how to prepare a humorous speech

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How to Write a Funny Speech

Last Updated: April 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 171,497 times.

Writing a speech is already a challenge, so why bother adding humor? Successful humor will relax the audience, making them more attentive and receptive. It can break down perceived barriers between you and the audience, fostering a sense of camaraderie with the audience. Read on to learn how to use humor to your advantage when giving a speech. [1] X Research source

Choosing Your Topic

• Think about -- and then make -- a list of things you know a lot about or enjoy talking about. Single out the topics you’re knowledgeable about but also know you can be funny about. This might rule out topics that are hard to joke about, like poverty, domestic violence, etc.
• Use this list (in combination with the next step) to select a potential topic.

• What’s the general age of your audience?
• What do your audience members have in common?
• What kind of speech are they expecting to hear?
• What kind of humor are they likely to appreciate?

• If you’re writing a speech whose primary goal is to convey information or ideas, you’ll want to integrate humor while focussing on the ideas you want to convey. So draft the informative parts of your speech first, then integrate jokes and humor.
• If you’re writing a speech whose primary goal is humor -- perhaps a satire or parody -- then you’ll want the humor center stage from the beginning. Choose a topic that lends itself to your sense of humor as well as to what the audience is likely to find amusing.

Writing Your Speech

• Remember to choose a specific topic -- if your main idea/topic is too broad, you won’t do it justice in a relatively short speech. Choose something that you can describe in reasonable depth in the time allotted.
• For example, if you’re writing a humorously informative speech about early American cinema, your main idea might be, “the advent of sound in film hurt rather than helped the medium by detracting from its visual potential”. This is specific enough not to be overwhelming while still leaving you room to develop substantial supporting points.
• If, on the other hand, you’re writing a satirical speech, say, about reality television, your main idea might be, “nothing has contributed more to the cultural and intellectual richness of American society than reality television”.

Mine your own unique experiences for inspiration. "It's always good to take something that's happened in your life and make something of it comedically."

• Write down your main idea.
• Below it, write out everything that comes to mind when you think about that idea. Use whatever visual or textual brainstorming method you prefer (eg, clustering, listing, freewriting, etc.).
• Eliminate anything that’s too far away from the topic, that you don’t feel comfortable discussing, or that would require too much time and depth to cover.

• I. Introduction (where you state your main topic and the points you’ll make)
• II. Main point one
• III. Main point two
• IV. Main point three
• V. Conclusion (in which you sum up the main points, re-state your main idea, and issue a call to action from the audience, if appropriate)

• Effective hooks include humorous personal anecdotes, surprising or entertaining examples, or direct questions to the audience that invite their participation and give them a chance to laugh at themselves. [10] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• For example, if you’re writing a speech about studying abroad, you might start by asking if anyone has ever wished they had an accent or intentionally faked one. You can then suggest they do it right and live somewhere they’ll actually have a legitimate accent.

• Err on the side of clarity over style, subtlety or artistry. Unlike a written piece, a speech is as much about delivery as it is about content, and the audience will be less attuned to the intricacies of sentence construction and more attuned to your overall message and the expressions as you give it.
• Avoid overly long and complicated sentences. Long and difficult sentences will be hard to follow. Simplify your point and/or break complicated sentences into smaller, more easily digested ideas.

• For example, a word like “incendiary” is both more vivid, specific, and aurally interesting than a word such as “controversial”. “Incendiary” communicates the idea of something explosively provocative, while “controversial” is a more general term for something that generates disagreement.

Incorporating Humor

• Consider generational differences with humor -- use references and jokes that address topical issues for that age group. For example, if you’re writing a speech about volunteering to an audience of high school students, relate the information in your speech to specific things and events relevant to teenagers. You might make a joke about volunteering versus staying home and trying to be Jimi Hendrix on Guitar Hero. Or you might pick a guitarist more recent than Jimi!
• Know what the audience members have in common. Use it when writing jokes oriented around those shared elements, which are more likely to hold the audience’s attention. Doing so is invariably a crowd-pleaser. For example, if you’re addressing teachers, you might make a humorous reference to students’ most bizarre homework excuses.
• Situational and observational humor that’s tailored to its audience is often particularly effective.

• Watch your favorite funny movie, television show, or comedian.
• Read works by your favorite humorous writers.
• Don’t hesitate to take cues from their delivery -- learn from what they do to make a joke successful. (But don’t plagiarize!)
• Pay attention when you make people around you laugh. Note the things you do or say that make people laugh and how you do it.
• If, for example, your friends can’t stop laughing when you humorously re-enact stressful situations or conversations, try to incorporate similar elements into your speech.

• Targeting particular people or groups is not only inconsiderate, it can alienate members of your audience.
• Avoid jokes that are made at the expense of one side or another in a contentious issue, like jokes about one side of a political or religious debate.
• Don’t make jokes about experiences you don’t understand. A good general rule is to write what you know. So if you, for example, have a learning disability, you might make a joke about the difficulties of dealing with standardized tests. But if you don’t have a learning disability, don’t make jokes about those who do -- you don’t share their specific experience, so you may unintentionally be making jokes about sensitive, potentially even hurtful, issues. [13] X Research source
• Also take the taste level of your audience into consideration when deciding if a joke is going to be offensive. If you’re giving a speech to a room of educated adults, you’ll probably want to avoid overly bawdy or sexual humor.

• The more relevant your jokes are to the specific matter at hand, the more likely they are to be successful with and entertaining.

• But don’t go to extremes of self-loathing, as that will have the opposite effect. The audience won’t know whether to laugh or what you’re trying to accomplish.

• Remember just what information it is you need to convey and ensure that it’s clear.
• Don't let the humor become distracting. Humor can be a great tool for enhancing the information you’re conveying, as long as it doesn’t become a larger focus than the informative content itself. [15] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• Give yourself enough writing time so that you can go through and revise multiple times.
• The more attentive you are to the details, the more successful your speech is likely to be.

Delivering Your Speech

• Read the entire speech aloud until you’re comfortable enough with the material that you don’t need to read directly from your script but can simply use it as a prompt when needed.

• If you watch comedians and humorists closely, you’ll find that they tend to lead in to their jokes in a particular, deliberate way. Specifically, they’ll use a combination of slower speech, significant pauses, and punctuated emphasis. So when you’re leading up to a joke, cue your audience by slowing down your delivery, pausing slightly before delivering the punchline, and emphasizing key words within the punchline. [18] X Research source
• Emphasize important words, but not to the point that it becomes distracting. Practice how you would naturally speak the lines, paying attention to specific places where your tone rises, falls, or becomes more expressive. Keep those inflections in your speech and play them up enough to be animated, but stop short of being continually exaggerated, which will likely distract the audience from the content of the speech itself.
• Watch and listen to speeches you admire. Pay attention to how the speaker manipulates their tone and pacing to enhance the speech and try to apply those same techniques to your own speech.

• It can be somewhat uncomfortable to watch or listen to yourself, but doing so will help improve your presentation enough to be worth the momentary discomfort.

• Think of being somewhat theatrical, you want your gestures to be visible and distinct from a distance. Favor several broad gestures over a series of small ones. [20] X Research source

• Allow yourself to feel nervous. Accept that you’re going to feel that way and decide not to worry about it.
• The more confidently you act, the more confident you’ll eventually feel.
• You have a chance to share your humor and ideas with an interested audience -- enjoy it!

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-publicspeaking/chapter/humor-in-public-speaking/
• ↑ http://www.drmichellemazur.com/2013/04/speech-topic.html
• ↑ http://www.write-out-loud.com/how-to-use-humor-effectively.html
• ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
• ↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-3-outline-examples/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/speeches/
• ↑ http://writetodone.com/how-to-write-funny/
• ↑ http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/How_to_add_humor_to_your_speechwithout_being_a_com_47538.aspx

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How to be funny in a speech (when you’re not that funny in real life).

by Kolarele Sonaike

According to a Hertfordshire University study , this is the funniest joke in the world.

“Two hunters are out in the woods when  one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says, “Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence; then a gun shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says, “OK, now what?”

Hmm. OK, once you’ve finished laughing, picked yourself up from the floor and wiped away those tears of laughter, lets examine the subject of humour.

There is no lonelier place on the planet, than on stage after a bad joke.

It is possibly the single most painful experience for any public speaker.

Comedians know this, which is why they work so hard at their craft. Comedians aren’t funny in real life. Like any other profession, funny is what they do, not what they are. Comedians work and struggle just like the rest of us to be good at their jobs. Ellen, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock – all the greatest comics write, rewrite and rehearse their routines with incredible care, diligence and attention to detail. They try out material for months, sometimes years in advance, on audiences – sifting out the stuff that doesn’t work, and doubling down on the lines that do.

(Getty Images)

So why, oh why, do so many of us as public speakers always assume that we can just shoehorn a couple of lame one liners (found on the internet) into a barely rehearsed speech, and get big laughs from our audience? This is guaranteed to fail every time, reminding us of the words of writer, Quentin Crisp:

if at first you don’t succeed, failure may be your style – Quentin Crisp

( If you’re pushed for time, you can download the Free Checklist of this article:  Dos & Donts of giving funny speeches )

Being funny in a speech is hard to pull off. But like most hard things, with a little study, much practice, and a healthy dose of chutzpah, anyone can do it. So lets examine the anatomy of a joke in the next section helpfully called “Anatomy of a Joke”

Anatomy of a Joke

All comedy, whether a one liner, long anecdote, or even an entire movie, is basically comprised of two parts: The Set Up and the Pay Off (also known as The Punchline).

With the Set Up, you are setting the scene by giving the audience all the information they need to know so that they will be amused by the Pay Off.

1) Set Up: Knock Knock. Who’s there? Dozen. Dozen who?

2) Set Up: In the movie “Some like it hot” eccentric millionaire, Osgood Fielding III, spends the whole movie chasing Tony Curtis’ character, Jerry (dressed in drag pretending to be a woman).

3) Set Up: Dr Evil (Austin Powers) has been cryogenically frozen for 30 years, so when he meets his evil colleagues, he lays out his plan to extort the world for a huge sum of money.

4) Set Up (in the world’s funniest joke) The hunter dies in the woods and his panicking friend calls the emergency services.

The mistake that most public speakers make that leads to them giving unfunny speeches, is to concentrate all their effort almost entirely on finding that Pay Off, asking themselves ‘what’s the funny line that I can say here?’ Whereas the key to humour is to focus on creating a compelling Set Up so that the right Pay Off just reveals itself.

To create a great  Set Up:

1) Take a subject (ideally one with which you are very familiar)

2) Examine it from all angles looking for the surprising contradictions and unexpected anomalies within the subject.

3) Work out how you can exaggerate those contradictions and anomalies almost to the point of a humorous absurdity. Can you connect one seemingly unconnected topic with another? Can you take a particular approach that will highlight these funny contradictions?

The humour lies in those unexpected findings and exaggeration that are nevertheless real. It’s why you find yourself muttering ‘that’s so true’ through your tears of laughter when listening to a hilarious comedian nail her routine. It’s why a Best Man’s speech works best when it skates on the edge of decency by revealing just enough of the groom’s true nature to the audience (and the Bride).

When you work hard on your Set Up, the Pay Off comes pretty easily because the punchline that ties it altogether seems to reveal itself.

1) Pay Off: Doz-anybody want to let me in?

2) Pay Off: (Some like it hot) Tony Curtis finally comes clean and declares to millionaire Osgood,”I’m a man!” To which Osgood simply replies “Well, nobody’s perfect”

3) Pay Off: (Austin Powers) Dr Evil demands…. 1 Million Dollars

4) Pay Off: (The funniest joke in the world) The friend shoots his collapsed hunter friend.

A very effective method of creating a compelling Set Up is to use a hook or theme that drives the narrative forward.

A great example is the ‘Shit’ sketch by Finnish comedian, Ismo Leikola .  In this hilarious skit, he talks about how he always though there was just one definition or meaning of the word ‘shit’.  But when he went to the US, he realised there were many more meanings like ‘you ain’t shit’, ‘I don’t give a shit’, ‘leave my shit alone’. Because he had found a great hook for the narrative, finding the humour was quite easy.

So, when you’re giving a speech about a serious subject like ‘How the Financial Markets work’, but you want to introduce a little humour to ease the way, consider what are the eccentricities of the financial markets? What parts make little sense if you stand back and look at it? What would your 8 year old son or your 80 year old grandmother make of the way traders?

Or giving a presentation at a small business forum, what eccentricities do entrepreneurs have? What challenges do they all face that you can highlight in a funny way? What mistake does nearly every small business make, which no one admits do, but every one knows?

This is where you’ll find your humour – in the careful analysis of the contradictions within your subject . Once you tap into that zone, a whole new world will open up and the Pay Offs will almost trip off your tongue.

Finally, a few dos and donts to send you on your way

maria bamford (Getty Images)

1) Don’t tell them you are going to be funny.

Anytime I receive an an email with the subject line: “This is funny”, I delete it. It never is. If you’re going to be funny, then be funny.  Don’t announce it.

2) Do have a purpose

As one of the greatest and funniest public speakers, the late Sir Peter Ustinov reminds us

 Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious – Sir Peter Ustinov

Don’t make jokes just for the sake of making joke. Stay focused on the reason you are giving your speech, and use humour to help achieve that objective.

3) Don’t copy. Adapt.

The best jokes are original. Your own material, born of your own experience will always be superior to something copied off jokes.com.

But originality can be hard. So, if you do have to use someone else’s material, approach it like Amy Winehouse covering the song ‘Valerie’ originally by the Zutons (bet you hadnt even heard of the Zuton’s version), and not like a teenage X Factor contestant doing yet another cover of Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’ (which itself was a cover of Dolly Parton’s original song).

Put your own spin on it. Make it your own and it will feel fresh.

4) Do tailor your jokes to your audience

What works for a university fraternity will probably not work for an accountant’s convention. Lawyers love a good naughty joke (it makes us feel dangerous), but you should probably avoid sexist jokes if you’re presenting to the Women’s Institute.

5) Don’t take yourself too seriously

If you can make jokes at your own expense, you’ve got a far better chance of making your audience laugh, than if you are joking about someone else.

Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century – And Barry Humphries

And when it comes to your delivery, you want to use your voice to help paint a picture of your ideas in the minds of your audience. Treat it as a song or melody you are singing to your audience. The things you want to think about are:

• timing – uses pauses and speed variation to build interest
• use your body to amplify and reflect your words
• give your voice dynamism i.e. intonation, pitch, volume
• commit (don’t do things half hearted)

Go forth, and be funny!

(Grab the full Checklist of 12 Dos & Donts for giving a funny speech )

Kolarele Sonaike

p.s. Grab your slot for a 1 hour communication skills coaching call with me. It’s free and pretty transformative. Click here to book your slot.

“ The session with Kola had a huge impact. He helped me tap into the passion that is central to my work and message. At an emotional level this showed me how I could start working with a different sense of authenticity, which would be founded upon a new level of confidence and commitment. The session really ‘gave the green light’ for me to tell my story in my approach so I could in turn create genuine impact the people I work with.” – Richard, Performance Coach

“The strategy session with Kolarele was great. In only one hour he was able to provide me with tools to work with to overcome some of my fears and improve my communication skills. I feel I have already made progress. I can only imagine what transformation will look like once we continue working together.” – Belinda, Co Founder

“Understanding how my presentation skills could be improved required me to understand my own long held inhibitions. Identifying this was both scary and enlightening, but seriously made me feel that I could give, not only a great presentation, but achieve my bigger goals. Thank you” – Yves, Marketing & PR (Embassy Liaison) Manager

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How to Write a Funny Speech

• Author: Sadie Holloway

Here are some helpful tips for putting together a humorous (and effective) speech in most any setting.

