This document provides tips and exercises for doing stand-up comedy. It encourages the reader to find observational humor in their daily experiences. It then outlines a workshop format to practice writing jokes, including finding incongruities, extrapolating ideas to absurdity, and developing multiple punchlines. The goal is to create a cohesive set with smooth transitions between jokes that maintains a pace of three punchlines per minute.

1. You,
Yes You,
Can Do Standup
Sumana Harihareswara
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2. What Drove You
To Do This?
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3. Observational Humor
“What’s up with that?”
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4. #1: What are you
cranky about?
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5. [use your
party anecdotes]
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6. [suitable & unsuitable
observations]
[in which I embarrass myself]
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7. #2:
Humor = Incongruity
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8. #3: Extrapolate to absurdity
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9. #4: Multiple Punchlines
give the listener good ROI
for each joke’s premise
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10. #5: Bits + Segues = Set
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11. #6: Iterate
Test rhythm, diction, order, gestures
Goal: three punchlines per minute
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12. Workshop time!
#1
Write for 5 minutes
Find 2 peeves/anecdotes
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13. Workshop time!
#2
2 minutes
Find the paradoxical truths
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14. Workshop time!
#3
2 minutes
Extrapolate to absurdities
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15. Workshop time!
#4
2 minutes
Situation, unexpected result, absurdities
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16. Workshop time!
#5
1 minute
What’s the segue?
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17. Workshop time!
#6
5 minutes
Practice by yourself, then with a partner
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18. Let’s put on a show!
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19. The fun goes on
Look up a local open mic
Watch stand-up with a knowing eye
Be more fun at parties
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20. Thanks
for
coming!
Sumana
Harihareswara
brainwane.net
CC images from Flickr users: Curious Expeditions,
lunawhimsy, robotson, brentbat, Cayusa, fortune cookie,
theopenseas, starfish235, Marcio Cabral de Moura,
donttouchmapeyote, moriza, Sunflower Central, oskay
James Morrison, Stef Noble. Thanks all!
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