how to use humor in a presentation

• Conversations, negotiations and presentations

20 Tips For Humor In Speeches And Presentations

Humor in speeches and presentations

Do you want the attention of your audience? Humorously move your audience before the seat hurts. Humor relaxes. It resolves tense, stressful situations. Humor has some positive effects. Appropriate humor can be used effectively in many situations. Find out what is worth paying attention to.

20 Tips for humor in speeches and presentations

Just ask me personally, related articles.

In speeches and presentations, it is often a matter of passing on information to the participants in an understandable way, convincing them, and asking them to act. The objectives of speeches can be quite different, but the goal of boring the audience is unlikely to be deliberately pursued. However, this often happens. With appropriate humor, it is possible to keep the audience happy, emotionalize them, and increase their attention. This way, you and your presentation will remain in good memory.

Make sure you don’t insult anybody. Humor is mostly based on ambiguities, and these can annoy the audience if they are interpreted unfavorably. It’s not so much what you mean as to how the recipients interpret your words.

I don’t need to mention that jokes are not made at the expense of individuals or disadvantaged groups, do I?

2. At the beginning of your speech

Not every audience is ready for your message. Sometimes it still has to digest the impression of the previous speakers. Maybe the participants would rather be somewhere else now. Here is your chance to surprise the audience positively. Season your contribution with a pinch of humor. It is not to be underestimated – humor reduces stress. Humor awakens the desire for more.

Sometimes humor simply helps. Speeches and presentations can start well with humor. It relaxes the audience and speakers, reduces fear, and attracts attention. After an intense laugh, the brain’s reward center releases dopamine. Dopamine relaxes and gives us intense moments of happiness. It provides anticipation, i.e. the desire for more. After the laughter, the audience listens more intensively.

3. Orient on the audience

Not only does the taste changes with the audience, but also their perception, thinking, and communication style. Adapt your language to the audience. Some jokes require special education or specific vocabulary. And some audiences reject laughter as immoral in this world.

A few helpful questions:

• What are the characteristics of the audience?
• What language does it speak?
• What can the target group smile or even laugh about?
• Which humor is appropriate for the target group and which is not?
• How can one’s appearance and appearance be supported by humor in this case?
• How can these people react humorously to objections or resistance?
• Which examples, metaphors, and analogies are suitable for the audience to present the message humorously?
• What do they have in common?
• What is talked about before and after, are there humorous points of reference?

Humor is influenced by many factors, such as educational level, social status, country, origin, region, and occupational group. Use humor only if you are sure that your audience reacts positively and that it fits the message thematically.

4. Good joke tellers are rare

A very common recommendation is to start a speech with a joke. It is claimed that then you and your audience are well relaxed and ready. Seriously and no kidding: don’t start your presentation with a joke.

With the overlap of self-perception and external perception, this is such a thing. The fact is that very few people are so good at telling jokes. What looks so relaxed with the professionals of Stand-up Comedy is the result of a strict selection process, some bruises, and a lot of – very much – practice.

So once again, very clearly stated: Humor is a good way to enter into a relationship with the audience. However, not everyone is a good joke-teller. Stand-up is more challenging than it seems. If your joke fails or you make the wrong one, you’ve made a fool of yourself with part of your audience from now on. Especially since the wisdom formulated by Paul Watzlawick also applies here; the recipient decides on the message. And since jokes by definition are ambiguous (context or meaning reframing), the choice of meaning need not be in your interest.

If a horse comes into a bar.

Ask the bartender: “Why such a long face?”

5. Stand behind your messages

For an authentic performance, you must stand behind what you say. So choose only humorous elements that suit you and feel right.

6. Analogies

Analogies can help to clarify complex relationships. This can also be done very humorously if it is accompanied by a surprise.

Analogies must be recognizable by your audience so that the listener understands the parallel between the story and the actual topic. By doing this, you make your competence clear and the content accessible to your audience without taking yourself unnecessarily seriously.

7. Word games

Use the magic of language. Play skillfully with the language. Surprising definitions or double meanings of terms and acronyms are ideal for this.

Rhyme you or I eat you. What rhymes are more likely to settle in our brain convolutions and have the potential to sound like humor.

Irony can sometimes be used with a wink of the eye. However, this is not entirely harmless.

9. Telling a great story

Stories connect you with your audience. By bringing a scene to life through a story, listeners experience what they otherwise only intellectually understand. If you weave inappropriate humor, you can encourage even the most difficult challenges.

What rhymes is easier for us to get into our brains and has the potential to sound like humor.

11. Don’t announce humor

Surprising elements have a better effect on the audience. “It’s getting funny now”, not only seems strange, but the laughter is also more likely to get stuck in the throat. Instead, weave humor into unusual moments.

12. Short irritations awaken the audience

When the audience has been sitting passively on their chairs for hours, which they feel are flickering 1,000 PowerPoint presentations over the beamer with the neon light, then the human brain switches to draught. These are not good prerequisites for you to convince with your message. Change that!

Have courage. If you cleverly irritate your audience for a moment, they will be all the more receptive afterward. To be on the safe side, I mention that the irritation is, of course, resolved again.

13. Witty humor is more effective than admonitions

Use subtlety instead of raised index fingers. Humor is more welcome than admonitions. And with a smile, you can say a lot. Laughter is contagious. Laughter creates positive feelings.

14. Do a test run before the world premiere

Test humorous elements several times and thoroughly. And above all, ask people who have a similar sense of humor like your target audience.

15. Humor is a holistic work of art

You compete as a speaker with the offerings of the entire Internet. Those who do not carry a smartphone with them in the audience will check their fingernails at some point. Today, people get bored quickly. Not every speech can easily make such exciting offers as Netflix & Co. And yet some speeches can be fascinating and moving. Humor contributes. Also, your performance is live and therefore something special, isn’t it?

For this to succeed, I remind you about an important aspect: Humor is usually a total work of art, in which content, language, timing, and also body language, as well as voice have essential parts. Present yourself!

16. Situational comedy

Spontaneous humor has a very special effect because it requires intelligence and sovereignty on the part of the performer. Opportunities to practice such forms of humor are offered by workshops, such as Professional Quick-Wittedness: Training for the quick professional response .

17. Quality

Does a horse come into a bar and ask the bartender: “Why such a long face?

Humor is a difficult subject in itself. Finding a joke that is not only funny but also has an intellectual quality is quite a challenge.

18. Analysis: Learn from the experiences

Learn from your practical experience. Systematically evaluate your experience with humor. For several years I had provided a series of workshops with very special humor and was able to observe the effects of small changes over several dozen performances. That was very interesting and educational. The evaluation also provided me with valuable ideas for other speeches. Even if you only have one performance, evaluate it afterward. Ask for constructive feedback. And decide what you want to pay attention to in the future.