Fotocitizen, CC0, via Pixabay

Writing a Humorous Speech

One of the best ways to win over audiences and deliver an outstanding speech or seminar is to add light touches of humor here and there. Check out these tips on how to add warmth to your speech.

Many of them are adapted from author Joan Detz's book, How to Write and Give a Speech. Her book provides practical speech writing tips and will be an invaluable resource in your public speaking toolbox!

Make sure you're not toasted when you give your next special occasion speech. A clear and sober speech with gentle humor can be appropriate for most any happy occasion.

The Best Learning Environments Are Relaxed and Full of Energy

Good speakers and facilitators know that the most effective learning environments are ones that are relaxed and full of energy. Studies show that when used appropriately, encouraging laughter and using humor during training and professional development sessions can build a positive sense of community and promote creative problem-solving.

Laughter can also reduce tension and anxiety. For adult learners who've had negative schooling experiences, reducing anxiety is important to helping them have the best workshop experience possible.

People Learn More Quickly When They're Having Fun

When you make your audience laugh, you are actually altering the way they perceive what you are saying. The act of laughing releases endorphins into the brain. Endorphins, also known as the "happy hormones," help people feel more relaxed.

Here are a few more good reasons to consider using light jokes and gentle humor in your speech or educational workshop:

• Humor can break the ice and help make the overall learning environment feel more relaxed and enjoyable.
• By reducing anxiety, humor can enhance an audience's receptiveness to new ideas or unfamiliar learning models.
• Enthusiasm and laughter go hand in hand, and both can be incredibly infectious.
• Humor, particularly self-effacing humor, sets people at ease and reduces the implied inequity between teacher and student. In short, having a warm sense of humor can make you appear more approachable and authentic.
• Humor is increasingly being seen as a coveted soft skill in the workplace. Researchers have found that appropriate and timely humor integrated into the learning process can positively impact overall learning outcomes.

Is It OK to Tell Jokes in a Speech at Work or in a Professional Setting?

Yes, but remember that humor is most effective as a teaching tool when it's appropriate to the situation and reflects the audience's beliefs and values.

As a speaker or workshop leader, it's vital that you take the time to understand an organization’s work culture before using humor in your speeches, workshops, and training sessions. After all, humor is a subjective experience. What's funny for one person may not be funny for another.

For example, some folks find puns hilarious, while others might feel left out, particularly if English is not their first language. Indeed, the social and cultural meaning packed into colloquialisms, idioms, and puns can create a humorous type of shorthand that, while funny to those familiar with nuanced wordplay, can be isolating or confusing for others. Use wordplay sparingly in your speeches.

What Kind of Humor Is Not Suitable for a Keynote Speech or Workshop

As a facilitator, workshop leader, or speaker, if you notice that humor is being delivered (by you or someone else) through insults or a sarcastic tone, you may be cancelling out the positive group dynamics that you're trying to create. Inappropriate use of humor can create a hostile learning environment that quickly stifles communication and deflates self-esteem.

Don't spoil the celebratory mood by giving a speech that is crude and rude.

Beware of Negative or Offensive Humor

Humor must never be directed at an individual or a group; racial slurs or put-downs of any target group must always be avoided.

• When an individual is the target of ridicule, humor has a negative effect on group dynamics.
• If you find yourself or others saying, “Relax, it’s only a joke,” there is a good chance you’ve gone too far. Avoid references to ethnicity, family, disability, appearance, or any other identifier that participants might find offensive.
• A joke that is at the expense of a group or individual may result in a variety of negative consequences in the workplace.

Helpful Reminders From a Speechwriting Expert

In her book, How to Write and Give a Speech, Joan Detz suggests that before you add a joke to your next speech, you should ask yourself five key questions:

• Will my joke tie into the subject and mood of my speech?
• Will my audience feel comfortable with this joke?
• Is the joke short and uncomplicated?
• Is the joke fresh?
• Can I deliver this joke really well—with confidence and ease and perfect timing?

Detz says that if you can’t answer “yes” to all of these questions, then don’t use the joke at all.

Using funny personal stories about mistakes that you made and what you learned from them can make you seem friendly and much more authentic.

Consider Humor Outside of the Typical Punchlines

Getting a laugh or using humor in your speech doesn’t always have to involve a joke with a punchline. For example, you might want to consider adding some of these things to your speech instead of telling a full-length joke:

• A funny personal anecdote
• Humorous quotations (some popular quick wits are Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, and Winston Churchill)
• Surprising or oddball statistics
• An amusing visual (i.e., a one-panel cartoon, a funny newspaper headline, an odd street sign)
• Puns and wordplay
• Hand movements, body language, and gestures
• Voice intonations
• Smiling (smiling during your presentation is one of the quickest ways to engage your audience)

Aim for a Friendly, Personal, and Natural Style

When you add humor to your speech, aim for a friendly, personal, and natural style. For example, don’t announce that you are about to tell a joke. Just add the funny anecdote or line to your speech and let the audience react as they will. Here's why: Announcing that you are going to tell a joke sets you up. People are waiting for you to surprise them. (That's an oxymoron: "waiting to be surprised.")

Here are some of the benefits of using your own natural brand of humor by incorporating some of the techniques described above:

• If you create your own brand of humor, you can be certain that your material will be new to your audience. You needn't worry that they've "heard this one before."
• By using humorous stories and funny anecdotes from your own experience, your delivery will be more natural. You won't need to worry about memorizing the lines in a joke.
• By sharing something personal with your audience, they'll likely feel more connected to you and, thus, more tuned in to what you have to say.
• The important thing to remember when adding humor to your speech or presentation is that you don't need to produce huge belly laughs and giggle fits in order to be successful. If people smile, chuckle, and remain attentive during the length of your presentation, then you've done a great job of using humor to lighten things up.

Remember, you can still laugh, make jokes, be playful, and have a healthy sense of humor without targeting anyone, bullying anyone, or making fun of marginalized groups. It is possible to laugh, tell funny stories and make ha-ha’s without making someone else the punchline. If you must make a joke about anyone, always make it about yourself.

© 2017 Sadie Holloway

Audrey Hunt from Pahrump NV on November 08, 2017:

As a professional speaker I totally agree with you. This is a "must-read" for all speakers. I'll share and thank you.

Louise Barraco from Ontario on November 08, 2017:

Very informative hub the next time I write or give a speech I will be sure to check back :)

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6 Ways to Guarantee Laughs During Your Next Speech

We’ve all been there. The spotlight is on you, you’ve set up the perfect joke, you nail the punchline, and… crickets .

It’s never fun to feel like your humor isn’t reading as funny to the audience. That’s why I’m here to teach you my six greatest tips and tricks on how to make a speech funny, or your (metaphorical) money back.

See Related:  Best MC Jokes For A Conference

#1: Tell Relatable Stories

If there’s one thing we learned from Seinfeld , it’s that the everyday is funny . Use this to your advantage in your speech!

Audiences laugh when they see their own experience reflected onstage. Add relatable humor to your speech with these ideas:

Turn Frustration Into Comedy

What got on your nerves this morning? It was something. I know it was. You know it was. We all know it was.

And you know what? I bet it was funny and would be great for your master of ceremonies speech .

Let me guess…

Did your family member turn on a bright light while you were still asleep? Speech material.

Did one of your friends cut you off on the way to work, causing your chai latte to spill on your brand-new pants? Speech material.

Were you (yet again) not Caller #5 and didn’t win your radio station’s giveaway for tickets to John Mayer’s Sob Rock Tour? (I’m terribly sorry – but speech material.)

These sorts of situations may get on your nerves in the moment, but I promise that, when transformed into a joke told with the right spirit, they will be funny and make the audience laugh.

The main idea when writing your funny speech is to shift your own perspective from frustrated to amused.

#2: Use Your Physicality to Communicate

Humor isn’t just about the words you say. A major part of making a good joke and creating a funny speech is using your body language to tell the story.

What do I mean? Well , think about your favorite comedians .

From Ali Wong to John Mulaney, comedians each have their own way of using their bodies to add humor to the funny stories they tell. It’s like a secret, other skill that is so ingrained in their performances, you may not notice it at first.

Every great comic uses gestures and physicality to deliver their material and engage audiences.

Act as characters

In your speech, maybe you’re telling a funny anecdote about a parent-teacher conference you had with your son’s kindergarten teacher. Instead of just speaking about the event, make people laugh by playing it out for the audience!

Go ahead, embody the teacher and her proper, stiff posture. Show guests how utterly ridiculous it looked when you sat down in a tiny chair made to fit a five year-old because the teacher didn’t have an adult-sized chair for you to use.

I can hear the laughter already!

No need to overdo it

Remember, your shifts in body language don’t need to be hyperbolic. During speeches, even the slightest, most intentional changes will go a long way in helping the audience understand your story audibly and visually.

#3: Deliver Originality

Humorous speeches are based in truth . The best way to ground your speeches in truth is to use your own material!

This may seem simple, but it cannot be overstated: if you’ve heard the joke before, I promise your audience has too.

Personalize Your Funny Speech to the Event

It can be tough to create a humorous message that will pull lots of laughter out of your audience! But with practice, I promise you’ll become a pro – just like a regular ol’ event emcee . 

The best way to stay funny, original, and on-task is to remember the primary goal of the event :

What is the goal of the event?

Is it to help new students feel comfortable at a large university? To raise money for a local grassroots nonprofit?

Once you understand what the client hopes to achieve through these events (and, therefore, your speeches), you can begin adding humor that focuses on those particular subjects.

Here’s an example :

If I’m making a humorous speech with the goal of exciting the crowd before a 5K Fun Run begins, I might make a self-deprecating joke about the utter irony of putting the words “fun” and “run” next to each other – lighthearted, relatable for many, and sure to ease some runners’ nerves when they hear it.

Got Writer’s Block?

It happens to the best of us!

Here are some writing prompts to get your creativity, word play, and humor flowing:

• Write about something that made you laugh out loud recently.
• Write about the silliest message you’ve ever received over phone, text, or email.
• Write about the most memorable slip-up you’ve ever made in public.
• Write about a few people who make you laugh – what about them is so funny to you?
• If you are the punch line, write the joke.

Bonus:  What Does An Event Host Do?

#4: Structure Your Jokes

Look, not everything can be funny to everyone (and if you discover the magical meme that is the exception to that rule, please send it to me ASAP).

However, you can do yourself a favor by structuring your comedy with intentionality.

Not Sure How to Structure Your Jokes?

Here are the main categories into which most jokes fall:

We touched on the main points of anecdotal jokes at the beginning – they just involve telling a funny story from your own life!

An incident while baking holiday cookies ? A mix-up that surprised you while picking your child up from school? The sound of a squeaking chair at a very inopportune moment?

As the speaker, your humorous stories are all fair game!

You guessed it – one-liners are jokes told in just one sentence. Deliver one-liners smartly and you will have the room in stitches.

Observational

I mentioned Seinfeld earlier – that show is a classic example of observational humor! Observational jokes comment on the absurdity of everyday experiences and are great to add to your speeches.

A recent example of observational humor in television would be Abbott Elementary . Each episode tells a story about the everyday joys and frustrations that can come with working at a public elementary school in Philadelphia – and finds a way to create humor and heart in every moment.

Topical humor pokes fun at current events, be it the news, celebrity culture, or the latest Tik Tok trend. A dash of topical humor, when used appropriately, can grab your audience’s attention and be an asset to your funny speech.

However, you must stay aware of the client’s needs. If they prefer that politics and pop culture stay out of your presentation for fear of rubbing an audience member the wrong way, you must respect this. In fact, it can be safer to stay away from topical humor unless you know you have the right audience for it.

Self-Deprecating

Self-deprecating jokes are all about finding humor in your own flaws. It’s great to be able to laugh at yourself, but be careful not to use so much self-deprecating humor that it makes your audience feel uncomfortable.

#5: Tone Is Your Friend

In the same vein as physicality, your voice is an incredibly effective tool for making folks laugh.

What Do I Mean?

Say you’re telling an anecdotal joke about your niece’s sixth birthday party. Sure, you could use your everyday intonation to “play” the various roles at the party. But…

Wouldn’t it be funnier to give each character a distinct intonation?

Your six year-old niece’s high-pitched, bell-like voice. Your brother’s gruff, Midwestern tone. The angelic, sing-song-y sound of the actor playing a Disney princess to entertain the kids.

Each character in the story is another opportunity for creativity, and for laughs.

Let’s Take a Tip from Actors

Even when you’re not playing a character other than yourself, your voice is still an incredibly useful instrument. Why?

Your voice is the audience’s guide.

Softness versus loudness. Lightning-quick speech versus indulgent slowness. Serious versus playful.

Whenever you speak, you make a million little choices . Be intentional about those, because your audience is (quite literally) taking your cue!

Convey Confidence

Delivery is everything. If a speaker or corporate emcee can deliver your presentation with a strong sense of confidence, the audience will feel safe to let loose and laugh. But this takes practice!

I feel disappointed when a speaker exudes insecurity. Try your best to put yourself in the audience’s shoes – wouldn’t you prefer to watch someone with great command of the room and confidence in their presentation?

I know I would!

#6: Bring People Together

Your audience is full of different people – many of whom you don’t know, and who will find different things humorous. Here are some tips for making everyone feel comfortable and ready to laugh:

Speak to Universal Experiences

It is important to do your absolute best not to ostracize anyone in the audience. Your client has hired you to help everyone feel comfortable. So, what is the best way to go about doing this in a diverse society?

When writing your speech, focus on humor that is a testament to the human experience , so that most people will relate to it. Adults, kids, everyone!

I don’t mean to be vague – the opposite, in fact. Specificity is funny.

Here are some examples:

There are certain human experiences with which every single person can identify:

• Talk about a time when you felt embarrassed as a teenager .
• Make a joke about an insecurity you had growing up, and still have to this day.
• Surprise the audience with a weird dream you had recently.
• Keep guests laughing with anecdotes about lessons you’ve learned the hard way.

Balance Listening and Speaking

Okay, okay, I know you’re giving a speech – that sort of implies that you’re talking. But listening is an equally important factor in your delivery of a hilarious speech.

It can be scary, but practice including pauses in your speech. Depending on the joke, the audience may need a few seconds to digest it before they begin laughing. Sometimes, your silence is the most entertaining part – if allowed, the audience will often fill that silence with laughter.

And, Scene!

As I’ve said before, humor is subjective – that will always be the case.

If you haven’t been getting the laughs you’ve hoped for, please talk kindly to yourself. Creating a humorous speech that appeals to many people takes lots of practice – you will get there!

Keep Reading:  How To Host A Networking Event

Adam Christing  has been called “The Tom Brady of emcees.” He has hosted more than 1,000  company meetings ,  special events ,  gala celebrations , and more. He is the  author of several books  and founder of  CleanComedians.com .   For more event tips, follow Adam Christing on  Instagram ,  Facebook ,  Pinterest ,  LinkedIn , and  YouTube .

