Humor is NOT an "talent" it does not have to be something you are born into. I learned how to make others laugh, when I want it, at age of 77.
Then, after many workshops of Standup Comedy, went on to more then 77 clubs and made audiences laugh.
Today, in the Witty Storytellers Online club, with our club members, returning guests, and even a few new guests from various parts of the globe, from India, China, Sri Lanka, all the way to Oregon, I held a two hours 101 Humor workshop, where everyone participated.
Using some tricks and tips from the different workshops I attended, and few lines from my own comedy (see my Competent Communication blog), we get all try and we did all get also to laugh, and realize that we can learn, but we have to work on it!
Zoom video meeting lets see each other, in Gallery mode, and record. Perhaps, another day, I will take out some small parts of the meeting and show. One warmup that worked well was to look at your neighbor and find something you LIKE about her and tell her. Then, when the circle is closed, continue, use the SAME thing you liked, and tell something nasty, or something you do NOT like : about the same thing. It did make all laugh! Reversal, made us understand, we can turn things around.
"X I love your fresh cut hair!" --- "X I miss your big Santa bird"
"Y I love your background" --- "Y your background looks like horns"
"Z I love your smile" --- "Z You smiling all time seems fake to me"
Of course, all depends on the context. At the same time, we learn each other names and really LOOK at each other. And get into a humor mode. And it also teaches us not to take a feedback or an observation too seriously.
We also learned not to do, as I did at 22, begun retelling a joke I liked with the punchline, and plus laughing even before! I believed then I will never will be able to tell a joke. 3 Standup comedy workshops and 77 standup appearances at divers clubs later, I learned that we can learn at any age.
No comments:
Post a Comment