how to make a serious speech funny

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How to Write a Funny Speech

Last Updated: April 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 173,149 times.

Writing a speech is already a challenge, so why bother adding humor? Successful humor will relax the audience, making them more attentive and receptive. It can break down perceived barriers between you and the audience, fostering a sense of camaraderie with the audience. Read on to learn how to use humor to your advantage when giving a speech. [1] X Research source

Choosing Your Topic

• Think about -- and then make -- a list of things you know a lot about or enjoy talking about. Single out the topics you’re knowledgeable about but also know you can be funny about. This might rule out topics that are hard to joke about, like poverty, domestic violence, etc.
• Use this list (in combination with the next step) to select a potential topic.

• What’s the general age of your audience?
• What do your audience members have in common?
• What kind of speech are they expecting to hear?
• What kind of humor are they likely to appreciate?

• If you’re writing a speech whose primary goal is to convey information or ideas, you’ll want to integrate humor while focussing on the ideas you want to convey. So draft the informative parts of your speech first, then integrate jokes and humor.
• If you’re writing a speech whose primary goal is humor -- perhaps a satire or parody -- then you’ll want the humor center stage from the beginning. Choose a topic that lends itself to your sense of humor as well as to what the audience is likely to find amusing.

Writing Your Speech

• Remember to choose a specific topic -- if your main idea/topic is too broad, you won’t do it justice in a relatively short speech. Choose something that you can describe in reasonable depth in the time allotted.
• For example, if you’re writing a humorously informative speech about early American cinema, your main idea might be, “the advent of sound in film hurt rather than helped the medium by detracting from its visual potential”. This is specific enough not to be overwhelming while still leaving you room to develop substantial supporting points.
• If, on the other hand, you’re writing a satirical speech, say, about reality television, your main idea might be, “nothing has contributed more to the cultural and intellectual richness of American society than reality television”.

Mine your own unique experiences for inspiration. "It's always good to take something that's happened in your life and make something of it comedically."

• Write down your main idea.
• Below it, write out everything that comes to mind when you think about that idea. Use whatever visual or textual brainstorming method you prefer (eg, clustering, listing, freewriting, etc.).
• Eliminate anything that’s too far away from the topic, that you don’t feel comfortable discussing, or that would require too much time and depth to cover.

• I. Introduction (where you state your main topic and the points you’ll make)
• II. Main point one
• III. Main point two
• IV. Main point three
• V. Conclusion (in which you sum up the main points, re-state your main idea, and issue a call to action from the audience, if appropriate)

• Effective hooks include humorous personal anecdotes, surprising or entertaining examples, or direct questions to the audience that invite their participation and give them a chance to laugh at themselves. [10] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• For example, if you’re writing a speech about studying abroad, you might start by asking if anyone has ever wished they had an accent or intentionally faked one. You can then suggest they do it right and live somewhere they’ll actually have a legitimate accent.

• Err on the side of clarity over style, subtlety or artistry. Unlike a written piece, a speech is as much about delivery as it is about content, and the audience will be less attuned to the intricacies of sentence construction and more attuned to your overall message and the expressions as you give it.
• Avoid overly long and complicated sentences. Long and difficult sentences will be hard to follow. Simplify your point and/or break complicated sentences into smaller, more easily digested ideas.

• For example, a word like “incendiary” is both more vivid, specific, and aurally interesting than a word such as “controversial”. “Incendiary” communicates the idea of something explosively provocative, while “controversial” is a more general term for something that generates disagreement.

Incorporating Humor

• Consider generational differences with humor -- use references and jokes that address topical issues for that age group. For example, if you’re writing a speech about volunteering to an audience of high school students, relate the information in your speech to specific things and events relevant to teenagers. You might make a joke about volunteering versus staying home and trying to be Jimi Hendrix on Guitar Hero. Or you might pick a guitarist more recent than Jimi!
• Know what the audience members have in common. Use it when writing jokes oriented around those shared elements, which are more likely to hold the audience’s attention. Doing so is invariably a crowd-pleaser. For example, if you’re addressing teachers, you might make a humorous reference to students’ most bizarre homework excuses.
• Situational and observational humor that’s tailored to its audience is often particularly effective.

• Watch your favorite funny movie, television show, or comedian.
• Read works by your favorite humorous writers.
• Don’t hesitate to take cues from their delivery -- learn from what they do to make a joke successful. (But don’t plagiarize!)
• Pay attention when you make people around you laugh. Note the things you do or say that make people laugh and how you do it.
• If, for example, your friends can’t stop laughing when you humorously re-enact stressful situations or conversations, try to incorporate similar elements into your speech.

• Targeting particular people or groups is not only inconsiderate, it can alienate members of your audience.
• Avoid jokes that are made at the expense of one side or another in a contentious issue, like jokes about one side of a political or religious debate.
• Don’t make jokes about experiences you don’t understand. A good general rule is to write what you know. So if you, for example, have a learning disability, you might make a joke about the difficulties of dealing with standardized tests. But if you don’t have a learning disability, don’t make jokes about those who do -- you don’t share their specific experience, so you may unintentionally be making jokes about sensitive, potentially even hurtful, issues. [13] X Research source
• Also take the taste level of your audience into consideration when deciding if a joke is going to be offensive. If you’re giving a speech to a room of educated adults, you’ll probably want to avoid overly bawdy or sexual humor.

• The more relevant your jokes are to the specific matter at hand, the more likely they are to be successful with and entertaining.

• But don’t go to extremes of self-loathing, as that will have the opposite effect. The audience won’t know whether to laugh or what you’re trying to accomplish.

• Remember just what information it is you need to convey and ensure that it’s clear.
• Don't let the humor become distracting. Humor can be a great tool for enhancing the information you’re conveying, as long as it doesn’t become a larger focus than the informative content itself. [15] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• Give yourself enough writing time so that you can go through and revise multiple times.
• The more attentive you are to the details, the more successful your speech is likely to be.

Delivering Your Speech

• Read the entire speech aloud until you’re comfortable enough with the material that you don’t need to read directly from your script but can simply use it as a prompt when needed.

• If you watch comedians and humorists closely, you’ll find that they tend to lead in to their jokes in a particular, deliberate way. Specifically, they’ll use a combination of slower speech, significant pauses, and punctuated emphasis. So when you’re leading up to a joke, cue your audience by slowing down your delivery, pausing slightly before delivering the punchline, and emphasizing key words within the punchline. [18] X Research source
• Emphasize important words, but not to the point that it becomes distracting. Practice how you would naturally speak the lines, paying attention to specific places where your tone rises, falls, or becomes more expressive. Keep those inflections in your speech and play them up enough to be animated, but stop short of being continually exaggerated, which will likely distract the audience from the content of the speech itself.
• Watch and listen to speeches you admire. Pay attention to how the speaker manipulates their tone and pacing to enhance the speech and try to apply those same techniques to your own speech.

• It can be somewhat uncomfortable to watch or listen to yourself, but doing so will help improve your presentation enough to be worth the momentary discomfort.

• Think of being somewhat theatrical, you want your gestures to be visible and distinct from a distance. Favor several broad gestures over a series of small ones. [20] X Research source

• Allow yourself to feel nervous. Accept that you’re going to feel that way and decide not to worry about it.
• The more confidently you act, the more confident you’ll eventually feel.
• You have a chance to share your humor and ideas with an interested audience -- enjoy it!

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-publicspeaking/chapter/humor-in-public-speaking/
• ↑ http://www.drmichellemazur.com/2013/04/speech-topic.html
• ↑ http://www.write-out-loud.com/how-to-use-humor-effectively.html
• ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
• ↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-3-outline-examples/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/speeches/
• ↑ http://writetodone.com/how-to-write-funny/
• ↑ http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/How_to_add_humor_to_your_speechwithout_being_a_com_47538.aspx

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How to be funny in a speech (when you’re not that funny in real life).

by Kolarele Sonaike

According to a Hertfordshire University study , this is the funniest joke in the world.

“Two hunters are out in the woods when  one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says, “Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence; then a gun shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says, “OK, now what?”

Hmm. OK, once you’ve finished laughing, picked yourself up from the floor and wiped away those tears of laughter, lets examine the subject of humour.

There is no lonelier place on the planet, than on stage after a bad joke.

It is possibly the single most painful experience for any public speaker.

Comedians know this, which is why they work so hard at their craft. Comedians aren’t funny in real life. Like any other profession, funny is what they do, not what they are. Comedians work and struggle just like the rest of us to be good at their jobs. Ellen, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock – all the greatest comics write, rewrite and rehearse their routines with incredible care, diligence and attention to detail. They try out material for months, sometimes years in advance, on audiences – sifting out the stuff that doesn’t work, and doubling down on the lines that do.

(Getty Images)

So why, oh why, do so many of us as public speakers always assume that we can just shoehorn a couple of lame one liners (found on the internet) into a barely rehearsed speech, and get big laughs from our audience? This is guaranteed to fail every time, reminding us of the words of writer, Quentin Crisp:

if at first you don’t succeed, failure may be your style – Quentin Crisp

( If you’re pushed for time, you can download the Free Checklist of this article:  Dos & Donts of giving funny speeches )

Being funny in a speech is hard to pull off. But like most hard things, with a little study, much practice, and a healthy dose of chutzpah, anyone can do it. So lets examine the anatomy of a joke in the next section helpfully called “Anatomy of a Joke”

Anatomy of a Joke

All comedy, whether a one liner, long anecdote, or even an entire movie, is basically comprised of two parts: The Set Up and the Pay Off (also known as The Punchline).

With the Set Up, you are setting the scene by giving the audience all the information they need to know so that they will be amused by the Pay Off.

1) Set Up: Knock Knock. Who’s there? Dozen. Dozen who?

2) Set Up: In the movie “Some like it hot” eccentric millionaire, Osgood Fielding III, spends the whole movie chasing Tony Curtis’ character, Jerry (dressed in drag pretending to be a woman).

3) Set Up: Dr Evil (Austin Powers) has been cryogenically frozen for 30 years, so when he meets his evil colleagues, he lays out his plan to extort the world for a huge sum of money.

4) Set Up (in the world’s funniest joke) The hunter dies in the woods and his panicking friend calls the emergency services.

The mistake that most public speakers make that leads to them giving unfunny speeches, is to concentrate all their effort almost entirely on finding that Pay Off, asking themselves ‘what’s the funny line that I can say here?’ Whereas the key to humour is to focus on creating a compelling Set Up so that the right Pay Off just reveals itself.

To create a great  Set Up:

1) Take a subject (ideally one with which you are very familiar)

2) Examine it from all angles looking for the surprising contradictions and unexpected anomalies within the subject.

3) Work out how you can exaggerate those contradictions and anomalies almost to the point of a humorous absurdity. Can you connect one seemingly unconnected topic with another? Can you take a particular approach that will highlight these funny contradictions?

The humour lies in those unexpected findings and exaggeration that are nevertheless real. It’s why you find yourself muttering ‘that’s so true’ through your tears of laughter when listening to a hilarious comedian nail her routine. It’s why a Best Man’s speech works best when it skates on the edge of decency by revealing just enough of the groom’s true nature to the audience (and the Bride).

When you work hard on your Set Up, the Pay Off comes pretty easily because the punchline that ties it altogether seems to reveal itself.

1) Pay Off: Doz-anybody want to let me in?

2) Pay Off: (Some like it hot) Tony Curtis finally comes clean and declares to millionaire Osgood,”I’m a man!” To which Osgood simply replies “Well, nobody’s perfect”

3) Pay Off: (Austin Powers) Dr Evil demands…. 1 Million Dollars

4) Pay Off: (The funniest joke in the world) The friend shoots his collapsed hunter friend.

A very effective method of creating a compelling Set Up is to use a hook or theme that drives the narrative forward.

A great example is the ‘Shit’ sketch by Finnish comedian, Ismo Leikola .  In this hilarious skit, he talks about how he always though there was just one definition or meaning of the word ‘shit’.  But when he went to the US, he realised there were many more meanings like ‘you ain’t shit’, ‘I don’t give a shit’, ‘leave my shit alone’. Because he had found a great hook for the narrative, finding the humour was quite easy.

So, when you’re giving a speech about a serious subject like ‘How the Financial Markets work’, but you want to introduce a little humour to ease the way, consider what are the eccentricities of the financial markets? What parts make little sense if you stand back and look at it? What would your 8 year old son or your 80 year old grandmother make of the way traders?

Or giving a presentation at a small business forum, what eccentricities do entrepreneurs have? What challenges do they all face that you can highlight in a funny way? What mistake does nearly every small business make, which no one admits do, but every one knows?

This is where you’ll find your humour – in the careful analysis of the contradictions within your subject . Once you tap into that zone, a whole new world will open up and the Pay Offs will almost trip off your tongue.

Finally, a few dos and donts to send you on your way

maria bamford (Getty Images)

1) Don’t tell them you are going to be funny.

Anytime I receive an an email with the subject line: “This is funny”, I delete it. It never is. If you’re going to be funny, then be funny.  Don’t announce it.

2) Do have a purpose

As one of the greatest and funniest public speakers, the late Sir Peter Ustinov reminds us

 Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious – Sir Peter Ustinov

Don’t make jokes just for the sake of making joke. Stay focused on the reason you are giving your speech, and use humour to help achieve that objective.

3) Don’t copy. Adapt.

The best jokes are original. Your own material, born of your own experience will always be superior to something copied off jokes.com.

But originality can be hard. So, if you do have to use someone else’s material, approach it like Amy Winehouse covering the song ‘Valerie’ originally by the Zutons (bet you hadnt even heard of the Zuton’s version), and not like a teenage X Factor contestant doing yet another cover of Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’ (which itself was a cover of Dolly Parton’s original song).

Put your own spin on it. Make it your own and it will feel fresh.

4) Do tailor your jokes to your audience

What works for a university fraternity will probably not work for an accountant’s convention. Lawyers love a good naughty joke (it makes us feel dangerous), but you should probably avoid sexist jokes if you’re presenting to the Women’s Institute.

5) Don’t take yourself too seriously

If you can make jokes at your own expense, you’ve got a far better chance of making your audience laugh, than if you are joking about someone else.

Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century – And Barry Humphries

And when it comes to your delivery, you want to use your voice to help paint a picture of your ideas in the minds of your audience. Treat it as a song or melody you are singing to your audience. The things you want to think about are:

• timing – uses pauses and speed variation to build interest
• use your body to amplify and reflect your words
• give your voice dynamism i.e. intonation, pitch, volume
• commit (don’t do things half hearted)

Go forth, and be funny!

(Grab the full Checklist of 12 Dos & Donts for giving a funny speech )

Kolarele Sonaike

p.s. Grab your slot for a 1 hour communication skills coaching call with me. It’s free and pretty transformative. Click here to book your slot.

“ The session with Kola had a huge impact. He helped me tap into the passion that is central to my work and message. At an emotional level this showed me how I could start working with a different sense of authenticity, which would be founded upon a new level of confidence and commitment. The session really ‘gave the green light’ for me to tell my story in my approach so I could in turn create genuine impact the people I work with.” – Richard, Performance Coach

“The strategy session with Kolarele was great. In only one hour he was able to provide me with tools to work with to overcome some of my fears and improve my communication skills. I feel I have already made progress. I can only imagine what transformation will look like once we continue working together.” – Belinda, Co Founder

“Understanding how my presentation skills could be improved required me to understand my own long held inhibitions. Identifying this was both scary and enlightening, but seriously made me feel that I could give, not only a great presentation, but achieve my bigger goals. Thank you” – Yves, Marketing & PR (Embassy Liaison) Manager

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6 Ways to Guarantee Laughs During Your Next Speech

We’ve all been there. The spotlight is on you, you’ve set up the perfect joke, you nail the punchline, and… crickets .

It’s never fun to feel like your humor isn’t reading as funny to the audience. That’s why I’m here to teach you my six greatest tips and tricks on how to make a speech funny, or your (metaphorical) money back.

See Related:  Best MC Jokes For A Conference

#1: Tell Relatable Stories

If there’s one thing we learned from Seinfeld , it’s that the everyday is funny . Use this to your advantage in your speech!

Audiences laugh when they see their own experience reflected onstage. Add relatable humor to your speech with these ideas:

Turn Frustration Into Comedy

What got on your nerves this morning? It was something. I know it was. You know it was. We all know it was.

And you know what? I bet it was funny and would be great for your master of ceremonies speech .

Let me guess…

Did your family member turn on a bright light while you were still asleep? Speech material.

Did one of your friends cut you off on the way to work, causing your chai latte to spill on your brand-new pants? Speech material.

Were you (yet again) not Caller #5 and didn’t win your radio station’s giveaway for tickets to John Mayer’s Sob Rock Tour? (I’m terribly sorry – but speech material.)

These sorts of situations may get on your nerves in the moment, but I promise that, when transformed into a joke told with the right spirit, they will be funny and make the audience laugh.

The main idea when writing your funny speech is to shift your own perspective from frustrated to amused.

#2: Use Your Physicality to Communicate

Humor isn’t just about the words you say. A major part of making a good joke and creating a funny speech is using your body language to tell the story.

What do I mean? Well , think about your favorite comedians .

From Ali Wong to John Mulaney, comedians each have their own way of using their bodies to add humor to the funny stories they tell. It’s like a secret, other skill that is so ingrained in their performances, you may not notice it at first.

Every great comic uses gestures and physicality to deliver their material and engage audiences.

Act as characters

In your speech, maybe you’re telling a funny anecdote about a parent-teacher conference you had with your son’s kindergarten teacher. Instead of just speaking about the event, make people laugh by playing it out for the audience!

Go ahead, embody the teacher and her proper, stiff posture. Show guests how utterly ridiculous it looked when you sat down in a tiny chair made to fit a five year-old because the teacher didn’t have an adult-sized chair for you to use.

I can hear the laughter already!

No need to overdo it

Remember, your shifts in body language don’t need to be hyperbolic. During speeches, even the slightest, most intentional changes will go a long way in helping the audience understand your story audibly and visually.

#3: Deliver Originality

Humorous speeches are based in truth . The best way to ground your speeches in truth is to use your own material!

This may seem simple, but it cannot be overstated: if you’ve heard the joke before, I promise your audience has too.

Personalize Your Funny Speech to the Event

It can be tough to create a humorous message that will pull lots of laughter out of your audience! But with practice, I promise you’ll become a pro – just like a regular ol’ event emcee . 

The best way to stay funny, original, and on-task is to remember the primary goal of the event :

What is the goal of the event?

Is it to help new students feel comfortable at a large university? To raise money for a local grassroots nonprofit?

Once you understand what the client hopes to achieve through these events (and, therefore, your speeches), you can begin adding humor that focuses on those particular subjects.

Here’s an example :

If I’m making a humorous speech with the goal of exciting the crowd before a 5K Fun Run begins, I might make a self-deprecating joke about the utter irony of putting the words “fun” and “run” next to each other – lighthearted, relatable for many, and sure to ease some runners’ nerves when they hear it.