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A Guide To Using Humor In Your Speech

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking

Charlie Chaplin said, “A Day Without Laughter Is A Day Wasted.” These words couldn’t stand truer for the day when you’re going to be delivering a speech. 

And yet many, many speakers are apprehensive of using humour in their speech. To add that ‘creative kick’, they choose instead to go with the relatively safer options of telling a quote, or a story, or sometimes chose to omit this bout of creativity altogether. 

Their apprehension isn’t wrong. 

A badly phrased or timed joke can kill the mood. However, an apt and well-timed joke can catapulate an audience’s interest in both; the speech and the speaker.

Adding humour to your speech can make your audience feel more relaxed and comfortable, and makes it easier for them to formulate a personal connection with you. This will, in turn, make it more likely that they will remember you and your speech in the future.  

In fact, many great public speakers understand that humour is not just an added ingredient to make a speech intriguing–it has now become a necessary one. 

This is why it’s imperative that you get over your humor apprehension and start adding it to your speeches. And how do you do I do that, you ask? 

Well, we’re here to help you! 

Importance Of Adding Humor To A Speech

1. makes you bond with the audience.

One of the most important elements that makes a great speaker is their ability to relate to and bond with their audience. If the audience can relate to you, if they feel a connection with you, then till will remember you–and your speech.

Humor is a great way of achieving this. A speaker who uses humor effectively is more human, more real, more like one of them , to the audience. Jokes put the audience at ease and make them more comfortable with you, and make it more likely that they will remember you for a long time.

2. Makes Them Remember You

One of the most difficult feats for a speaker to achieve is to not be forgettable. You want the audience to remember you long after you’ve finished speaking, and not forget about what you said the moment you get off of the stage.

Adding humor to your speech will make it more likely that they will remember you for a long time. A well placed joke is often easier to remember than a long or complicated point. Moreover, they might also repeat your joke to someone else, thereby increasing the reach that you have.

3. Gives The Audience A Break

If you speaking for a long time without offering the audience any relief, then chances are, they’re going to be dozing off before you reach even a quarter of your speech.

Humor prevents this by giving the audience a break from the monotony of continuous talk. It gives them a moment to refresh themselves, to chuckle and think about something other than your speech for a moment. When the moment ends and you slip back into the main topic, chances are, your audience will listen to you with renewed and prolonged interest instead of dozing off.

4. Makes It Easier To Get Across A Point

Not only does humor provide the audience a reprieve from much dreaded monotony, but it also makes it easier for them to grasp the points that you’re trying to make.

This is because humor simplifies things for the audience. As the speaker, you’re already well-versed in the topic you wish to deliver. However, your audience is perhaps not–at least, not till your level. Thus, by incorporating jokes that elaborate on principal points in your speech, you can make it easier for your audience to grasp what you’re trying to say.

5. Makes The Audience Feel At Home

Humor breaks the ice in the room, and there are few things that will warm up your audience not only to you but to each other as well than a shared laugh. Especially if you’re addressing an unfamiliar group, it’s imperative that you make them feel comfortable with you and the venue.

Cracking a joke at the beginning of your speech is one of the best ways of doing this. This will make sure that the audience is comfortable right from the beginning of your speech, and it will make it more likely for them to be receptive and interested in what you’re going to be saying for the rest of the event.

The Do’s and Don’t’s Of Making The Audience Laugh

Making someone laugh is no easy feat. And making an entire group of people is even more difficult.

But it’s not impossible –not if you keep in mind a few basic tips. And no, you don’t need to be a professional comedian or even a natural-born one to be able to successfully employ humor in your speech. What you need is the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, and to practice, practice, practice.

The Don’ts Of Making Audience Laugh

Don’t make it too complicated.

This is a very common mistake that most speakers make, especially if humor isn’t something that comes to them naturally. They make their jokes too complicated or too specific, thereby confusing the audience.

If your audience doesn’t understand the joke, they’re not going to laugh at it, period. You want the joke to be simple enough to be grasped by most of your audience. Keep the complex stuff for your speech–and even then, it’s best to be familiar with and mindful of your audience’s level.

Remember that the joke is directed towards the audience and not you. Therefore, it is imperative that while you’re thinking of the joke, you keep your audience in your mind.

Don’t Use Too Many Jokes

While it’s important to sprinkle your speech with jokes, the keyword here is sprinkle . Don’t dump an entire handful of them over it. Use humor aptly, and you will attain all the benefits associated with it.

However, if you use too much of it or simply use it too often, then then it’s going to have the opposite effect. That is, your audience is more likely going to groan at your joke rather than laugh at it. The best way to avoid this to only use humor when it feels natural to do so. That is, don’t just add a joke because you’re unsure what to say, but rather add a joke where you’re sure it will work.

Don’t Tell Them You’re Going To Say Something Funny 

Seriously, don’t. 

One of the biggest mistakes that a person can make before telling a joke is telling the audience that they’re going to be telling a joke. It sounds about as awkward as the three tellings did in the previous sentence. 

This is because it raises your audience’s expectations. Unless and until your story is something that will have them rolling on the floor in laughter, they’re going to be disappointed. Not only this, but it makes you look bad as a speaker, and it also takes away the element of spontaneity from the joke or speech. 

So, next time you want to tell a joke…

…just tell it.  

Don’t Use Controversial Topics 

How often has it happened that you have an amazing opinion of a speaker…

…and then it all goes downhill when they tell a joke. 

Remember that your audience is diverse and has diverse beliefs and opinions. Some topics–like religion, race, and gender–are bound to invite controversial reactions in the audience. 

You don’t want to alienate your audience. Rather, you want them to feel like they belong.

So, the next time you’re giving a speech, don’t use controversial topics. 

The Do’s Of Making The Audience Laugh

Do perfect the delivery.

Once you’re done with practice, then comes the next, and the most important, step: delivering the speech to an audience. Delivering an awesome joke that you’ve practiced a hundred times and being met with crickets for response is embarrassing. To avoid that, the first thing you must do is practice your delivery.

Don’t read your jokes off of a piece of paper. That’s simply terrible. You need to practice your jokes until they’re naturally woven into your speech and you can recite them from memory. Deliver your humor in a conversational way, and not like you’ve spent hours memorizing it. Keep in mind the “Rule Of Three” i.e if you haven’t delivered your punch line by the third line of your joke…it’s too long.

For more information on how to deliver your speech, check out our article on Body Language & It’s Contribution To The Process Of Communication .

Do Make Sure The Joke Has A Point

Remember that you’re not on stage for a stand-up comedy show but to deliver a speech. Don’t just add a random joke, no matter how funny or relatable it is. You need to make sure the joke you’re making is relevant to the topic in hand, and elaborates or simplifies it in some way.

If your joke isn’t relevant to the topic in hand, the audience might find it funny, yes. But they will most likely also end up confused about the point you’re trying to make, and thus lose track of the main speech that you’re there to deliver.

Be Appropriate

Lastly, while delivering the joke, it’s imperative that you deliver it in an appropriate manner and in a way that you don’t end up offending your audience’s sentiments.

To do this, make sure that you look up what your audience is likely going to be composed of beforehand. Search about their likes and dislikes, things familiar and unfamiliar to them. Most importantly, however, it is important to educate yourself and keep yourself updated about what’s happening in the world on a regular basis, and not just before your speech.

If you do end up accidentally saying something that you shouldn’t have, it’s best to apologize. Remember that saying sorry doesn’t make you a smaller person–quite the opposite, really.

Do Incorporate Pauses 

You don’t want to rush through your joke in one breath, and then plunge straight into your subject matter. Your audience needs time to comprehend the joke: otherwise, they won’t laugh.

So, make sure to have appropriate breaks between and within jokes. It’s especially important to pause both before and after delivering the punch line. This is to give your audience the chance to formulate an opinion, which you will then subvert with the punch-line, and also to increase their anticipation level. Pausing after the punch-line is imperative to give them a chance to process your joke, especially if it’s a bit complex. 

Do Make Sure It’s Relevant 

Don’t use humor that doesn’t drive forward and expand on your main point. You don’t want to randomly dive into a story about your encounter with a ninja…unless your speech has to do something with encounters. Or ninjas (in which case, may I attend it?). 

The point is, use relevant humor. This will make sure that your audience doesn’t get confused about the point of your speech, and that they don’t lose out on important stuff that you’re saying because they’re trying to figure out how your joke fits into what they’ve been led to believe they’re there to hear. 

How To Add Humour To A Speech (Even If You’re Not A Comedian)

1. using anecdotes .

“Last summer, I visited a Yoga Retreat in the middle of nowhere…”

Many people feel more comfortable sharing their stories than slipping in a well-timed jab in the middle of their speech. Then why not combine both, and make it a funny story? The best and easiest way of employing natural humor in your speech is by drawing on your personal experience. 

Think about that embarrassing moment that was definitely not funny at the time, but you can now think back on chuckling to yourself. Or, if you’re not comfortable sharing something about yourself, think of a funny story that someone else told you. You can even use experiences common to most people–like having a little kid to take care of or college professors to tackle. 

Don’t worry about people having heard it before. 

Sometimes a good cliche is exactly what people need. 

If you need more help with using storytelling in your speech, check out our article on 9 Storytelling Approaches For Your Next Speech Or Presentation.

Here’s an example of incorporating anecdotes in your speech. As you watch the video, keep an eye on how the speakers phrase the story, their body language, and their facial expressions. Try to incorporate the same in your speech.

2. Surprising The Audience 

A perfectionist walked into a bar…apparently, the bar wasn’t set high enough.

Who doesn’t like surprises (except my mother)? 

And who doesn’t like jokes (except my father)?

Combine both elements, and your audience is in for a treat! 

And no, by surprise, I don’t mean you have to literally surprise them. 

Humour tends to naturally pop up when your perfection about what someone is going to say next is off the mark. The dissonance between sentences can be annoying, yes. But if done right, it can win you that surprised dose of laughter that you’re vying for.

And how do you surprise your audience? 

The best way of doing this is by using a set up and punch-lines. 

A set-up builds your audience’s expectations for a particular outcome. The punchline reveals the surprise and upturns the audience’s expectations. However, one key factor to keep note of while delivering your punch line is to keep it at the end of your sentence. 

This is because if you keep it in the middle, most people will be too focused on what you’re going to say to make deeper sense of what you’re actually saying right now. Also, words spoken at the end of a sentence or paragraph tend to have a greater impact–which is exactly what you want your punchline to do.  

Following is an example of excellent punch-line delivery. Make note of how the speaker says his punch lines. Notice how he pauses before delivering the line, the way he waits for the audience’s reaction, and the way he phrases the punch-lines to increase its impact.

3. Add Shock Value By Playing With Words 

Does anyone need an Ark? I Noah guy.

Phrases with dual meanings can be interpreted in more than one way, and if you use them in an appropriate way, can garner a good laugh from the audience. In such phrases, while the first meaning is apparent, the deeper intonation is something that might take a couple of seconds to click . 

However, once it does–especially if your timing was great–then it might have the audience chuckling for a while. The easiest way of adding dual meanings to your speech is by using the set-up and punch-line method mentioned above. Use the setting to suggest one meaning, and then when the punchline rolls around, use it to insinuate an entirely different meaning. 

And the deeper intonation doesn’t have to be something cliche, either: you can make it something profound, or a sentence with more underlying depth or impact than the initial, seemingly silly, one.

You can also add puns to your joke. A pun is a grammatical effect that uses two words or expressions that sound similar or the same, but have two very different meanings. Normally in a pun, the first meaning is quite reasonable, while the second one might be less sensible or humorous in some way. 

Forr example, “Santa Clause – patron saint of grammar.” 

However, while playing with words, a key factor to keep in mind is to not go for cheap laughs at the expense of particular people or groups. This might have the opposite effect and entirely put off your audience.

In the following video, the speaker not only makes amazing use of puns, but also surprises the audience. In the beginning, it doesn’t appear that he’s going to be able to have the judges rolling in laughter–but that’s exactly what happens! Notice the way he uses the words, and the way he plays with them to make the audience laugh.

4. Adding Self-Depreciating Humor 

The only time I’m funny is when I insult myself

Audience tends to react positively to speakers who are self-depreciating–and by self-depreciating, I don’t mean self-loathing , no. 

I’m talking about self-depreciating humor–which is light-hearted humour at the expense of the speaker. 

This is because self-depreciating humour can make you seem more real or grounded to the audience. It also makes it easier for them to connect with you. When they laugh at your jokes, they’re not laughing at you but with you: they recognize some part of themselves in what you’re saying i.e they relate to you. 

It’s an extremely cathartic and fun experience. 

However, be careful not to overdo it. 

Remember, you’re trying to make the audience laugh , not to make them feel bad for you. 

This speech is an excellent example of how you can use self-depreciating humor without giving the audience the impression that you’re trying to make them feel sorry for you. Watch how the speaker uses self-depreciating humor skillfully, and while writing your speech, use his technique.

5. Use Audio-Visual Effects

Using audio-visual effects will not only make your presentation more engaging, but it will also add a kick of uniqueness to it. 

Using audio-visual effects to amplify the humour in your speech is a great idea because it will provide the audience a reprieve from the monotony of listening to a speaker for long stretches of time. 

You can add visual elements in many ways. If you’re displaying a presentation, you can add a meme or two into the slides. You can also show a short funny clip or a GIF. 

Audio effects can be timed beforehand and cued in during critical elements of your speech. For instance, you can add a funny audio during a punch-line, or while you’re delivering an anecdote. 

Done right, this will grab your audience’s attention, and make them re-focus on your presentation. 

In the following speech, the speaker makes outstanding use of audio-visual elements to make his speech stand out. Keep your eye on the screen behind him, and notice how he uses images and illustrations to make the experience more appealing for the audience.

6. Use Slapstick To Add Humor The Old-Fashioned Way

Slapstick comedy is easier said than done. However, if you do manage to pull it off,  it will provide a powerful kick and add more dimension to your presentation. 

Slapstick will also make you more real and relatable to the audience. It might be overused, however, it will add a burst of warmth and nostalgia to the audience’s experience. I understand that acting is not everyone’s forte, and not everyone will be comfortable enacting a comic play.

But I’m not asking you to turn into Charlie Chaplin. You don’t need to enact an entire funny scene or play. 

Even a small snippet of a scene, if done correctly, will do the trick.

All you need to do is get out of your comfort zone and practice!

This video is a classic example of how slapstick comedy doesn’t necessarily have to be boring. While the comic element in your speech doesn’t need to be as long, you can incorporate the technique used in your own.

7. Use Audience-Oriented Humor

What’s a comedian’s least favorite drink?  Answer: booze

Since your audience is the one that’s going to be listening to your speech–and your jokes–it only makes sense that you use humor that will be understood and cherished by them.

Your humor should be directed towards and specific to your audience. That is, you need to change the kind of humor you’ll evoke and the type of jokes you’ll use based on what your audience comprises of.

For instance, if your audience is comprised of college-goers, your humor must incorporate subjects and experiences that are familiar to them. If your audience is mostly working people over forty years, then you’ll need to make tweaks to your planned jokes so that the humor is more relatable to them.

So, before you sit down and begin planning your jokes, make sure you’re familiar with your audience’s taste and preferences. After all, no matter how good or well-timed the joke, if they don’t understand it, they won’t laugh at it.

In the following example, comedian Ellen DeGeneres uses humor that is easily understood by her audience, thus evoking much laughter. It’s one of the most entertaining Oscar opening speeches, and for good reason! Notice how he keeps the audience engaged and calls out a few members to make things interesting.

