard to figure it out.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Joke Writing Technique: Ask Questions<\/b><\/p>\n
Often when someone writes a good idea for a joke, they stop working on it. The basic joke is just the beginning of the comedian\u2019s process to write funnier jokes. Too much information in a joke slows down the audience\u2019s mental process of figuring out the joke.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0To remove the irrelevant wording and information, go through every word and phrase and ask: \u201cDo I really need to say that for the joke to work?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0If the answer is \u201cYes,\u201d then leave it in. Then move onto the next word or phrase. Ask the question. If the answer is \u201cNo,\u201d then remove it. Then rewrite the joke without the unnecessary words or phrases. Continue this process all the way through the setup and punchline of the joke.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0When you\u2019re done, go through every word and phrase of the joke setup and punchline again and ask basically the same question. Then do it again. Then do it again, until there is no information except what\u2019s needed for the joke to work.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0A shorter joke is almost always funnier than a longer joke because the audience doesn’t have to sift through superfluous verbiage to get the joke. You never want the audience to have to figure out more than they need to before they laugh.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0In this comedy technique article you\u2019ve learned <\/span>How to Write Funnier Jokes: Tip 1 – Make Setups and Punchlines Short<\/span><\/i>. In the next joke writing technique article you\u2019ll learn: <\/span>How to Write Funnier Jokes:Tip 2 – End Punchlines with the Reveal<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Greg Dean’s Stand Up Comedy Classes<\/h2>\n
Greg teaches his techniques in two classes.\u00a0 The first is called “How to Build a Stand Up Comedy Routine” and is the beginning class (also called the “101 class”) and the “Advanced Joke Writing & Performing Class” (also known as the “201 class”).\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Even though these classes are named a beginning and advanced,\u00a0 they are actually classes that stand up comedians of any number of years of experience can take.\u00a0 They are beginning and advanced in the Greg Dean system.\u00a0 If you’re interested in faster and better ways to create good jokes and you want to dive deeper on joke writing then you’ll want to take both of these classes.<\/p>\n
Greg teaches his classes live in Santa Monica as well as live on zoom.\u00a0 If you are in the greater Los Angeles area, you can sign up for his classes at the Santa Monica Playhouse.\u00a0 Check our Calendar of Events to see all upcoming classes.\u00a0 Calendar of Events<\/a><\/p>\n