19. Undesirable side effects

Jokes or intense humor can very easily distract and then bind attention. The audience stays with the entertainment element while you are about to say something relevant. Important parts of your message are then lost. A good humorous element supports the bot.

20. Develop your style

Humor has many forms. And yes, there are good reasons to use humor as support. For example, you can start with an anecdote or a short story. An in many cases an excellent idea! By the way, you learn this in the Presentation Skills Training II and Presentation Skills Training III as group training or in individual training with me.

Preparation of important speeches and presentations

Those who do not speak are not heard, and even those who speak up are not always successful. There are a few more steps that need to be mastered.

Do you want to convince with your message and also as a personality? Then I will help you to prepare your speeches and presentations. You determine the scope. At least, I recommend a test run with professional feedback for you and your message. Then you will know how you and your content are perceived, what you should do, and what you should leave out, where there is potential. Why do you want to get such helpful feedback so late after your real performance? Then it is too late for adjustments. Benefit from the advantage. My definition of luck: Preparation meets opportunity.

You can best estimate for yourself where the effort is worthwhile concerning the expected benefit. Here you will find the fees for my support (communication, psychology, language, structure, voice, body language, storytelling, rhetorical means, media such as PowerPoint and Co., etc.)

You are not in Berlin right now? Then choose meetings with me via telephone or video support . Whereby, there are quite good reasons for a trip to Berlin .

By the way, many people suffer from such intense stage fright in front of an audience, and therefore their performance lags behind their possibilities. Too bad, because with my help performance in a good condition is possible. Just in case...

Please post any questions that may be of interest to other readers in the comments. Looking for professional help?

If you are interested in coaching, training or consulting, if you have organizational questions, or if you want to make an appointment, you can reach me best via this contact form (you can choose whether you want to enter your personal data) or via e-mail ( [email protected] ). The privacy policy can be found here.

Transparency is important. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions already here , for example about me ( profile ), the services , the fees and getting to know me . If you like what you see, I look forward to working with you.

Topic Topic Personal coaching, training, consulting Business coaching, training, consulting Executive coaching, training, consulting Psychotherapy Open enrollment training Corporate training Keynote speeches Others Press inquiries

When it is about a request for an appointment, then: When it is about a request for an appointment, then: Telephone session or online session Face-to-face session Not yet decided whether face-to-face or online session

Preferred form of address

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

I have read and accept the privacy policy. I have read and accept the privacy policy. Yes!

In the address bar of your browser, the URL should begin with " https://www.karstennoack.com /...". This indicates a secure connection (SSL). Whether you enter your real name is up to you.

A good start: Professional feedback with suggestions for improvement​

How persuasive are you and your messages in speeches and presentations? How good are you at the 111+ most important presentation skills? I have been analyzing speeches since 1998. After evaluating 14,375 speeches and presentations, and numerous mistakes of my own, most of which I only discovered after a delay, I can tell you exactly what works with which audience. Let me give you the feedback that will help you get ahead. You will receive essential feedback and recommendations, as well as the impulses you need to persuade your audience in concrete situations.

Are you interested? If so, here is how to get helpful feedback with recommendations for improving your speeches and presentations.

• What may cost the preparation of a presentation, which effort is justified?
• Presentation prep in Berlin and online with video in English and German

Professional impact analysis: How are you perceived by other people?

• Travel companion for heroes

What do you think of humor in speeches and presentations?

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation. — George Bernard Shaw

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

When you submit this form, it will save the used name, email address, and content. Find out more in the  privacy policy .

I have read and accepted the Privacy Policy *

Submit Comment

Props in presentations

So, I’ll see how much I want to hold back, because props are one of my favorites in speeches and presentations. When used thoughtfully, they work wonders on the audience.

Present the benefits in the beginning of your pitch

There are many strategies to consider in opening your pitch. Think about it twice, because those first minutes can make or break you.

How do you actually affect people in conversations, speeches and presentations, in interviews? Professional feedback helps. What insights does an impact analysis offer you?

17 tips for facial expressions in speeches and presentations

This article deals with what it is worth paying attention to as a speaker concerning facial expressions.

Public speaking: Keeping it simple doesn’t mean you’re stupid

One should choose the simplest explanation of a phenomenon, the one that requires the fewest leaps of logic. The more complex something is, the easier we should explain it.

Five fingers for a structured speech. Five-finger speech structure.

The five-finger speech structure step by step. Systematically build up statements, whether for speeches, presentations, or discussions.

Speech anxiety as an obstacle for your career

Stage fright is a common experience, most people know the queasy feeling as well as the sweaty fingers, and that is already unpleasant enough. But what if speech anxiety becomes a career killer?

Just read out speech manuscripts …

There are good speechwriters. But what value has the best manuscript, when the performance is uncharitable? Unfortunately, in the end, the cupcakes are the highlight! An important speech deserves preparation, rehearsals, …

Create an excellent speech or presentation as a masterpiece

Create an excellent speech or presentation. It will bring you forward as a presenter. Every speaker should make a brilliant speech at least once in his life. The effect goes far beyond the event because the experience becomes a mental reference. Such an experience will change you as a speaker. Create your rhetorical masterpiece. Here is how to do it.

Being right at all costs. The price we pay for needing to be right.

Persuading without arguments, assertiveness, winning without consideration, knockout by nasty tricks, black magic, manipulating. It is a coveted feeling to be right.

Grounding for presence and confidence in speeches and presentations

Use grounding for presence and a feeling confident in speeches and presentations. More than just a remedy for stage fright.

15 tips on how to stand up for your conviction: Be brave, speak up!

Some people have an opinion that deserves attention. Often, however, this opinion is not heard. Then it is time to decide whether to keep it that way or to share the point of view more clearly with others. Not everyone dares this step. What about you?

Speaking with your hands in your pockets during conversations, speeches and presentations?

Where to put your hands in conversations and during presentations? Just put your hands in your trouser pockets and the problem is solved. Many inexperienced speakers think this is quite a good idea. I (and most of the audience) don’t think it’s so good. Why? This question will be answered.

This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching .

Published: June 27, 2019 Author: Karsten Noack Revision: August 20th, 2023 Translation: ./. German version: K: H: T: RR #124

• share    
• share  
• save   0  
• share   0  

Privacy Overview

📞 Call Now:   800.403.6598 Contact Us - Get Started Contact Us

No products in the cart.

Should You Use Humor in Your Presentations?

Funny presentations: they’re the ones you remember.