8. Take Inspiration From Real Life

While it’s important to have your jokes prepared beforehand, a secret ingredient that’ll take the humor level of your speech to the next level is by keeping a lookout for anything funny happening around you as you’re giving the speech.

That is, you need to pay attention if there’s anything that your audience is doing which can be turned into an impromptu joke. Say, someone, yawning. Or, a funny reaction that someone gives to your speech.

You can frame these events in a funny way and point them out while speaking. You can even directly address an audience member by asking them a funny question or simply asking if they agree with a humorous comment that you’ve made.

The key is to add a dose of spontaneous and life to your presentation. More often than not, it is these unscripted moments that will linger in your audience’s mind rather than the ones you’ve painstakingly timed beforehand.

The following example is a great way through which you can make impromptu comedy not feel forced to the audience. As you watch it, notice how the speaker is on his feet, the way he delivers his jokes, as well as the subject matter of the jokes.

9. Using Props

Another great way of adding humor to a speech is by using props! This is a fun way to add a touch of uniqueness to your speech and to re-focus your audience’s attention on something other than you and the stage.

There are many different types of props which you can use. You can use puppets, suitcases, a table…anything you can think of, really! However, make sure that just like your jokes, the prop is relevant to the topic in hand. Don’t just use a prop simply for the sake of using one, or else it will take away from your speech instead of adding anything to it.

Using props can seem tough, but it doesn’t have to be so! The following video is a great example of how you can use props to make your speech more lively, funny, as well as entertaining to watch!

10. You Don’t Have To Be Perfect

Nobody’s perfect. I’m nobody… So I’m perfect.

Lastly, remember that you’re not trying to win a stand-up contest. You don’t need to be the best comedian in the world or even the funniest person in the room. You’re there to deliver a speech. You’re there to share with the audience your knowledge and your experiences, and the audience is there to receive them.

It’s okay if you mess up. It’s alright if the audience doesn’t laugh at one joke. It doesn’t matter if you messed up a punch-line.

What matters is that you’re there, and you did it! You gave your best.

Humorous Ted Talk Speech Examples

1. inside the mind of a master procrastinator.

This speech is no doubt one of the funniest Ted Talks I’ve ever come across, and for good reason!

Takeaway: A major reason for this is the speaker’s use of imagery and cartoons to add a dose of entertaining audio-visual elements to the speech. He neither overdoes it with the visuals nor does he underuse them. His speech structure and the punch timing don’t hurt, either. As you watch it, keep a lookout for these things, and try to incorporate audio-visuals in your speech in a similar way.

2. A Highly Scientific Taxonomy Of Haters

This is another great Ted Talk in which the speaker uses humor in a creative way to get across their point.

Takeaway: This is an example of how your humor doesn’t necessarily have to be slapstick or obvious. It also shows how humor doesn’t need to be a filler in a speech: it’s not merely there to entertain. Rather, you can use humor to add more dimensions to your speech and to make it easier for your audience to grasp otherwise difficult concepts.

3. The Happy Secret To Better Work

Another great Ted Talk was delivered by psychologist Shawn Achor, in which he argues that happiness actually leads to more productivity.

Takeaway: This is a great Ted Talk if you’re a professional looking for how to deliver your message to the audience using humor as a medium. Notice how the speaker keeps the audience laughing and in a good mood as he delivers his speech.

Notice the speaker’s body language, and how he smiles often to make a connection with his audience. He isn’t a professional comedian, but he doesn’t let that fact hinder his speech in any way!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. how do i add humor to the beginning (or the end) of a speech .

There are many ways using which you can add humor to the opening of your speech. 

You could start off by telling a funny story. This can be your personal experience, or just something imaginary. A funny story is a great way to begin your speech, because not only does a story capture your audience’s attention right off the bat, but the added element of humor elevates your audience’s mood. This will ensure that they have a favorable opinion of you–and the rest of the speech! 

For the ending, too, you could use a shorter version of a story. Or, another way of adding humor to the beginning or ending of a speech is the good old fashioned way: tell a joke. 

If it’s the ending, you could go with a joke that loops into or makes a reference to something that you’ve said before. If you’re starting off, start with something unique and fresh! 

Q. How Do I Add Humor To A Serious Speech 

So, what if your speech topic isn’t something light? What if you’re delivering a serious speech? Can you still add humor to it? 

The answer: Yes. 

Adding humor to a serious speech will give your audience a chance to breathe & to take a break from the heavy subject matter.

However, you need to make sure that the humor doesn’t seem forced or out of place. It should flow with your speech, and not feel like an external constituent that you’ve added simply because you have to.

You can still use the different ways of adding humor to a speech that we’ve mentioned above. However, make sure that you add them at appropriate time intervals, and that they expand upon what you’re trying to get across. Also, try not to use too many jokes, or bunch them all together, as this will affect the overall tone of your speech. 

 Q3. How Do I Find My Unique Sense Of Humor 

It’s important to have your own unique sense of humor, not just in everyday life, but during speeches as well. This will make sure that your jokes aren’t bland and overused, and that the humor in your speech feels natural and not forced. 

You can’t just wake up one day and discover what kind of humor fits you. You need to put in time and effort in real life to find your own personal touch. 

One way of doing this is by delving into humorous content. So, watch that stand up comedy show or YouTube video, or read that hilarious book you’ve been wanting to. You need to learn what you find funny, and what type of content makes you chuckle.

Then, try incorporating them into everyday life situations, or simply practice by yourself first before moving onto other people. It’s important to be considerate of your audience and make sure that your jokes aren’t offensive, yes. But don’t change your natural style to cater to other people–you will never be able to stand out or find your own voice this way.

Q4. What If My Audience Doesn’t Laugh? 

A speaker’s worst fear: they tell a joke to an auditorium full of people, and there’s pin drop silence (or, well, so it feels). 

However, don’t despair if the audience doesn’t laugh at your joke.

Pause for a little bit. Give them time. It could be that they haven’t yet understood it. 

If there’s still no reaction, don’t lose heart. 

It’s important to not let your audience control your emotions. Remember that your goal is not laughter but to get across your point. Take a deep breath, and continue on with your speech. Don’t let embarrassment make you skip the rest of your jokes. Tell them as you were going to–just because they didn’t laugh at one joke doesn’t mean they’re not going to laugh at others.

If you feel like understanding was a problem, then you can make little tweaks to your delivery or the content matter to make it easier for your audience to grasp the joke. You could even prepare a witty response to such a scenario in advance, and use it if the situation does arise.

To sum up, adding humor to your speech is imperative not just to liven it up, but also to make it easier for the audience to understand it and to cement your speech in their mind for years to come. While adding humor to your speech might seem like a daunting task at first, by using the tips and tricks mentioned above, you can easily train yourself to use humor easily as well as effectively in your future talks!

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A 9 Step Guide to Using Humor in Speeches

During a presentation, small touches of humor, added to the main subject, can attract and captivate your audience, helping, including forming ideas of people who are participating.

Compelling speakers don’t tell jokes to get laughs. Instead, they use humor to illustrate their message; in this article, we will give you some tips to help you include and understand the importance of humor in your speeches.

Highly Recommended Articles:

Entertaining Speeches: How to Give one and Examples of Topics

1. Don’t bet it all at first

Under the justification of “breaking the ice,” there are those who sketch some classic joke in the first seconds of the presentation. Unfortunately, if you are adept at this practice, red light, this strategy can lead to a scenario of perverse self-sabotage.

“If the joke isn’t funny, you’ll be destabilized. Prefer to leave the more classic jokes to the middle of the presentation, when your security is already consolidated.” 

But if you are perceived as a humorous person and feel able to use humor, take your chances. If you make that decision, don’t forget that there are key moments to use humor, usually during the introduction or completion of your speech.

2. Observe and write down

3. be natural.

One of the most important things when using good humor is to use it naturally. If you have a more severe and formal speech, making a very stripped-down speech might not go over well.

In such cases, prefer to play subtle games that can be processed quickly to go ahead with the core issue; if your speech is more informal and relaxed, let your speech flow and wait for the right moment.

4. Use Pauses and tone of voice

This combination creates emphasis on speech and greater public involvement. So you can also give people time to laugh and enjoy the moment.

5. Juggle with the negative

If you’re in a difficult situation, with something on your shirt or somehow getting the audience’s attention for something other than your story, learn how to use it to your advantage.

“to make people laugh, you need to know how to take your pain and play with it.”

6. Consider your qualities

Humor should be naturally used in oratory, so if that’s not your speaking style, trying to force it can make the moment awkward. That’s because humor and play need to be aligned with your tone of voice, posture, and body language.

If you want to develop this skill, start by training in front of the mirror, with family and friends, until it becomes natural.

7. Take into account the culture of the public.

The joke you were preparing may be funny to your friends, but it will not always have the same reaction to your company’s speech delivery; for example, geographical and cultural differences also weigh as a mood thermometer.

The more you know about your audience, the more refined your mood can be. So, find out everything you can about demographic composition, interests, political leanings, favorite teams – absolutely everything you can get.

8. Be clear with gestures or facial expressions.

After finishing a funny comment, it is unnecessary to justify yourself with the classic phrase: “It was a joke” or the variant “prank.” Instead, according to Reinaldo Polito, the way to sharpen the content of your body expressions should make it clear that this is a joke.

The audience needs to make sure you’re not serious; according to the expert, the idea is to intensify this the lower the level of instruction of the audience.

9. Don’t run away from the context of your presentation

As we mentioned in earlier paragraphs, humor only has the desired effect if people understand the irony and comical tenor of what is being said. Even if the public does not know that this is a comic excerpt, it may draw literal conclusions about what is being said, harming the communicator’s image.

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Top 7 core interpersonal skills in leadership, an easy guide to all 15 types of speech, how can i have a successful speech using humor.

A successful speech using humor depends on your ability to handle comic material in the best possible way; how often have you heard a person tell a long, complicated joke to swallow the ending and ruin the story? The same thing can happen with a short joke or even with a tirade.

Is there an ideal audience for a humorous oratory?

A technical presentation may not be a subject for jokes, but the audience may need a few laughs precisely because of the barren nature of the issue. With practice and experience, one can learn to properly evaluate each area, and as a result, his/her speaker stature will grow.

3 Basic Principles to keep in mind when using Humor in Speeches:

However, we forget that humor is not the end in itself; it has to reinforce why we are in front of the audience, and our presentation has to show that we understand that.

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100 Public-Speaking Jokes to Add Humor to Your Next Speech

So, if you are looking to add humor to your presentation, one of the best ways is to insert self-deprecating humor in the form of funny stories. A good story from your own personal experience will be easier to insert into your speech. The story will also create more of a shared experience with your audience. For details about how to use stories to add humor to your speech , click here.

With that being said, though, sometimes, you just need to get a quick laugh out of your audience. And good jokes can be a great way to lighten the mood. We’ve organized the post into four categories of public-speaking jokes.

100 Public Speaking Jokes to Add Humor to Your Next Speech.

• Public-Speaking Jokes .
• One-Liners about Public Speaking and Presenting .
• Funny Public Speaking Quotes .
• Dad Jokes that You Can Use as Presentation Icebreakers .

Public-Speaking Jokes for Your Next Presentation to Add a Little Fun.

Between you and I, telling jokes in front of an audience is pretty risky. But sometimes, just getting the audience to laugh right from the start can lighten the mood. Here are a few jokes about public speaking that you can use when you are public speaking.

Jokes about Being Nervous and the Fear of Public Speaking

• Why did the public speaker hire a pitching coach? Because he needed to improve his delivery!
• I used to think I was afraid of public speaking, but just now, I realized I was actually afraid of audiences.
• A public speaker asked the audience, “How many of you are afraid of public speaking?” About half the audience raised their hands. The speaker replied, “Don’t worry, I used to be too. In fact, there was a 50/50 chance that I’d canceled today’s talk!”
• My wife was nervous about public speaking. So, I told her she should embrace her mistake to add a little humor to her delivery. She gave me a hug. Then she laughed.
• Public speaking tip: Imagine the audience naked. But not if you’re giving a eulogy.

Funny Jokes about Presentation Challenges.

Okay, funny may be a little overexaggerated, but corny can work too. Here are a few jokes about challenges that can come up in a presentation.

• Why did the PowerPoint presentation go to therapy? It had too many issues with transitions.
• I was going to tell a time-traveling joke during my speech, but you didn’t like it.
• I asked the librarian if there were any books on how to overcome the fear of public speaking. She whispered, “They’re in the self-help section, but you might have to speak up to find them.”
• I used to be a baker before I became a public speaker. I kneaded the dough, and now I need the audience!
• Why did the public speaker become a gardener? Because he knew how to plant ideas and watch them grow!

These Jokes Are about Audience Interaction.

• I asked the audience if anyone had experience with public speaking. A cricket in the corner started chirping.
• The best way to become a confident public speaker is to imagine the audience in their underwear. Unless you’re speaking at a nudist colony.
• I told my wife I was going to give a speech on procrastination. She said, “Maybe next time.”
• How do you make a tissue dance during a speech? You put a little boogie in it!
• Why did the extroverted computer become a public speaker? Because it had great social networking skills!

Public Speaking Jokes about Presentation Themes.

These funny (or corny) jokes are about the process of public speaking. You can easily use one of these if you start with… “Before I actually start my presentation…” then add the joke.

• I asked my friend if he had any advice for public speaking. He said, “Yes, just imagine the audience is full of cats. They don’t care what you’re saying, but they’ll pay attention if you have treats.”
• How do you organize a fantastic space-themed presentation? You planet!
• Why did the public speaker bring a ladder to the presentation? To reach new heights in communication!
• My friend tried to give a speech on patience, but the audience left before he finished. It seems they didn’t have the patience for it.
• Why did the microphone apply for a job in public speaking? Because it wanted to be heard at work!

A Few Random Public Speaking Jokes (Use with Caution.)

These last few public speaking jokes are a little more tricky. You’d want to save these only for the right type of crowd.

• I used to be afraid of public speaking, but then I realized it’s just talking in front of people. Now I’m terrified of public listening.
• What’s a public speaker’s favorite kind of fish? The articulate!
• I told my friend I was giving a speech about a famous chicken. He asked, “Is it poultry in motion?”
• I was going to make a joke about public speaking, but I figured it would be better in front of a live audience.
• Why did the scarecrow become a great public speaker? He was outstanding in his field!

Remember, just adding a joke or two to a speech won’t win over every audience. For help becoming a confident and effective presenter, we invite you to attend one of our 2-Day Fearless Presentations ® Classes . Click here for details.

Here Are a Few Public Speaking One-Liners to Get Your Audience Laughing.

You’ll have a much easier time just adding a funny one-liner every now and then. When you tell a joke, you typically have to get your audience to respond. And, in some cases, the audience will finish your joke.

So a well-placed one-liner will often get you a quick chuckle without as much risk. Here are a few that we organized into five different categories.

These One-Liners Are Related to Audience Interaction (Or Audience Reactions.)

• “I’m not saying I’m a great public speaker, but I did once get a standing ovation… because I tripped over the microphone cord.”
• “I asked my audience if they had any questions after my speech. One person raised their hand and asked, ‘When does the torture end?'”
• “Public speaking is easy. It’s like riding a bike. Except the bike is on fire, you’re on fire, everything is on fire, and you’re in hell.”
• “I used to be afraid of public speaking until I realized every audience is just a bunch of people hoping you don’t notice them.”
• “I gave a speech on procrastination. The audience is still waiting for the punchline.”

