Pause After Telling a Joke

I coached a speaker who had entered a humorous speech contest.

Her trial run in front of a supportive audience at her Toastmasters club didn’t go very well.

Air travel has gotten so difficult. They shred your luggage and send it to godknowswhere, the overhead bins get smaller and smaller, and they charge you extra if you want a seatbelt! There’s a reason airports are called “terminals!”

Kate came to speak with me afterward. “Why aren’t they laughing? I know my jokes are funny. I don’t think I’m boring!”

“You’re not pausing after your gag lines. They’d laugh if you gave them space too, but they don’t want to interrupt you. They don’t want to miss your next joke.”

Kate took that advice to heart and won the contest the following weekend.

Air travel has gotten so difficult.

They shred your luggage and send it to godknowswhere

The overhead bins get smaller and smaller

And they charge you extra if you want a seatbelt!

There’s a reason airports are called “terminals!”

When humor‘s your game, give your audience a chance to laugh … and don’t move on to your next line until they’re done.

If you have to wait, that’s a good sign!