Creating Killer Icebreakers
A fire extinguisher was mounted on the wall directly behind the platform, but only a fire marshal or an attentive speaker looking for a good icebreaker would notice it amid the general room clutter. Fred, the president of the organization, introduced me. I took the stage, acknowledged the … A fire extinguisher was mounted on the wall directly behind the platform, but only a fire marshal or an attentive speaker looking for a good icebreaker would notice it amid the general room clutter. Fred, the president of the organization, introduced me. I took the stage, acknowledged the applause, then pointed at the extinguisher and said, “I’d like to thank Fred for going the extra mile and providing this, because he knows that when I speak I do occasionally burst into flames.”
Sure it was dicey because I’d never tried the line before—and we’ve all seen clammy speakers trying to climb out of that hole dug with an opening brick. But years of performing comedy have convinced me that taking such a chance pays off big-time 99 percent of the time. If moviestarplanet cheats hack tool the line happens to land with a thud, have a “saver” ready, e.g., “I thought that would get a big laugh, but I guess David Letterman’s job is still secure.”
As far as the extinguisher joke is concerned, they laughed uproariously, because the joke worked on several levels. First and foremost, it seemed ad-libbed. Audiences adore ad-libs, lavish extra credit on you them, and are quick to forgive a good try. Secondly, I included Fred, which of course invests the group personally, enhances the appearance of improvisation, and delights them because someone’s (gently) teasing The Big Guy. Thirdly, they relaxed instantly, assured that they were in the hands of a pro and could just sit back and enjoy.
So how do you come up with that killer (apparent) ad-lib? Experience helps, certainly. Letterman didn’t make it look effortless his first time, either. But here are a few simple ideas that’ll help you craft a doozy:
1. Put your antennae up and take note of what everyone sees and hears. Major construction was underway at one hotel where I worked. “Interesting system for wake-up calls they have here,” I said with mock annoyance. “They fire up the bulldozers at 6 a.m.”
2. Ask around to see if anything odd or funny has happened. Imagine my elation upon learning that the HR Director had made a complete fool of himself at a karaoke party the previous night. During the awards ceremony, I said, “The winners will receive this lovely trophy, and the losers will listen to Jim Braxton sing, My Way.”
3. Double-check your information. Everyone’s been hung out to dry by the well-meaning dipstick who says you’ll bring the house down if you mention that Bob from accounting fell into the pool at the Christmas party. But your beautifully-crafted line about Bob doing the backstroke under the mistletoe dies a miserable death, because Dipstick failed to mention that only two people in the room even know Bob.
4. Keep an eye out for The Gorilla on the Couch, i.e., that thing the tanki online hack download no survey meeting planner is vainly hoping no one notices. I followed columnist Robert Novak once, and he somehow managed to elude his “key” light throughout his presentation, rendering him essentially invisible to the audience. I crept back and spoke to the lighting director. Later, after I’d been onstage for a few minutes, I stopped, squinted, and said, “This is a little bright, Jay. Could I have some Robert Novak lighting, please?” The room was suddenly plunged into blackness except for a tiny spot 30 feet away from me, and the audience went into convulsions. I kept the laugh rolling by adding that Mr. Novak had apparently joined the Federal Witness Relocation Program.
5. Study printed materials for esoteric lexicon. Until I worked for Anderson Windows, I didn’t know there was a general term for a building’s windows and doors. So I told them that until I studied up on their industry, I thought “fenestration” was the process nba 2k16 cheats hack tool of sterilizing people from Finland.
6. Record what works, save the jewels and adjust them to fit the situation. I predict that one day an audience is going to react deliriously when I toss out an ad-lib about a fire extinguisher that’s onstage with me.
Tips on delivery:
A. Don’t say to yourself, “I’ll point and say something about the fire extinguisher” and move on. You must say the line, preferably aloud, to yourself two or three times so you know how it sounds and feels in your mouth. If you fumble it, you lose them and the laugh fizzles. Comedy gods from Gleason to Hope to Carson rehearsed lines.
B. Put the punch-line at the end. “I do occasionally burst into flames onstage, so I’d like to thank Fred…” is precisely the wrong way to deliver it.
C. Crank the volume and say it with confidence. If you mumble it because you don’t have confidence, they’ll sense it and won’t laugh. Boom it out and hope for the best. Watch Leno or Conan and notice how they blast their lines.
You’ll be surprised at how much your audience response improves just by following those three little tips And with a little practice you’ll instantly recognize a detail that’s share this site just begging to be turned into a laugh. Then, when the set designer has used a long, oddly-shaped piece of fabric, you’ll just have to thank Cher for donating her Oscar outfit for the stage decorations.
Learn everything you need to know to go pro in my eBook, “Fast Track to Professional Speaking,” at .
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