Here Are a Few about Speech Techniques and Styles.

• “I asked the audience if they knew the definition of a will. Apparently, ‘a dead giveaway’ wasn’t the right answer.”
• “I don’t have a fear of public speaking; I have a fear of public not listening.”
• “Why don’t public speakers ever get lost? Because they always find their way to the lectern.”
• “I used to be a mime, but I couldn’t stay silent about it. Now I’m a public speaker.”
• “I told the audience I’d be speaking off the cuff. Turns out, my cuff was more interesting than my speech.”

That’s Ironic! One Liners about Humor and Irony in Speech

• “I used to be a public speaker at a mime convention. Needless to say, my speeches were a big hit.”
• “I asked the audience if they could define irony. They said, ‘Sure, it’s like goldy and bronzy, but made of iron.'”
• “Public speaking is a lot like a roller coaster. It’s terrifying, and I always feel like I’m going to lose my lunch.”
• “I used to be a motivational speaker, but then I lost my train of thought. Now I’m just a ‘meh’-tivational speaker.”
• “Why did the public speaker bring a ladder to the speech? To reach the high points, of course!”

These One-Liners Are about Speech Topics and Delivery.

• “I told the audience I’m going to talk about time travel. They’re still waiting for my future self to arrive.”
• “I tried to give a speech on humility, but everyone said I was the best at it.”
• “Why did the public speaker get an award? Because he was outstanding in his field of expertise – corn farming.”
• “I asked the crowd if they liked my tie. They said, ‘It’s not the tie, it’s what you’re saying that’s knot working.'”
• “I tried to make a speech about sleep, but I dozed off during my own presentation.”

Funny One-Liners Related to the Challenges of Public Speaking.

• “I asked the audience for silence during my speech. Apparently, their laughter didn’t get the memo.”
• (If your audience won’t give you feedback.) “Dialogue is like a parachute – it only works when it’s open.”
• (If you happen to break wind because of nervousness.) “I’m not a nervous public speaker. I just have a very expressive colon.”
• “I told my wife I’m writing a book on public speaking. She told me to speak louder.”
• “Why did the PowerPoint file go to therapy? It had too many issues with transitions.”

Funny Motivational Quotes Related to Public Speaking.

A really good way to add humor to any speech is to insert a funny quote from a famous person. These funny motivational quotes are very easy to insert. In fact, you can add them to your speech introduction right at the start. That will lighten the tension in the room and get your audience laughing.

Here are a few that always hit home!

Funny Quotes About Preparation and Delivery of Speech.

• “The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” – George Jessel
• “It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain
• “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
• “A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” – Winston Churchill
• “The best way to sound like you know what you’re talking about is to know what you’re talking about.” – Author Unknown

Quotes Related to Adding Humor to Your Speech.

If you are looking for a famous quote specifically about adding humor to a speech, try one of these.

• “The first time I spoke in the West, the agents and organizers looked at me and said, ‘Oh, my God, she’s funny.’ And I thought, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve been funny all my life, but I never knew it.'” – Maya Angelou
• “If you can’t make it good, at least make it look good.” – Bill Gates
• “I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don’t have as many people who believe it.” – George Carlin
• “The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven’t thought of yet.” – Ann Landers
• “I used to be a good communicator, but then I realized I was talking to myself.” – Author Unknown

Here Are a Few Quotes About Creativity and Writing.

• “I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” – Steven Wright
• “I used to play piano by ear, but now I use my hands.” – Steven Wright
• “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” – Douglas Adams
• “I don’t need time. What I need is a deadline.” – Duke Ellington
• “I can’t understand why I flunked American history. When I was a kid, my father took me to all the historic spots. Every time I refused to get out of the car.” – W.C. Fields

The Funny Quotes Can Help You Make Your Point Better.

Like the last group, these funny quotes aren’t about public speaking. But you will likely be able to use them if you are delivering an informative speech.

• “The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself.” – Oscar Wilde
• “I have never been in a situation where having a sense of humor and a giving spirit didn’t lead to a better result.” – Ed Catmull
• “The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his way.” – Josh Billings
• “I like to talk about my obsession with food. I love to eat. I’m not a ‘foodie,’ but I do love to eat.” – Miranda Kerr
• “I failed public speaking in college the first time and made a ‘D’ in the second class. It was horrible.” – John Grisham

These Last Funny Quotes Didn’t Fit the Other Categories. (LOL!)

These last quotes didn’t really fit in any of the other categories. But they are pretty funny. If you can find a way to insert them into your speech, you’re sure to get a laugh or two.

• “It’s hard to be serious when you’re surrounded by balloons.” – Jerry Seinfeld
• “I have six locks on my door, all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.” – Elayne Boosler
• “The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” – Willie Nelson
• “I used to be a heavy gambler. But now I just make mental bets. That’s how I lost my mind.” – Steve Allen

Dad Jokes that You Can Use as Presentation Icebreakers.

Years ago, I taught a leadership class for his team. And at the start of every session, he stood up in front of the group and told a corny Dad joke. The jokes were cringy. But whether the audience laughed or turned up their nose, they all smiled. Over the next few years, I noticed that Ron’s employee turnover was almost zero. It was unheard of in his industry.

It turns out that his team absolutely loved him. He made a tough job much more fun to come to. So, I changed my tune about Dad jokes. Here are a few that you can use to start your next speech or meeting.

Food Public Speaking Jokes

• What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta.
• Did you hear about the cheese factory explosion? There was nothing left but de-brie.
• What do you call a fish wearing a crown? A kingfish.
• Why did the chicken go to the seance? To talk to the other side.
• What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing, it just let out a little wine.

Science and Technology Jokes.

• Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything.
• I told my computer I needed a break, and now it won’t stop sending me vacation ads.
• Did you hear about the guy who invented Lifesavers? He made a mint.
• How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together!
• What did one wall say to the other wall? I’ll meet you at the corner!

Academic Jokes for a Presentation.

• Why did the math book look sad? Because it had too many problems.
• Did you hear about the mathematician who’s afraid of negative numbers? He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them.
• What do you call a factory that makes good products? A satisfactory.
• I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.
• I used to have a job at a calendar factory, but I got fired because I took a couple of days off.

Spooky Jokes

• Why did the skeleton go to the seance? To talk to the other side.
• Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts.
• What did the big flower say to the little flower? “Hi, bud!”
• I went to buy some camouflage pants, but I couldn’t find any.
• What did one hat say to the other hat? Stay here, I’m going on ahead.

Miscellaneous Jokes

• I only know how to make holy water. I boil the hell out of it.
• Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one.
• Why did the bicycle fall over? It was two-tired.
• What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? Supplies!
• What did the snowman with a six-pack say? An abdominal snowman!

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Funny Speech Topics to Make Your Audience Laugh

Who among us hasn’t been caught off-guard during a speech, struggling to think of something to say, grasping desperately for words to fill the silence?

Whether it’s during a school presentation, a sales pitch, or a TED talk , great public speaking relies on having interesting materials to work with — and that often involves humor. After all, nothing captures people’s attention or puts them at ease like a well-crafted joke!

Today, we’re going to help you get your creative juices flowing and make sure there’s never a dull moment in any of your speeches.

We’ve compiled some of the funniest speech topics to make your audience laugh, starting from the harmless to the outrageous. Whether you’re looking for something light and unassuming or a joke guaranteed to get a chuckle, this list has it all!

So without further ado, let’s dive right in and make sure your next talking points are both memorable and hilarious.

Quick Answer to Key Question

Some funny speech topics could include humorous takes on current events, jokes about popular celebrities, lighthearted observations, and satirical examples of everyday scenarios. The possibilities for humorous content are truly endless – use your imagination to come up with something unique!

What is a Funny Speech?

A funny speech is a lighthearted presentation that focuses on making the audience laugh. It can be delivered as either an informative, persuasive, or entertaining talk, with humorous remarks and jokes to recognize the comic elements in life.

To this end, it often features playful humor, irony, exaggeration, and even farce , but within an appropriate context. As such, funny speeches can help break up tension and serve as a refreshing break from more serious topics .

However, there are drawbacks to using humor in public speaking. First of all, being funny can be difficult, so speakers must cultivate their natural wit and observe trends and topics that may lead to amusing content.

Additionally, though an audience may seem receptive to lightheartedness upfront, it could become easily offended if jokes cross lines of decency. As such, a speaker must judge the energy of the room and deliver material that will evoke laughter without overwhelming their listeners’ sense of propriety.

Ultimately, presenting a funny speech requires finesse and skill. But when done successfully, it can create lasting memories for both speaker and audience alike. With these considerations in mind, let us now transition into the next section which explores ideas for humorous speech topics.

Ideas for Humorous Speech Topics

Humorous speech topics can be great ice breakers at an event or just an entertaining way to pass the time. Whether you are giving a speech in front of your peers or random strangers, you will want to come up with material that is witty, entertaining, and guaranteed to get a laugh or two. Here are some ideas for humorous topics to consider: 1. Discuss why cats are smarter than dogs 2. Compare life before and after cell phones3. Debate whether cake or ice cream is better 4. Talk about the pros and cons of going to bed late versus getting up early 5. Examine the ridiculousness of certain trends 6. Discuss why people overreact when a mistake is made 7. Share your thoughts about extreme diets 8. Laugh about the difficulty of parallel parking 9. Analyze why some people rebel against instructions 10. Debate which reality TV show is the most absurd No matter which topic you choose to discuss, make sure to focus on enjoying yourself and showcasing your humorous side.

While it’s important to focus on making others laugh, it is also essential that you have fun along with them, as this will help create a more authentic and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone in attendance. Now that you have some ideas for humorous speech topics, let’s move on to discussing events.

Talking About Events

Talking about events often brings out the most laughter in an audience.

Whether it’s discussing a current hot button issue or rehashing a comical blunder that happened to a friend, addressing funny topics related to events can be endlessly entertaining.

Though there are some topics that might be deemed too sensitive to address, such as politics or religious issues , many current and past events offer plenty of moments that make for interesting storytelling opportunities.

For example, humorous angles on the latest celebrity news or an analysis behind why sports teams make questionable decisions can be met with laughter and applause.

Similarly, gossiping about relationships or peculiar situations among friends provides plenty of material for comedic discourse. As long as a speaker is able to keep their dialogue respectful, making light of recent happenings often serves as great source material for humor.

That being said, even if the topic being addressed is objectively lighthearted, being mindful of how sensitive it may come off to some members of the audience is important.

When necessary, debaters should employ tact when approaching certain subjects and always strive to treat any individuals involved with respect in their presentations.

Kept within healthy limits, talking about events can be quite amusing and engaging – it can bring out not only laughter but positive conversations between family, friends and participants alike.

Leading into the next section now: Personal topics also provide an abundance of funny speech topics that will surely strike a chord with any group.

Personal Topics

When it comes to comedy, the personal touch can make all the difference. Taking your speech topic from something close to home such as family, work or hobbies can often result in an entertaining and relatable topic.

Whether you choose to do a light-hearted take on a serious issue or bravely share some embarrassing stories, there’s sure to be something funny within your own experience.

For instance, exploring the “family dynamic” is often a great place to start. Even in the tightest of families, the occasional funny moment can emerge. Tell a story about an occasion where everyone was struggling to act their best and you had a laugh at their expense.

Or explore how certain family members are always found in the center of attention (even if they don’t intend to be). If done in good taste and with respect, poking fun at your family can result in some sincere laughs from both yourself and your audience.

These topics provide an opportunity for self-deprecating humor and bring a unique perspective on life that others may find both humorous and intriguing.

Personal insights into everyday struggles, misunderstandings or awkward moments can lead to topics that are surprisingly relatable. You will find that what you feel is ordinary can actually be extraordinary in someone else’s eyes.

Keep in mind, though, that when taking this approach, it is important to never offend anyone with your comments or jokes. Embrace embarrassment but never belittle any individuals or groups who are part of your stories or experiences

By leaning into those funny moments – whether they involve yourself or others – they can become powerful tools that make your speech memorable and enjoyable. Now let’s move onto telling funny stories – which also has its own unique set of advantages!

Personal topics can make comedy writing unique and relatable. Telling stories involving family and funny moments can provide entertainment while being respectful. Touching on ordinary struggles and awkward situations can lead to humor while still avoiding offending anyone directly. Humorously embracing embarrassment will help make speeches memorable.

Telling Funny Stories

Telling funny stories is an effective way to make your audience laugh, as stories are usually much more relatable than jokes.

People of all ages will often enjoy hearing a clever anecdote that they can relate to or that paints a vivid picture in their mind. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when telling a funny story as part of your speech.

First, it is important to remember that time is limited. Try to select anecdotes that have a clear beginning, middle, and end that are not too long-winded or complicated. Make sure the story you choose conveys your point while making it entertaining.

One debate between comedians and public speakers is whether stories should be made up or true. On the one hand, factual stories can be full of fascinating nuances and details and may appeal to some audiences.

True stories allow you to fully describe an experience for the audience’s enjoyment or gain a better understanding of the person telling it.

On the other hand, comedic opinions often say that made-up stories can be even funnier than real events if they present a creative spin on life. Whichever route you choose, always try to turn your story into a humble brag!

No matter which type of story you tell, ensure that it fits in with your overall message, as this helps tie it together for the listener. With any luck your humor will land with the crowd and keep them engaged until you reach the conclusion.

To help prepare for delivering such an important section of your presentation, let’s move on to looking at some useful tips for Writing and Delivering a Funny Speech.

Tips for Writing and Delivering a Funny Speech

Writing and delivering a funny speech can be a rewarding experience, especially if you can make your audience roar with laughter. However, crafting an effective comedic monologue takes skill, confidence and sometimes a bit of trial and error. To help you get started, here are some tips for writing and delivering a funny speech: 1. Understand Your Audience – Study your audience to determine what kind of humor they will respond to. For example, family-friendly jokes will play better at a dinner table than a corporate conference room. Adjust your standards accordingly to ensure the best outcome. 2. Know What Not to Do – A true professional comedian knows what not to say or do during their performance. Avoid vulgar language, off-color jokes and controversial topics that may offend certain members of your audience. Also, it’s important to know how far is too far when making fun of yourself or colleagues. 3. Write Your Speech First – Write out the speech first before even attempting to deliver it in front of others. This will give you more control over the timing and pacing of key punch lines for optimum effect¹. It also eliminates any confusion about the order you want to deliver your jokes in front of an audience. 4. Rehearse – Even if you have written the speech beforehand, practice multiple times until you are comfortable delivering it in public or private settings. Know which visual aids (if any) will engage your audience during key points in the speech. 5. Have Fun – When delivering a funny speech, don’t take yourself too seriously! Relax, have fun and let your personality shine through while you tell your story or jokes³. Then enjoy the applause after each punch line lands! Ultimately, writing and delivering a funny speech requires knowledge, skill and dedication—but done right, it can be very rewarding! Now let’s move on to addressing how we can use humor appropriately in our speeches…

Use Humor Appropriately

When giving a speech, it is important to use humor appropriately. Too much humor can actually dilute the impact of an otherwise persuasive message.

Adding bits of humor throughout the presentation will keep an audience engaged and help make your points easier to remember. But if you attempt too many jokes during your speech, it can be distracting for listeners and actually work against your intended message.