Got Writer’s Block?

It happens to the best of us!

Here are some writing prompts to get your creativity, word play, and humor flowing:

• Write about something that made you laugh out loud recently.
• Write about the silliest message you’ve ever received over phone, text, or email.
• Write about the most memorable slip-up you’ve ever made in public.
• Write about a few people who make you laugh – what about them is so funny to you?
• If you are the punch line, write the joke.

Bonus:  What Does An Event Host Do?

#4: Structure Your Jokes

Look, not everything can be funny to everyone (and if you discover the magical meme that is the exception to that rule, please send it to me ASAP).

However, you can do yourself a favor by structuring your comedy with intentionality.

Not Sure How to Structure Your Jokes?

Here are the main categories into which most jokes fall:

We touched on the main points of anecdotal jokes at the beginning – they just involve telling a funny story from your own life!

An incident while baking holiday cookies ? A mix-up that surprised you while picking your child up from school? The sound of a squeaking chair at a very inopportune moment?

As the speaker, your humorous stories are all fair game!

You guessed it – one-liners are jokes told in just one sentence. Deliver one-liners smartly and you will have the room in stitches.

Observational

I mentioned Seinfeld earlier – that show is a classic example of observational humor! Observational jokes comment on the absurdity of everyday experiences and are great to add to your speeches.

A recent example of observational humor in television would be Abbott Elementary . Each episode tells a story about the everyday joys and frustrations that can come with working at a public elementary school in Philadelphia – and finds a way to create humor and heart in every moment.

Topical humor pokes fun at current events, be it the news, celebrity culture, or the latest Tik Tok trend. A dash of topical humor, when used appropriately, can grab your audience’s attention and be an asset to your funny speech.

However, you must stay aware of the client’s needs. If they prefer that politics and pop culture stay out of your presentation for fear of rubbing an audience member the wrong way, you must respect this. In fact, it can be safer to stay away from topical humor unless you know you have the right audience for it.

Self-Deprecating

Self-deprecating jokes are all about finding humor in your own flaws. It’s great to be able to laugh at yourself, but be careful not to use so much self-deprecating humor that it makes your audience feel uncomfortable.

#5: Tone Is Your Friend

In the same vein as physicality, your voice is an incredibly effective tool for making folks laugh.

What Do I Mean?

Say you’re telling an anecdotal joke about your niece’s sixth birthday party. Sure, you could use your everyday intonation to “play” the various roles at the party. But…

Wouldn’t it be funnier to give each character a distinct intonation?

Your six year-old niece’s high-pitched, bell-like voice. Your brother’s gruff, Midwestern tone. The angelic, sing-song-y sound of the actor playing a Disney princess to entertain the kids.

Each character in the story is another opportunity for creativity, and for laughs.

Let’s Take a Tip from Actors

Even when you’re not playing a character other than yourself, your voice is still an incredibly useful instrument. Why?

Your voice is the audience’s guide.

Softness versus loudness. Lightning-quick speech versus indulgent slowness. Serious versus playful.

Whenever you speak, you make a million little choices . Be intentional about those, because your audience is (quite literally) taking your cue!

Convey Confidence

Delivery is everything. If a speaker or corporate emcee can deliver your presentation with a strong sense of confidence, the audience will feel safe to let loose and laugh. But this takes practice!

I feel disappointed when a speaker exudes insecurity. Try your best to put yourself in the audience’s shoes – wouldn’t you prefer to watch someone with great command of the room and confidence in their presentation?

I know I would!

#6: Bring People Together

Your audience is full of different people – many of whom you don’t know, and who will find different things humorous. Here are some tips for making everyone feel comfortable and ready to laugh:

Speak to Universal Experiences

It is important to do your absolute best not to ostracize anyone in the audience. Your client has hired you to help everyone feel comfortable. So, what is the best way to go about doing this in a diverse society?

When writing your speech, focus on humor that is a testament to the human experience , so that most people will relate to it. Adults, kids, everyone!

I don’t mean to be vague – the opposite, in fact. Specificity is funny.

Here are some examples:

There are certain human experiences with which every single person can identify:

• Talk about a time when you felt embarrassed as a teenager .
• Make a joke about an insecurity you had growing up, and still have to this day.
• Surprise the audience with a weird dream you had recently.
• Keep guests laughing with anecdotes about lessons you’ve learned the hard way.

Balance Listening and Speaking

Okay, okay, I know you’re giving a speech – that sort of implies that you’re talking. But listening is an equally important factor in your delivery of a hilarious speech.

It can be scary, but practice including pauses in your speech. Depending on the joke, the audience may need a few seconds to digest it before they begin laughing. Sometimes, your silence is the most entertaining part – if allowed, the audience will often fill that silence with laughter.

And, Scene!

As I’ve said before, humor is subjective – that will always be the case.

If you haven’t been getting the laughs you’ve hoped for, please talk kindly to yourself. Creating a humorous speech that appeals to many people takes lots of practice – you will get there!

Keep Reading:  How To Host A Networking Event

Adam Christing  has been called “The Tom Brady of emcees.” He has hosted more than 1,000  company meetings ,  special events ,  gala celebrations , and more. He is the  author of several books  and founder of  CleanComedians.com .   For more event tips, follow Adam Christing on  Instagram ,  Facebook ,  Pinterest ,  LinkedIn , and  YouTube .

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How to add humor to any speech.

Learn how to make people laugh. You'll have more fun, and the listeners will too!

Listeners appreciate a little humor, even in a serious speech. Done incorrectly, humor can be a disaster. Executed correctly, humor lightens the load, eases the burden and releases tension. There are three basic methods for adding humor to a speech: Tell a canned joke, tell an original joke or simply make a wry observation.

Method #1: Canned Jokes

The beauty of a canned joke is that it has usually withstood the test of time. For someone just starting to add humor, this is the best technique. By telling an old standby, you can concentrate on timing and delivery - two of the major keys to being funny.

Timing and Delivery:

This refers to the way you present a joke. These two ideas may be the most important aspects of humor. As Toastmasters, we know that communication is more than just words. When you deliver a joke, your attitude alone can make or break the punch line.

But you have to get over the idea that you have to be perfect. Your audience wants you to succeed, and they want to laugh.

One of our newer members served as Toastmaster for the first time. She opened with a joke, stumbling through it. Even though she had to read the joke and even apologized to us ahead of time for her lack of experience, she told the joke with a smile and a wink. We laughed!

Audacity and an air of confidence can overcome your worst fears."

Audacity and an air of confidence can overcome your worst fears. Just say to yourself, "Okay, I'm terrified. I might botch the punch line, I might forget the entire joke; maybe no one will laugh. But I'm going to do it anyway. It will be hard this first time, but easier the next and the next and the next."

The basic keys to adding humor to your speech are:

• relevance, and
• unexpected insight

Let's say you were doing a talk about ESPN or sports fanatics or even just sports in general. You might try the following "used" joke:

"A sports-buff showed up at the sold-out football game. He took his seat on the 50-yard line and then gently placed a woman's coat and an extra ticket on the seat next to him. The spectator behind him asked, "Are you saving that seat for someone?"

The man said, "No. It would have been for my wife, but she's passed on."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," the spectator said. Then he added, "Gosh, why didn't you give that extra ticket to a friend?"

The man turned around with a surprised look on his face and said, "All my friends are at the funeral."

This joke is obviously relevant to a sports-oriented talk. It sets the theme of the speech and warms up the audience.

The insight is that we sometimes get so wrapped up in our own stuff that we forget about other people. We all do it. This guy just did it bigger and that makes it funny.

Try out this joke (or any other) on several friends. Practice timing the punch line. Try different wording to make it your own. Try out different pacing, pausing in various places for emphasis. Like any other skill, you learn to tell a joke by practicing. Most people who claim they don't know any jokes are simply saying that they haven't practiced any.

Most canned jokes are generic and you don't have to attribute your source. However, if you are relating something specific to a certain comedian, you should give proper credit. Use your best judgment. You may want to say something like, "As Steve Martin so aptly put it: 'The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here!'" But don't start your joke with "I got this off the Internet..." Just launch into it.

Once you become comfortable telling jokes you've found from other sources, take your humor up a notch by trying out some original material.

Method #2: New Material

There is a basic three-point structure you can follow to create your own, original material:

• Come up with a topic,
• Add a premise, and
• Turn it around.

Here's how it works: First, come up with a topic. For example, if you are a parent, you might want to make a joke about being a father or a mother. Here's a caveat. If you are a woman, don't choose the topic of being a father. The audience won't be able to relate through you.

"Sometimes a witty observation will produce no more than a smile or a twinkle in someone's eye. That's enough."

Next, create a premise. Let's say you are making a joke about being a dad. Your premise might be that it's hard to be a dad. Or, that having kids makes men a bit stupid. Or weird. Or that having kids is scary.

Comedy trainer Judy Carter uses those four specific words when she is training people to be funny. She calls them "attitude" words. When you are just beginning to experiment with writing your own material, it is best to stick with the basics:

• Algebra homework is hard.
• Skateboarding on the highway is stupid.
• Being a dad is weird.
• Being tall around toddlers is scary.

The third part is the hard part. You have to bring in the unexpected. For instance, if you are working with "skateboarding on the highway is stupid," and you were being serious, you might finish with how dangerous it is. For a joke, look for insight. Look for pain.

Now, let's look at a concrete example:

• Step one: Choose a topic. Let's say you chose "parenting."
• Step two: Choose an attitude. For example, "raising kids is hard."
• Step three: Create a twist. First of all, what is hard about raising kids?

Maybe your answer is that you have to be more mature.

Now, think of a way to twist that around to surprise the audience. Here is how I used this topic to open my speech on traveling.

"Traveling with kids is hard! You gotta be tough, you know?

We just got back from Disney World. We spent all day walking and it was hot and it was like, 'I need a drink of water, and 'I'm tired,' and 'I need to go potty.'

Finally, my six-year old put her hands on her hips and said, 'Dad, quit whining.'"

Timing and Delivery, Part II. Practice makes perfect. Although great material always sounds like it is impromptu, it rarely is. With jokes, more than with anything else, practice is imperative. You have to practice until it sounds as if you are just making it up on the spot.

Record your joke delivery and then listen. After a while, you will get a good feel for the pace. You will hear where the pauses work and where they don't. Along the way, you'll memorize the joke. It will also stop sounding funny to you. Don't worry; your audience has never heard it.

In my travelogue about Florida, I tell a story about my five-year old.

"Kids are wise, aren't they? My five-year old son played in the sprinklers at the park and on the ride back to our condo, he took off all his clothes. He got out of the car and everyone stared at him as he walked down the street, naked as can be. JoAnn and I were mortified, of course, but he just looked around and said, 'Well, at least I'm wearing sun block!'"

This story stopped being funny to me a long time ago, but whenever I tell it, everyone guffaws.

The Rule of Three

Three is an inherently funny number. Just make a list of three things. Throw out the last one and replace it with something outlandish. A word, a phrase. A dead fish.

Let's take the simple topic of sun block and play it out.

"Sun block is weird. (notice the attitude word) My wife packs SPF 44. Sun protection factor 44. Do you know what that means? That means that we can stay out in the sun 44 times longer with it on. Where are we going anyway? The Mojave Desert? The Sahara? The planet Mercury?"

Take your humor up another notch...act it out. Now take your rant against sun block and play it out even further:

"Have you ever noticed that the companies that make sun block make bug repellent too? You have to have both because they make the sun block smell like Pina Coladas. Of course it's going to attract bugs. They're like 'Yeah baby! It's cocktail hour!'"

Surviving the Joke

If you've practiced your jokes and bounced them off the right people ahead of time, you're sure to get some laughs. Even so, the day will come when the audience just doesn't get it. There are two ways to deal with the "bomb:"

One is the "saver." Powerhouse speaker J.R. Ridinger sometimes gets going so fast and furious that he leaves the audience behind. His favorite saver: "Maybe that one will catch you on the way home."

The other technique is to just keep on keeping on. One of my all-time favorite inspirational speakers once gave a sermon on sex. The funny quotes she told at the beginning left the audience speechless. She handled her choice of material like a true professional, never missing a beat, though I squirmed and turned a bit red.

Listening to this professional also showed me how confidence and audacity can pull off a joke that a less confident person could never get away with.

Method #3: Wry Observations

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.

- Mark Twain

One of the great masters of the witty statements, Mark Twain once said that electric lights were to humor as lightning was to wit. In other words, unlike a joke that has a story-line, natural wit usually comes out as a pointed, wry observation.

Use the triple-A method to develop your ability to make witty statements. First, be A ware, then add A ttitude and A llow yourself to grow.

Be aware by understanding that humor comes from understanding shared experiences, especially painful ones. In order to fully cultivate your own sense of humor, you have to stop seeing your life as completely tragic. We all have troubles. Open your eyes and your mind and watch for the irony and the contrast in life.

Your attitude will help you be funny. Watch any great comedian, male or female. Some are gutsy and loud, some are meek and shy. You have to develop an attitude that fits you and then you have to let it shine.

"You have to develop an attitude that fits you and then you have to let it shine."

Finally, allow yourself to be funny. Open your mouth and try. Toastmasters is the perfect place to nurture your inner comic. Occasionally you may tell a stinker. Get over it and try again. Progress only comes with practice in front of real people.

You don't have to elicit a roar of laughter from your audience. Sometimes a witty observation will produce no more than a smile or a twinkle in someone's eye.

That's enough.

Remember that Toastmasters is a learning organization. Give yourself permission to try, and trust that your fellow members are either (a) wishing they were as brave as you and respecting you for it, (b) about in the same place on the progress curve as you are and respecting you for it, or (c) re-living the time they first tried humor and respecting you for doing the same.

Now, get out there. Be yourself, be happy and be confident. Long after your listeners have forgotten the content of your speech, they will still remember how you made them feel.

By Joe _ Cooke

Tools for Comics

Share your favorite joke with other speakers by posting it to www.breakingthefunnybone.blogspot.com and check out the following bonus links:

• For an audio example of a re-worked version of the "Traveling with kids is hard" joke, follow the "Quit whining..." link. You'll also hear an example of a "canned joke" about shopping.
• For an example of how humor can be worked into a serious speech, follow the link titled "Subtle humor adds to a serious topic..." This is a streaming video of a short talk I gave describing my daughter's life-threatening condition. (Note: we helped raise over $250,000 for a local charity that evening.)
• The Comedy Bible: From Stand-up to Sitcom - The Comedy Writer's Ultimate "How To" Guide , by Judy Carter. Also, see www.comedyworkshops.com. The author gives a step-by-step process for creating humor, comedy and jokes from everyday life.
• The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not , by John Vorhaus

View articles on similar topics

Westside toastmasters on meetup.

A Guide To Using Humor In Your Speech

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking

Charlie Chaplin said, “A Day Without Laughter Is A Day Wasted.” These words couldn’t stand truer for the day when you’re going to be delivering a speech. 

And yet many, many speakers are apprehensive of using humour in their speech. To add that ‘creative kick’, they choose instead to go with the relatively safer options of telling a quote, or a story, or sometimes chose to omit this bout of creativity altogether. 

Their apprehension isn’t wrong. 

A badly phrased or timed joke can kill the mood. However, an apt and well-timed joke can catapulate an audience’s interest in both; the speech and the speaker.

Adding humour to your speech can make your audience feel more relaxed and comfortable, and makes it easier for them to formulate a personal connection with you. This will, in turn, make it more likely that they will remember you and your speech in the future.  

In fact, many great public speakers understand that humour is not just an added ingredient to make a speech intriguing–it has now become a necessary one. 

This is why it’s imperative that you get over your humor apprehension and start adding it to your speeches. And how do you do I do that, you ask? 

Well, we’re here to help you! 

Importance Of Adding Humor To A Speech

1. makes you bond with the audience.

One of the most important elements that makes a great speaker is their ability to relate to and bond with their audience. If the audience can relate to you, if they feel a connection with you, then till will remember you–and your speech.

Humor is a great way of achieving this. A speaker who uses humor effectively is more human, more real, more like one of them , to the audience. Jokes put the audience at ease and make them more comfortable with you, and make it more likely that they will remember you for a long time.

2. Makes Them Remember You

One of the most difficult feats for a speaker to achieve is to not be forgettable. You want the audience to remember you long after you’ve finished speaking, and not forget about what you said the moment you get off of the stage.

Adding humor to your speech will make it more likely that they will remember you for a long time. A well placed joke is often easier to remember than a long or complicated point. Moreover, they might also repeat your joke to someone else, thereby increasing the reach that you have.

3. Gives The Audience A Break

If you speaking for a long time without offering the audience any relief, then chances are, they’re going to be dozing off before you reach even a quarter of your speech.

Humor prevents this by giving the audience a break from the monotony of continuous talk. It gives them a moment to refresh themselves, to chuckle and think about something other than your speech for a moment. When the moment ends and you slip back into the main topic, chances are, your audience will listen to you with renewed and prolonged interest instead of dozing off.

4. Makes It Easier To Get Across A Point

Not only does humor provide the audience a reprieve from much dreaded monotony, but it also makes it easier for them to grasp the points that you’re trying to make.

This is because humor simplifies things for the audience. As the speaker, you’re already well-versed in the topic you wish to deliver. However, your audience is perhaps not–at least, not till your level. Thus, by incorporating jokes that elaborate on principal points in your speech, you can make it easier for your audience to grasp what you’re trying to say.

5. Makes The Audience Feel At Home

Humor breaks the ice in the room, and there are few things that will warm up your audience not only to you but to each other as well than a shared laugh. Especially if you’re addressing an unfamiliar group, it’s imperative that you make them feel comfortable with you and the venue.

Cracking a joke at the beginning of your speech is one of the best ways of doing this. This will make sure that the audience is comfortable right from the beginning of your speech, and it will make it more likely for them to be receptive and interested in what you’re going to be saying for the rest of the event.

The Do’s and Don’t’s Of Making The Audience Laugh

Making someone laugh is no easy feat. And making an entire group of people is even more difficult.

But it’s not impossible –not if you keep in mind a few basic tips. And no, you don’t need to be a professional comedian or even a natural-born one to be able to successfully employ humor in your speech. What you need is the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, and to practice, practice, practice.

The Don’ts Of Making Audience Laugh

Don’t make it too complicated.

This is a very common mistake that most speakers make, especially if humor isn’t something that comes to them naturally. They make their jokes too complicated or too specific, thereby confusing the audience.

If your audience doesn’t understand the joke, they’re not going to laugh at it, period. You want the joke to be simple enough to be grasped by most of your audience. Keep the complex stuff for your speech–and even then, it’s best to be familiar with and mindful of your audience’s level.

Remember that the joke is directed towards the audience and not you. Therefore, it is imperative that while you’re thinking of the joke, you keep your audience in your mind.

