Laws of humor Public Speaking Skills

Prepared By TM Manu Melwin Joy

Kerala ToastmastersArea – G3,Division G

District 92, India.Phone – 9744551114

Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com

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Laws of humor

• Max Eastman wrote a book titled

“The Enjoyment of Laughter”, which

goes into detail analyzing the

psychology behind humor. He

presents four laws of humor, all

related to the concept of being "in

fun".

Laws of humor

• The first law is that things

can be funny only when we

are "in fun".

• Ask yourself, "Is this

audience "in fun"; do I dare

use humor; can they be

moved into "in fun""?

Laws of humor

• The second law is that when we are

"in fun", a peculiar shift of values

takes place.

• Pleasant things are still pleasant,

but disagreeable things, so long as

they are not disagreeable enough to

"spoil the fun", tend to acquire a

pleasant emotional flavor and

provoke a laugh.

Laws of humor

• Someone who can

think funny has the

natural ability to see

the humor in the

painful lessons of life.

Laws of humor

• The third law is that being "in fun"

is a condition most natural to

childhood, and that children at

play reveal the humorous laugh in

its simplest and most omnivorous

form.

• A speaker must be aware of the

mood of the audience at all times.

Laws of humor

• The fourth law is that grown-up people

retain in varying degrees this aptitude

for being in fun and thus enjoying

unpleasant things as funny.

• But those not richly endowed with

humor manage to feel a very comic

feeling only when within, or behind or

beyond, or suggested by, the playfully

unpleasant thing, there is a pleasant

one.

Laws of humor• Audiences made up of individuals

who have retained in varying

degrees the aptitude for being "in

fun" provide the humorous

speaker with a great challenge;

that of reaching all present. Like

Charlie says, some members of the

audience are thinking, "OK Buster,

lets see if you can make me

laugh....... "