Adopting a humorous persona or mocking people who disagree with you can be dangerous because members of your audience may take offense. It is recommended to base humor on personal experiences or stories that you know your audience can relate to in order to ensure the best response.

Likewise, comedian Jerry Seinfeld suggests avoiding overt political material in your speech–which should come as no surprise considering how polarizing politics has become these days.

Overall, it is important to strike the right balance when adding humor to a speech. Humor should be used sparingly and should stay away from controversial topics unless done skillfully; otherwise, it can backfire instead of unifying your audience or making a strong point. With this in mind, let’s look at some examples of humorous speech topics next.

Examples of Humorous Speech Topics

When it comes to funny speeches, it’s important to find a topic that resonates with your audience. If you can make an audience laugh, the speech will be remembered for years to come. While humor may differ from culture to culture, there are some topics that remain universally funny. Here are a few examples: • The Pros and Cons of Dating an Alien • How to Create an App That Makes Doing Laundry Easier • A Practical Guide To Quitting Your Job and Becoming an Astronaut • Surviving a Zombie Invasion Without Looking Too Silly • How To Be The Life Of Any Party By Creating Inventive Dances • A Tour Of Local Haunted Locations These humorous speech topics could also be used as the basis for some light-hearted debate, offering the opportunity to explore both sides of a comedic argument. Ultimately, with each topic, the possibilities and potentials of making a crowd laugh are endless!

It is clear from looking at the speech topics discussed in this article that humor can be found everywhere and used in a variety of forms. A funny speech does not have to contain jokes or stand up comedy, but can simply use wit, wordplay and well-timed delivery to draw attention and elicit laughter from an audience.

When preparing a funny speech, it is important to consider the topic carefully and ensure that it is appropriate for the context. Some people may find certain topics offensive or inappropriate depending on their preferences, so these should be avoided when giving a humorous speech.

The topics presented in this article cover a wide range of perspectives and provide ample opportunity for crafting an entertaining and memorable speech. If crafting your own material is not something you feel comfortable with, there are many sources available on the internet which provide ready-made humor suitable for speeches.

Ultimately, whatever speech topic you choose, the most important thing is that it resonates with your audience and makes them laugh!

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions with Detailed Explanations

What are some tips for delivering a funny speech.

1. Start by rehearsing your speech – make sure you know it word for word and practice delivering it with the right tone of voice and body language . Rehearsing will also help you memorize what to say if you get nervous during the performance. 2. Keep your audience in mind when choosing your topic. Make jokes and references that your audience will appreciate and understand – don’t try too hard to be funny if others won’t get the joke. 3. Come up with creative ways to capture your audience’s attention from the start – tell stories, anecdotes, or jokes that pique their interest and connect to your overall message. 4. Stay away from crude humour or off-color remarks if they aren’t appropriate for the situation. Make sure whatever jokes you make are lighthearted and not offensive or hurtful to anyone in the room. 5. Have fun! If you come across as too serious or uptight, no one will laugh at your jokes. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate or bring enthusiasm when delivering your speech – it will make it much more entertaining.

What topics are suitable for a funny speech?

Some excellent topics for a funny speech include: 1. Inexplicable Mishaps – Stories about your funniest mistakes, blunders, and bumbles! 2. Unusual Occupations – Share the details of your weirdest job or wackiest hobby. 3. Unforeseen Consequences – Talk about decisions you regret and the hilarious results that followed. 4. Random Animal Facts – Insert some hilarious animal trivia from around the world into your speech. 5. Dumb Criminals – Discuss the most foolish criminals and their failed attempts at avoiding justice. 6. Childhood Memories – Recount humorous moments from your childhood to brighten the mood of your audience. 7. Bad Jokes – Use classic puns, tongue-twisters, and one-liners to get the crowd laughing. 8. Comical Slogans – Talk about corporate catchphrases that are humorous in unintended ways! 9. Upcycled Language – Create new words or tweak old ones to give them a funny spin and make people chuckle! 10. Cultural Commentaries – Discuss deficiencies and absurdities in popular culture that can spark a good laugh from your listeners!

What types of funny speeches would be suitable for different audiences?

When determining which type of funny speech would be suitable for different audiences, it’s important to consider several factors. For instance, the age, gender, interests, and background of the audience will all play a role in deciding on a topic.

For example, if your audience is mainly composed of young students or professionals in their 20s and 30s, you might want to focus on topics that are relevant to their experiences such as relationships, technology, popular culture, and current events. You could also make jokes about self-deprecating humour, sarcasm, and irony.

If the audience is made up of mostly seniors or retirees, you may want to focus on topics like nostalgia, family stories, and observations about retirement. You can use human interest stories and light-hearted anecdotes to make them laugh.

For college audiences with various backgrounds and interests, you’ll want to focus on topics such as sports rivalries, differences between generations or cultures , or even absurdist humour.

Organizing a funny speech around a common experience that everyone in the room can relate to will help ensure it resonates with the whole audience. Doing some research beforehand can provide lots of inspiration for appropriate funny speech topics that are sure to make your audience laugh!

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• How to End a Speech: What You Need for a Bang

A good talk or public speech is like a good play, movie, or song.

It opens by arresting the listener’s attention, develops point by point, and then ends strongly, ensuring that the audience’s attention is maintained throughout.

The truth is, if you don’t know how to end a speech, the overall message won’t be persuasive and your key points may get lost.

The words you say at the beginning, and especially at the end of your talk, are usually the most persuasive parts of the speech and will be remembered longer than almost any other part of your speech. It’s crucial to leave a lasting impression with a powerful conclusion.

Some of the great speeches in history and some of the most memorable Ted talks have ended with powerful, stirring words that live on in memory.

How do you end a speech and get the standing ovation that you deserve?

Keep reading to discover how…

Here are 9 tips and examples for concluding a speech.

To ensure that your conclusion is as powerful as it can be, you must plan it word for word, including a strong closing statement.

Ask yourself,  “What is the purpose of this talk?”

Your answer should involve the actions that you want your listeners to take after hearing you speak on this subject.

When you are clear about the end result you desire, it becomes much easier to design a conclusion that asks your listeners to take that action. It is also crucial to restate a key idea to reinforce your message and leave a lasting impression.

The best strategy for ending with a BANG is to plan your close before you plan the rest of your speech.

You then go back and design your opening so that it sets the stage for your conclusion.

The body of your talk is where you present your ideas and make your case for what you want the audience to think, remember, and do after hearing you speak.

2) Always End A Speech With A Call To Action

It is especially important to tell the audience what you want it to do as a result of hearing you speak.

A call to action is the best way to wrap up your talk with strength and power. Reinforce your key points by summarizing the main message, ensuring it leaves a lasting impression. Closing the speech effectively can evoke emotions and make a significant impact on the audience.

Here’s a Speech Call To Action Example

“We have great challenges and great opportunities, and with your help, we will meet them and make this next year the best year in our history!”

Consider ending with a thought-provoking question to challenge the audience to think differently and inspire them to take action.

Whatever you say, imagine an exclamation point at the end. As you approach the conclusion, pick up your energy and tempo.  This is even more important if  the presentation you are giving is virtual .

Speak with strength and emphasis.

Drive the final point home.

Regardless of whether the audience participants agree with you or are willing to do what you ask, it should be perfectly clear to them what you are requesting.

3) End a Speech With a Summary

There is a simple formula for any talk:

• Tell them what you are going to tell them.
• Then, tell them what you told them.

As you approach the end of your talk, say something like,

“Let me briefly restate these main points…”

You then list your key points, one by one, and repeat them to the audience, showing how each of them links to the other points.

Audiences appreciate a linear repetition of what they have just heard. This repetition helps make your message memorable and ensures that your key points leave a lasting impression.

This makes it clear that you are coming to the end of your talk.

4) Close with a Story

As you reach the end of your talk, you can say,

“Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I have been talking about…”

You then tell a brief story with a moral and then tell the audience what the moral is. Using effective body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using open gestures, can make your story more impactful and leave a lasting impression.

Don’t leave it to them to figure out for themselves.

Often you can close with a story that illustrates your key points and then clearly links to the key message that you are making with your speech.

To learn more about storytelling in speaking, you can read my previous blog post  “8 Public Speaking Tips to Wow Your Audience.”

5) Make Them Laugh

You can close with humor.

You can tell a joke that loops back into your subject and repeats the lesson or main point you are making with a story that makes everyone laugh.

During my talks on planning and persistence, I discuss the biggest enemy that we have, which is the tendency to follow the path of least resistance. I then tell this story.

Ole and Sven are out hunting in Minnesota and they shoot a deer. They begin dragging the deer back to the truck by the tail, but they keep slipping and losing both their grip and their balance.

A farmer comes along and asks them, “What are you boys doing?”

They reply, “We’re dragging the deer back to the truck.”

The farmer tells them, “You are not supposed to drag a deer by the tail. You’re supposed to drag the deer by the handles. They’re called antlers. You’re supposed to drag a deer by the antlers.”

Ole and Sven say, “Thank you very much for the idea.”

They begin pulling the deer by the antlers. After about five minutes, they are making rapid progress. Ole says to Sven, “Sven, the farmer was right. It goes a lot easier by the antlers.”

Sven replies, “Yeah, but we’re getting farther and farther from the truck.”

After the laughter dies down, I say…

“The majority of people in life are pulling the easy way, but they are getting further and further from the ‘truck’ or their real goals and objectives.”

A memorable statement like this can make the humor more effective by condensing the core message into a crisp and authentic sound bite.

That’s just one example of closing using humor.

6) Make It Rhyme

You can close with a poem.

There are many fine poems that contain messages that summarize the key points you want to make. Here are some practical tips for selecting and delivering a poem: choose a poem that resonates with your message, practice your delivery to ensure it flows naturally, and use appropriate pauses to emphasize key lines.

You can select a poem that is moving, dramatic, or emotional.

For years I ended seminars with the poem,  “Don’t Quit,”  or  “Carry On!”  by Robert W. Service. It was always well received by the audience.

7) Close With Inspiration for A Lasting Impression

You can end a speech with something inspirational as well.

If you have given an uplifting talk, remember that hope is, and has always been, the main religion of mankind.

People love to be motivated and inspired to be or do something different and better in the future.

Here are a few of  my favorite inspirational quotes  that can be tied into most speeches.  You can also  read this collection of leadership quotes  for further inspiration.

Remember, everyone in your audience is dealing with problems, difficulties, challenges, disappointments, setbacks, and temporary failures.

For this reason, everyone appreciates a poem, quote, or story of encouragement that gives them strength and courage.

Here are 7 Tips to Tell an Inspiring Poem or Story to End Your Speech

• You have to slow down and add emotion and drama to your words.
• Raise your voice on a key line of the poem, and then drop it when you’re saying something that is intimate and emotional.
• Pick up the tempo occasionally as you go through the story or poem, but then slow down on the most memorable parts.
• Especially, double the number of pauses you normally use in a conversation.
• Use dramatic pauses at the end of a line to allow the audience to digest the words and catch up with you.
• Smile if the line is funny, and be serious if the line is more thought-provoking or emotional.
• When you come to the end of your talk, be sure to bring your voice up on the last line, rather than letting it drop. Remember the  “exclamation point”  at the end to reinforce your main message and leave a lasting impression.

Try practicing on this poem that I referenced above…

Read through  “Carry On!” by Robert Service

Identify the key lines, intimate parts, and memorable parts, and recite it.

8) Make it Clear That You’re Done

When you say your final words, it should be clear to everyone that you have ended. A strong closing statement is crucial in signaling the end of your speech, leaving a lasting impression, and ensuring that the audience remembers the key points. There should be no ambiguity or confusion in the mind of your audience. The audience members should know that this is the end.

Many speakers just allow their talks to wind down.

They say  something with filler words  like,  “Well, that just about covers it. Thank you.”

This isn’t a good idea…

It’s not powerful…

It’s not an authoritative ending and thus detracts from your credibility and influence.

When you have concluded, discipline yourself to stand perfectly still. Select a friendly face in the audience and look straight at that person.

If it is appropriate, smile warmly at that person to signal that your speech has come to an end.

Resist the temptation to:

• Shuffle papers.
• Fidget with your clothes or microphone.
• Move forward, backward, or sideways.
• Do anything else except stand solidly, like a tree.

9) Let Them Applaud

When you have finished your talk, the audience members will want to applaud. Using effective body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using open gestures, can signal to the audience that it is time to begin clapping.

What they need from you is a clear signal that now is the time to begin clapping.

How do you signal this?

Some people will recognize sooner than others that you have concluded your remarks.

In many cases, when you make your concluding comments and stop talking, the audience members will be completely silent.

They may be unsure whether you are finished.

They may be processing your final remarks and thinking them over. They may not know what to do until someone else does something.

In a few seconds, which will often feel like several minutes, people will applaud.

Then another…

Then the entire audience will begin clapping.

When someone begins to applaud, look directly at that person, smile, and mouth the words  thank you.

As more and more people applaud, sweep slowly from person to person, nodding, smiling and saying, “Thank You.”

Eventually, the whole room will be clapping.

There’s no better reward for overcoming your  fear of public speaking  than enjoying a round of applause.

BONUS TIP: How to Handle a Standing Ovation

If you’ve given a moving talk and really connected with your audience, someone will stand up and applaud. To encourage a standing ovation, make your message memorable by using repetition of your keyword or phrase and incorporating relevant visuals or metaphors to leave a lasting impression on the audience. When this happens, encourage others by looking directly at the clapper and saying,  “Thank you.”

This will often prompt other members of the audience to stand.

As people see others standing, they will stand as well, applauding the whole time.

It is not uncommon for a speaker to conclude his or her remarks, stand silently, and have the entire audience sit silently in response.

Stand Comfortably And Shake Hands

But as the speaker stands there comfortably, waiting for the audience to realize the talk is over, one by one people will begin to applaud and often stand up one by one. Using positive body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using open gestures, can leave a lasting impression on the audience.

If the first row of audience members is close in front of you, step or lean forward and shake that person’s hand when one of them stands up to applaud.

When you shake hands with one person in the audience, many other people in the audience feel that you are shaking their hands and congratulating them as well.

They will then stand up and applaud.

Soon the whole room will be standing and applauding.

Whether you receive a standing ovation or not, if your introducer comes back on to thank you on behalf of the audience, smile and shake their hand warmly.

If it’s appropriate, give the introducer a hug of thanks, wave in a friendly way to the audience, and then move aside and give the introducer the stage.

Follow these tips to get that standing ovation every time.

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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Speech Starting Lines

Ai generator.

Speech starting lines are the initial sentences or opening statements in a speech. They serve to capture the audience’s attention, set the tone for the speech, and introduce the topic or purpose of the address. Effective speech starting lines are engaging, clear, and relevant to the audience, helping to establish a connection and interest right from the beginning.

What is Speech Starting Lines?

Speech starting lines are the initial phrases or sentences used to begin a speech. These opening remarks are crucial as they aim to grab the audience’s attention, introduce the subject matter, and set the stage for the rest of the presentation. Effective speech starting lines engage the audience, clearly present the topic, and establish the desired tone and context for the speech.