Don’t Use Too Many Jokes

While it’s important to sprinkle your speech with jokes, the keyword here is sprinkle . Don’t dump an entire handful of them over it. Use humor aptly, and you will attain all the benefits associated with it.

However, if you use too much of it or simply use it too often, then then it’s going to have the opposite effect. That is, your audience is more likely going to groan at your joke rather than laugh at it. The best way to avoid this to only use humor when it feels natural to do so. That is, don’t just add a joke because you’re unsure what to say, but rather add a joke where you’re sure it will work.

Don’t Tell Them You’re Going To Say Something Funny 

Seriously, don’t. 

One of the biggest mistakes that a person can make before telling a joke is telling the audience that they’re going to be telling a joke. It sounds about as awkward as the three tellings did in the previous sentence. 

This is because it raises your audience’s expectations. Unless and until your story is something that will have them rolling on the floor in laughter, they’re going to be disappointed. Not only this, but it makes you look bad as a speaker, and it also takes away the element of spontaneity from the joke or speech. 

So, next time you want to tell a joke…

…just tell it.  

Don’t Use Controversial Topics 

How often has it happened that you have an amazing opinion of a speaker…

…and then it all goes downhill when they tell a joke. 

Remember that your audience is diverse and has diverse beliefs and opinions. Some topics–like religion, race, and gender–are bound to invite controversial reactions in the audience. 

You don’t want to alienate your audience. Rather, you want them to feel like they belong.

So, the next time you’re giving a speech, don’t use controversial topics. 

The Do’s Of Making The Audience Laugh

Do perfect the delivery.

Once you’re done with practice, then comes the next, and the most important, step: delivering the speech to an audience. Delivering an awesome joke that you’ve practiced a hundred times and being met with crickets for response is embarrassing. To avoid that, the first thing you must do is practice your delivery.

Don’t read your jokes off of a piece of paper. That’s simply terrible. You need to practice your jokes until they’re naturally woven into your speech and you can recite them from memory. Deliver your humor in a conversational way, and not like you’ve spent hours memorizing it. Keep in mind the “Rule Of Three” i.e if you haven’t delivered your punch line by the third line of your joke…it’s too long.

For more information on how to deliver your speech, check out our article on Body Language & It’s Contribution To The Process Of Communication .

Do Make Sure The Joke Has A Point

Remember that you’re not on stage for a stand-up comedy show but to deliver a speech. Don’t just add a random joke, no matter how funny or relatable it is. You need to make sure the joke you’re making is relevant to the topic in hand, and elaborates or simplifies it in some way.

If your joke isn’t relevant to the topic in hand, the audience might find it funny, yes. But they will most likely also end up confused about the point you’re trying to make, and thus lose track of the main speech that you’re there to deliver.

Be Appropriate

Lastly, while delivering the joke, it’s imperative that you deliver it in an appropriate manner and in a way that you don’t end up offending your audience’s sentiments.

To do this, make sure that you look up what your audience is likely going to be composed of beforehand. Search about their likes and dislikes, things familiar and unfamiliar to them. Most importantly, however, it is important to educate yourself and keep yourself updated about what’s happening in the world on a regular basis, and not just before your speech.

If you do end up accidentally saying something that you shouldn’t have, it’s best to apologize. Remember that saying sorry doesn’t make you a smaller person–quite the opposite, really.

Do Incorporate Pauses 

You don’t want to rush through your joke in one breath, and then plunge straight into your subject matter. Your audience needs time to comprehend the joke: otherwise, they won’t laugh.

So, make sure to have appropriate breaks between and within jokes. It’s especially important to pause both before and after delivering the punch line. This is to give your audience the chance to formulate an opinion, which you will then subvert with the punch-line, and also to increase their anticipation level. Pausing after the punch-line is imperative to give them a chance to process your joke, especially if it’s a bit complex. 

Do Make Sure It’s Relevant 

Don’t use humor that doesn’t drive forward and expand on your main point. You don’t want to randomly dive into a story about your encounter with a ninja…unless your speech has to do something with encounters. Or ninjas (in which case, may I attend it?). 

The point is, use relevant humor. This will make sure that your audience doesn’t get confused about the point of your speech, and that they don’t lose out on important stuff that you’re saying because they’re trying to figure out how your joke fits into what they’ve been led to believe they’re there to hear. 

How To Add Humour To A Speech (Even If You’re Not A Comedian)

1. using anecdotes .

“Last summer, I visited a Yoga Retreat in the middle of nowhere…”

Many people feel more comfortable sharing their stories than slipping in a well-timed jab in the middle of their speech. Then why not combine both, and make it a funny story? The best and easiest way of employing natural humor in your speech is by drawing on your personal experience. 

Think about that embarrassing moment that was definitely not funny at the time, but you can now think back on chuckling to yourself. Or, if you’re not comfortable sharing something about yourself, think of a funny story that someone else told you. You can even use experiences common to most people–like having a little kid to take care of or college professors to tackle. 

Don’t worry about people having heard it before. 

Sometimes a good cliche is exactly what people need. 

If you need more help with using storytelling in your speech, check out our article on 9 Storytelling Approaches For Your Next Speech Or Presentation.

Here’s an example of incorporating anecdotes in your speech. As you watch the video, keep an eye on how the speakers phrase the story, their body language, and their facial expressions. Try to incorporate the same in your speech.

2. Surprising The Audience 

A perfectionist walked into a bar…apparently, the bar wasn’t set high enough.

Who doesn’t like surprises (except my mother)? 

And who doesn’t like jokes (except my father)?

Combine both elements, and your audience is in for a treat! 

And no, by surprise, I don’t mean you have to literally surprise them. 

Humour tends to naturally pop up when your perfection about what someone is going to say next is off the mark. The dissonance between sentences can be annoying, yes. But if done right, it can win you that surprised dose of laughter that you’re vying for.

And how do you surprise your audience? 

The best way of doing this is by using a set up and punch-lines. 

A set-up builds your audience’s expectations for a particular outcome. The punchline reveals the surprise and upturns the audience’s expectations. However, one key factor to keep note of while delivering your punch line is to keep it at the end of your sentence. 

This is because if you keep it in the middle, most people will be too focused on what you’re going to say to make deeper sense of what you’re actually saying right now. Also, words spoken at the end of a sentence or paragraph tend to have a greater impact–which is exactly what you want your punchline to do.  

Following is an example of excellent punch-line delivery. Make note of how the speaker says his punch lines. Notice how he pauses before delivering the line, the way he waits for the audience’s reaction, and the way he phrases the punch-lines to increase its impact.

3. Add Shock Value By Playing With Words 

Does anyone need an Ark? I Noah guy.

Phrases with dual meanings can be interpreted in more than one way, and if you use them in an appropriate way, can garner a good laugh from the audience. In such phrases, while the first meaning is apparent, the deeper intonation is something that might take a couple of seconds to click . 

However, once it does–especially if your timing was great–then it might have the audience chuckling for a while. The easiest way of adding dual meanings to your speech is by using the set-up and punch-line method mentioned above. Use the setting to suggest one meaning, and then when the punchline rolls around, use it to insinuate an entirely different meaning. 

And the deeper intonation doesn’t have to be something cliche, either: you can make it something profound, or a sentence with more underlying depth or impact than the initial, seemingly silly, one.

You can also add puns to your joke. A pun is a grammatical effect that uses two words or expressions that sound similar or the same, but have two very different meanings. Normally in a pun, the first meaning is quite reasonable, while the second one might be less sensible or humorous in some way. 

Forr example, “Santa Clause – patron saint of grammar.” 

However, while playing with words, a key factor to keep in mind is to not go for cheap laughs at the expense of particular people or groups. This might have the opposite effect and entirely put off your audience.

In the following video, the speaker not only makes amazing use of puns, but also surprises the audience. In the beginning, it doesn’t appear that he’s going to be able to have the judges rolling in laughter–but that’s exactly what happens! Notice the way he uses the words, and the way he plays with them to make the audience laugh.

4. Adding Self-Depreciating Humor 

The only time I’m funny is when I insult myself

Audience tends to react positively to speakers who are self-depreciating–and by self-depreciating, I don’t mean self-loathing , no. 

I’m talking about self-depreciating humor–which is light-hearted humour at the expense of the speaker. 

This is because self-depreciating humour can make you seem more real or grounded to the audience. It also makes it easier for them to connect with you. When they laugh at your jokes, they’re not laughing at you but with you: they recognize some part of themselves in what you’re saying i.e they relate to you. 

It’s an extremely cathartic and fun experience. 

However, be careful not to overdo it. 

Remember, you’re trying to make the audience laugh , not to make them feel bad for you. 

This speech is an excellent example of how you can use self-depreciating humor without giving the audience the impression that you’re trying to make them feel sorry for you. Watch how the speaker uses self-depreciating humor skillfully, and while writing your speech, use his technique.

5. Use Audio-Visual Effects

Using audio-visual effects will not only make your presentation more engaging, but it will also add a kick of uniqueness to it. 

Using audio-visual effects to amplify the humour in your speech is a great idea because it will provide the audience a reprieve from the monotony of listening to a speaker for long stretches of time. 

You can add visual elements in many ways. If you’re displaying a presentation, you can add a meme or two into the slides. You can also show a short funny clip or a GIF. 

Audio effects can be timed beforehand and cued in during critical elements of your speech. For instance, you can add a funny audio during a punch-line, or while you’re delivering an anecdote. 

Done right, this will grab your audience’s attention, and make them re-focus on your presentation. 

In the following speech, the speaker makes outstanding use of audio-visual elements to make his speech stand out. Keep your eye on the screen behind him, and notice how he uses images and illustrations to make the experience more appealing for the audience.

6. Use Slapstick To Add Humor The Old-Fashioned Way

Slapstick comedy is easier said than done. However, if you do manage to pull it off,  it will provide a powerful kick and add more dimension to your presentation. 

Slapstick will also make you more real and relatable to the audience. It might be overused, however, it will add a burst of warmth and nostalgia to the audience’s experience. I understand that acting is not everyone’s forte, and not everyone will be comfortable enacting a comic play.

But I’m not asking you to turn into Charlie Chaplin. You don’t need to enact an entire funny scene or play. 

Even a small snippet of a scene, if done correctly, will do the trick.

All you need to do is get out of your comfort zone and practice!

This video is a classic example of how slapstick comedy doesn’t necessarily have to be boring. While the comic element in your speech doesn’t need to be as long, you can incorporate the technique used in your own.

7. Use Audience-Oriented Humor

What’s a comedian’s least favorite drink?  Answer: booze

Since your audience is the one that’s going to be listening to your speech–and your jokes–it only makes sense that you use humor that will be understood and cherished by them.

Your humor should be directed towards and specific to your audience. That is, you need to change the kind of humor you’ll evoke and the type of jokes you’ll use based on what your audience comprises of.

For instance, if your audience is comprised of college-goers, your humor must incorporate subjects and experiences that are familiar to them. If your audience is mostly working people over forty years, then you’ll need to make tweaks to your planned jokes so that the humor is more relatable to them.

So, before you sit down and begin planning your jokes, make sure you’re familiar with your audience’s taste and preferences. After all, no matter how good or well-timed the joke, if they don’t understand it, they won’t laugh at it.

In the following example, comedian Ellen DeGeneres uses humor that is easily understood by her audience, thus evoking much laughter. It’s one of the most entertaining Oscar opening speeches, and for good reason! Notice how he keeps the audience engaged and calls out a few members to make things interesting.

8. Take Inspiration From Real Life

While it’s important to have your jokes prepared beforehand, a secret ingredient that’ll take the humor level of your speech to the next level is by keeping a lookout for anything funny happening around you as you’re giving the speech.

That is, you need to pay attention if there’s anything that your audience is doing which can be turned into an impromptu joke. Say, someone, yawning. Or, a funny reaction that someone gives to your speech.

You can frame these events in a funny way and point them out while speaking. You can even directly address an audience member by asking them a funny question or simply asking if they agree with a humorous comment that you’ve made.

The key is to add a dose of spontaneous and life to your presentation. More often than not, it is these unscripted moments that will linger in your audience’s mind rather than the ones you’ve painstakingly timed beforehand.

The following example is a great way through which you can make impromptu comedy not feel forced to the audience. As you watch it, notice how the speaker is on his feet, the way he delivers his jokes, as well as the subject matter of the jokes.

9. Using Props

Another great way of adding humor to a speech is by using props! This is a fun way to add a touch of uniqueness to your speech and to re-focus your audience’s attention on something other than you and the stage.

There are many different types of props which you can use. You can use puppets, suitcases, a table…anything you can think of, really! However, make sure that just like your jokes, the prop is relevant to the topic in hand. Don’t just use a prop simply for the sake of using one, or else it will take away from your speech instead of adding anything to it.

Using props can seem tough, but it doesn’t have to be so! The following video is a great example of how you can use props to make your speech more lively, funny, as well as entertaining to watch!

10. You Don’t Have To Be Perfect

Nobody’s perfect. I’m nobody… So I’m perfect.

Lastly, remember that you’re not trying to win a stand-up contest. You don’t need to be the best comedian in the world or even the funniest person in the room. You’re there to deliver a speech. You’re there to share with the audience your knowledge and your experiences, and the audience is there to receive them.

It’s okay if you mess up. It’s alright if the audience doesn’t laugh at one joke. It doesn’t matter if you messed up a punch-line.

What matters is that you’re there, and you did it! You gave your best.

Humorous Ted Talk Speech Examples

1. inside the mind of a master procrastinator.

This speech is no doubt one of the funniest Ted Talks I’ve ever come across, and for good reason!

Takeaway: A major reason for this is the speaker’s use of imagery and cartoons to add a dose of entertaining audio-visual elements to the speech. He neither overdoes it with the visuals nor does he underuse them. His speech structure and the punch timing don’t hurt, either. As you watch it, keep a lookout for these things, and try to incorporate audio-visuals in your speech in a similar way.

2. A Highly Scientific Taxonomy Of Haters

This is another great Ted Talk in which the speaker uses humor in a creative way to get across their point.

Takeaway: This is an example of how your humor doesn’t necessarily have to be slapstick or obvious. It also shows how humor doesn’t need to be a filler in a speech: it’s not merely there to entertain. Rather, you can use humor to add more dimensions to your speech and to make it easier for your audience to grasp otherwise difficult concepts.

3. The Happy Secret To Better Work

Another great Ted Talk was delivered by psychologist Shawn Achor, in which he argues that happiness actually leads to more productivity.

Takeaway: This is a great Ted Talk if you’re a professional looking for how to deliver your message to the audience using humor as a medium. Notice how the speaker keeps the audience laughing and in a good mood as he delivers his speech.

Notice the speaker’s body language, and how he smiles often to make a connection with his audience. He isn’t a professional comedian, but he doesn’t let that fact hinder his speech in any way!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. how do i add humor to the beginning (or the end) of a speech .

There are many ways using which you can add humor to the opening of your speech. 

You could start off by telling a funny story. This can be your personal experience, or just something imaginary. A funny story is a great way to begin your speech, because not only does a story capture your audience’s attention right off the bat, but the added element of humor elevates your audience’s mood. This will ensure that they have a favorable opinion of you–and the rest of the speech! 

For the ending, too, you could use a shorter version of a story. Or, another way of adding humor to the beginning or ending of a speech is the good old fashioned way: tell a joke. 

If it’s the ending, you could go with a joke that loops into or makes a reference to something that you’ve said before. If you’re starting off, start with something unique and fresh! 

Q. How Do I Add Humor To A Serious Speech 

So, what if your speech topic isn’t something light? What if you’re delivering a serious speech? Can you still add humor to it? 

The answer: Yes. 

Adding humor to a serious speech will give your audience a chance to breathe & to take a break from the heavy subject matter.

However, you need to make sure that the humor doesn’t seem forced or out of place. It should flow with your speech, and not feel like an external constituent that you’ve added simply because you have to.

You can still use the different ways of adding humor to a speech that we’ve mentioned above. However, make sure that you add them at appropriate time intervals, and that they expand upon what you’re trying to get across. Also, try not to use too many jokes, or bunch them all together, as this will affect the overall tone of your speech. 

 Q3. How Do I Find My Unique Sense Of Humor 

It’s important to have your own unique sense of humor, not just in everyday life, but during speeches as well. This will make sure that your jokes aren’t bland and overused, and that the humor in your speech feels natural and not forced. 

You can’t just wake up one day and discover what kind of humor fits you. You need to put in time and effort in real life to find your own personal touch. 

One way of doing this is by delving into humorous content. So, watch that stand up comedy show or YouTube video, or read that hilarious book you’ve been wanting to. You need to learn what you find funny, and what type of content makes you chuckle.

Then, try incorporating them into everyday life situations, or simply practice by yourself first before moving onto other people. It’s important to be considerate of your audience and make sure that your jokes aren’t offensive, yes. But don’t change your natural style to cater to other people–you will never be able to stand out or find your own voice this way.

Q4. What If My Audience Doesn’t Laugh? 

A speaker’s worst fear: they tell a joke to an auditorium full of people, and there’s pin drop silence (or, well, so it feels). 

However, don’t despair if the audience doesn’t laugh at your joke.

Pause for a little bit. Give them time. It could be that they haven’t yet understood it. 

If there’s still no reaction, don’t lose heart. 

It’s important to not let your audience control your emotions. Remember that your goal is not laughter but to get across your point. Take a deep breath, and continue on with your speech. Don’t let embarrassment make you skip the rest of your jokes. Tell them as you were going to–just because they didn’t laugh at one joke doesn’t mean they’re not going to laugh at others.

If you feel like understanding was a problem, then you can make little tweaks to your delivery or the content matter to make it easier for your audience to grasp the joke. You could even prepare a witty response to such a scenario in advance, and use it if the situation does arise.

To sum up, adding humor to your speech is imperative not just to liven it up, but also to make it easier for the audience to understand it and to cement your speech in their mind for years to come. While adding humor to your speech might seem like a daunting task at first, by using the tips and tricks mentioned above, you can easily train yourself to use humor easily as well as effectively in your future talks!

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How to Write a Funny Speech That Will Have Your Audience Rolling in Laughter

Delivering a funny speech is a daunting task, and doing it well can seem like a near-impossible feat. But with the right tools and techniques, anyone can successfully craft and deliver a humorous speech that will leave your audience in stitches. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating a funny speech that will captivate your listeners and have them rolling in laughter.

Understanding the Basics of Humor

Humor can be a powerful tool for engaging audiences and connecting with listeners. However, successfully integrating humor into your speech requires a thorough understanding of the basics of humor. Here are a few tips to help you master the art of making people laugh:

The Importance of Timing

Timing is everything in humor. The moment you choose to deliver a joke or humorous anecdote can make or break its impact. A joke delivered too soon can fall flat, while one that comes too late may miss the mark. As a general rule, it is best to deliver your punchline just after the set-up, to allow time for the audience to process the joke and react accordingly. Remember, timing is key.

