If they're thinking, they're not laughing
If they're thinking, they're not laughing
Even if they're thinking about laughing
All other art can be ambiguous: poetry can be opaque in its meaning, Sculpture can be open to interpretation, but comedy must be crystal clear. If the audience doesn't know where the comedian is coming from, it won't get the point being made. Put simply: if they're thinking, they're not laughing.
Logan Murray - Get Started In Stand-Up Comedy
Awkward word choices can make a joke land poorly, but it’s more often lack of empathy. Yes I know I bang on about this a lot. Empathy isn’t all about cuddles and ringing mom. Jokes work best if you’re constantly thinking about how your audience are going to receive your material.
British comedian James Acaster here with his legendary bit about the British Empire. Notice how he speaks to both sides of the debate. He has in mind both pro and anti-colonialist stances.
When you’re writing make sure you’re constantly imagining an audience of people quite different to yourself, and consider what they might think about what you are saying and beat them to the thought. EG if you’re 30 and have a classic “I’m so old” bit, what does someone who’s 35, 55, 85 think about your material? Even if you’re making fun of them, everyone likes to be seen “I’m in my 30s now and I really feel old. Sorry if you’re really really old and are offended by that but you bought a house for 100 bucks so that’s nice.”
In this article I dive deep into what makes a joke funny.