Speech Starting Lines Examples

Introduction and Greeting “Good evening, everyone. Thank you all for being here tonight.”   Acknowledgment “It’s an honor to stand before you on this special occasion.”   Introduction “For those who might not know me, I’m John Smith, a member of this wonderful community for the past 10 years.”   Hook “Let me start with a quick story. When I first joined this organization, I had no idea the profound impact it would have on my life.”   Preview “Tonight, I want to share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned and the incredible experiences I’ve had along the way.”

30 Best Speech Starting Lines

• Opening with a Quote : “As Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.'”
• Personal Anecdote : “When I first walked through the doors of this school, I never imagined how much I would learn and grow.”
• Asking a Question : “Have you ever wondered what it takes to achieve greatness?”
• Start with a Fact : “Did you know that every successful person started with a dream?”
• Engage with the Audience : “Raise your hand if you have ever faced a challenge that seemed impossible to overcome.”
• Imagine Scenario : “Imagine a world where every student feels empowered and motivated.”
• Highlight the Importance : “Education is not just about learning facts; it’s about gaining the skills to navigate life.”
• Personal Achievement : “One of my proudest moments as a student was when I…”
• Historical Reference : “In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., ‘The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.'”
• Start with a Challenge : “We all face difficulties and obstacles, but it’s how we respond that defines us.”
• Use a Statistic : “According to recent studies, students who set clear goals are 50% more likely to achieve success.”
• Quote from a Famous Person : “Albert Einstein once said, ‘The only source of knowledge is experience.'”
• A Surprising Fact : “Did you know that more than 60% of the world’s population is under the age of 25?”
• An Interesting Anecdote : “I once heard a story about a student who turned a small idea into a global movement.”
• Open with a Joke : “They say school is like a lollipop. It seems fun at first, but then it gets sticky and complicated.”
• A Thought-Provoking Statement : “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
• A Call to Action : “Today, I want to challenge you all to think bigger and dream bolder.”
• An Inspirational Quote : “Walt Disney once said, ‘All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.'”
• Start with a Mystery : “There’s something all great achievers have in common, and today, we’re going to discover what that is.”
• A Relatable Story : “We’ve all had those days when nothing seems to go right. But have you ever had one that turned into something amazing?”
• A Personal Experience : “When I first started this journey, I had no idea where it would lead me.”
• An Inspiring Statement : “Great things never come from comfort zones.”
• A Powerful Image : “Picture yourself standing at the top of a mountain, looking at the vast horizon ahead.”
• Use of Rhetorical Questions : “What if we could change the world? What if every small action we take makes a big difference?”
• A Touching Story : “I recently heard about a student who changed his community through a simple act of kindness.”
• A Surprising Statement : “You have the power to change the world, starting right here, right now.”
• A Provocative Question : “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”
• A Vision of the Future : “Imagine the impact we can make if we all work together towards a common goal.”
• An Emotional Hook : “There are moments in life that define who we are, and today, I want to talk about one such moment.”
• An Engaging Fact : “Studies show that students who are actively engaged in their learning are more likely to succeed.”

How to Write Speech Starting Lines

1. use a quote.

Begin with a relevant quote.

Example: “Maya Angelou once said, ‘People will never forget how you made them feel.’ Let’s discuss the importance of empathy.”

2. Tell a Story

Start with a brief personal anecdote.

Example: “At ten, I got lost in a city. A stranger helped me, teaching me the value of kindness.”

3. Ask a Question

Pose a thought-provoking question.

Example: “Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a difference? Let’s explore impactful community service.”

4. Start with a Fact or Statistic

Open with an interesting fact.

Example: “Did you know nearly 70% of employees feel disengaged at work? Let’s discuss creating fulfilling workplaces.”

5. Make a Bold Statement

Grab attention with a strong statement.

Example: “Change is inevitable, but growth is optional. Let’s talk about choosing growth.”

6. Use Humor

Lighten the mood with humor.

Example: “Oscar Wilde said, ‘I have nothing to declare except my genius.’ Now, let’s discuss effective communication.”

7. Create a Vivid Image

Paint a picture with words.

Example: “Imagine standing on a cliff, the ocean before you. This leap of faith is what we’ll discuss today.”

Tips to Deliver Speech Starting Lines

1. Be Confident : Project confidence with your voice and body language.

2. Use Pauses : Pause after your opening line to let it sink in.

3. Engage the Audience : Interact with your audience through questions or direct eye contact.

4. Show Enthusiasm : Express genuine enthusiasm about your topic.

5. Be Natural : Speak in a conversational tone as if talking to a friend.

6. Practice : Rehearse your opening lines multiple times.

7. Breathe : Take a deep breath before you start to calm your nerves.

What is a good way to start a speech?

Start with a powerful quote, a surprising fact, or a personal anecdote to grab the audience’s attention and set the tone.

Why is the opening line of a speech important?

The opening line sets the tone, engages the audience, and establishes your credibility, making it crucial for a successful speech.

How can humor be used in a speech opening?

Use a relevant joke or a light-hearted comment to break the ice and create a relaxed atmosphere.

What role does a question play in starting a speech?

Starting with a question engages the audience and encourages them to think, making them more receptive to your message.

How does a personal story enhance a speech’s opening?

A personal story makes your speech relatable, builds a connection with the audience, and captures their interest.

Can starting with a quote be effective?

Yes, a well-chosen quote can provide insight, provoke thought, and set the stage for your topic.

How do you start a speech with a fact or statistic?

Present a surprising or relevant fact or statistic to grab attention and highlight the importance of your topic.

What is an engaging way to start a persuasive speech?

Start with a compelling fact, a provocative question, or a powerful statement to immediately engage and persuade your audience.

How can you use suspense in your speech opening?

Create suspense by hinting at a story or fact that you’ll reveal later, keeping the audience intrigued and attentive.

What is a strong way to start a motivational speech?

Begin with a personal success story or an inspiring quote to energize and motivate your audience.

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• 188 funny how-to speech topics

Funny how-to speech topics

188 funny topics for a demonstration speech

By:  Susan Dugdale   | Last modified: 11-22-2023

Give us some funny how-to speech topics! None of your bore them to snoring speech ideas. We want funny, chucklesome ones. Ones to make them smile.☺

And you've got them: 188 funny how-to speech ideas, plus a printable outline document to help you efficiently plan your speech, and a completed example of a funny how-to speech outline to show you how it might be done.

Use the page index links to jump to the section you want.

What's on this page?

• Defining funny and choosing a topic
• How to yarn bomb with aplomb and 25 more topic ideas
• How to dance like no one is watching and 27 other suggestions
• How to enter hobby horse riding competitions and win and 27 more
• How to make pumpkins feel OK about being carved for Halloween and 25 more funny how to speech ideas
• How to be a hero to your children and 24 more
• How to interpret the decor of a room. What does it say about a person? and 25 more speech topic suggestions
• How to speak fluent emoji and 27 more funny how to speech ideas
• Printable funny how-to speech outline document
• Example of a funny how-to speech outline
• Links to more demonstration speech resources
• Links to onsite resources for working with humor

Defining 'funny' and choosing a topic

Funny doesn't necessarily mean laughing out loud, helpless giggling or crying because something is just so, so hilarious. 

Funny can also be quiet smiles and a chuckle of appreciation.

You'll find opportunities for all shapes and sizes of it here from pure slapstick through to ridiculous absurdism. 

As you move through the topic suggestions look for possibilities to play with and extend strengths you may already have. 

Do you move well? What about a topic like, " How to dance like no one's watching"? You could teach some exaggerated dance moves and get your audience up and moving.

Or "How to master the art of silly walking". That too offers audience involvement opportunities.

Can you do straight face? Or dead pan? Yes? What about a totally daft topic that you take utterly seriously? One like: "How to take a perfect selfie: share funny tips on posing, lighting, and editing for Instagram-worthy photos."

Or "How to make pumpkins feel OK about being carved for Halloween". I can see the pumpkins being counselled, spoken to gently, being listened to... ☺

Some are soft skills , and some are hard.  Whatever you choose, I hope you have fun! 

Return to Top

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Printable funny how to speech outline document

To make planning your speech easier, here's a printable funny how to speech outline document (pdf). To download it click on the image below. (It will open in a new window.)

Example of a funny how to speech outline

My example speech outline, below, follows the pattern I've used in the printable. The heading for each section has been  bolded .

Title of speech : How to write perfect excuse notes.

General purpose : to entertain or amuse while giving a 'soft skill' * , 'show and tell' or demonstration speech.

Specific purpose : to demonstrate, with humor, how to write an effective excuse note. 

Central idea (thesis statement) : to show how putting some thought and time into preparing an excuse note can lessen the fallout or damage caused by not doing whatever it was that you were expected to.

For example: come to school or work, come at the required time, hand in an assignment, or arrive with the right equipment and wearing the right clothes.

* Soft skills -also known as power skills, common skills, essential skills, or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions. For more this Wikipedia definition and explanation .

Speech introduction - what's your hook?

There are quite a number of ways to hook an audience - to make them sit up and want to listen from moment you open your mouth. These include using a startling statistic, asking a rhetorical question, sharing a compelling story, using an apt quotation or showing an interesting visual aid.

Which attention grabber will you use?

Attention grabber(s)

Rhetorical question:

How effective do you think these excuse notes were?

3 examples of notes:

• "Jimmy will be absent from school on Mondays until further notice. Adding an extra day to the weekend will lower his stress levels, as well as ours. We believe mental health is important." 
• "Stephanie had to stay at home yesterday because she had to wash and dry her hair."
• "Brook's kid brother barfed on her book. We couldn't clean it and had to throw it out." 

The next section is about establishing your authority or right to talk on your chosen subject. Why should your audience listen to you? How much do know about the topic? What experience have you had?

Credibility builders:

I taught teenagers for many years, and these are examples of excuse notes that were given to me.

I got literally 1000s and some were way more effective than others.

The majority of them were very ordinary: with nothing distinguishing them at all. They served their purpose. I filed and forgot them.

However, sometimes parents, caregivers or the student unintentionally excelled themselves. Their very funny notes were meant to be taken seriously no matter how cliched, far-fetched or ludicrous they were to me.

There is a definite limit to the number of grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, best friends... whose final act of kindness and consideration is to conveniently and suddenly die, how many times a person can be smitten by a horrible stomachache, a throbbing headache, or the dog can eat the homework.

Preview:  

So, what is a perfect excuse note? One that is believable. One that is concise, respectful in tone, and shows a responsible attitude: i.e. an understanding of the possible impact of not turning homework in, missing classes or not coming into work. It has also been proofread to pick up lapses in logic, spelling or grammatical errors, is formatted well and handed over prior to being prompted for it.

This, dear audience, is what you're going to find out more about today: how to craft an effective excuse note. One addressing why it was you failed to submit an assignment on time. 

Or one to help smooth over an absence, whether caused by genuinely unforeseen circumstances out of your personal control or by the simple desire to 'bunk off' - to not be where you are supposed to be, just because. And let's face it, who hasn't been tempted to do that occasionally?

An excuse note prepared well helps maintain mutual trust and respect while hopefully minimizing any possible negative consequences. Knowing how to write one is a valuable essential skill.

The next section, a transition, takes us into the body of speech. The body is the heart or main part of the speech where you fulfill its primary purpose: to show or teach your audience how to write perfect excuse notes - step by step.

(The remaining parts/steps of this outline are mostly in note form. They'll need additional fleshing out to make them into a followable, interesting, funny speech.)   

Transition : Are you ready? Let's get on with it.

Body of speech

Step One: Know your audience

Understanding who you are addressing in your note is essential if you want the note to work for you, rather than against you. Example.

• What does the person receiving the note need from you? - a believable reason for either your absence, or not handing in your assignment - an assurance that whatever duties etc. you were supposed to fulfil and didn't will be made up for. Examples. 
• Depending on the circumstances, a doctor's certificate, to verify what you say in your note. 
• What do they expect in an excuse note from you? - honesty, accuracy, respect, understanding of the possible implications of the event on them.
• When do they need the note? - as soon as possible.

Transition:

Step Two: What NOT to do The majority of funny excuse notes are funny by accident. Their writers did not intend them to be amusing. They knew no better. Literally. 

Here's a list of common pitfalls to avoid.

• Oversharing - Whoever is on the receiving end of your note does not need to know all the intimate-up-close-and-personal details of what happened. Or who said what to who about it and how. What's needed is a concise, clear summary or account. Example of over sharing and the same example rewritten concisely.
• Vagueness - using language that avoids naming or giving the reason necessitating an excuse note. Examples of vagueness - due to unforeseen circumstances, events beyond my control
• Fake information - deliberately providing false information for whatever reason. Once lying is found out it can be difficult to rebuild trust. 
• Informality - blurring boundaries between positions, for example, student and teacher, parent of student and teacher, employee and employer, by using colloquial language that is generally used between friends and acquaintances. It shows a lack of understanding about the nature of the relationship. Examples - Hey bro, etc., ...
• Lack of proof-reading - reading over to pick up typos, words that have been left out by accident, inconsistencies - details that don't logically line up as they should, missing information - signature, contact details, dates etc. Examples.
• Poor presentation/formatting - the note should be easily read. Choose a clean clear font, black ink, white paper and space it properly. Examples showing poor v good.

Transition: While it might be amusing to get inadequately prepared excuse notes the consequences for the writer may not be so funny. To dodge that possibility, let's prepare two good excuse notes which you can use as guides. 

Step Three: Crafting the perfect note

Prepare example excuse notes:

• from a parent to a teacher to cover their child not handing in an assignment
• from an employee to an employer to cover unexpected absence from work
• Gathering necessary information - name of the person the note is to go, reason for the note: illness, family emergency, severe weather event (flooding, snowstorm...), transport breakdown, appointment with medical specialist, lawyer, dentist..., specific dates it covers, contact details
• Outline of what will/has been done to minimize impact - delegation of tasks, rescheduling of meetings, arrangement made to catch up on completing the assignment...
• Content, Tone and Proofreading/formatting check   Is the note clear and concise? Does it cover everything it should? Is the tone of the language appropriate? Are there any spelling errors, word omissions or lapses in logic? Has the note been formatted well?  

Example of note from parent to teacher

Example of note from employee to employer

Transition: The final results of this process will never be as ridiculously silly as some of the reasons I've been given or the ones we can find online:  "Someone stole all my shoes." or "My dog is depressed, and this morning he finally summoned the courage to tell me about it. I have to stay at home to support him.".

We won't be rolling in the aisles reading them. However, they'll achieve much more than a laugh at some else's expense will ever do. 

Conclusion: Wrapping it up

Part one: summary

Writing a perfect excuse note is an essential and learnable skill.

Part two: benefit recall

A well-crafted excuse note demonstrates professionalism, maturity, and the ability to take responsibility. It shows respect, creates continuity, and builds mutual trust. 

Part three: call to action

The next time you need to write an excuse note make sure you go above and beyond the joke!

Other resources for how-to speeches

For more about demonstration or how-to speeches:

• Demonstration speeches step-by-step | how to give a successful 'how-to' or 'show and tell' demonstrative speech.
• Demonstration speech sample outline - an example that follows the logical step-by-step process that is essential for any "how to" type of speech.

For demonstration speech topic ideas - 100s of suggestions, including 50 on soft skills - how to say 'no' politely, how to handle a temper tantrum, how to be gracious in defeat...

Other resources for working with humor

Humor is notoriously tricky to get right because one person's funny is another person's not. And when we do get it wrong, it can be very difficult to recover and win back the audience's attention.