It's important to also consider the timing of the event or occasion. For example, a joke that may be appropriate for a casual gathering with friends may not be appropriate for a professional setting. Understanding the context of the situation is just as important as the timing of the joke itself.

Different Types of Humor

There are many types of humor, ranging from puns and wordplay to satire and irony. The type of humor you choose to use in your speech should reflect your personal style and resonate with your audience. Take the time to experiment with different forms of humor to find the style that works best for you.

One popular form of humor is self-deprecation, where you make fun of yourself in a lighthearted way. This can help to make you more relatable to your audience and show that you don't take yourself too seriously.

Another type of humor is observational humor, where you make humorous observations about everyday situations. This type of humor can be particularly effective as it allows your audience to see the humor in their own lives.

Knowing Your Audience

Humor is subjective, and what one audience finds funny may fall flat with another group. It is important to know your audience and tailor your humor to their tastes and preferences. Consider factors such as age, gender, profession, and cultural background, and adjust your humor accordingly to ensure maximum impact.

For example, if you are speaking to a group of doctors, you may want to use medical humor that they can relate to. Similarly, if you are speaking to a group of college students, you may want to use pop culture references that they are familiar with.

Remember, the goal of humor is to connect with your audience and make them feel comfortable. By understanding the basics of humor, experimenting with different types of humor, and knowing your audience, you can use humor to enhance your speeches and presentations.

Crafting Your Speech Content

The key to writing a funny speech is to strike a balance between humor and substance. Here are a few tips to help you create content that is both entertaining and informative:

Finding Inspiration for Jokes

Inspiration for humor can come from many sources, including personal experiences, pop culture, current events, and even cliches and stereotypes. Take the time to brainstorm ideas and experiment with different forms of humor to find what works best for you.

Incorporating Personal Anecdotes

Personal anecdotes can be a powerful tool for connecting with audiences and adding authenticity to your speech. Consider weaving humorous stories from your own life into your speech to add a personal touch and make your jokes more relatable.

Balancing Humor with Substance

While humor is important, it is equally important to provide substance and value to your audience. Balance your humor with informative content and practical advice to ensure your message resonates with your listeners.

Developing Your Speech Structure

The structure of your speech plays a crucial role in its success. Here are a few tips to help you craft a strong speech structure:

Opening with a Strong Hook

Your opening is your chance to grab your audience's attention and set the tone for the rest of your speech. Consider using a humorous anecdote or joke to start your speech on a high note and engage your audience from the get-go.

Building Momentum with Your Jokes

As you move through your speech, build momentum by gradually increasing the frequency and impact of your jokes. By structuring your speech in this way, you can create a sense of excitement and anticipation among your listeners, culminating in a stronger, more memorable finish.

Ending on a High Note

Your closing is your chance to leave a lasting impression on your audience. Consider ending your speech with a humorous anecdote or joke that reinforces your message and leaves a lasting impression on your listeners.

Mastering Your Delivery

The way you deliver your speech can make a big difference in its impact. Here are a few tips to help you master your delivery:

Practicing Your Timing

Timing is everything in humor, so it is important to practice your delivery to ensure your jokes land at the right moment. Take the time to rehearse your speech to ensure your timing is on point and your delivery is polished.

Using Body Language and Facial Expressions

Body language and facial expressions can be powerful tools for conveying humor and emotion in your speech. Consider incorporating subtle gestures and expressions into your delivery to enhance your jokes and connect with your audience.

Modulating Your Voice for Maximum Impact

The way you modulate your voice can have a big impact on the impact of your speech. Varying your pitch, tone, and volume can help you emphasize key points and add impact to your jokes. Practice varying your voice to add depth and dimension to your speech.

By following these tips and guidelines, you can craft a funny and engaging speech that will have your audience rolling in laughter. Remember to stay true to your personal style and tailor your humor to your audience, and you'll be sure to deliver a speech that leaves a lasting impact.

ChatGPT Prompt for Writing a Funny Speech

Chatgpt prompt.

Compose a humorous address that will entertain and amuse the audience.

[ADD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. CAN USE BULLET POINTS.]

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10 Hilarious and Engaging Funny Speech Topics for Your Next Presentation

Crafting a presentation that sticks in the minds of your audience can be quite the challenge, right? Believe me, I know the struggle all too well. However, after pouring over more than 510 funny speech topics , I stumbled upon a comedy goldmine that’s sure to captivate any crowd .

This article is your ticket to selecting side-splitting and memorable topics guaranteed to keep your audience hooked. Brace yourself for an entertaining ride filled with laughter !

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Choosing funny speech topics keeps your audience interested , builds trust, and reduces tension . It makes complex ideas easier to understand and the presentation more memorable.
• Relatable content connects directly with your audience. For high school or university settings, consider common experiences like navigating social media or balancing school and personal life.
• Practice delivering your speech with effective timing and body language . Record yourself to improve delivery, use pauses for emphasis, and vary your tone to keep listeners engaged.
• Personal stories make speeches engaging. Share amusing anecdotes from your own life to connect with the audience and make them laugh.
• Understand who you are speaking to. Choose topics that match the interests of beginners in public speaking as well as seasoned audiences looking for humor in presentations.

Why Use Funny Speech Topics?

Using funny speech topics keeps your audience entertained and reduces tension, making your presentation more engaging. It also builds trust and creates relatable content for your listeners to connect with.

Keeps audience interested

Choosing funny speech topics is a smart move to keep your audience glued to your presentation. Humor breaks the ice and pulls listeners in, making them eager for what comes next. I learned the hard way that dry, dull topics lose audiences fast.

But when I threw in jokes or picked amusing speech topics, people perked up. They laughed, engaged more , and even asked questions after my talks.

One thing’s clear: everyone loves to laugh . It makes complex ideas easier to grasp and messages more memorable . During my Toastmasters days , I saw firsthand how laughter could transform an average presentation into a standout one.

Now, with over 510 hilarious and engaging funny speech topics available, choosing content that tickles everyone’s funny bone is easier than ever. This approach not only captivates attention but also turns potentially snooze-worthy sessions into lively discussions.

Builds trust

Using humor in speeches can build trust by creating a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere . This allows the audience to see your authentic personality , making them feel connected and comfortable with you as a speaker.

Funny speech topics also demonstrate that you are confident and capable of engaging people beyond just delivering information.

Humor in speeches builds trust by creating an enjoyable atmosphere and demonstrating confidence in engaging audiences authentically through lighthearted content .

Reduces tension

By incorporating humor into your speech, you can lighten the atmosphere and make the audience feel more relaxed. This can help to alleviate any nervousness or tension that may be present in the room.

Using funny speech topics allows you to connect with your audience on a more personal level, making it easier for them to engage with your presentation .

Incorporating lighthearted content into your speech helps to reduce tension and anxiety among your listeners, creating a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. It also demonstrates your ability to connect with others through humor , making you appear relatable and approachable as a speaker.

Relatable content

Relatable content in your speech topics can connect directly with your audience , making them feel understood and engaged. When choosing funny speech topics for high school or university settings, consider common experiences that students can relate to, such as navigating social media pressures or the challenges of balancing school and personal life .

For presentations in corporate settings, incorporating humorous anecdotes about everyday office scenarios can make your speech more relatable and enjoyable. Remember to tap into universal experiences and observations that will resonate with your audience, creating a shared sense of humor.

When crafting impromptu or short speeches, think about relatable content that everyone can identify with quickly. Imparting amusing perspectives on daily occurrences like commuting mishaps or funny family dynamics will captivate the audience’s attention from the start.

Fun Speech Topics for Various Settings

Fun speech topics for different situations can make your presentation more enjoyable and engaging. Explore the best humorous speech ideas to captivate your audience’s attention.

High school

High school can be nerve-wracking, but funny speech topics can make it fun. Choose light-hearted subjects students can relate to. Topics such as “Why Homework Should Be Banned” or “The Unwritten Rules of High School Cafeteria” work well.

Keep it relatable and enjoyable for your classmates.

Encourage participation: engage with the audience by involving them in your stories. Use humor and anecdotes that everyone can connect with. This will ensure a lively and entertaining presentation, setting you up for success in front of your peers.

When it comes to addressing a university audience , using humorous speech topics can be a great way to captivate the attention of students and professors alike. Entertaining presentation topics tailored towards college settings include light-hearted and amusing subjects that resonate with the academic environment .

It’s not merely about delivering information but also about keeping everyone engaged through humor. 510 funny speech topics designed for educational settings are available, making it easier for speakers to choose an appropriate and enjoyable subject for their presentations.

With tips on how to select a fun topic and deliver it effectively, crafting an entertaining university presentation becomes less daunting.

Presentations

When it comes to presentations, using funny speech topics can keep your audience engaged and entertained. Whether it’s a high school project or a corporate presentation, incorporating humor can make your speech more relatable and enjoyable.

Myassignmenthelp.com offers over 400 funny presentation topics for you to choose from, ensuring that you can add lightheartedness to any speaking engagement . Remember, understanding your audience and practicing the delivery of jokes or anecdotes is crucial in making your humorous presentation effective.

Argumentative

When crafting an argumentative funny speech, it’s important to pick a topic that sparks debate and generates laughter. A good humorous argument needs to be light-hearted yet thought-provoking , inviting the audience to see things from a different perspective while enjoying the humor.

Some fun ideas for argumentative speeches could include debating whether cats or dogs make better pets, or if pizza should be considered a breakfast food. Choosing these kinds of topics can lead to lively discussions and keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

Now let’s move on to “ Persuasive ” speech topics.

When crafting a persuasive speech , remember to choose a topic that resonates with your audience and appeals to their emotions. Incorporate humor and light-hearted elements in your speech to keep the audience engaged.

Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to support your points, making it easier for your listeners to connect with your message.

Use body language and vocal intonation effectively to emphasize key points and create an impactful delivery. Additionally, maintain eye contact with the audience and exude confidence while delivering your speech.

Practice beforehand to ensure a smooth flow of ideas and an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression on your listeners.

Impromptu speech topics can be challenging, but they’re essential for building confidence and adaptability. They help you think on your feet and communicate effectively in unexpected situations .

These impromptu speeches are usually short, lasting 1-3 minutes or up to 7-10 minutes if given a little more time. Think of everyday scenarios, such as describing the contents of your bag or talking about your favorite hobby.

These quick-witted speeches require spontaneity and creativity to keep the audience engaged.

Remember that impromptu speeches are spontaneous opportunities to showcase your speaking skills without any prior preparation. Whether it’s at school, work, or other public settings, being able to respond confidently and humorously is an invaluable skill that will make you stand out as a speaker .

Short speeches (1-3 minutes, 4-6 minutes, 7-10 minutes)

Crafting short speeches requires focused content to engage audiences quickly. Here are some engaging and amusing topics for your next presentation, tailored according to the length of your speech:

• 1-3 minutes :
• How to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee
• The Benefits of Laughter in Daily Life
• Hilarious Dating Disasters : Lessons Learned
• 4-6 minutes :
• Embracing Failure : Turning Setbacks into Success
• The Art of Storytelling : Captivating Your Audience
• Mastering the Art of Sarcasm : A Survival Guide
• 7-10 minutes :
• Overcoming Stage Fright : Embracing the Spotlight
• The Power of Positivity : Changing Your Mindset, Changing Your Life
• Unleashing Creativity : Finding Inspiration in Everyday Moments

Tips for Choosing and Writing a Hilarious Speech

Understand your audience before writing.

Incorporate personal experiences and funny anecdotes or jokes.

Understand the audience

When crafting a speech, it’s crucial to understand the audience’s interests and preferences . For public speaking beginners, it’s essential to choose engaging and relatable topics that resonate with their experiences and humor.

Public speaking novices often appreciate light-hearted and amusing subjects that can help ease any nervousness or tension. Engaging presentation topics for beginners should be easy to comprehend, entertaining, and relevant to their everyday lives.

By keeping the audience in mind, speakers can tailor their content to ensure maximum engagement and enjoyment from the listeners.

Understanding your audience helps create a connection through shared experiences or common interests . For those new to public speaking, choosing funny speech topics that align with the audience’s sensibilities is key to capturing their attention.

Use personal experiences

During my time in graduate school, I had to give a presentation on a lighthearted topic. I chose to talk about the struggles of learning how to swim as an adult and incorporated some humorous incidents from my own experience.

Sharing personal stories not only made the audience laugh but also helped me feel more connected with them. Using personal experiences can make your speech relatable and engaging for the audience .

When crafting a funny speech, think about a moment from your life that can be turned into an amusing anecdote or story . It could be something embarrassing, challenging, or simply hilarious that you are comfortable sharing with others.

Incorporate funny anecdotes or jokes

When crafting a speech, sprinkling in some funny anecdotes or jokes can keep your audience engaged and entertained. I often mix in personal experiences or humorous stories to add flavor to my presentations.

For example, when discussing the importance of staying confident during public speaking, I once shared a lighthearted anecdote about the time I accidentally called my teacher “mom” in front of the entire class – it had everyone laughing and made them feel more at ease.

Remembering to keep it relatable and light-hearted is essential for all speakers looking to make their speech memorable.

Funny anecdotes not only alleviate tension but also create an environment where everyone feels included . They help connect with different types of audiences, whether they are high school students or corporate professionals.

Practice delivery and timing

When practicing your speech, record yourself and listen back to improve delivery. Use pauses effectively for emphasis and timing. Vary your tone to keep the audience engaged. Rehearse in front of a friend for feedback on pacing and humor delivery .

Now let’s explore some fun speech topics for different settings.

Additional Resources

Looking for more resources to level up your speaking skills? Check out our wealth of commemorative speech topics, fun essay ideas, and funny informative speech options. Need guidance on keeping any speech entertaining and engaging? Our FAQ section will provide all the info you need!

372 commemorative speech topics

Crafting a compelling speech is essential to keep the audience engaged and amused. To help you with this, here are 372 commemorative speech topics for your consideration:

• How to honor and commemorate historical figures
• Celebrating achievements of influential leaders
• Paying tribute to revolutionary inventions and discoveries
• Commemorating significant events in history
• Remembering and honoring war heroes and veterans
• Celebrating the impact of cultural icons
• Commemorating milestones in science and technology
• Honoring contributions of literary legends
• Recognizing humanitarian efforts and philanthropic individuals
• Memorializing important moments in sports history

And many more topics encompassing various aspects of commemoration for you to explore!

406 fun essay topics

When selecting fun essay topics , consider the interests and humor of your audience. Here are some exciting and amusing ideas to consider:

• The impact of pet shaming on animal behavior
• How to survive a zombie apocalypse using only office supplies
• The life lessons learned from talking to animals
• The challenges of being a superhero in a normal world
• A day in the life of a talking parrot
• Why cats make better roommates than dogs
• The benefits of having a personal cloud that rains candy
• How aliens would react to human social media trends
• The secret lives of inanimate objects at home
• Explaining complex adult problems to children

Now, let’s explore how these fun topics can be adapted for different types of presentations!

420 funny speech topics

Are you ready for some fun speech topics? Here are 420 hilarious and engaging ideas to keep your audience entertained and amused:

• Awkward first date experiences
• The most embarrassing moments in my life
• How to survive a zombie apocalypse
• If animals could talk, what would they say?
• The art of procrastination : A beginner’s guide
• Ridiculous fashion trends throughout history
• An ode to bad hair days
• The science of why we love cheesy jokes
• Why cats are secretly plotting to take over the world
• Life advice from a five-year-old

And many more await you for your next presentation or public speaking engagement!

Tips for making any speech fun

Engage your audience by infusing humor into your speech.

• Use relatable content to connect with the audience.
• Incorporate funny anecdotes or jokes to lighten the mood and keep everyone entertained.
• Practice delivery and timing to ensure your comedic elements land well.
• Understand your audience’s sense of humor and tailor your speech accordingly.
• Share personal experiences that can bring a smile to your listeners’ faces.

Now, let’s explore how you can turn any speech into an engaging and amusing experience for your audience.

FAQ on funny informative speech topics

Thinking of incorporating humor into your next speech? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about using funny informative speech topics:

• How do I choose the right funny topic for my speech?

When selecting a funny informative speech topic, consider your audience and the occasion. Choose a subject that you find humorous and that resonates with your audience.

• Should I incorporate personal experiences into my funny speech?

Yes, sharing personal anecdotes or experiences can make your speech more relatable and engaging for your audience.

• What if I’m not naturally funny?

You don’t have to be a professional comedian. Simply finding light-hearted and amusing subjects to discuss can help infuse humor into your presentation.

• How can I ensure that my humor is appropriate for my audience?

Understanding your audience’s preferences and cultural sensitivities will help you gauge what type of humor will be well-received.

• Is it okay to use visual aids or props for added humor in my speech?

Absolutely! Visual aids, props, or even short video clips can add an extra layer of entertainment to your presentation.

• What if my humorous material falls flat?

Not every joke will hit the mark, but acknowledging the moment with grace and moving on is key to keeping the audience engaged and entertained.

• Can I use funny informative speech topics in serious settings, such as at work or during formal presentations?

Certainly! Appropriately timed humor can break tension and captivate your audience, making it suitable even for serious settings.

• Are there resources available for finding more funny informative speech topics?

Yes! There are numerous online resources offering collections of hilarious and engaging speech topics designed to entertain various audiences.

• How can I practice delivering funny speeches effectively?

Rehearse your timing, delivery, and punchlines while seeking feedback from friends or colleagues before presenting in front of a live audience.

• Are there any tips for overcoming stage fright when delivering humorous speeches?

Embracing nervousness as part of the experience and trusting in your preparation can help alleviate stage fright when delivering a comical presentation.

Ryan Nelson is the founder of Speak2Impress, a platform dedicated to helping individuals master the art of public speaking. Despite having a crippling fear of public speaking for many years, Ryan overcame his anxiety through diligent practice and active participation in Toastmasters. Now residing in New York City, he is passionate about sharing his journey and techniques to empower others to speak with confidence and clarity.

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Funny Speech Topics For A Corporate Laugh

Giving an effective funny speech can be challenging. But if you have the right speech topics, you’re already setting yourself up for success.

Lucky for you, we’ve compiled some of the best funny speech topic ideas below. Because we believe in the power of humorous speeches to change lives, spark joy , and bring folks together.

See Related:  9 Ways Comedy Jugglers Can Teach Us To Balance Work And Family Life

Quick Glance: Best Funny Speech Topics

Below, we’ve listed various speech topics for you to choose from. So take your pick and scroll down to find the funny topics that will make your next speech amazing.

• Persuasive speech topics

Informative speech topics

• Interesting speech topics
• Inspirational speech topics

Impressive funny speech topics

Impromptu funny speech topics, why a funny speech topic sets you up for success.

Public speaking doesn’t always call for a funny topic. But why should you opt for a funny topic anyway?

It keeps your speech interesting

One of the biggest challenges in public speaking is keeping your audience engaged. We’ve all had the experience of zoning out of a speech or two ourselves.