One of the most powerful communication tools you can use to deliver your message is humor. It’s what makes you real. When it’s used appropriately, humor can be one of the most effective ways to make your presentation memorable. So, if you are contemplating whether to use humor in presentations, the answer is a resounding yes.

Why do I say “when used appropriately?” Because there is such thing as too much of a good thing. Your presentation can’t be one joke after another–you’re not there to put on a stand-up comedy routine. No, when I say you have to use presentation humor appropriately, I mean you should use it to break up tension or offer a brief release from the intensity of your presentation. The average human adult can focus their attention for about five minutes, so it’s a good rule of thumb to add a humorous element to your speech at least that often. This breaks up your presentation into manageable chunks of time (in terms of your listener’s attention span) to keep your audience interested so that you have their focus for another five minutes.

Use Humor in a Business Presentation

Unless your business sells clown costumes (and really, even if it is), business presentations are heavy. They’re laden with numbers and facts and all sorts of jargon. It’s easy for all that serious business talk to cause a person’s attention span to drop out. That’s why using humor in a business presentation is just as important as adding it to an informative or instructional presentation.

The best time to deliver a serious point—one you want to drive home with your listeners—is right after they laugh. Why? Because laughing is a tension reliever. When your audience is relaxed and attentive, you can hit them with something you want them to remember.

How to Use Humor in Presentations

For presentation humor to be effective, you need to plan for it . Sure, there are times when you can ad-lib (like when something unexpectedly goes wrong—humor can be a great way to recover from a presentation mishap). Still, it really should be an element that you plan and execute deliberately.

Part of planning is knowing the audience will “get” your humor. Jokes that reference pop culture won’t get the same response from a group of seniors as they will from a room full of teenagers. A quip about ledgers and income statements will be lost on people who don’t know the first thing about accounting. Take the demographics and general interests of your audience into consideration. Everyone loves a good laugh—so the more information you have on your listeners, the easier it will be to tickle their funny bones. Do you need a few ideas on how exactly you can add some humor to your next presentation? Try these:

Personal anecdotes: The easiest (usually best) person to poke fun at is yourself. Share a personal story that will lend itself to the point you’re trying to make. Personal stories are always full of funny details, and when you talk about something that’s happened to you, people can relate sometimes; that’s why the story is funny.

The best part of using a story from the pages of your own life is you already know how to tell it because you’ve probably been sharing it for years (unless it’s something that happened on the way to the presentation). If sharing a story based on your experience will help make a point in your presentation, use it!

Funny quotes: Did you know that the Beatles songs “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Eight Days a Week,” and “Tomorrow Never Knows” came from Ringo Starr mixing up his words? People say the darnedest things and it can be pure gold—just ask the Fab Four.

Find a funny quote that lends itself to your topic, and use it at the appropriate time. Jump on Google and search for “funny quotes,” but remember to do your homework and verify that a) the quote is accurate and b) it’s attributed to the correct person.

Funny analogies:  Winston Churchill once said “a good speech should be like a woman’s skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” This is a double whammy—not only is that a funny quote, but it’s a great analogy, too.

An analogy draws a comparison between two different objects or concepts to highlight some similarity. They’re not always easy to come up with yourself, so listen to what the people around you say. When you hear a funny analogy, make a note of it. Even if it’s not perfect for your presentation, you can always swap out a few words or facts to make it work.

Cartoons: If you’re going to use Powerpoint for your presentation, the least you could do is add a funny cartoon or two to your slides. How many times have you been talking to someone and the conversation reminds of you of a funny cartoon or meme you saw on Facebook? Why can’t that be the same for a presentation?  Whatever your topic, there’s a good chance there’s a funny cartoon floating around about it. Visual aids are great for public speaking—and if they’re funny, even better.

Funny Signs: I recently saw a sign outside a local greenhouse that read, “Spring is here! We’re so excited, we wet our plants.” It’s a great play on words, but it’s also a funny sign—and a memorable one at that. There are probably five nurseries within about a 10-block area, but the one I remember the most—and its exact location—is the one with that sign-out front.

Funny signs are everywhere. Once, I saw a “Dead End” sign posted next to a cemetery. (OK, maybe that one was more ironic than funny.) If you keep your eyes open, great material is out there, and it’s all up for grabs for your next presentation.

Use Presentation Humor Sparingly

Humorous presentations are a great way to break the ice with your audience, to keep your listeners interested, and to ensure your presentation is memorable, but don’t feel like you have to be a comedian. A few well-placed jokes to show your human side is all you need.

If you’re thinking about how to make a presentation funny, stick to humor that won’t isolate or target a segment of the audience, and pick “clean” jokes that don’t rely on profanity to make a point. And no matter what, your humor should never be at the expense of others.

Do you use humor in your presentations? Is it effective? Tell us about it in the comment section. Don’t forget we are always posting useful public speaking tips on our social media channels, so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Google+.

10 Comments

Some great tips here. Thanks Mike…I recently attended one you workshops and it was nothing like I expected. It was entertaining and that’s what made it memorable. I’ve been slowly trying to add some humor into my presentations and it seems to draw the audience in. Thanks again

I have never been one to use humor though I wish I knew how. I tried a few times and it just ended awkwardly. Someone else I work with, a man names Stuart Williams… He does this effortlessly. He said you have to work with what you have worked with, in other words… Make fun of your own experiences.

Great advice on using humor in a presentation. Thanks!

This is absolutely true. There are way too many dry, boring presentations. The ones I remember are the ones I have truly enjoyed, and without exception, they’ve all be presentations where the speaker was funny and personable. That alone kept me engaged.

Agreed, a little levity goes a long way toward keeping the interest of your peeps

I think humor, in almost any situation, makes life a bit better. So I definitely agree that it’s appropriate in a business presentation. But yes — plan it ahead and be careful not to do it at anyone’s expense. Don’t go into Michael Scott territory:P

Great blog!

I don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to add a little humor, as long as it’s appropriate and in good taste.

I find humor is a tough skill to master if you don’t know who’s in the audience. People can be really sensitive!

Presentations that don’t have any humor are so hard to pay attention. I easily find myself drifting off and not tracking with the speaker. Bad Presentations!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Throughline Blog

Practical Media Training and Public Speaking Tips

7 Ways to Use Humor in Your Presentation

The recent surge in video conferencing brought on by the COVID pandemic has provided a wealth of comedic material for social media – from bosses transforming themselves into potatoes to Saturday Night Live’s take on the ubiquitous Zoom call , and many fails and awkward moments in between.

my boss turned herself into a potato on our Microsoft teams meeting and can’t figure out how to turn the setting off, so she was just stuck like this the entire meeting pic.twitter.com/uHLgJUOsXk — Rachele with 1 L & 2 E’s but pronounced Rachel (@PettyClegg) March 30, 2020

And the memes and tweets keep coming as the video conferencing fatigue deepens. We now even have a new emoji sticker about making video calls in your underwear.

