By Terri K. Sparks, DTM
  1996-97 Past District Governor

"I was having such a good time … if you’re going to go over — go over!"

was Carolan Quenneville’s response to "Watch out for those red light!!!"

How should one be funny when delivering a humorous speech? This was the purpose of a fun educational session performed by District 3s past Region III Humorous winners, Frank Switzer and Carolan Quenneville on Friday night, May 21^st at District 3s Spring Conference in Tempe, AZ.

One thing that I learned from Frank, being quite frank, when he stated, "A humorous speech is not a series of one-liners." Rather it has an attention-getter, preview, body with 2-3 main points, a conclusion with a final lasting thought.

You should connect with your audience; a shared experience. Give them an instant picture of being there. That "Aha" moment when the light bulb goes off. Provide them with a good premise based on truth. Erma Bombeck and Bill Cosby are excellent humorist examples who were able to provide us with finding the absurdities of life in our families. Remember, a humorous speech is about persuasion; persuading us to laugh.

Carolan talked about fracture quotes, where one takes a common saying and provides the audience with a new twist: "I think; therefore I am," with "I charge; therefore, I am." Or "I think; therefore, I do not listen to Rush Limbaugh." [Was a bumper sticker she saw on a car in ASUs parking lot].

In this author’s opinion, Carolan is a master at self-effacing or self-deprecating humor. This where the speaker pokes fun at him or herself. "It’s the ultimate in political correctness, to poke fun at yourself…You are endearing yourself with the audience…It’s like Louie Anderson making fun of food and telling fat jokes."

I think one of the funniest scenarios I heard from Carolan was in her "Mr. Goodwrench" speech: "I bet you never thought that I have something in common with a Playboy Centerfold, [pause] we both have staples."

Frank suggested using self-deprecating humor topics such as: stature, height and width; hair or lack of it; the nerd factor; occupation, ethnic, culture, education, exotic Ph.D.s, personality traits, various obsessions such as being anal and various skills or lack of skills. Frank’s example was that his wife has the toolbox in his family and that he does the laundry.

Physical humor is like role playing for the audience. In Carolan’s opinion, Tim Allen Home Improvement fame and Toastmaster, is a master at using body language. However, sometimes we forget that facial variety [likened to vocal variety] is also important. Facial variety should mirror the words you are speaking on your face. In fact, Frank Switzer is the ultimate role model at facial variety, in this author’s opinion. This was exemplified when Frank broke into his evangelical routine in his award winning Region III speech.

Economy of words is also important. An example that Carolan provided us with, in her "Liver Speech," when she was talking about some researchers doing research and discovered liver’s worse. This joke would have become as flat as a pancake if she had said, "Researchers discovered that liver is worse." Economize your words and set-up the punch; provide us with an unexpected twist or play on words.

Some other hints are: use original material, use alliterations or words that sound funny. Lilly Tomlin was exemplified as being an excellent humorous example as someone who sounds funny with her different characters’ voices.

I hope I have conveyed for you the humorous educational session that two of District 3s funniest people presented. Timing is everything and it’s time for me to close. Watch out for those red lights attached to Tempe police cars!
   Spring Conference Front Page | Frank Switzer - "Self-Deprecating Humor" or "Self-Depreciating Humor" | Carolan Quenneville  | Frank Switzer