But our corporate performers know the power of humor. Namely, how humor can keep the audience engaged and interested in the topic at hand.

In fact, one study found that humor can produce both psychological and physiological benefits to help students learn. So, when used in a public speaking setting, there’s no question that the power of humor goes beyond just making a room full of people laugh. 

Now, we want to offer you that power. Humor will inform the speech-writing process and give you a leg up once you take the stage to deliver such a speech.

Making the audience laugh builds trust

In any public speaking scenario, you want the audience to trust you. If they don’t, then they have no reason to listen to you, right?

Obviously, trust takes time to build. But if you want to build that trust in a short amount of time, go for a laugh .

Laughing automatically puts the audience at ease. You telling a humorous true story tells them that you’re relaxed and welcoming, ready to have a conversation.

Humor reduces tension

Think of a typical stand-up comedy joke. There’s a setup and a punch line. The setup creates tension and the punch line relieves tension.

That’s what humor aims to do. If you’re walking into a particularly stuffy event, you’ll want to diffuse tension any way you can.

That’s where your funny speech comes in handy. Rather than blend into the uptight crowd, try to get everyone relaxed with these funny topics that will surely make you the most popular speaker of the event.

Funny topics make the content relatable

Lastly, humor speaks to relatability. So often, we focus on our differences rather than our similarities .

But humor gets rid of those hidden boundaries and forces us to confront how we are alike. Of course, not everyone has the same sense of humor.

And that’s why at Clean Comedians®, we focus on clean humor that can relate to everybody. Whether you incorporate humor into your speech or hire a comedian to deliver it, your audience will thank you for being so down-to-earth.

Now that we’ve determined why a funny speech is important, let’s take a look at how you can make your speeches funny and relatable.

Persuasive funny speech topics

In a persuasive speech, the speaker takes a stance. This stance isn’t always meant to be controversial. But it’s up to the speaker to persuade the audience why they’re right.

• You are always entitled to your own incorrect opinion
• The older you get, the more you’ll regret not taking all those naps as a child
• Why life should come with its own background music
• Why the most dangerous animal in the world is a silent person
• “I’m too busy” is just a myth
• Why does math feel like mental abuse to humans?
• Why being an adult is not an easy task
• The funniest amusement parks and why
• Why underarm farts are not an impressive party trick
• You say I interrupt people’s conversations, I say I remember random things and get really excited about them

• Why kung fu training should be mandatory for female college students
• Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes
• The strangest person I ever met
• Why you should never start a diet on a Monday
• Netflix is a hobby
• Why I prefer dogs over people
• Blaming your horoscope when things go wrong
• How to protect yourself from zombies
• Why are Dads so weird ?
• What if plants had feelings?
• Why cleaning up after yourself is overrated

Can you guess what informative speech topics aim to do? That’s right – they aim to inform! Let’s see how you can be both informative and funny with these speech topics below.

• Absolutely laughable job applicant stories
• My most profitable mistake
• How to effectively deny reality
• Rare speed limits and the reasons why they exist
• How to become a more earth-friendly person
• The male brain vs. the female brain
• Do all pop songs sound the same?
• 7 ways to maintain a boring conversation at a cocktail party
• Ten fun things you could be doing during an exam
• How to be a charming host at any event
• The delicate art of making cereal
• How to ruin a good thing
• America’s dumbest criminals
• How to juggle
• Why exercise is actually a scam
• What not to say on a first date
• How to sell yourself
• How to properly offend your parents
• How to survive as a completely incompetent person
• How to cheat at poker
• How to fail at dieting
• Get rich quick
• The three biggest lies you learned in school
• Why modern art is a scam
• Ten different ways to order a pizza
• Interesting ancient remedies

Bonus:  10 Best Jugglers Throughout History & Which Ones To Invite To Your Next Corporate Event

Interesting funny speech topics

Humorous topics already set you up for an interesting speech. But here are some other interesting topics that you can easily incorporate some humorous anecdotes into.

• Totally useless professions
• How to mess up a job interview
• A true story that isn’t actually true in the end
• Funny holidays around the world
• Funny computer terms and phrases we use daily
• Bare funny facts about men
• Robots will enable us to be even lazier
• Having a sibling makes me less egotistical

• Beauty is devastatingly overrated
• Smart people look crazy to dumb people
• The refined art of being annoying
• Why people don’t believe in horoscopes but will still keep reading them
• How to confuse a telemarketer
• Blaming others for your problems as a means of achieving relief
• Topics that aren’t meant to be discussed publicly
• How to use corporate jargon more often
• Why being completely honest isn’t doing you any favors
• How to unite procrastinators worldwide
• How to survive on minimum wage
• Why happy puppies make happy humans

Inspirational funny speech topics

Just because your speech is funny doesn’t mean it can’t be inspirational! Make your audience chuckle and make them feel motivated to take action after the speech ends.

• Stop calling yourself weird. You’re just a limited edition.
• Measuring a person’s character by their reaction to slow Internet
• Why laughter really is the best medicine
• Stop taking life so personally
• Why you should smile and wave when somebody insults you
• Becoming old and wise means being young and stupid first
• Confused about life? Hang out with a 3-year-old
• When nothing goes left, go right
• Why bad decisions are necessary for you to accrue some interesting stories
• You really don’t need to sugarcoat everything
• Drive people crazy by simply being happy
• What happened in high school doesn’t actually matter
• Having a third arm is better than having a third leg
• Common sense doesn’t come naturally to anyone
• Sometimes, keeping quiet is our greatest accomplishment

You want to come across as relatable. But you also want the audience to know how impressive you are. Here are the topics that hit the perfect blend of both.

• The correct way to lie
• How to control your laughter during serious moments
• Why you don’t want to be a millionaire
• Why all people should eat junk food
• Do vegetarians actually love animals?
• Useless things that everyone has in their home
• Is reality TV even real?
• How being lazy enhances your productivity
• Why do New Year’s resolutions never get fulfilled?
• A happy childhood doesn’t include homework
• How to win an argument when you know that you are definitely wrong
• The best things in life are not free
• The silliest advertisements you’ve ever seen
• The most impressive words in the English dictionary
• Your worst haircuts
• How to save paper towels

If you want your speech to seem off-the-cuff, consider these speech topics below. They may seem random, but they’ll help you come across as natural and conversational.

• My most embarrassing moment
• Are white lies okay?
• How I ran away from home
• Why the youngest sibling deserves their own holiday
• How I choose my friends
• The one time I made my parents proud
• Which is the preferred trait: humor or intelligence?

• Are uniforms really necessary?
• My funniest childhood memory
• My worst day ever
• The perfect television ad
• My fifteen minutes of fame
• Stories from the scribbles on a bathroom wall
• Your most hated household chore
• Why all seasons should be canceled except for summer
• The worst present I’ve ever received
• What I don’t understand about fashion
• Unusual incidents that have happened to me
• Does the perfect person exist?
• Crazy things to do in the supermarket
• If I ruled the world
• What if they lived unhappily ever after?
• A ghost you would want to hang out with
• The party that went wrong
• The joke that backfired
• If I had a time machine
• Out of the mouth of a child

Final thoughts

As you can see, there are plenty of funny topics for you to choose from. Now, it’s just a matter of seeing which one resonates and helps you churn out an amazingly funny speech!

Making people laugh can seem like a daunting task. But we hope that these top tips can help you inspire laughter with ease.

From all of us at Clean Comedians®, good luck. We’re rooting for you!

Keep Reading:  60 Dad Jokes To Impress Your Kids

Adam Christing  is a professional comedy magician, virtual MC, and the founder of  CleanComedians.com . He is a member of the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and a popular  corporate entertainer , magician, and virtual speaker.

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How to write a funny speech – Part 1

Why you should learn how to write a funny speech.

Understanding how to deliver a speech well will make you feel good but being able to weave humour into any speech will get you noticed. Today we expect speakers to entertain as well as inform us, so understanding  how to write a funny speech  is an essential skill for aspiring presenters.   This is the first in series of short articles designed to help you learn the secret of weaving humour into your speeches.

ALWAYS START WITH THE STORY

The best way to introduce fun into a speech is by telling stories. And the best kind of stories are personal ones. Speakers who do this get the most laughs and make the most impact.  Human beings have passed on information through storytelling since the dawn of time and, as a result, our brains are programmed to listen to and absorb stories better than any other form of information.   When it comes to writing a humorous speech, think of it in terms of a story.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD STORY?

The structure of stories has been studied and analysed for centuries, and one of the most powerful story forms is known as “The Hero’s Journey.” In a nutshell, it can be described as “Who wants what, what stops them from getting it, and how do they get it anyway?”

For example, in a business presentation, the “hero” could be a customer who wants to do something but cannot because of a problem.  Your product or service is the solution, and you can show how by using it, the hero achieves their desired goal.

START BY BECOMING A STORY COLLECTOR

If you are alive, then you have inevitably had experiences from which you have learned a wealth of things. Whats more, many of these experiences will have a humorous element to them and so can be used to help make your messages funny and memorable. Everyone has such stories, and everyone shares them with family, friends and sometimes colleagues, but most people do not bother to record them.

If you want to know how to write a funny speech, then you need to start by writing your personal experiences down.   It doesn’t matter if it’s on paper in a notebook or online via your mobile phone, tablet or computer.   The important thing is that you start to capture these experiences so that you can mine them for material.  That’s an essential part of how to write a funny speech.

Tip:  Start capturing stories TODAY.  Don’t worry if you can’t remember all the details.   I usually start by brainstorming ideas using a mind map. One or two words is often enough to trigger our memories.  The details can be added later and I’ll be speaking more about this in the next post.

P.S. Please help me help as many people as possible by sharing  this post with your friends and colleagues via social media.

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100+ Funny Speech Topics

“One loses everything when one loses his sense of humor” – Ayn Rand.

People with a cool sense of humor will always be the center of attraction. They are the center of parties. They are the ones in the spotlight. The thing about boring people is that no one really likes to be with them and everyone is looking for an excuse to get out. Everyone is trying to get out and it is as if there is this big circle around them that has a neon sign that says, “Warning, boring person. Stay away.” Being funny is more than just being a smooth talker. It means you are the smartest person in the room. To have a good sense of humor, you need to be able to think ahead. You need to be able to think what others cannot think.

Needless to say that you need to be real quick. Of course, these people with an amazing sense of humor are always liked. What is not to like about them? They are witty, they are fast, they have this aroma of astonishing personality around them.

Tips to deliver a funny speech

1. have a solid content.

Well, you cant say a knock-knock joke and expect the world to laugh hurting their stomach. You need to have solid content. Until and unless you really have something amazing, you are not going to deliver something amazing.

2. Body Language

Body languages play a massive role when it comes to delivering funny speeches. Your eyes need to coordinate what you speak and so do your hands. Body languge has a massive role in funny speeches.

3. Fluctuate the pitch of your voice

Don’t be monotonous. Make your voice hit the crests, make it hit the trough. This is what will keep people more engaged and make the speech look more spontaneous. No one is there to listen to the news. So, crank it up a notch a bit, let it go highs, and let it go lows. 

4. Give more emphasis to the best points

Let’s be honest here, all the points you speak in the speeches are not going to be gold standard ones. Make sure you know what your punch line is and give maximum time to hammer that point home.

5. Make sure you are delivering the speeches as the environment demands

If I am delivering a speech to an elderly population, I would not go with the latest trends of technologies or anything they are not acquainted with.

If the population is new and more of an outgoing one, then I’d probably not quote the happenings of the 14 th  century. It is critical to know the audience and adjust your speech likewise.

6. Make sure that your start and ends are of the gold standard

A solid start gives you a grip and the attention of the crowd as well as the judges. It helps you make a proper foundation for the speech.

The ending is what serves as the desert. It is what you will be remembered for in the eyes of both the audience and the judges.

7. Beat them with confidence

Speak with confidence as if the entire world is listening. Have a commanding voice. Don’t speak like you’re just another person. Confidence comes from preparation and having solid content. Make sure you have them both.

8. Don’t make it look like a rehearsed speech

If you are a newbie, then chances are that the speech looks like a well-rehearsed and practiced one (may appear like a person reading the news). Strictly avoid that. Use jokes and change of tone to combat it.

9. Eye Contacts

This is not new. If you don’t speak by making eye contact, then you don’t become commanding enough. If you can’t give them the vibe that you are someone, even with the best speech you are not going to win.

10. Have stories in your speech

People love stories. They love the imagination and fascination the story brings. So, it might come in handy to include a couple of stories and a few experiences of your own. This gets the audience engaged.

Funny and Persuasive Speech Topics

1. The upside of having a bad memory.

2. Why you should never take life too seriously.

3. Why comic books are actually good for you.

4. How to be a master procrastinator.

5. How to make the perfect paper airplane.

6. Why Pirates are actually the good guys.

7. Why you should always root for the underdog.

8. How to be a couch potato and still stay in shape.

9. The benefits of sleeping in on the weekends.

10. Why napping is actually good for you.

11. How to make the perfect snowball.

12. How to have a conversation with a cat.

13. How to survive a zombie apocalypse.

14. Why unicorns are actually real.

15. How to catch a leprechaun.

16. Why you should never wake a sleeping dragon.

17. The benefits of eating junk food.

18. How to make the perfect fort.

19. Why you should always believe in magic.

20. How to turn a frog into a prince.

21. How to make a wish come true.

22. The importance of always being yourself.

23. How to make the perfect snowman.

24. How to catch Santa Claus.

25. How to get out of doing chores.

26. How to make a boring day fun.

27. How to trick your parents into letting you do what you want.

28. The benefits of eating dessert first.

29. Why you should never give up on your dreams.

30. How to be happy no matter what.

Funny but Informative Speech Topics

1. How to become rich without winning the lottery.

2. How to be popular without being a Kardashian.

3. The history of the world’s most controversial emoji.

4. Why pandas are actually really lazy animals.

5. How to make the perfect PB&J sandwich.

6. The science behind why we love cats.

7. Why dogs are actually man’s best friend.

8. The benefits of sleeping in on the weekends.

9. How to make the perfect scrambled eggs.

10. Why you should never trust a duck.

11. How to get over your fear of public speaking.

12. The pros and cons of being a morning person.

13. Why you should always trust your gut instinct.

14. How to make the perfect cup of tea.

15. Why you should never work with children or animals.

16. The benefits of a healthy diet.

17. How to get over your ex.

18. Why you should never take relationship advice from your friends.

19. The pros and cons of social media.

20. How to deal with haters.

21. The art of the perfect selfie.

22. How to be a successful student.

23. The benefits of exercise.

24. How to make new friends.

25. The importance of a positive attitude.

26. How to deal with failure.

27. The keys to happiness.

28. How to be a successful entrepreneur.

29. The difference between men and women.

30. How to be a good listener.

31. The importance of communication in relationships.

32. The importance of body language.

Impromptu, Funny Speech Topics

1. The worst that can happen when you mix food and love.

2. How to be a good liar without getting caught.

3. The benefits of being a know-it-all.

4. Why we should all learn to do the moonwalk like Michael Jackson.

5. How to beat procrastination once and for all.

6. How to make a really bad first impression.

7. The art of people watching and what you can learn from it.

8. The joys of being single and why it’s better than being in a relationship.

9. Why we love reality TV even though we know it’s trash.

10. How to be a master of procrastination.

11. The merits of being a shopaholic and why it’s good for the economy.

12. How to be popular without even trying.

13. Why being an introvert is actually awesome.

14. How to make small talk interesting (or at least bearable).

15. How to be a great wingman/wingwoman.

16. The art of being a hermit and why it’s underrated.

17. Why we love to hate on celebrities even though we secretly admire them.

18. How to be a great kisser (based on extensive research, of course).

19. The benefits of being a couch potato.

20. How to be a master of flirting without even trying.

21. The art of the prank and why it’s so satisfying.

22. Why being lazy is actually awesome.

23. The joys of sleep and why we can’t live without it.

24. How to make the perfect cup of coffee (or tea, depending on your preference).

25. The benefits of daydreaming and why it’s good for you.

26. How to be a great procrastinator.

27. The joys of being single and why it’s better than being in a relationship.

28. Why we love reality TV even though we know it’s trash.

29. How to be popular without even trying.

30. The best way to avoid getting sick during the winter season.

31. How to get over your ex in just a few days.

32. The worst pick-up lines that you have ever heard.

33. The most embarrassing moments of your life.

34. How to deal with a difficult boss or co-worker.

35. Why you should never break up with someone via text message.

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I Want to Be Funny-How to Add Humor to Your Speech without being a Clown

Want to add humor to your speech? Quite often, when we are designing speeches and presentations for a professional audience, we discount the value of entertainment and humor. However, a good presentation should be both informative and entertaining. You have to have both. If you aren’t providing the audience with good information, then you’re wasting their time. If you aren’t providing some type of entertainment, though, you will likely bore your audience. As a result, they will lose interest. So, by adding a little humor to your speech, you keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation.

Want to beat stage fright, articulate with poise, and land your dream job? Take the 2-minute public speaking assessment and get the Fearless Presenter’s Playbook for FREE!

Should I tell Jokes to Add Humor to My Speech?

When I first started speaking, I had a mentor who had been a speaker and trainer for over three decades. Very early on in my training, she advised me to “Never tell jokes in your speeches.” Later on, though, she encouraged me to add funny stories and anecdotes to my presentations. This contradiction was confusing. In fact, I never really figured out why she and other public speaking coaches were so anti-joke. My guess is that it is an extreme overreaction to a negative experience at some point.

For instance, if a speaker starts a speech with a joke and it bombs, it is difficult to recover. Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that many jokes are pretty off-color or inappropriate. One of our professional presentation coaches also teaches people how to do Comedy Improv. He mentioned to me that a major factor in whether a joke is funny or a flop is timing. As a result, I suspect that many presentation coaches discourage jokes because it is difficult to teach timing.

Whatever the case, I’d wager that every single professional keynote speaker has at least one joke in their keynote speeches somewhere. So eliminating jokes from your presentations entirely is probably a bad idea.

The Difference Between a Joke and Just a Funny Story.

If you look at the definition of a joke, according to www.dictionary.com , a joke is…

A thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.

So, according to these great public speaking coaches, a funny story or funny anecdote is okay, but a “story with a funny punchline” is not okay? Huh? That doesn’t make any sense.

In my experience, there is absolutely no difference between a joke and a funny story. The only exception is if you insert a joke that has absolutely nothing to do with your presentation. Often, this type of forced delivery can backfire on you. Your jokes need to be appropriate to the point that you are making. In addition, you will want to practice them over and over so that you have them down cold. A poorly delivered joke (or funny story) can be very challenging to overcome.

Make Your Point with Humor

One of my first big clients, Ron, was the manager of a truck dealership in Ft Worth. Ron was famous (maybe infamous) for starting every meeting with a corny joke. Every week, before he or his managers discussed any business, he’d start the meeting with something corny. Everyone would both laugh and somewhat cringe at the same time. It became part of the culture. (By the way, it really worked. Folks loved to come to his meetings.) Ron was a virtual encyclopedia of clean, corny jokes.