Humor, of course, is a great elixir to take the edge off during times of trouble or uncertainty. But it can be a high-risk, high-reward tool that needs to be deployed with care.

Here are seven ways to wield it.

1. Remember: You Are Not Doing Stand-up

Funny dinner guests and the co-worker who keeps fellow office mates laughing do not earn their humorous reputations by firing off dozens of one-liners or riffing on a particular subject the way top stand-up comics do. Rather, they spot the humor that exists in everyday situations and convey that through funny conversational observations.

It’s a formula that works well for most presentations – think humor, not jokes. Your audience is not expecting an open-mic night, but certainly will appreciate a speaker who can successfully deliver funny asides, amusing stories, wry comments, irresistible ironies, and memorable quips.

However, being funny simply for the sake of being funny doesn’t help you. As a presenter, the humor you use should serve your message – providing context and depth to your main points. It also is an effective tool to incorporate into your opening or close . You just don’t want your audience remembering your jokes at the expense of your key message.

Overall, the humor you use in your presentation should serve to enhance and illustrate the points you are trying to make. When used well, humor also can help you to poke fun at human foibles without sounding critical, encourage your audience to question long-standing assumptions without threatening their beliefs, and offer fresh insights into old ideas.

In his TED talk, The Happy Secret to Better Work , psychologist and bestselling author Shawn Achor successfully employed humor throughout his talk, including his opening. He enlisted a funny anecdote (it runs from about 0:10 to 3:05) to capture his audience’s attention and bring them to the very heart of his talk. During his opening, he employs a story that many of us can relate to. He offers funny asides. And, his humorous story effectively illustrates the main theme of his speech. Here it is:

2. Don’t knock your credibility

Self-effacing humor is one thing. In fact, in one study , business leaders who poked fun at themselves were seen as more trustworthy and caring by their employees. But it’s a fine line between laughing at your own expense and putting a ding in your expertise. Stay away from humor that questions your credibility or downplays the topic of your talk. You also don’t want to bring attention to your weaknesses ( “I’ve never done a virtual presentation before, so good luck to us all!” ).

3. Keep it appropriate

In real life, the jokes cast by fictitious Dunder Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott, played by Steve Carrell in the television show “The Office,” would have been a nightmare for any real-life human resources specialist. Don’t be Michael Scott. Overall, it’s best to steer clear of edgy, off-color, political, or profane humor.

If you are not a full-time comic, you might be stressed about finding inspiration for your humorous asides and anecdotes. Don’t worry, there is appropriate material all around you. The best material comes from everyday, real-life experiences you and the audience can relate to. Perhaps you had a funny exchange with a client, or your kid offered up a funny or ironic observation without realizing it. Maybe you want to recall an innocent blunder on your first day on the job, which wasn’t funny then but is hilarious now. Or, you saw a sign with a funny or contradictory saying. Think about material that doesn’t make you cringe.

If you need inspiration, comedian Brian Regan has built a nearly 25-year career on funny, wry observations about life that don’t require a parental advisory.

4. Avoid sarcasm

Sarcastic people can indeed be funny, but it’s all in the context . Inherently, sarcasm can be difficult to interpret, given you are saying one thing but actually meaning the opposite. It’s like an inside joke. It might go over well if everyone is in on it. If not, it could lead to conflict or hurt feelings.

5. Be confident

You won’t have to worry about hecklers, but your audience will sense if you are hesitant about delivering your punch line. If you are funny, play to your strengths. Deliver your funny anecdote with a confidence and ease that suggests you are having as much fun telling it as you hope your audience is having by hearing it.

If you are hesitant about sharing your own personal stories or are struggling to come up with material, you can always borrow material and pass it along – whether that’s a funny story you heard, a witty cartoon, or a famous humorous line. That fact that you know it is funny makes you humorous even if you are not the creator.

In his TED Talk Do schools kill creativity? which has been seen by more than 66 million people, Ken Robinson , an educator and bestselling author, offers a great example of how to borrow and deliver a great story. It starts around the 3:20 mark:

6. Not all humor has to be said

Unless you are talking about a super-serious subject, you can probably slip a funny slide into your deck. Perhaps you plant a quote from an unlikely source. Or, you show a prediction that has since been proven to be wildly off. The idea is to offer something unexpected. That’s what jogs your audience out of its doldrums.

7. Embrace the Silence

The success of any funny comment during an in-person presentation is gauged by the laughter you get from your audience. I’d hazard a guess that even the canniest and most confident comic might be thrown by telling a joke to a crowd on mute. If you plan on being humorous during an online presentation, and your audience can’t be seen or heard, make sure that you won’t be thrown by this lack of laughter. Deliver the punch line and move on. It keeps it from getting awkward.

In other words, deliver the humor as if you are not expecting a laugh. If there is a laugh, treat it as a delightful surprise. If there’s not, it doesn’t matter because the line you delivered carried a message that made it through anyway. It’s only when you pause, as if you’re expecting a laugh, and you don’t get one that it becomes problematic. That said, if you are doing an in-person talk (or you can hear your online audience), and you get those laughs, let them breathe. If you rumble into your next points, the audience may not hear you. Or, they may feel as if they should abruptly stop their laughter which defeats the purpose of using humor!

Ready for Success

Perhaps you are naturally funny but a little rehearsal couldn’t hurt. Test out your funny comments on a few friends or trusted colleagues. You’ll be happy to find out before you tell it if it lands as you intended. Even Jerry Seinfeld tests out his material. 

And if you are offering a virtual presentation, make sure you have a firm grip on the technology and know how to use it . You don’t want to be the potato.

• Brian Regan
• Jerry Seinfeld
• Ken Robinson
• presentation skills training
• Shawn Achor
• using humor in your presentation
• virtual presentations

Share this article

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Email

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE THROUGHLINE NEWSLETTER

Join the thousands of professionals who receive our email newsletter. Improve your public speaking and media interviewing skills—and enhance your career— by signing up.

Learn More About Our Training Services

Public speaking and media training custom courses designed to make you a more effective communicator.

More from the throughline blog

In public speaking tips Why Your Speech Should Have Two Closes

In public speaking tips 12 Ways to Boost Your Charisma (Study)

In public speaking tips Study: Your Bad Audio Makes You Sound Dumber

This website or its third party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy . If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the privacy policy. By closing this banner or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to the use of cookies.

