Q&A for How to Make a Joke

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  • Question
    How do you make a funny video?
    Kendall Payne
    Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
    Kendall Payne is a Writer, Director, and Stand-up Comedian based in Brooklyn, New York. Kendall specializes in directing, writing, and producing comedic short films. Her films have screened at Indie Short Fest, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Channel 101 NY, and 8 Ball TV. She has also written and directed content for the Netflix is a Joke social channels and has written marketing scripts for Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Astronomy Club, Wine Country, Bash Brothers, Stand Up Specials and more. Kendall runs an IRL internet comedy show at Caveat called Extremely Online, and a comedy show for @ssholes called Sugarp!ss at Easy Lover. She studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and at New York University (NYU) Tisch in the TV Writing Certificate Program.
    Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
    Expert Answer
    Honestly, you just have to have the confidence to give it a shot. Your first few videos are probably not going to be the greatest videos of all time, and that's okay! You're going to learn a ton about what you're doing just by working through each project. So it's really just about having the will to push yourself to try.
  • Question
    How can I practice telling jokes?
    Kendall Payne
    Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
    Kendall Payne is a Writer, Director, and Stand-up Comedian based in Brooklyn, New York. Kendall specializes in directing, writing, and producing comedic short films. Her films have screened at Indie Short Fest, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Channel 101 NY, and 8 Ball TV. She has also written and directed content for the Netflix is a Joke social channels and has written marketing scripts for Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Astronomy Club, Wine Country, Bash Brothers, Stand Up Specials and more. Kendall runs an IRL internet comedy show at Caveat called Extremely Online, and a comedy show for @ssholes called Sugarp!ss at Easy Lover. She studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and at New York University (NYU) Tisch in the TV Writing Certificate Program.
    Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
    Expert Answer
    If you're genuinely interested in developing jokes, one of the best things you can do is go to an open mic. They have them all over the place, but you'll need to dig around online to find one near you. That's one of the best ways you can get some experience telling jokes.
  • Question
    How can I get better at stand up?
    Kendall Payne
    Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
    Kendall Payne is a Writer, Director, and Stand-up Comedian based in Brooklyn, New York. Kendall specializes in directing, writing, and producing comedic short films. Her films have screened at Indie Short Fest, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Channel 101 NY, and 8 Ball TV. She has also written and directed content for the Netflix is a Joke social channels and has written marketing scripts for Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Astronomy Club, Wine Country, Bash Brothers, Stand Up Specials and more. Kendall runs an IRL internet comedy show at Caveat called Extremely Online, and a comedy show for @ssholes called Sugarp!ss at Easy Lover. She studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and at New York University (NYU) Tisch in the TV Writing Certificate Program.
    Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
    Expert Answer
    You just have to trust your own ability to process feedback. Try to pay attention to the way people respond to your jokes, take that feedback into account, and try to refine your material over time. Know that just because a set doesn't work out, it doesn't mean that your material isn't good. Everyone is going to go through growing pains when they're first starting out, so don't get discouraged!
  • Question
    How can I laugh a lot? I need cheering up before I can make jokes for other people.
    Community Answer
    Watch funny videos, or tag along with a couple of your bros or gals and go out into the world, make jokes out of anything you have or see. It all depends upon your type of humor as to what tickles your funny bone.
  • Question
    How do I ensure a laugh when I'm joking? How do I turn the ambiance around?
    Community Answer
    Establish premise, establish pattern, establish expectation, [pause, let the person make an expectation] then, out of nowhere, deliver the punchline. A good example would be: "I downloaded Fortnite yesterday. I sniped one guy in the head and took his stuff [pause], then I went home and played Fortnite.
  • Question
    Are a certain types of jokes funnier than others?
    Community Answer
    Sometimes, but it's subjective. A joke's success or failure relies a large part on its audience.
  • Question
    I like playing the fool. But is it bad to be the fool too much?
    Community Answer
    Playing the fool is fun and gives you a lot of positive attention, but if overdone you will be considered a real stupid fool. So don't overdo it unless you want to be an absolute fool all the time.
  • Question
    I don't like jokes because they hurt my feelings. How do I stop this from happening?
    Community Answer
    Jokes are meant to elicit humor, not to cause pain. If you feel that you are being bullied, do what you can to avoid similar situations in the future.
  • Question
    What do I do if nobody laughs at my joke?
    Community Answer
    Continue––if they don't laugh at the first one say another one never give up. And if it doesn't work, don't beat yourself about it, as failure is a part of life just keep practicing. Practice is the key. Or switching to deadpan humor instead...
  • Question
    How can I read the audience to tell if they're going laugh at my joke?
    Community Answer
    You can't. Just tell your joke and hope they find it funny. Mistake by mistake, you'll learn how to do it successfully most of the time. That's the way professional comedians do it.
  • Question
    How do I think of something funny but not offensive?
    Community Answer
    Use the suggestions above, and avoid joking about serious topics, such as disease, death, bullying, depression, abuse, etc.
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