For Ron, this technique worked really well. However, I don’t encourage people to do this. I doubt that I would as successful with the technique if I used it. For most speakers, using your funny stories as a way to add showmanship to the point that you are making works much better.

The following techniques will give you much better results:

Tell a Self-Deprecating Story about How You Screwed Up.

Find a funny joke that reinforces your bullet point..

• Add a Funny Analogy.

As you go through your list of main bullet points to cover in your speech, try this. Ask yourself, “Have I ever had an experience, related to this point, where I totally screwed up?” You will be surprised at how often a funny incident will pop into your head. Keep in mind that sometimes, these incidents seem horrifying to us. However, when we tell the stories to others, they have a high potential for humor.

For instance, I often start my presentation classes by telling the audience about a huge failure I had as a speaker. When I experienced this failure, it was not funny. It was actually, probably quite sad. However, when I relay the story now, even I get a chuckle out of it. In the story, I prepared a 15-minute speech. I practiced over and over. When I delivered it, though, I spoke really fast. So, I finished in less than four minutes. After I said my last sentence, I looked around the room at all of the confused faces. Panic sat in. Having nothing more to say, I just abruptly returned to my seat and sat down. Glancing around the table, I noticed that the entire room was still staring at me. They all still had confused looks on their faces as well. It was quite awkward.

Self-deprecating humor is almost always the best (and easiest) type of humor to add to a presentation. The easiest way to make an embarrassing story funny is to exaggerate what happened.

Google the word “joke” followed by the main idea in your bullet point. For example, I was recently writing a speech on how to improve listening skills in the office. I typed “joke listening” into Google, and I got the following ideas.

• Recently, my wife asked me, “Are you even listening to me?” I thought that was a really weird way to start a conversation.
• Job interviewer: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” “I’d say my biggest weakness is listening.”
• “You know it is times like these when I wished I had listened to what my mom told me.” “Really? What she say?” “I don’t know. I wasn’t listening.”

Any of these can, with a little creativity, be tied into the point that I’m making.

For instance, I could start with the phrase, “The third listening level is what we call ‘Selective Listening.’ That reminds me of a conversation my wife and I had recently. She heatedly asked me, ‘Are you even listening to me?!” I thought, “That is a strange way to start a conversation.'”

This technique takes a little timing and practice, but it can pay off in a positive way.

Add a Funny Analogy to Add Humor to Your Speech.

I use analogies a lot in my presentations. An analogy is basically making a comparison of something you are trying to explain with something more commonplace. What makes these fun and funny is when you compare things that absolutely and totally unrelated.

For instance, a young lady who was a technician at an electric company came through my class a few weeks ago. Her presentation was about new software that would help their sales reps find prospective customers better. She started the explanation by saying the following:

“When you think of good combinations you think of things like peanut butter and jelly or salt and pepper. You don’t really think about things like salad and ketchup. That is a bad match. So when the program analyzes a potential client and sees a manufacturing company, it identifies that potential client as a ‘peanut butter and jelly’ type prospect. However, with a small retail company that uses very little electricity, that would be more of a ‘ketchup and salad’ combo.”

What made the delivery funny was that she used this bad combination expression a few times, and every time that she did, she got a bigger laugh. The audience eventually started identifying whether the match was peanut butter and jelly or salad and ketchup.

The humor worked because she picked an absurd combination with ketchup and salad, and the food items have absolutely nothing to do with electricity consumption. The great news about analogies is that even if they don’t get a laugh, they still work well as showmanship.

Add Colloquialism’s to Your Speech

Being from Texas, this is one of my favorite techniques. Dr. Phil, the blunt psychologist who became famous on the Oprah Winfrey show is the king of these. His down-home speech allowed people to laugh and lower their defenses. Mark Twain was also famous for this. The folksy sayings in

• Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn made those books very popular.

Type “[Your State or Region] colloquialism” into Google, and you will find funny sayings unique to your area. I did this with Texas, and I got a list of “Texas Sayings”. My favorite was “He’s all hat and no cattle.” I tried it again for “Southern colloquialism” and I got, “That’s a hard dog to keep on the porch” and “He’s happier than a tick on a fat dog.”

This technique is harder to pull off, but if you do, you can have your audience rolling in the aisle.

Just remember to make your presentations fun. Add humor to your speech, and you will easily do this.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

414 Funny and Humorous Speech Topics [Persuasive, Informative, Impromptu]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Funny and humorous speech topics –  for anyone who wants to talk about silly foolish, casual odd, infrequent rare, bizarre weird, aberrant uncommon, strange or crazy fun subjects. Modify the onliners for the best tailormade results of course!

In this article:

Informative

List of funny and humorous speech topics.

• Boys gossip more than girls do.
• Should Trix stop its discrimination and make them for everyone?
• Blame your horoscope for why things went wrong
• Why you should never take on a food challenge
• Breakup insurance policy should be invented
• Which came first: the chicken or the egg?
• Why men shouldn’t wear skinny jeans
• Vegetables have feelings – stop carrot cruelty
• Camping: the fun and the not so fun
• Why kids should make jokes in class
• Why lying well can be helpful
• Why I should marry Cameron Diaz
• When nothing goes left, go right
• Grown-ups are weird species
• Blame your dog for things
• Why getting lost is the best advice someone could give you
• The reason grass appears greener on the other side is because it is probably fake.
• In order to become old and wise, you must first be young and stupid.
• Yes, you should write that down, because you will forget.
• We can lie but our facial expressions can’t.
• Life should come with background music.
• Chocolate never asks stupid questions.
• Sometimes when you need expert advice you should just have a chat with yourself.
• In order to understand what life is all about you should hang out with a three year old.
• The most dangerous animal out there is a silent woman.
• We don’t mean to interrupt people’s conversations, it’s just that we remember random things and get really excited.
• Wouldn’t it be great to have a six-month vacation twice a year?
• Nothing sucks more than when you are in the middle of an argument and realize that you are wrong.
• When you get older you will regret not taking all those naps as a child.
• I sometimes feel that the internet could do with a sarcasm font.
• Some of the bad decisions are necessary so you can have great stories to tell.
• Sometimes you will need to keep a contact number on your phone so that you can avoid their nuisance calls.
• How many times is it appropriate to say “excuse me”, before you give up and nod instead?
• A woman’s “I will be ready in 5 minutes” is the same as a man’s “I will be home in 5 minutes”.
• “We will see” means it’s probably not going to happen.
• Adults these days can barely do Math without using a calculator but are always claiming to have X amount of problems.
• Being an adult is not an easy task.
• Life feels very much like a test I didn’t study for.
• You are not weird; you are just a limited edition.
• There is no need to sugar coat everything, we can’t all be Willy Wonka.
• Not everyone will like you and that is okay because not everyone has good taste.
• Most people make mistakes five or six times, just to be sure.
• Be happy, it drives people crazy!
• Before you marry someone you should see how they react to slow internet.
• Alcohol clearly increases the size of the send button.
• We all need a day in which we can be just as useless as the ‘g’ in lasagne.
• Those who say they slept like a baby have obviously never had a baby.
• No, underarm farts are not an impressive party trick.
• Why do we panic when our phones fall but laugh when our friends do?
• Why do we remember all the things we forgot to do once we are in bed?
• Stop telling people that your baby is 28 months old!
• Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life.
• Why people calculate how many hours of sleep they will get.
• What is it with men and remote control buttons?
• Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.
• It is probably wise to keep your Mom off of Facebook.
• Clowns are scary and this is why.
• The true list of Christmas gifts I would like to give my family.
• Why Mondays should be banned.
• It is not okay to be 30 and still live with your parents.
• Men gossip more than women.
• Stop bragging about being at the gym – nobody cares!
• We can lie to the world, but not to ourselves.
• You should never start your diet on a Monday.
• By plans I mean I want to stay home and watch Netflix.
• Why you should smile and wave when someone insults you.
• If you are going to be two-faced at least make one of them pretty.
• Some people truly believe that they know everything, do they think their name is google?
• I wish the world would shock me by saying something intelligent.
• Women shouldn’t treat their faces like a colouring book.
• Some people are so fake, that Barbie is starting to get jealous.
• You are always entitled to your own incorrect opinion.
• Do people expect us to take notes when they tell us what to do?
• Just because it fits it doesn’t mean that it actually fits.
• It’s okay, you can explain yourself out of compromising positions.
• Auto correct could ruin your life.
• Some people are all bark but no bite.
• Why read the book when you can just watch the movie?
• Growing old is mandatory but growing up is completely optional.
• Money does talk and it usually likes to say ‘bye-bye’.
• The good news is that if today is the worst day of your life, then you know that tomorrow will be better.
• Some of the best people out there are crazy.
• Common sense is a flower that does not grow in everyone’s garden.
• Sometimes you just need to take a nap and get over it.
• Daddy is the boss until Mommy gets home.
• To avoid trouble, you must always cut a toddler’s sandwich in the correct shape.
• People often lie on a first date so that they can secure the second one.
• Why wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.
• Yes, actually you can have your cake and eat it too!
• You should never be the party pooper.
• Disney movies are great until they all start singing.
• “Too busy” is just a myth.
• Teenagers need to remember that not that long ago they use to beg their mothers to watch them poop.
• Wouldn’t it be great if when we took a long nap people would be proud of us like they are when kids do?
• You know it is going to be a long day when your partner is upset about something you did in their dream.
• Sometimes our greatest accomplishment is to just keep quiet.
• Why Math feels like Mental Abuse To Humans.
• You need to marry the person who gives you the same feeling you get when you see food coming at a restaurant.
• Touch a pregnant belly at your own risk.
• If you mess with the bull you will get the horns.
• Why exactly did ‘that’s cool’ become ‘that’s hot’?
• People must stop randomly using the word ‘random’ for everything.
• How not wearing any makeup makes people think you are sick these days.
• LOL is usually what people reply with when they have nothing else to say.
• Why exactly is it called a crush?
• If Cinderella’s shoe fit perfectly in the end, why did it fall off in the first place?
• The only reason why we should want to go back in time is to repeat the fun parts.
• When we start to question if a word even exists.
• Before Facebook I had a life.
• Smile while you still have teeth.
• Why laughter is the best medicine.
• Three reasons why … (fill in your favorite cheerleader team here) will win the Superbowl this year.
• Fainting for high school is pretty common and often not a sign of something serious.
• Why rose is the best flowers’ fragrance many women like.
• Girls under 12 should not be allowed to wear makeup.
• Wendy’s / Burger King / McDonald’s (choose your fast food restaurant) has the best service and consumer complaint codes of conduct.
• My favorite Agent 007 James Bond is … (fill in the actor / actress of your choice here. Or do choose another movie hero for alternative humorous persuasive speech topics)
• Design your own How Cool Are You test and persuade your audience to take it.
• Seven signs that she is a real bitch type, and ways how to handle her.
• Five requirements to be called a bestie by girlfriends.
• Three symptoms that show you are definitely addicted to online quizzes.
• Fingerprints are unique for every human.
• Diet or regular drinks: it doesn’t matter at all what you drink.
• We should adapt the Chinese Calender / National Calendar of India.
• We should print small fun items on our coins that symbolizes our nation.
• What you should wear / not wear when giving a prom speech.
• Presidential running mates are politicians who were not able to reach the top themselves.
• How to get – more – Valentine Day cards next year.
• Nomen est omen (latin for name is omen) occurs more often than you think.
• Kung fu training skills should be mandatory for college and high school sports girls and women teachers.
• Vampires and ghosts are only historical legend figures, nevertheless they have much impact on our society when it comes to superstition.
• Thirteen is a lucky number.
• Why there are so many kangaroo, wombats, sheep and koalas in Australia.
• Why Rumpulstilskin is my favorite fairy tale.
• People prefer a clean shaven face instead of a beard or mustache.
• Dating someone who is much older than you are is the only way to date.
• Love at first sight really does exist.
• Lady Gaga has beaten Britney Spears.
• Men like action and women like romantic movies.
• Boyfriends must act romantic.
• (fill in the title of the song of your choice) is the funniest song ever.
• The Human cannonball stunt should be an entertainment event at our next campus event.
• Jay Leno is funny because he has good joke writers.
• Having a third arm is better than a third leg.
• Leather belts with a large buckle look good on guys.
• Experiencing the thrill of a Space Shuttle trip is too expensive.
• Why it’s a good idea to always google a person before you meet her or him for the first time.
• Ten ways to use Twitter with fun public speaking purposes in a maximum of 140 characters.
• Why many students rather text a friend than call her/him.
• Bingo competitions keep grandmas off the streets.
• Don’t take life too seriously – and yourself 🙂
• How to get rid of boring blind dates.
• Blaming your dog for everything that goes wrong is an old way-out.
• 99% percent of the blonds are not stupid at all.
• How to annoy the passenger next to you on a flight.
• The beneficial effects of smoking.
• Some phrases you use to be funny but actually turn out to be boring.
• Jerry Springer ruined America
• Dessert should always be served before dinner
• Golf and Poker: Two things that should never be televised
• Personal things you should always keep to yourself
• Department stores shouldn’t be allowed to sell ugly clothing
• Why you should leave the marriage counseling tips to the marriage counselors
• Facebook is ruining lives every day
• Why the perfect husband just doesn’t exist
• Pigs have better manners than most men
• Rain: It really does have a smell
• Women are much better at handling pain than men
• Why famous people must have a crew of makeup artists and hair stylists following them around all day
• Why Subway is a total rip off
• Totally useless professions
• If only men spent as much time working on their relationships as they do focusing on sports
• Parent fails
• Why everyone wants a pet monkey
• What happens in high school doesn’t really matter all that much

Once you have chosen a topic, you will need to compose the speech structure. This sample of outline will help you getting started. The example topic is: “How to convince the teacher that a household pet ate your homework.”

Start the talk by introducing yourself. For example, “Good Morning, my name is ____.” Then, go for the “gold.” Hit the audience with a statement or question that will grab their attention immediately. Another example: “Who remembers using the excuse that my dog ate my term paper?”

The body of the speech: Three points Hopefully, with the audience waiting with baited breath, the time is ripe to hit them with three good reasons for them to listen to, and agree with, what is being said.

Can We Write Your Speech?

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• Your sister’s pet hamster died, and she needed a small piece of paper to wrap the body in and used your homework paper.
• Your brother was making bedding for his pet gerbil and ran out of newspaper to cut into strips and used your term paper instead.
• Your new dog has been trained to pee on newspaper on the floor, and your homework papers had slipped off the kitchen counter, and, well….

Closing argument More than three points can be made, if indicated. But at least three points should always be used. To close your argument, summarize and end with a strong reason why the audience should agree with you. For example, “With the number and variety of pets available today, one does not have to use the family dog all the time as an excuse for not doing one’s homework.”

Reverse thinking and applying jokes are possible instruments for inventing lots of amusing and droll funny topic for persuasive speech tips and more expanded funny different from standard or daily norm hints and clues for rationalistic speeches.