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to use humor and wit in a presentation

How to use humor and wit in a presentation

There are few things that people can relate to more than humor. It’s the basis for a personal connection and it can be both unexpected and memorable, while making an impact to your subject. Consider adding humor to presentations but avoid cliched pratfalls that can backfire on you with these tips for reaching your audience.

How to find your sense of humor in your subject

Mark Twain once said, “Explaining humor is a lot like dissecting a frog: you learn a lot in the process, but in the end, you kill it.”

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

The legendary humorist would have known a thing or two himself about what makes people laugh. His point, perhaps, is that humor is subjective: you have your own sense about what makes you laugh, and compared to your friends and loved ones, it may differ by levels of raunchiness, dry wit, irony, or sarcasm.

That said, you will need to tailor any humor you insert into your presentation to your audience. Bawdy jokes won’t make sense in front of an academic setting, of course. And inside jokes won’t make sense to anyone who don’t share it.

Don’t overdo it

You’re not doing a standup comedy routine, so you shouldn’t inundate every slide with jokes. Use humor like an exotic spice: Sprinkle it in every once in a while, and it’ll be more appreciated.

How to use humor in a presentation

Here are some ideas on how to use humor in various types of presentations:

• In a more formal presentation, tongue-in-cheek humor can be effective in breaking the mold of a staid topic.
• In a highly scientific presentation, highly specific jokes can reach your audience. If you’re giving a chemistry presentation and no one laughs at your jokes, keep telling them until you get a reaction. (Hey, they can’t all be winners.)
• Like in all forms of comedy, delivery is everything. Whether you’re going for a deadpan sense of humor or acting over-the-top, this is a time to consider your audience when you’re presenting.
• Wordplay is a double-edged sword: it can be clever, or it can be groan-worthy. A bad pun can always be used as a form of ironic humor, especially if it matches your own personality.

Use visual aids

Funny images and GIFs can go a long way to injecting humor as a welcome break for your audience—especially if they’re relevant to your presentation. You can differentiate topics and structures in your presentation through an image or meme (that you can easily create on Teams ), and it’s easy to insert multimedia in PowerPoint .

Don’t talk down or tease anyone

Humor is a way to relieve tension, especially if delivering less than pleasant news (such as business earnings). But punctuating negative topics with a joke can backfire. Ill-advised humor can make people feel bad, especially if you single one person out—you’re not here to roast anyone, and an ill-conceived joke can raise the attention of those around you.

When you choose to inject humor into your presentation, you are on a stage, of sorts, and you have a captive audience. This is a lot of power that can define your personality in front of peers and higher-ups.

Because humor is so subjective and you cannot please everyone with your personal tastes, it helps to play it safe. That’s why humor takes an additional level of planning on top of structuring your presentation, alleviating public speaking anxiety , and telling an argumentative or persuasive narrative. It can be done, and when done right, it can create a truly memorable experience for your audience that will reinforce your presentation. For more tips on how to drive your point home to your audience, check out Microsoft 365’s presentation tips and tricks .

Get started with Microsoft 365

It’s the Office you know, plus the tools to help you work better together, so you can get more done—anytime, anywhere.

Topics in this article

More articles like this one.

How to make your PowerPoint presentations accessible

Check out tips for using PowerPoint accessibility features, so your audience won’t miss any part of your presentation.

How to make your presentations more attractive

Explore tips on how to make your PowerPoint presentation design aesthetically pleasing, no matter the subject.

How to introduce yourself in a presentation

Gain your audience’s attention at the onset of a presentation. Craft an impressionable introduction to establish tone, presentation topic, and more.

How to add citations to your presentation

Conduct research and appropriately credit work for your presentation. Understand the importance of citing sources and how to add them to your presentation.

Everything you need to achieve more in less time

Get powerful productivity and security apps with Microsoft 365

Explore Other Categories

Funny Presentation Ideas: 33 Ways to Engage Your Audience with Humor and Creativity

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on October 11, 2023

Categories Creativity , Business , Entertainment

Presentations don’t have to be boring; in fact, incorporating humor can make a significant difference in engaging your audience and creating a memorable experience. Funny presentation ideas are a perfect way to add personality and lightheartedness, keeping your viewers entertained while still conveying your message effectively.

By choosing the right topic and presentation style, you can bring out the best in both your content and presentation skills.

Public speaking anxiety is a widespread concern, but injecting humor into your presentations can help alleviate some of the pressure. With a well-crafted and hilarious presentation, you can capture your audience’s attention, forge a connection beyond the presentation slides, and ensure that your main points are retained by your listeners.

Just remember, not all humor will resonate with every audience, so always be mindful of how your jokes and presentation content align with your target demographic.

Key Takeaways

• Humor in presentations helps engage the audience and creates a memorable experience.
• Well-crafted funny presentations can alleviate public speaking anxiety and forge better connections.
• Be mindful of aligning jokes and content with the specific audience for maximum impact.

33 Fun and Creative Presentation Ideas

Here are 33 ideas to make your next presentation more engaging and memorable:

• Use humor and jokes strategically throughout the presentation to lighten the mood. Just don’t overdo it.
• Incorporate funny images, memes, gifs or video clips when relevant.
• Use self-deprecating humor to appear more relatable. Poke fun at yourself.
• Tell a humorous personal anecdote or story that relates to your topic.
• Do a mock award ceremony or give out silly awards to teammates or yourself.
• Role play with someone or use costumes/props to act out scenarios.
• Incorporate playful or quirky fonts, graphics, animations or transitions.
• Challenge your audience with trivia or a game related to your content. Offer prizes.
• Ask unexpected interview questions in a talk show format. Have someone play the role of host.
• Use puppets or mascots as co-presenters to demonstrate concepts.
• Pretend to be an eccentric celebrity and stay in character.
• Trick your audience periodically with fake information to keep them engaged.
• Recreate a funny scene from a movie or TV show with coworkers.
• Make up silly acronyms or mnemonic devices for key points.
• Do wacky product demonstrations or infomercial parodies.
• Show funny workplace videos like training gone wrong.
• Use parody music videos or songs related to your content.
• Develop a humorous slideshow with ridiculous stock photos.
• Incorporate play on words, rhymes or alliteration into titles and text.
• Start with an embarrassing childhood photo of yourself for introductions.
• Compose a funny poem, limerick or song as part of the presentation.
• Play a mock game show like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune or Family Feud.
• Give away weird prizes or treats when people answer questions correctly.
• Use funny props like oversized glasses, nerf toys, magic wands, etc.
• Wear a crazy wig or outfit that relates to your theme.
• Build in physical audience participation exercises.
• Share funny testimonials from satisfied “customers”.
• Develop a hilarious sales pitch skit for your product/service.
• Create caricatures of important figures related to your topic.
• Make funny certificates, awards or prizes for audience members.
• Incorporate memes, gifs and emojis into your visuals.
• Develop a humorous slide deck using an online meme generator.
• Close with a funny blooper reel showing preparation fails.

