Funny is CHA-HA-HA-CHING!
Today let’s chat about why funny is money…and break this down.
CHA-HA-HA-CHING!
In any relationship, be it professional or personal, humor can be part of the glue that holds it together and moves it forward. Making a customer laugh can get a waitress a bigger tip.
A humorous salesman can relax the customers and make them less critical, hostile or aggressive. For actors, the ability to make others laugh can be essential in getting ahead – in casting sessions, the actor most likely to book the part is the actor with a sense of humor because he will be fun to work with on the set.
With friends, family or spouses, humor can disarm a tense situation and lead to a more relaxed environment where honest communication is possible.
When you make other people laugh you, relax them… and yourself.
BENEFITS OF HUMOR
* Humor is health…
… physically, mentally, and emotionally If you’ve ever had a good belly laugh and felt GREAT afterwards, then you understand the physical effect of humor on your mental and emotional state.
And, since the physical act of laughter also has great health benefits, when you make others laugh they instinctively know you are good for them.
Laughter causes the full action of the diaphragm, thus benefiting the whole cardiovascular system, because of the amount of oxygen taken in during laughter.
Endorphins kick in, boosting your mood whether you like it or not. And, during laughter, the whole body is revitalized by an internal massage! When you laugh, you can’t help but feel better; your body won’t have it any other way.
*Humor is empowerment…
Because when you are funny, it gives the appearance of being in control of the situation. This puts people at ease.
“OK!” you say, “sounds good, but how do I get to be funny?”
BEING FUNNY
Think funny! Humor is easier to recognize than to analyze. Who makes you laugh? Imagine their face now. Doesn’t just thinking about them make you feel good?
So, be like a writer. Writers are told to write about what they know; laugh about what you know.
Look at life with your eyes wide open. Observe yourself or anything closely enough, and you’ll soon find something funny about it – guaranteed!
Humor can be from any source, from anything, and from anyone. It’s a universal language, which can be adapted to any situation.
Then share your humor! Tell your latest joke – share a funny story. I always make my students learn to tell three jokes
so they can understand rhythm and timing, they also learn to externalize their humor (you will get more laughter if you are animated so get your hands and face involved), and they’ve always got at least a joke handy if they don’t know what else to say.
Choose the type of humor that stretches your comfort zone. But protect yourself and be tasteful: Swearing is just a chicken sh*t way to shock the mind.
REVEALING HUMOR
To reveal humor you need to know the three different flows of rhythm that run through your body: flying, flowing, and molding.
If you’re familiar with the television series Seinfeld, you find all three. The entrepreneurial neighbor, Kramer, is flying.
His movements are staccato (sharp, snappy); he’s all over the place. Jerry Seinfeld is flowing. Everything rolls off his tongue, and his rhythm is legato (smooth uninterrupted movements).
And hapless George Costanza…well, he’s molding. Molding demonstrates the least motion of the three types of energy. Someone who is molding stands in one place, acting as the fulcrum of the energy that they project to the audience.
Try it yourself: model Kramer’s rhythm. Make bird-like, staccato movements. Fly in your living room! Feel the emotion that is aroused. You’ll start talking faster and gesturing more.
Or try flowing like Jerry with uninterrupted, legato movements. See how charming you become. Literally float your body around as you talk and move like you’re in a swimming pool.
You don’t have to do much to experience George’s rhythm. Simply imagine you are encased in clay and feel the emotional energy it takes to bust out of your comfort zone.
As for Elaine, what rhythm do you think she reveals? Go through all three and see which one fits her best. Now, decide which rhythm tickles your funny zone.
Remember Be Boppers,: he who laughs last, lasts!
Be Bop!