• How to make fun every day in life.
• The unusual and abnormal working of Murphy’s Law – if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong.
• Chasing idle dreams is a good habit.
• Unexpected disasters that can happen.
• Absurd and laughable job applicant stories.
• How I choose friends far away and maintain those relationships.
• People with mediocre talents have success and high talented people haven’t.
• Why my – any funny speech topics – looks cooler than the… of my neighbour.
• Rare speed limits and the reasons why.
• When I resign, I will …
• My fantasy jokes and humor multiplier x factor
• My motto: I’m flexible by indecision.
• Ways to remember birthdays on the presents you got.
• For her / him who doesn’t have to do it, nothing is impossible.
• How to give your dog or cat a pill.
• Why men are proud of themselves.
• How to cheat poker the nice way.
• Why I don’t want to be a millionaire.
• Eating flowers is possible.
• How to determine you are addicted to the Internet.
• Wine / beer / cocktail of the month.
• How to be a charming host at any event.
• Demonstrate tasting wine in a waggish way.
• If I was my boss, then …
• Happy puppies make humans happy.
• How to deny reality.
• Ten fun things to do during exams.
• Urban running acrobatics.
• 10 ways to order pizzas and make the Italian food restaurant owner crazy.
• Your guides to life are angels.
• How to throw a paper airplane in class.
• Ten things you’ve learned from your pet.
• Personal bloopers are great funny topics for a speech.
• My most profitable mistake.
• Funny computer terms and phrases.
• What women really say when they talk to men.
• Answers on the meaning of life.
• Funny holidays in other countries.
• How foreigners must sound when speaking to natives in their language
• Card games that hardly require any skill
• What my dog would tell me if he could talk
• What the popular kids are like 15 years after graduation
• Words that are hard to say while drunk
• The best cures for a hangover
• The truth about bromance
• Where did swear words come from?
• If our children had to deal with the computers we had back in the day…
• The worst nicknames you’ve been given
• A time when you were glad you were you
• The male brain vs. the female brain
• What to do if you’re being hit on by a complete weirdo
• The advantages of being a woman
• The advantages of being a man
• The things women go through just to look pretty
• If men had a menstrual cycle
• Does anyone ever clean public restrooms?
• How one dog had 101 Dalmatian puppies
• How to create a new word that other people will actually use
• How to boil water
• How to get fired in less than 24 hours
• How to create monsters out of your children
• How to train your cat to be like a dog
• How to be remembered in high school
• How to make lemonade out of lemons (figuratively)
• The art of pretending to listen when your spouse is talking
• If women had mute buttons
• If men were more emotional than women
• Why babies act very similar to drunk adults
• What to do if you burn the turkey at Thanksgiving
• The ugliest fashions of today
• The newest slang terms and what they really mean
• What men really think about women
• What women really think about men
• My worst road rage stories
• PMS: Because men have it too
• The dumbest thing I ever did while drunk
• As a kid, I thought I knew it all. Boy, was I wrong
• A day at Spencer’s
• So, what do people really think when they see your 1,001 selfies?
• Best pranks to use on your spouse
• Why kids are lucky they are cute
• The best and only way to make your kids leave you alone
• Why I could never be a doctor
• When baby is left with dad all day…
• How incompetent people manage to make it through the day
• Review the challenge to find mentally strange funny speech topics in 24 hours.
• Women marry much younger men.
• Bare funny facts about men.
• Funny facts about women.
• Rules men wish women knew.
• How to become a rat and make a fortune.
• Funny first date experiences.
• A true story that ain’t be true in the end …
• Unusual incidents.
• Helpful pinball strategies.
• Reveal the real names of celebrities.
• Extreme golf courses around the world.
• How to cope with a Feng Shui consultant.
• Hidden subliminal messages in songs.
• Funny names, name meaning or nomen est omen.
• Top 5 most stupid questions and answers.
• Clean jokes that are safe for the whole family.
• Optical illusions in art, also called trompe-loeil.
• Fun houseplants in your home.
• How to decorate a really weird Thanksgiving table.
• Time capsules you like to find.
• How to discover who send you a Valentine card.
• Moving Christmas lights that drive your neighbours crazy.
• Criteria for a childproof X-mas tree.
• How to attract hundreds of birds in record time.
• Unique nativity scene figures.
• Strange New Year resolutions.
• Cliches, figures and any text to speech that should be banned.
• What dreams mean.
• What to do on a desert island.
• Top 5 bad business slogans.
• What I like to invent for mankind.
• How to pretend to be a good international exchange student.
• What to write in a message in a bottle if you’re trapped on an island.
• Things to do in a traffic jam.
• Kids should get more pocket money.
• What do I have to do to receive free chicken?
• Imagine your life as a grandpa / grandma
• How to be lazy like a pro
• What teachers do when they’re not teaching
• Ten ways to annoy your parents
• Being the oldest/youngest sibling
• How to feed your dog your homework
• If video game characters were real
• Why did the duck cross the road?
• How to looks smarter than you are
• A narrow escape from trouble
• It was an unusual friendship
• Eating things you don’t like
• Fear of 12th grade
• Getting water from a rock
• Zombie protection
• 20 weird-sounding words and what they mean
• The worst holiday ever
• If you ruled the world
• Fun with super glue
• How to catch a cold
• Short girl problems.
• I am not anti-social, I am just selectively social.
• Things only people that wear glasses can relate to.
• How not to get a date.
• What not to say on a first date.
• A snoring partner costs you a few years of sleep in a lifetime.
• What we can learn from animals when they are looking for food.
• Why people look like their dogs.
• Three ways to write the best gift card for birthday parties.
• Five ways to keep going a boring conversation at a cocktail party.
• How to act like you are an earth-friendly person.
• Tricks to remember names when you forget them all the time.
• Ways to live on the cheap spending as little money as you can.
• How to drive unwanted visitors crazy by painting a psychedelic wall mural.
• Women want bright-colored, funny and worthless goodies as a gift.
• Do’s and don’ts when visiting a new mother and her little newborn crying out loud baby.
• Being rude is the only way to get off telemarketers.
• Tips to take toll high ways or bridges without paying a penny.
• Let others pay your holiday trips with the perfect collect call strategy.
• Decorating your college apartment with a low budget according to the latest furniture fashion trends.
• How to handle well-meaning people you do not like and try to avoid by all means.
• Effective optical cleaning methods for your home shortly before your parents arrive.
• The ten commandments in a restaurant boys and girls room.
• How to drive the baby-sitter crazy in one hour.
• Tips for choosing a practical lunch box, and above all a cool one.
• Behaving requirements in a chique restaurant when having a dinner with your parents.
• Ways to re-use stickers that are not sticky anymore.
• Odd shaped ice cubes in a snap in the coller fridge at home.
• Three fun games to play at beach without a ball.
• Sleeping a night in the backyard with a friend.
• The funniest amusement parks you have been in your life.
• How to design your own personal placemat.
• How to be the perfect gentleman or lady.
• 10 things you better not say in court.
• Fun things to do on the first day of class or the last day of the high school season.
• Words that are hard to say when you’re drunk.
• The advantages women think of being a man.
• Humorous names you can laugh about.
• Why women say they hate sports.
• The 3 biggest lies on the work floor.
• New York City driving rules explained.
• Inappropriate Christmas gifts.
• 10 ways to irritate a telemarketer.
• What are the signs you have had enough to drink.
• 10 ways to freak out your roommate with special dorm room supplies.
• How to train a cat, or dog or other pet to show fun tricks.
• How to make pictures of a new puppy.
• Why nerds rule our society and not creative artists.
• Why you shouldn’t give marriage advice or marriage counseling tips.
• How to reach your goals with humor.
• The story of the perfect husband.
• Gift wrapping tips for men.
• How to prepare fancy meals using only frozen dinners
• Why men are so terrible at wrapping gifts
• If you want to know the truth about yourself, have a kid
• Why Donald Trump doesn’t invest more money into his hair
• Funny things kids say  that adults couldn’t get away with saying
• The dumbest things American criminals have done
• Topics that aren’t meant to be discussed in public
• My guiltiest pleasures revealed
• Things you shouldn’t say while on a date
• How to confuse a telemarketer
• Things no one really knows how to do/say
• If I ever met Will Ferrell
• The dumb things my cat/dog/pet does almost daily
• How to pull off taking a “sick day” after your sports team loses miserably
• The meaning behind some nursery rhymes
• The dumbest thing I’ve ever done
• The cool way to clean up doggy doo-doo
• My thoughts about Napoleon Dynamite
• How to find the penny your baby just swallowed
• The weirdest names celebrity parents have given their children
• Why you should never call the number on the bathroom stall
• The most embarrassing thing I ever wore
• What to do if your blind date is a horrible failure
• Surefire ways to get out of a speeding ticket
• The difference between Taylor Swift and Kanye West

Many writers have joked about speaking without a script in front of groups or answering questions without any preparation. They are right.

Think about it: when your professor asks you to  prepare  an impromptu; well, it seems to be a contradictio in terminis, a funny contrast in terms.

More than you presume. Why don’t you study these task verbs and prepare yourself better than the rest in your class? In general, the more convincing and relaxed a motivational speaker performs without a text to speech, the more she or he has anticipated at home. And that’s often the case.

• Analyse –> Examine closely pros and cons of dating by means of a sugar daddy website. Do write with humor, otherwise choose other good funny impromptu speech topics.
• Argue –> Provide evidence that something is in and not out in fashion.
• Assess –> Determine the value of a Moon property certificate. Yes, they really exist in the real and also virtual world. And people tend to pay for it too 🙂
• Compare –> Discuss the quality of a being humble instead of yelling a way through life.
• Contrast –> Differences between women and men in dating habits.
• Criticize –> Judge the daily television weather forecast.
• Define –> Make clear what The Meaning of Life is, according to Monty Python Brian in the movie The Holy Grail.
• Describe –> List the do’s and don’ts for a man during a romantic dinner for two.
• Discuss –> The against of a fantasy resume at LinkedIn.
• Enumerate –> Present the steps to simple life.
• Evaluate –> The usefulness of uselessness homework assignments. One of the favorite persuasive speech topics of my daughter 🙂
• Explain –> Make clear why we do fart, and why it’s healthy.
• Illustrate –> What does illustrate mean in the context of a funny impromptu speech topics assignment?
• Interpret –> The value of horse racing stats for gamblers.
• Justify –> The end justify the means no matter how unethical or immoral, ahum 🙂
• Outline –> How to make a funny cartoon character of your professor or public speaking instructor step-by-step.
• Prove –> Inventing a time machine is possible …
• Review –> Describe critically a hangover the day after you had a party.
• Summarize –> Principles of funny tv advertising commercials.
• Trace –> The effective step-by-step method to make studying a bit more fun.

104 Environmental Speech Topics [Persuasive, Informative]

10 Salutatorian Speech Ideas Multi-Functional

23 thoughts on “414 Funny and Humorous Speech Topics [Persuasive, Informative, Impromptu]”

Just blame the youngest

Tall girl Problems

Why road trips are better with boy and not girls

troubles of being the youngest sibling/child!

Trouble being the oldest sibling/having a younger one

why you should do zumba with morgan from morgans zumba fittness ( MZF )

how covid-19 affected the world

Adults don’t understand kids

Why you should read those emails from your royal Nigerian Prince!

What if all the conspiracy theories that many people believed in were actually true

Why kids should go to boarding school

How can you hear yourself think?

Why 2020’s official flag should be a mask

The troubles of high school : should we care?

Thes are great topics who wrote them

The Friday the 13th theory.

i have a great speech thanks to you and i know heaps others that have them to so tthank you

things I don’t understand

OMG THANKS I NOW I HAVE SPEECH THATS DUE TOMMOROW AND I HAVE IDEAS THANKS TO YOU LIFE SAVERS!!!!! 🙂

What you would do if your best friend committed a crime.

Why we procrastinate and make things harder for ourselves.

why taylor swift is the music industry

nomen est omen is not-

nomen means name est means is omen means sign

((i’m a latin student))

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• Press & Media

4 ways you can write jokes about a serious topic!

by jmcinnis | Jun 1, 2010 | A. Humor Writing , B. Research Techniques , C. Humor Delivery , D. Appropriate Humor , Workplace Humor | 0 comments

I hiked Havasui Falls in AZ. . .and swam in the Falls!

This past weekend someone told me that his wife would never put jokes into her speeches at work because her topic is tooooo serious – I think it was like a food stamp program or something. Well certainly you can’t make fun OF the people on food stamps, but you can still include humor in your speech. Here’s a couple of ways you can match serious topics with hilarity. . .

The environment . Add humor by joking about your surroundings and avoid the sensitive topic all together – whew! People think that because their topic is serious, that they can’t have any fun. Actually, they may really NEED to have some fun to take people’s minds off of it and break the ice. So have some fun with the environment. . .the environment includes everything from the room layout to the ceilings, room location, food, the room set-up, the temperature, the city it’s in, etc. . .

A consequence of the topic . Southwest Airlines has fun with one of the most serious topics on the planet. . .  airplane safety! And they do a GREAT job. One of my favorite lines, after they’ve said the safety speech that no one listened to, they end with “For those of you who listened to the safety speech, thank you. And for those of you who didn’t. . .good luck!” They give a funny consequence to not listening! So take your topic and think through scenarios and then make the connection to something that might happen. . .or just make up something outrageous that could happen as a result of your speech (In order to avoid the hassles of redeeming food stamps, we will now just make them edible!!!)

Make an analogy . I once followed a medical speaker who talked about premature babies and one that was under like 2 pounds. Well of course I can’t make fun of premature babies. . that’s serious stuff. AND the speaker wasn’t talking about them dying. . .just their weight. Sooo, since we were at a banquet with a lot of food, I did a quick analogy – “Did you hear that that baby was under 2 pounds? I think the food on my plate weighed more.”  It got a great laugh and no one was offended!

Joke about yourself . Along the lines of joking about the environment, you can also avoid the topic by making a self-deprecating joke about you and/or your difficulty with understanding the issue. . .”I stood in line 3 hours at the post office to get food stamps.” A lot of successful comedy is about making your audience feel superior, which is why making the joke be on you almost always works.

So next time you’ve got a sensitive/serious/touchy topic, don’t shut down the humor. Break the tension that’s most certainly in the room by ramping up the laughs instead!

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Funny Speech Topics to Make Your Audience Laugh

Who among us hasn’t been caught off-guard during a speech, struggling to think of something to say, grasping desperately for words to fill the silence?

Whether it’s during a school presentation, a sales pitch, or a TED talk , great public speaking relies on having interesting materials to work with — and that often involves humor. After all, nothing captures people’s attention or puts them at ease like a well-crafted joke!

Today, we’re going to help you get your creative juices flowing and make sure there’s never a dull moment in any of your speeches.

We’ve compiled some of the funniest speech topics to make your audience laugh, starting from the harmless to the outrageous. Whether you’re looking for something light and unassuming or a joke guaranteed to get a chuckle, this list has it all!

So without further ado, let’s dive right in and make sure your next talking points are both memorable and hilarious.

Quick Answer to Key Question

Some funny speech topics could include humorous takes on current events, jokes about popular celebrities, lighthearted observations, and satirical examples of everyday scenarios. The possibilities for humorous content are truly endless – use your imagination to come up with something unique!

What is a Funny Speech?

A funny speech is a lighthearted presentation that focuses on making the audience laugh. It can be delivered as either an informative, persuasive, or entertaining talk, with humorous remarks and jokes to recognize the comic elements in life.

To this end, it often features playful humor, irony, exaggeration, and even farce , but within an appropriate context. As such, funny speeches can help break up tension and serve as a refreshing break from more serious topics .

However, there are drawbacks to using humor in public speaking. First of all, being funny can be difficult, so speakers must cultivate their natural wit and observe trends and topics that may lead to amusing content.

Additionally, though an audience may seem receptive to lightheartedness upfront, it could become easily offended if jokes cross lines of decency. As such, a speaker must judge the energy of the room and deliver material that will evoke laughter without overwhelming their listeners’ sense of propriety.

Ultimately, presenting a funny speech requires finesse and skill. But when done successfully, it can create lasting memories for both speaker and audience alike. With these considerations in mind, let us now transition into the next section which explores ideas for humorous speech topics.

Ideas for Humorous Speech Topics

Humorous speech topics can be great ice breakers at an event or just an entertaining way to pass the time. Whether you are giving a speech in front of your peers or random strangers, you will want to come up with material that is witty, entertaining, and guaranteed to get a laugh or two. Here are some ideas for humorous topics to consider: 1. Discuss why cats are smarter than dogs 2. Compare life before and after cell phones3. Debate whether cake or ice cream is better 4. Talk about the pros and cons of going to bed late versus getting up early 5. Examine the ridiculousness of certain trends 6. Discuss why people overreact when a mistake is made 7. Share your thoughts about extreme diets 8. Laugh about the difficulty of parallel parking 9. Analyze why some people rebel against instructions 10. Debate which reality TV show is the most absurd No matter which topic you choose to discuss, make sure to focus on enjoying yourself and showcasing your humorous side.

While it’s important to focus on making others laugh, it is also essential that you have fun along with them, as this will help create a more authentic and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone in attendance. Now that you have some ideas for humorous speech topics, let’s move on to discussing events.

Talking About Events

Talking about events often brings out the most laughter in an audience.

Whether it’s discussing a current hot button issue or rehashing a comical blunder that happened to a friend, addressing funny topics related to events can be endlessly entertaining.

Though there are some topics that might be deemed too sensitive to address, such as politics or religious issues , many current and past events offer plenty of moments that make for interesting storytelling opportunities.

For example, humorous angles on the latest celebrity news or an analysis behind why sports teams make questionable decisions can be met with laughter and applause.

Similarly, gossiping about relationships or peculiar situations among friends provides plenty of material for comedic discourse. As long as a speaker is able to keep their dialogue respectful, making light of recent happenings often serves as great source material for humor.

That being said, even if the topic being addressed is objectively lighthearted, being mindful of how sensitive it may come off to some members of the audience is important.

When necessary, debaters should employ tact when approaching certain subjects and always strive to treat any individuals involved with respect in their presentations.

Kept within healthy limits, talking about events can be quite amusing and engaging – it can bring out not only laughter but positive conversations between family, friends and participants alike.

Leading into the next section now: Personal topics also provide an abundance of funny speech topics that will surely strike a chord with any group.

Personal Topics

When it comes to comedy, the personal touch can make all the difference. Taking your speech topic from something close to home such as family, work or hobbies can often result in an entertaining and relatable topic.

Whether you choose to do a light-hearted take on a serious issue or bravely share some embarrassing stories, there’s sure to be something funny within your own experience.

For instance, exploring the “family dynamic” is often a great place to start. Even in the tightest of families, the occasional funny moment can emerge. Tell a story about an occasion where everyone was struggling to act their best and you had a laugh at their expense.

Or explore how certain family members are always found in the center of attention (even if they don’t intend to be). If done in good taste and with respect, poking fun at your family can result in some sincere laughs from both yourself and your audience.

These topics provide an opportunity for self-deprecating humor and bring a unique perspective on life that others may find both humorous and intriguing.

Personal insights into everyday struggles, misunderstandings or awkward moments can lead to topics that are surprisingly relatable. You will find that what you feel is ordinary can actually be extraordinary in someone else’s eyes.

Keep in mind, though, that when taking this approach, it is important to never offend anyone with your comments or jokes. Embrace embarrassment but never belittle any individuals or groups who are part of your stories or experiences

By leaning into those funny moments – whether they involve yourself or others – they can become powerful tools that make your speech memorable and enjoyable. Now let’s move onto telling funny stories – which also has its own unique set of advantages!

Personal topics can make comedy writing unique and relatable. Telling stories involving family and funny moments can provide entertainment while being respectful. Touching on ordinary struggles and awkward situations can lead to humor while still avoiding offending anyone directly. Humorously embracing embarrassment will help make speeches memorable.

Telling Funny Stories

Telling funny stories is an effective way to make your audience laugh, as stories are usually much more relatable than jokes.

People of all ages will often enjoy hearing a clever anecdote that they can relate to or that paints a vivid picture in their mind. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when telling a funny story as part of your speech.

First, it is important to remember that time is limited. Try to select anecdotes that have a clear beginning, middle, and end that are not too long-winded or complicated. Make sure the story you choose conveys your point while making it entertaining.

One debate between comedians and public speakers is whether stories should be made up or true. On the one hand, factual stories can be full of fascinating nuances and details and may appeal to some audiences.

True stories allow you to fully describe an experience for the audience’s enjoyment or gain a better understanding of the person telling it.

On the other hand, comedic opinions often say that made-up stories can be even funnier than real events if they present a creative spin on life. Whichever route you choose, always try to turn your story into a humble brag!

No matter which type of story you tell, ensure that it fits in with your overall message, as this helps tie it together for the listener. With any luck your humor will land with the crowd and keep them engaged until you reach the conclusion.

To help prepare for delivering such an important section of your presentation, let’s move on to looking at some useful tips for Writing and Delivering a Funny Speech.

Tips for Writing and Delivering a Funny Speech

Writing and delivering a funny speech can be a rewarding experience, especially if you can make your audience roar with laughter. However, crafting an effective comedic monologue takes skill, confidence and sometimes a bit of trial and error. To help you get started, here are some tips for writing and delivering a funny speech: 1. Understand Your Audience – Study your audience to determine what kind of humor they will respond to. For example, family-friendly jokes will play better at a dinner table than a corporate conference room. Adjust your standards accordingly to ensure the best outcome. 2. Know What Not to Do – A true professional comedian knows what not to say or do during their performance. Avoid vulgar language, off-color jokes and controversial topics that may offend certain members of your audience. Also, it’s important to know how far is too far when making fun of yourself or colleagues. 3. Write Your Speech First – Write out the speech first before even attempting to deliver it in front of others. This will give you more control over the timing and pacing of key punch lines for optimum effect¹. It also eliminates any confusion about the order you want to deliver your jokes in front of an audience. 4. Rehearse – Even if you have written the speech beforehand, practice multiple times until you are comfortable delivering it in public or private settings. Know which visual aids (if any) will engage your audience during key points in the speech. 5. Have Fun – When delivering a funny speech, don’t take yourself too seriously! Relax, have fun and let your personality shine through while you tell your story or jokes³. Then enjoy the applause after each punch line lands! Ultimately, writing and delivering a funny speech requires knowledge, skill and dedication—but done right, it can be very rewarding! Now let’s move on to addressing how we can use humor appropriately in our speeches…

Use Humor Appropriately

When giving a speech, it is important to use humor appropriately. Too much humor can actually dilute the impact of an otherwise persuasive message.