Understanding the Power of Humor

The Science Behind Laughter

Laughter is a powerful tool that can help you connect with your audience on an emotional level. Scientific research has shown that laughter releases endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers, and also stimulates brain activity.

By incorporating humor into your presentation, you can create a more enjoyable and memorable experience for your audience. It’s important, however, to use humor that is suitable for the occasion and the audience.

Inappropriate or overly complex jokes can backfire and detract from your presentation’s effectiveness.

Engagement Through Entertainment

One of the key components of a successful presentation is engagement. By entertaining your audience, you can capture their attention and make them more receptive to your message.

Humor is one way to achieve this, as laughter can break the ice and create a relaxed atmosphere. To effectively use humor in a presentation, consider the following tips:

• Build rapport by sharing a funny personal story or using self-deprecating humor. This can help your audience relate to you and humanize your message.
• Use visual aids effectively. Adding funny images or memes to your slides can enhance your humor and keep your audience entertained.
• Be mindful of your audience’s background and preferences. What may be funny to one person could be offensive to another. Make sure your jokes are appropriate for your audience and avoid using potentially divisive humor.

By incorporating humor into your presentations, you can create a more engaging and entertaining experience for your audience. In turn, this can help you deliver your message more effectively and leave a lasting impression on your listeners.

Choosing a Presentation Tool

When it comes to creating a funny and engaging presentation, selecting the right tool can make a significant difference. The three main contenders are Microsoft PowerPoint , Google Slides , and Apple Keynote . Let’s dive into their features and understand when to choose each of them.

Microsoft PowerPoint

As part of the Microsoft Office Suite, PowerPoint is the classic choice for creating presentations. Its extensive features allow you to animate slides, add transition effects, and embed multimedia to make your presentation entertaining.

If you have a Microsoft Office subscription, you’ll have access to an extensive library of templates and themes to choose from, making it easier to design a hilarious presentation. PowerPoint is compatible with both Windows and Mac, but it works best on Windows devices.

• Extensive features and animations
• Access to a large library of templates and themes
• Compatible with Windows and Mac (works best on Windows)

Google Slides

Google Slides is a free, web-based tool that comes with your Google account. You can collaborate with others in real-time, making it ideal for those who need to brainstorm or work together on a funny presentation.

While Google Slides might not have as many features as PowerPoint, it offers the necessary tools to create an engaging presentation with a touch of humor. One advantage of using Google Slides is the ability to access and edit your presentation from any device with internet connectivity.

• Free and web-based
• Real-time collaboration
• Accessible from any device with internet connection

Apple Keynote

If you’re an Apple user, Keynote might be your go-to choice for creating presentations. With a wide range of templates and themes, you can craft a visually appealing and funny presentation. Keynote is known for its smooth animations and transitions that can add a touch of humor to your slides.

Keep in mind that Keynote is exclusively available for macOS and iOS devices, so you might face compatibility issues when sharing your presentation with others who use different platforms.

• Smooth animations and transitions
• Exclusively available for macOS and iOS devices
• Compatibility issues when sharing presentations across different platforms

When choosing a presentation tool for your funny presentation, consider your device compatibility, familiarity with the software, and the features you need to create an engaging and entertaining experience for your audience.

The Art of Creating Engaging Slides

Fusing Data and Aesthetics

In order to create engaging slides, it’s crucial to find a balance between data and aesthetics. By using eye-catching PowerPoint templates and well-designed infographics, you can present your information in a visually appealing way.

Infographics are especially helpful for displaying complex data or large sets of information.

To make your presentation stand out, try experimenting with different charts to represent your data. Bar graphs, line charts, and pie charts can all be useful, depending on the type of information you’re presenting. Integrating these visual elements into your presentation theme will ensure that your slides are both informative and attractive to your audience.

Embracing the Unconventional

Sometimes, the key to engaging your audience is by thinking outside the box. Don’t be afraid to embrace unconventional approaches in your presentation. For instance, you can incorporate interactive elements, such as quizzes or polls, to keep your audience interested and involved. These activities can break up the monotony and add a fun twist to your presentation.

When customizing your PowerPoint templates, consider using unique color combinations or interesting visual elements to catch your audience’s attention. Bold typography and creative iconography can also add an extra touch of personality to your slides.

Remember to keep a consistent theme throughout your presentation. This will help your audience follow your content more easily and stay engaged with your message. By combining data, aesthetics, and unconventional elements, you can create a truly memorable and engaging presentation for your audience.

Breathing Life Into Your Presentation

To create an engaging and memorable presentation, it’s essential to incorporate elements that captivate your audience. Two effective ways to achieve this are by adding video elements and setting the mood with background music.

Adding Video Elements

Utilizing videos in your presentation can be a game-changer. You can incorporate filmed sketches and animations that are relevant to your topic. This helps break the monotony while also providing valuable context and entertainment for your audience. Ensure the video clips are short, appropriate, and blend seamlessly into your presentation.

Setting the Mood with Background Music

Incorporating background music into your presentation can help create a comfortable atmosphere and set the tone. Choose tracks that reflect the theme or subject of your talk and evoke the intended emotions. Ensure the volume is kept low to avoid distracting your audience.

Remember, the music should complement, not overpower, your content.

By using these techniques, you’ll engage your audience in a dynamic and enjoyable learning experience.

Harnessing the Power of Popular Trends

Memes in Presentations

Incorporating popular memes into your presentations can be an effective way to engage your audience and showcase your sense of humor. By using well-known, relevant, and humorous images or gifs, you can successfully capture your audience’s attention and create a memorable experience.

To make the most of memes, keep the following tips in mind:

• Choose memes that are widely recognized and easily understood
• Ensure the meme’s content aligns with the message you want to convey
• Be mindful of the timing and placement of memes to maximize their impact

TikTok-Inspired Themes

Another way to infuse some fun into your presentations is by harnessing the power of trends from popular social media platforms like TikTok. TikTok-style themes can add a fresh and exciting touch to your slides, helping you captivate your audience and keep their attention throughout the presentation.

Here are a few ways you can incorporate TikTok-inspired themes:

• Use TikTok’s signature short video format to illustrate key points or share humorous content
• Embrace trendy visual elements like neon colors, bold typography, and dynamic animations
• Consider incorporating popular TikTok challenges or trending hashtags to drive audience participation and engagement

By thoughtfully using popular trends like memes and TikTok-inspired themes, you can create a more entertaining and engaging presentation experience for your audience.