• How to use humor effectively in speeches  - 6 tips with examples. What gets a laugh? What doesn't and, why?
• Laughter as strategy - The 7 pillars of humor for impactful business presentations (Article by Damien Gauthier - Impactful Speaking)

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You are here: Influencer Marketing Hub » Social Media » How to Do Text-to-Speech on TikTok (+ 10 World-Class Examples)

How to Do Text-to-Speech on TikTok (+ 10 World-Class Examples)

If you’ve scrolled through TikTok before, you may have noticed the automated voice that sometimes accompanies captions. This feature is called text-to-speech, and it’s a great way to add some additional context to your videos, use a voiceover if you’re not comfortable narrating yourself, and more.

If you’re looking for new TikTok video ideas , incorporating text-to-speech into some of your content may be the perfect addition to your strategy.

Throughout this article, we’ll walk you through exactly how to add text-to-speech to your TikTok videos, then share 10 incredible examples that you can easily draw from for your own content.

How to Do Text-to-Speech on TikTok:

What is text-to-speech on tiktok, how to do text-to-speech on tiktok, 10 world-class examples of text-to-speech on tiktok, frequently asked questions.

Text-to-speech is an accessibility feature that allows TikTok creators to add an automated voice to read off written-out captions. Not only does it allow users with vision impairments to join in on the fun, but it can also add a new edge to your video content.

Here’s an example of a TikTok video using the text-to-speech function:

@yeti We spent the day smoking poblano sausages with Ambassador Andrew Muñoz from Moo's Craft Barbecue in Los Angeles, CA. #YETI #BuiltForTheWild #BBQ #barbecue #LosAngeles #California #Sausage #bbqtiktok ♬ original sound - YETI

The initial introduction to the video is typed out in a caption, then read out by one of the voice options. However, there’s no other talking, just a song playing over the film. It lets the actual video content stand out more, while still providing some sort of explanation.

There are many ways to utilize text-to-speech on TikTok, but first, let’s cover exactly how to access this feature.

If you’re ready to add your own text-to-speech to your TikTok video, follow along with this quick step-by-step:

• Record or upload your TikTok video.
• Tap the Text option in the right hand editing menu, then type out your caption. Then tap Done .
• Tap on your text, then select Text-to-speech .
• Browse through all of the voice options to choose the voice that you think fits best, then tap Done .
• If you’ve created multiple text bubbles that you want to add a voice, tap the Apply voice to all text in this video option.
• To change the voice, tap your text again, then tap Change voice .

It’s an extremely simple process—just make sure you’ve proofread your captions, chosen the best voice, and you’re done!

Curious how you might want to use this feature? We’ve got ten great examples that showcase how brands just like yours are already taking advantage of TikTok text-to-speech.

1. Duolingo

Language app Duolingo is famous on TikTok, creating funny videos that star their owl mascot Duo. In fact, they’re notorious for some of the wild content they’ve posted on the micro-video app.

They’ve also recently launched a Duolingo-sponsored Roblox game. Roblox is an online gaming platform that also allows users to create their own games. Duolingo worked with a Roblox game creator in order to make their own online game, bringing even more brand awareness to the app.

To promote their new game, they published a funny video on TikTok with a mini tour:

@duolingo playing my roblox games #duolingo #comedy #trend #dualipa #dulapeep #gaming #roblox #spanishorvanish #metaverse ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

However, they decided to utilize the text-to-speech feature to narrate as they did a mini game walkthrough—and the narration is anything but serious. This use of text-to-speech is incredibly on brand for them, but it’s also extremely entertaining.

Consider how you can utilize this feature to add some humor or comedic relief to your TikTok videos.

2. Starbucks

Starbucks is a world-renowned coffee shop that probably didn’t need an introduction, but here you have one anyways. They share a mixture of content on their TikTok, from menu changes to humorous videos to user-generated content.

They more often than not have people in their videos doing the talking, but they’ve also utilized the text-to-speech feature in a handful of videos as a great way to introduce what the video is about.

For example, take a look at this video, where two women are making Starbucks cup-inspired tie-dye shirts:

@starbucks Your new summer sidekick just dropped. ☀️ Cups available at participating stores in the US and Canada while supplies last. #Starbucks #TieDyeTutorial #Tumblers ♬ original sound - Starbucks

There is music throughout the video, but the only two bits of text are at the beginning, introducing what the video is about, and at the end to close it off. It’s simple and effective, especially if you don’t want to do the voiceover yourself.

3. The Sill

The Sill is an online plant shop with retail stores in major cities like New York and Los Angeles. They sell educational content about plant care as well as humorous videos that plant parents can easily relate to.

This video below is a great example of their funny, relatable content (at least to those of us who love plants):

@thesill Relatable am I right? #thesill #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantlover #payday ♬ Joel Beam-JP - Carlton Banksy

It’s a quick 10-second video where the text-to-speech part is the star of the show, and the person in the video is simply reacting to the words.

This goes to show that your text-to-speech videos don’t always have to be something in-depth. Find something funny to have it say, then have your video on in the background to add some more to it.

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4. The Positive Piece

The Positive Piece is a small business that sells cute puzzles, rather than some of the generic and boring ones we often see in stores. Most of their content centers around showcasing some of their puzzle options and watching puzzle-in-progress shots.

The business owner narrates many of their videos, but they took a chance to utilize the text-to-speech for this video below:

@positivepiecepuzzles Out with the old, in with the new #jigsawpuzzles #puzzletok #puzzles #midnfulness #mindfulnesstips #giftideas #mentalhealth #art #selfcare ♬ original sound - Cav’s Content

In this video, they’re using text-to-speech for a basic introduction, before leading into the music and showing the puzzle get completed. This is a great way to use this feature, especially if you’re really just wanting the video itself to steal the show.

5. Lulu’s

Lulu’s is an online clothing boutique that shares a lot of content with outfit ideas, seasonal clothing to buy, and other similar videos. They almost exclusively use music-only audio, with rare voiceovers or talking sound bytes.

However, they decided to hop on a trend, incorporating text-to-speech in the following video:

@lulufashionph Long wait is over, these top selling affordable P189 trousers are restocked! Checkout now while stocks last! #TikTokShopFashiON #fypシ #foryoupage #tiktokshop #manila ♬ Ive nightcore - tanked

Many people have done videos with the “What I ordered versus what I got” theme or sound byte, showcasing what the product photo looks like compared to a completely different (and often cheap or unusable) product they actually received.

However, Lulu’s decided to take advantage of this by sharing a user-generated video that showcases the actual product looking identical to the product photo (as it should). The text-to-speech is only used for that iconic line, then it leads into a song for the rest of the video.

Sephora is a popular makeup company with retail stores all over the world, as well as the option to buy from their website online. They share product information, makeup and skincare tips, makeup looks, and more on their TikTok feed.

They take turns between having someone on camera, having a voiceover narrate, or using the text-to-speech. Here’s an example of how they decided to take advantage of text-to-speech:

@sephora The best fragrances are here! Check out our top scents to live in. ♬ original sound - sephora

This feature is great for basic narrations, so using it to show off the top fragrances in the store is a simple but clever strategy.

7. Linda Tong Planners

Linda Tong Planners is a small planner business that has blown up thanks to TikTok. The business owner shares order packaging videos, planner layouts, online planners that work well with her physical planners, and more.

She often narrates her own videos, but she decided to use the text-to-speech option in this video below:

@lindatongplanners Interactive elements so your planner isn't BORING af #plannertiktok #plannertok #planner #bulletjournal #cats #plannercommunity ♬ Music For a Sushi Restaurant - Harry Styles

POV stands for point-of-view, and is a popular video trend. But one great part of using the text-to-speech for this copy is that the automated voice mispronounces “POV,” saying it instead as a word rather than an initialism.

This provides a fun bit of comedic relief, and you’ll often see people use the text-to-speech feature to see how it pronounces various words, acronyms, and initialisms.

Nike is one of the most well-known running shoe and athletic wear stores in the world, so it’s no surprise that they’ve put together a great presence on TikTok. They often share videos of professional athletes or clips from sports games. However, they also rope pro athletes in to film content for them as well.

Here’s a great example of that below:

@nike Who’s getting the W? ? #basketballtalk #nikenationals ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

In this video, they did a mixture of text-to-speech narration and letting the people in the video talk. This is a great way to provide some context for the video while still letting those being recorded make the bigger impact.

At Home is a home decor superstore that is easy to get lost inside. They share lots of videos of the products they’re selling in store as well as some humorous videos about throw pillows and other popular home decor items.

They used the text-to-speech feature in this creative video:

@athomestores Put a hand in the chat if this was a little TOO relatable ✋? #athomestores #athomestorefinds #fyp #fypage #foryou ♬ Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse

They chose to use text-to-speech rather than any other voiceover narration to share what different wall art means for the person who would buy it and place it in their home—though a bit facetiously.

This type of video is a great way to promote your products but also have some fun with it and entertain your audience.

10. Flaire & Co.

Flaire & Co. is a small jewelry business that shares affordable but high-quality jewelry. Their TikTok feed focuses both on sharing product clips as well as the business owner answering questions and sharing information about the business.

This video was made in response to a comment on a previous video:

@flaire.accessories Reply to @maddy_rodabough Good quality jewelry doesn’t have to be expensive!! #affordablejewelry #jewelryhaul #goldjewelry ♬ original sound - Flaire & Co.

They used text-to-speech as the narration throughout the video while also showing off the quality of the jewelry. Since this business owner often has videos with her voice, this is a great way to break up the feed with a different voice.

Create Your Own TikToks With Text-to-Speech

Start ramping up your TikTok strategy by incorporating videos that use the text-to-speech feature.

Learn even more about growing your TikTok following and selling products using TikTok shopping . TikTok can be a gamechanger for your brand if you get creative enough.

Where is the text-to-speech feature?

The text-to-speech feature can be accessed after using the Type tool to type out a caption or message. Once you’ve input your text, tap on it again to access “Text-to-speech” option.

Why use text-to-speech on TikTok?

Using text-to-speech can be a great way to add voiceover or narrative if you don’t want to use your actual voice. It can also add some comedic relief to your content. Plus, it makes sure that someone who may not be able to read the captions can still understand the content.

How do I add narration to TikTok?

You can add narration to a TikTok video in one of two ways: using text-to-speech (which we’ve outlined here) or by adding a voiceover. If you tap the down arrow in the sidebar menu with options for editing your video then scroll down, you’ll be able to access the voiceover option where you can record your own narration.

How do I change the voice in text-to-speech on TikTok?

Once you tap the “Text-to-speech” option on your text, a menu will pop up with a number of different voice options (and even singing or musical options) for your text-to-speech copy.

Why did the text-to-speech voice in TikTok change?

TikTok had previously used voice actor Beverly Standing’s voice without her permission. After she sued them, they changed one of the North American voice options to one they had permission to use.

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Parrot: Voice Generator AI App 9+

Celebrity prank text to speech, designed for ipad.

• #97 in Entertainment
• 4.6 • 42.4K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Parrot is the world’s first AI celebrity voice maker that sounds real. Create funny videos that were never before possible!

 Make your friends laugh, post funny Stories, and light up your group chat! 

Just pick a celebrity, type in what they should say, and click make video.

 Whether you use it to send personalized happy birthdays, share funny audio with friends or use it in your phone calls, there’s something for everyone on Parrot AI. 

We make it easy for you to create funny content by providing easy-to-use tools.

 CREATE FUNNY VOICEOVERS AND VIDEOS
 * Parrot makes it easy to create voice overs and videos. 
* Just pick a celebrity, type what to say, and press make video. * Light up the group chat with fast video downloading. 
* Become the new king of memes with easy sharing


. SURPRISE FRIENDS WITH VOICES THAT SOUND REAL
 * Say hello to our proprietary AI technology that makes voices sound so real. 
* Play your audio in voice memos, phone calls and voicemails
. * Create personalized happy birthdays, congrats messages, and more! 

GET CREATIVE WITH TEXT TO SPEECH
 * Make a celeb sing your favorite song
. * Read yourself class notes
. * Type in anything, have fun, and make someone smile!

 Feedback? Question? Prob? Send us an email. Parrot is for entertainment purposes only. All voices are original parodies and are not affiliated with any real-world persons. Terms at https://www.TryParrotAi.com/terms

Version 2.4

We've made our AI even better and faster for you! Plus bug fixes and stability improvements

Ratings and Reviews

42.4K Ratings

SCAM DON’T UPGRADE TO PREMIUM

I am writing this under a 5 star review in hopes that it might end up at the top of a list of reviews and people might end up actually reading it. The app is the largest bait and switch I’ve ever seen. Which leads me to believe that they’re paying for people to post positive reviews. Because there is zero percent chance anyone who used it for longer than 5 minutes would ever have a positive thing to say about it. This app is a total scam. I was having fun with the free app so I decided to upgrade to lifetime premium for what was supposedly a discounted price. Moments later my card was charge for $37 and change. Ok well maybe it’ll be worth it if it works well and at least I have it for life. NOPE. Thing is useless you’d have much better luck with literally any other AI app.

Do not buy. EVER.

I don’t even want a refund. The developers obviously need the money due to the ineffectiveness of this app. I spent $30 on premium as I’m a highschool student who’s in charge of making funny advertisements for my clubs. A few months ago I used this app to do the exact thing and it seems to work perfectly fine (so I assumed it would be work lol). I went ahead and spent $30 for the lifetime one time charge and was immediately charged $30 on one card and an attempt to double charge me for $32 on another card (it was my Apple Pay and I’m so glad I never put money on that one lol). I then had a 2 hour battle with customer service through email to even receive all the characters. Then to my surprise (not really), I attempted to make multiple videos for hours and I can’t even make one. Right now, it seems like the singing feature is the ONLY THING THAT WORKS. I literally don’t need that. I’m going to keep on checking on it over the days to see if maybe developers will update it or something will be done but this is a big disappointment. I was so tempted to just delete and redownload the app but after reading the other reviews, I realize that if I do that I just might lose my premium all together. $30 is pretty significant for a broke teenager like myself but I’m more mad about it not working at all. Even if you contact customer service, they can’t change somethings that’s completely the develops fault. Fix your app, this is ridiculous.

At first glance

I’ll begin by saying overall the app doesn’t seem too too bad. At first glance I thought sure I’ll hop on and see what it is, this seems like something that might be fun right? So here I go I get the app I of course pay for what seems to be the better choice, a lifetime subscription for minimal price. after downloading the app of course I’m like a kid in the Candy store. I wanna play around with the app and create different voices. Different things work perfectly at first for the first 24/ 48 hours even. After that I was going to have a couple of my friends download the app as well, because I figured it’d be fun. We all would do it and create different things especially using them in our messages lo and behold I go in to show another friend and I had 12 failed attempts to download the video, not to mention download wouldn’t even load it would go through and then say video fail. I did contact the company and hopefully I’ll get a response if I don’t, I will be downgrading my review like I said a few of them worked in the beginning, but then stopped, I thought maybe it was the character that was using, but nope I tried different characters as well. So let’s see what the developers come up with as a solution, btw it isn’t my phone or WiFi causing the issue.

App Privacy

The developer, parrot ai , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Pro Weekly $6.99
• Lifetime Pro Access $14.99
• Lifetime Access Pro $59.99
• Lifetime Pro $29.99
• Pro Yearly $39.99
• Credit Pack - Small $6.99
• Weekly $3.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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