Remember to keep the tone and content appropriate for your specific setting and always ensure that humor supports — rather than distracts from — the core message of your presentation.

Innovative Presentation Ideas

Fun Quiz Nights

Inject some creativity into your presentations by organizing a fun quiz night. You can use tools like Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or AhaSlides to create engaging and interactive quizzes for your audience. These types of quizzes can provide an enjoyable break from the traditional lecture-style presentations, while still sharing valuable information.

Choose topics that are relevant to your audience and ensure you have a good mix of questions that cater to different knowledge levels. By doing so, your audience will stay engaged, and they might even learn something new.

Themed PowerPoint Nights

Bring some excitement to your presentations with themed PowerPoint nights. This creative idea allows you to design a night around a specific theme or topic and encourages audience participation. For example, you could ask your guests to create their own slideshows around a specific pop culture theme, such as movies, television shows, or books.

This approach not only brings out the creativity in you and your guests but also gives everyone the chance to share their unique perspectives on common interests. Furthermore, it breaks the monotony of standard presentations and invites discussion and debate among the audience members.

Making the Most of Trivia Games

Trivia games offer another opportunity to elevate your innovative presentation ideas. By incorporating trivia into your PowerPoint nights or presentation events, you can create an atmosphere of friendly competition that encourages attendees to pay closer attention to the information being shared.

Moreover, these games can be crafted to test their knowledge in certain areas, making them educational as well as entertaining. To enhance the experience, consider utilizing various multimedia formats such as images, videos, and audio clips.

Additionally, you can use platforms like Kahoot! or Quizizz to create interactive online trivia games that can be easily integrated into your presentation.

Using these creative ideas for your presentation nights will not only make them more enjoyable for everyone involved but will also facilitate better learning and engagement. So, the next time you are tasked with creating a presentation, think beyond the norm and dare to be different with your approach.

Specific Presentation Topics

Reality TV Show Analysis

Are you a fan of reality TV shows and want to dive deeper into the genre?

Analyzing various reality shows can make for an entertaining and informative presentation. Start by picking your favorite series and discuss the key elements that make it appealing to audiences. You can also explore the behind-the-scenes aspects of these shows, such as production, casting, and manipulation.

Throughout your presentation, use visuals like video clips, images, or graphs to help convey your points to your audience.

Discussion on Disney Characters

Delve into the magical world of Disney by examining its iconic characters. This catchy presentation topic allows you to showcase your knowledge of Disney’s vast universe. Choose a handful of memorable characters such as Mickey Mouse, Ariel, or Elsa, and provide a comprehensive analysis of their traits and story arcs.

Highlight their cultural impact, effects on young viewers, or the creative process behind their inception. Enhance the visual appeal of your presentation with eye-catching animations, artwork, or even fun trivia.

Exploring Historical Events

We all know about significant historical events like World War II and the Civil Rights Movement, but have you ever considered putting a humorous spin on history to make it more engaging? Choose lesser-known, quirky events, like the Salem Witch Trials , and present them in a light-hearted manner.

Provide your audience with interesting facts, unique perspectives, and anecdotes. Use multimedia and interactive elements to make your presentation compelling and informative. Please remember though to still treat historical events with respect while adding your humor to the mix.

Keep these presentation topics in mind when you want to craft an engaging and fun experience for your audience. By focusing on your chosen subject and infusing an element of humor, you’ll have a presentation that is enjoyable for everyone involved.

Catering to Different Audiences

Presentations in the Workplace

When preparing a funny presentation for the workplace, it’s essential to strike a balance between humor and professionalism. Use relatable anecdotes, industry-specific jokes, or playful visuals to keep your colleagues entertained while remaining focused on the topic at hand.

Remember to tailor your content to be inclusive and respectful of all attendees.

For example, you could use memes or comic strips in your slides to illustrate a point or emphasize a message. Incorporating these elements can keep your audience engaged and your presentation light-hearted.

Educational Presentations

In the context of educational presentations, humor can be a powerful tool to capture students’ attention and create a memorable learning experience. Start by identifying the age group and level of understanding of your audience, as this will guide your choice of jokes, stories, and visual materials.

For example, you might use puns and wordplay for older students or silly illustrations for younger audiences. Keep in mind the goal of making complex concepts easier to grasp through the use of humor, without sacrificing the accuracy of the information.

Remember, catering to different audiences doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Recognizing the needs, preferences, and expectations of your target audience can help you inject humor into your presentations – be it in the workplace or the classroom.

Closing Thoughts

When it’s time to wrap up your presentation, you want to leave your audience with a memorable impression. A strong closing can help reinforce your key points, engage your audience, and make you appear more confident in your public speaking abilities. Here are a few strategies to consider for closing your presentation with a bang.

One option is to use a snowstorm activity , which encourages audience interaction. Have your participants write down their thoughts or takeaways on a piece of paper, crumple it up, and toss it in the air like a snowball. After people swap and collect the snowballs, ask them to share their findings with the group.

You can also try the High-Five Hustle to energize your listeners. Instruct your audience to stand up and high-five a nearby person, creating a sense of camaraderie and connection in the room.

Another approach is the Summary Close. Summarize the main points you covered in your presentation, which reinforces the information for the attendees. A clear and concise summary will leave a lasting impact.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of strong eye contact during your closing remarks. As you wrap up your talk, make sure to engage the audience with direct eye contact, giving them a sense of your confidence and knowledge on the topic.

Remember, as a presenter, your goal is to captivate your audience. Experiment with these techniques to discover which works best for you, and watch your public speaking skills flourish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some entertaining topics for a PowerPoint night?

There are numerous entertaining topics you can choose for a PowerPoint night, such as comparing your friends to alcoholic beverages, predicting each friend’s band name, or roasting their zodiac signs. The key is to select subjects that make the audience laugh and spark conversations among your friends.

How can I make my presentation humorous and engaging?

To create a humorous and engaging presentation, use funny images or memes, wordplay, and anecdotes that relate to your topic. Keep the pace lively by switching between different formats like slides, videos, and short quizzes which keeps the audience’s attention and prevents monotony.

What creative ideas can I use for a friends’ presentation night?

For a friends’ presentation night, consider organizing a themed PowerPoint night, creating a guessing game about personal anecdotes, or crafting a presentation about your friend’s former lifetimes. Another option is to play a spin-the-wheel game to determine each person’s topic, which adds an element of surprise and excitement.

How can I incorporate fun elements into a PowerPoint for students?

To make a PowerPoint engaging for students, incorporate interactive elements such as quizzes, puzzles, or ClassPoint extensions. You can also use pop culture references, infographics, and animations to keep the content entertaining. By making your PowerPoint interactive and relatable, you will make learning more enjoyable for your students.

What are some popular PowerPoint night ideas from TikTok?

TikTok has become a treasure trove for PowerPoint night ideas, with users sharing their creative and funny presentations, such as creating tier lists for arbitrary categories, commentary on embarrassing childhood photos, or bizarre hypothetical situations. Browsing the hashtags #PowerPointNight and #PowerPointParty on TikTok can provide you with inspiration and entertainment.

How do I choose a lighthearted subject for a presentation?

When selecting a lighthearted subject for a presentation, think about topics that can make your audience laugh, evoke nostalgia, or spark conversations. Choose something that relates to your audience’s interests, experiences, or preferences. Also, consider funny speech topics that play on current events or popular culture, as this can often generate laughter and enthusiastic discussions.

Ace the Presentation

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:

5 Top Qualities of Effective and Memorable Speakers

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.

At the beginning of the presentation, the adrenaline levels tend to be higher, and the insecurity is latent. Because of this, if the audience’s reaction to playing is frustrating right away, all of their strategies to captivate it may be compromised.

“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.” 

Reinaldo Polito in How to Conquer and Influence People

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

Start by paying attention to the things that make you laugh; observe the world around you in search of funny moments, and in this way, you will find countless ways to use humor.

Every time you think or notice something fun that might be useful, write it down somewhere, whether on your phone or a piece of paper, so you don’t forget it later.

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

Pause and tone of voice during a speech make all the difference; a suitable delay helps to create curiosity in the audience. And then, when you’re finishing a sentence, use the voice intonation to make a significant impact.

Rhythm, intonation, and pauses are critical elements that can make the mood take off or sink, and mastering them in a specific story requires trial and error. So don’t risk using humor in an entire audience before being sure that you will present it well, based on numerous essays. 

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.

Reverse this situation and take advantage of your own mistakes to make people laugh. Self-mocking adverse events can help you, but you need sensitivity to do it at the right time.

Charlie Chaplin once said:

“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.

Even if humor is not a natural skill for you, you can develop it through training and practice; so if you want to have a more cheerful and relaxed speech, start working on it.

7. Take into account the culture of the public.

To make a presentation without analyzing, in detail, the characteristics of the audience; before making a presentation, you need to look very carefully at your audience. Imagine arriving and finding all the local people with their arms crossed and their faces closed.

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.

 Each group or organization has its history, which can be studied, procedures, rituals, and specific individuals can be fertile soil for humor.

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.

For humor to be, in fact, understandable, avoid running away from the topic. It is useless to interrupt your speech and tell a random joke. Instead of retaining the public’s attention, you, the communicator, will be interrupting a thought and sabotaging your speech.

8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ACE ANY JOB INTERVIEW

The happiness when receiving a call marking the job interview gives rise to endless anxiety. After all, it’s only a few minutes to prove your worth, impress the recruiter and seize the opportunity. However, to do well at the job interview, you need to think about what you will say, how you will present yourself,…

TOP 7 Core Interpersonal Skills in Leadership

At any time, a leader is seen as one who guides one or more people to fulfill something stipulated; today, however, we understand that this journey comprises the achievement of results and the evolution, in some way, of all who participate in the process. Leaders are people with high power to inspire those around them,…

An Easy Guide to All 15 Types of Speech

We keep learning that there are three types of speeches, informative speeches, persuasive speeches and special occasion speeches. However, I believe and know that there are many more such as debates, motivational speeches, forensic speeches, impromptu speeches, eulogy, and so on. Here’s a growing list of over 13 types of speech and tips on how…

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.

Jokes and anecdotes are just the raw material; they need to be crafted to fit perfectly into your speech. And most importantly, they have to be relevant to the general sense of their presentation.

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:

• First , making sure the joke is appropriate to the situation and actually funny. If the speaker does not think something is funny, then it can’t be expected that the public will find it interesting;
• Second , before employing humor in a speech, test, or rehearse with friends or a small group of people. Even if the experiment doesn’t work right away, don’t give up too quickly; It may take some time for you to feel comfortable with a story. It would be best if you used humor in a speech only after you get it done calmly and after testing it several times;
• Third , make sure the humor is related to the content of your presentation; humor should not be an end in itself; Making your audience laugh is a good thing, but it is not the reason why you stand before it; if you don’t tie humor to the main subject, the audience might laugh, but they’ll be wondering what you mean.

When we have been invited to inform and instruct an audience, we may likely need/want to entertain them because in doing so, you will have more success in our main task, which is to deliver a speech.

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.

Reference and Further Reading

Frantically Speaking. A Guide to Using Humor in your Speech.

Write it out loud. How to use humor in speeches.

Similar Posts

These Are the Colors to Wear When Giving a Presentation

How can we choose a suitable color scheme for a presentation? This is a complex subject; many professionals also do not know where to start thinking about this subject. It’s not just clothes that influence other people’s opinions of us, but colors as well, including in professional situations.  According to experts, the most suitable shades…

How to Draft the Best Persuasive Speech Outline?

When we think of good communication, we refer to expressing ourselves assertively, effectively conveying our ideas, desires, and dissatisfaction, thus inspiring other people. One of the most critical aspects of this communication is the power of persuasion. Many people confuse influence with manipulation, but these are very different concepts! To persuade a person or a…

Formal Speech Style Examples

Formal speech is used in professional settings, such as business meetings, presentations and job interviews; it’s important to stay aware of your audience when using a formal style of speaking. This article will explain the various types of formal speech style examples available and how they should be used. Formal speech style examples include using…

The Ultimate Guide to Public Speaking

Knowing how to communicate effectively is fundamental for both our personal and professional lives. Speaking in Public is challenging for many people, as some are timid and insecure, or simply require more experience in speaking in front of others. In this article, you will learn about the basics of public speaking, common speaking challenges that…

Extemporaneous Presentation: Definition and Actionable tips

There are several forms or methods of speech delivery out there and it can be impromptu (with no warning, more improvisation required), or the most common case: extemporaneous presentations. EXTEMPORANEOUS PRESENTATION DEFINITION We need to define this properly and make sure people don’t get confused here. Because from a literal sense extemporaneous and impromptu have…

How to Improve your Communication Skills – 7 Essential Tips

Before we delve into how to improve your communication skills, let us first address the basic definition of communication. Communication in simple terms can simply be defined as the act of transferring information from one place to another or, from one person to another. There are many forms of communication, such as verbal (words of…