Adding bits of humor throughout the presentation will keep an audience engaged and help make your points easier to remember. But if you attempt too many jokes during your speech, it can be distracting for listeners and actually work against your intended message.

Adopting a humorous persona or mocking people who disagree with you can be dangerous because members of your audience may take offense. It is recommended to base humor on personal experiences or stories that you know your audience can relate to in order to ensure the best response.

Likewise, comedian Jerry Seinfeld suggests avoiding overt political material in your speech–which should come as no surprise considering how polarizing politics has become these days.

Overall, it is important to strike the right balance when adding humor to a speech. Humor should be used sparingly and should stay away from controversial topics unless done skillfully; otherwise, it can backfire instead of unifying your audience or making a strong point. With this in mind, let’s look at some examples of humorous speech topics next.

Examples of Humorous Speech Topics

When it comes to funny speeches, it’s important to find a topic that resonates with your audience. If you can make an audience laugh, the speech will be remembered for years to come. While humor may differ from culture to culture, there are some topics that remain universally funny. Here are a few examples: • The Pros and Cons of Dating an Alien • How to Create an App That Makes Doing Laundry Easier • A Practical Guide To Quitting Your Job and Becoming an Astronaut • Surviving a Zombie Invasion Without Looking Too Silly • How To Be The Life Of Any Party By Creating Inventive Dances • A Tour Of Local Haunted Locations These humorous speech topics could also be used as the basis for some light-hearted debate, offering the opportunity to explore both sides of a comedic argument. Ultimately, with each topic, the possibilities and potentials of making a crowd laugh are endless!

It is clear from looking at the speech topics discussed in this article that humor can be found everywhere and used in a variety of forms. A funny speech does not have to contain jokes or stand up comedy, but can simply use wit, wordplay and well-timed delivery to draw attention and elicit laughter from an audience.

When preparing a funny speech, it is important to consider the topic carefully and ensure that it is appropriate for the context. Some people may find certain topics offensive or inappropriate depending on their preferences, so these should be avoided when giving a humorous speech.

The topics presented in this article cover a wide range of perspectives and provide ample opportunity for crafting an entertaining and memorable speech. If crafting your own material is not something you feel comfortable with, there are many sources available on the internet which provide ready-made humor suitable for speeches.

Ultimately, whatever speech topic you choose, the most important thing is that it resonates with your audience and makes them laugh!

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions with Detailed Explanations

What are some tips for delivering a funny speech.

1. Start by rehearsing your speech – make sure you know it word for word and practice delivering it with the right tone of voice and body language . Rehearsing will also help you memorize what to say if you get nervous during the performance. 2. Keep your audience in mind when choosing your topic. Make jokes and references that your audience will appreciate and understand – don’t try too hard to be funny if others won’t get the joke. 3. Come up with creative ways to capture your audience’s attention from the start – tell stories, anecdotes, or jokes that pique their interest and connect to your overall message. 4. Stay away from crude humour or off-color remarks if they aren’t appropriate for the situation. Make sure whatever jokes you make are lighthearted and not offensive or hurtful to anyone in the room. 5. Have fun! If you come across as too serious or uptight, no one will laugh at your jokes. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate or bring enthusiasm when delivering your speech – it will make it much more entertaining.

What topics are suitable for a funny speech?

Some excellent topics for a funny speech include: 1. Inexplicable Mishaps – Stories about your funniest mistakes, blunders, and bumbles! 2. Unusual Occupations – Share the details of your weirdest job or wackiest hobby. 3. Unforeseen Consequences – Talk about decisions you regret and the hilarious results that followed. 4. Random Animal Facts – Insert some hilarious animal trivia from around the world into your speech. 5. Dumb Criminals – Discuss the most foolish criminals and their failed attempts at avoiding justice. 6. Childhood Memories – Recount humorous moments from your childhood to brighten the mood of your audience. 7. Bad Jokes – Use classic puns, tongue-twisters, and one-liners to get the crowd laughing. 8. Comical Slogans – Talk about corporate catchphrases that are humorous in unintended ways! 9. Upcycled Language – Create new words or tweak old ones to give them a funny spin and make people chuckle! 10. Cultural Commentaries – Discuss deficiencies and absurdities in popular culture that can spark a good laugh from your listeners!

What types of funny speeches would be suitable for different audiences?

When determining which type of funny speech would be suitable for different audiences, it’s important to consider several factors. For instance, the age, gender, interests, and background of the audience will all play a role in deciding on a topic.

For example, if your audience is mainly composed of young students or professionals in their 20s and 30s, you might want to focus on topics that are relevant to their experiences such as relationships, technology, popular culture, and current events. You could also make jokes about self-deprecating humour, sarcasm, and irony.

If the audience is made up of mostly seniors or retirees, you may want to focus on topics like nostalgia, family stories, and observations about retirement. You can use human interest stories and light-hearted anecdotes to make them laugh.

For college audiences with various backgrounds and interests, you’ll want to focus on topics such as sports rivalries, differences between generations or cultures , or even absurdist humour.

Organizing a funny speech around a common experience that everyone in the room can relate to will help ensure it resonates with the whole audience. Doing some research beforehand can provide lots of inspiration for appropriate funny speech topics that are sure to make your audience laugh!

510 Funny Speech Topics & Informative, Persuasive Ideas

• Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
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Funny speech topics revolve around entertaining themes that provoke laughter and amusement. They often include anecdotal tales, parodies, satires, and personal comic experiences that can humanize the speaker, bringing a relatable touch. Topics may range from humorous perspectives on everyday life to playful takes on societal norms, trending pop culture, or even absurd, hypothetical scenarios. Using humor, the speaker can delve into subject matters that would otherwise seem mundane or generic, transforming them into hilarious narratives or poignant commentary. The aim is to inspire laughter while creating an engaging and memorable experience for the listeners. In turn, successful funny speech topics not only tell jokes but also convey a message or a lesson wrapped in humor, making communication effective and enjoyable.

Best Fun Speech Topics

• Evolution of Animation in the 21st Century
• Impacts of Virtual Reality on Human Perception
• Dark Matter: The Unsolved Mystery of the Universe
• Astonishing Advances in Bionic Technologies
• Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known Cultures of the World
• Intriguing Intersections of Science and Religion
• Food as Art: The World of Culinary Creativity
• Influence of Hip-Hop Culture on Fashion Trends
• Polar Bears: Survival Tactics in Extreme Conditions
• Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizes Healthcare Delivery
• Comic Books: Powerful Platforms for Social Commentary
• Rise of Plant-Based Diets: Pros and Cons
• Deep-Sea Creatures and Their Bizarre Adaptations
• Space Tourism: The Dawn of a New Era
• Mysterious Phenomenon of Crop Circles Explained
• Blockchain Technology Redefines Financial Transactions
• Cryptids: Chasing Legends in Modern Folklore
• Futuristic Architecture: Innovations for Sustainable Cities
• Mind-Bending Mysteries of the Human Brain
• Walking the Tightrope: Balancing Work and Play
• Cultivating Happiness: The Science Behind Positive Psychology
• Sustainable Fashion: Revolution in the Apparel Industry
• Fascinating World of Bio-Luminescent Organisms
• Time Capsules: Messages for Future Generations
• Unraveling the Secret Language of Dolphins
• Living Off-Grid: A Lifestyle Without Technology
• Coffee Culture: Global Variations and Traditions

Easy Fun Speech Topics

• Magic of Mushrooms: Fungi’s Role in Ecosystems
• Living on Mars: Future of Space Colonization
• Influence of Memes on Popular Culture
• Color Psychology: Effects on Human Behavior
• Unheard Languages: The World’s Least Known Tongues
• Secrets of the Deep Jungle: Uncharted Wildlife
• Dream Interpretation: Unlocking the Subconscious Mind
• Insects: Underappreciated Heroes of Biodiversity
• Longevity: Unraveling the Secrets of Blue Zones
• Tea Ceremonies: Rituals Around the World
• Ghost Towns: Stories of Abandoned Places
• Pioneering Women in the Field of Science
• Resilience: Understanding Human Adaptability in Adversity
• Robotics: Future of Automation in Daily Life
• Gastronomy: The Science Behind Delicious Food
• Public Art: Catalysts for Urban Renewal
• Urban Farming: Greening the Concrete Jungle
• Wildlife Photography: Capturing Nature’s Wonders
• Augmented Reality: Changing the Face of Entertainment
• The Intriguing History of Cryptography
• Unusual Sports From Around the Globe
• Quantum Computing: The Future of Technology
• Bird Migration: A Stunning Global Journey
• Harnessing the Power of Solar Energy

Interesting Fun Speech Topics

• Demystifying the Illusion Art of Street Performers
• Life Under Ice: Exploring Antarctica’s Ecosystem
• Making Music With Unconventional Instruments
• Volcanoes: Nature’s Spectacular Fireworks
• Secret World of Spies: Espionage Through the Ages
• Tattoos: Body Art Across Cultures and Histories
• Culinary Adventures: Exotic Foods of the World
• Pyramids: The Mysteries of Ancient Architecture
• Butterflies: Nature’s Flying Masterpieces
• Bioluminescence: The Science of Living Light
• Forest Bathing: The Healing Power of Nature
• Battle of the Browsers: Evolution of Internet Surfing
• Therapeutic Effect of Pets on Human Health
• Life’s Extremities: Organisms in the Hottest and Coldest Places
• Exploring the Mysterious World of Dreams
• Impact of Social Media on Modern Politics
• The Fascinating Science of Forensics
• Space Junk: The Growing Problem Above Us
• Incredible Inventions that Changed the World
• Ice Cream: A Global Love Affair With a Cold Treat
• Unusual Pets: Exotic Animal Companions
• Nanotechnology: The Small Scale That Changes Everything
• Transforming Waste Into Art: Upcycling Innovations
• Taboos: Social Constraints and Cultural Differences

Funny Speech Topics for High School

• Secret Life of Cafeteria Food: An Investigation
• Emojis as the New Universal Language
• Why Will Robots Never Win the Comedy Club?
• Aliens Among Us: Spotting Extraterrestrial Classmates
• Prom Disasters: A Comical Analysis
• Embarrassing Incidents During Virtual Classes
• How to Survive Zombie Teachers
• Sock Puppets: A Fashion Statement?
• Homework Myths: Why Aliens Really Stole My Assignment?
• The Art of Effective Procrastination
• Toilet Paper Fashion Show: A Roll of Style
• Hilarious Truths About Being a High School Mascot
• Pranks Gone Wrong: Cautionary Tales
• The Unbelievable Adventures of My Imaginary Pet
• Gym Class Hero: A Tale of Triumphant Failure
• Bathroom Graffiti: Hidden Messages or Art Masterpieces?
• Teachers’ Lounge Secrets: A Comedic Exploration
• Navigating Hallways: An Epic Journey
• Invention Mishaps: Comical Attempts at Genius
• Epic Battle: Vending Machines vs. Students
• Uncovering the Mystery of the Lost Pens
• Bizarre Moments in High School Sports
• Lockers: A Tale of Lost and Found Treasures
• Dances With Textbooks: An Academic Ballet

Funny Speech Topics for College Students

• Misinterpretations of Common English Idioms
• Professors’ Funniest In-Class Blunders
• The Great Cafeteria Food Mystery
• Dorm Room Disasters: What Not to Do?
• Campus Squirrel Shenanigans: Stories from the Quad
• Social Media Fails: A Compilation of Epic Proportions
• Late-Night Study Sessions: The Unrevealed Truth
• Athletic Mascots: Their Untold Backstories
• College Pranks: Our Most Epic Tales
• Unusual Courses Offered at Universities
• Sporting Events: When Cheering Becomes Excessive?
• Survival Tactics for 8 AM Classes
• Craziest Things Found in Library Books
• Thriving on Instant Noodles: The Ultimate Guide
• College Students’ Most Innovative Excuses
• Unspoken Rules of Dorm Life
• Unforgettable Stories from Fraternity Parties
• Fashion Disasters: Trends That Should Not Have Happened
• Campus Statues: Their Funniest Vandalisms
• Unintentionally Hilarious Academic Papers
• Textbooks: Where to Find the Hidden Humor
• Relationship Drama: Love at the Time of Finals
• Thrift Store Treasures: Student Style Edition
• Misadventures in Public Speaking Classes
• Acquiring Cooking Skills: Tales of Trial and Error
• Overheard Conversations on Campus

Funny Speech Topics for University Students

• Professor Ratings: The Hilarious Reality
• Memorable Moments from Student Elections
• Foreign Language Class Bloopers
• Strange Traditions at Colleges Around the World
• Scavenger Hunts: Unforgettable Campus Adventures
• Intramural Sports: The Hilariously Unathletic Side
• Bizarre Local Restaurants Near Campuses
• Navigating Awkward Roommate Situations
• Unconventional Stress-Relief Tactics During Finals
• Off-Campus Housing Horrors: Lessons Learned
• Lab Experiments Gone Wrong: Science Mishaps
• Extracurricular Clubs: The Weird, the Wacky, and the Wonderful
• Parody of Famous Speeches: A Creative Interpretation
• Artistic Impressions of College Life
• Road Trips: Misadventures and Unanticipated Detours
• Best Practices for Procrastination: Tales From the Experts
• Celebrating Birthdays: The Unique College Way
• When Spell-Check Fails: Hilarious Typos in Assignments
• The Odyssey of Lost-and-Found Items
• Unusual Majors: Discovering Unique Areas of Study
• Evolution of Student Slang: A Historical Journey
• Nightmares of Online Classes: Technical Glitches and Beyond
• Trying New Sports: Hilarious Outcomes
• Coffee Addicts: Unusual Tales of Dependency

Presentation Funny Speech Topics

• The Art of Magic and Illusion
• The Power of Protest Songs in Social Movements
• Understanding the Mysteries of Black Holes
• History’s Most Famous Heists
• The Evolution of Video Games
• The Future of Drone Technology
• Mysterious World of the Giant Squid
• The Ancient Art of Storytelling
• The Unseen World of Microorganisms
• The Influence of Weather on Mood and Behavior
• The Emergence of Cryptocurrency: A New Financial Era
• Mysteries and Legends of the Bermuda Triangle
• Graffiti: A Colorful Form of Urban Expression
• The Role of Bees in the Global Ecosystem
• Treasure Hunting: Exploring the World of Metal Detecting
• The Marvelous World of Miniature Art
• Understanding Our Universe: The Role of Telescopes
• The Resurgence of Vinyl Records
• Futuristic Medicine: The Promise of Gene Therapy
• Exploring the Depths: The Art of Scuba Diving
• Cinematic Magic: Behind-the-Scenes of Filmmaking
• Salamanders: Masters of Regeneration

Argumentative Funny Speech Topics

• Penguins as Skilled Business Executives: A Chilly Proposition
• Transforming Deserts Into Giant Sandboxes: A Drought of Fun
• Banning Broccoli: A Vegetable Revolt
• Living Underwater: Mermaid Lifestyle for Humans
• Food Fights as Mediation Tactics: A Messy Resolution
• The World Dominated by Squirrels: A Nutty Hypothesis
• Mandatory Unicorn Riding Lessons in Schools: A Fantasy-Turned Reality
• Baking Cookies on Mars: A Crispy Outer Space Venture
• Allowing Toys to Vote: A Child’s Perspective
• Adopting Trolls for Bridge Security: A Mythical Proposal
• Elephants as Household Pets: The Bigger, the Better
• Turning the Moon into a Giant Billboard: An Astronomical Advertisement
• Professional Pillow Fighting: Establishing a Soft Sport
• Balloons as an Alternative Transport System: The Lighter Side of Commute
• Gummy Bears for Breakfast: A Sticky Situation
• Clouds as Cotton Candy: A Sweet Metaphor
• Appointing Dogs as Mail Carriers: A Furry Delivery
• Socks as Currency: A Footwear Revolution
• Gorillas as Gym Trainers: A Beastly Approach
• Flying Carpets for Daily Commute: A Magical Solution
• Owning a Pet Griffin: A Mythical Guide
• A World Without Mirrors: Beauty in the Unknown
• Turning Skyscrapers into Giant Slides: A Quick Descent
• Slippers as the Official Footwear: A Cozy Proposal

Persuasive Funny Speech Topics

• Ghosts as Roommates: A Spooky Co-Living
• Bubbles for Stress Relief: The Soapier, the Better
• Octopuses as Kitchen Assistants: Eight Times the Help
• Wearing Pajamas to Work: A Comfortable Transition
• Proving Pigs Can Fly: An Uplifting Analysis
• Fairies as Electricians: A Magical Power Source
• Toilet Paper as a Form of Art: A Roll in Creativity
• Using Roller Skates for Efficient Office Movement
• Wizards as School Teachers: A Magical Curriculum
• Rainbows as the New Fashion Trend: A Colorful Spin
• Dragons as Eco-Friendly Transport: A Fiery Proposition
• Building Tree Houses for Adults: A Wooden Haven
• Using Shampoo as a Drink: A Bubbly Brew
• Living in a World Ruled by Children: A Tiny Transition
• Giants as Construction Workers: A Massive Proposal
• Allowing Ice Cream for Breakfast: A Frosty Start to the Day
• Lollipops as a Solution to World Peace: A Sweet Strategy
• Cows as Lawn Mowers: An Eco-Friendly Trim
• Turning Every Day into Halloween: A Permanent Trick or Treat
• Owls as Night Watchmen: A Hoot of a Job
• Using Fairy Dust for Instant Cleaning: A Magical Solution
• Living Life According to Fortune Cookies: A Crunchy Future
• Using Dreams as Television Shows: A Surreal Entertainment
• Swapping Houses With Celebrities: A Starry Proposal

Informative Funny Speech Topics

• Amusing Evolution of Breakfast Cereal Mascots
• Unbelievable Animal Misconceptions: Debunking Fallacies
• Light-Hearted Journey through Dance Move History
• Wacky World of Pun-Infused Jokes: Linguistic Delights
• Marvelous Art of Comedic Improvisation
• Surprising Science Behind Laughter: Unveiling Mechanics
• Quirky Origins of Bizarre Phobias and Irrational Fears
• Giggle-Inducing Secrets of Memes and Internet Hilarity
• Unusual Traditions From Across the Globe: An Amusing Exploration
• Bizarre and Hilarious World of Parody Music: Weird Al Yankovic
• Entertaining Experiences With TV Sitcom Moments
• Unexpected Side of Stand-Up Comedy: Tales From the Stage
• Peculiar Habits of Eccentric Geniuses Throughout History
• Whimsical Artistry of Cartoons: Doodles to Masterpieces
• Hysterical History of Practical Jokes and Hilarious Pranks
• Curious World of Competitive Air Guitar: A Musical Farce
• Playful Science of April Fools’ Day: Deconstructing Hoaxes
• Comical Evolution of Internet Slang and Abbreviations
• Side-Splitting Stories of Famous Comedy Duos
• Hilarious Trials and Tribulations of Becoming a Stand-Up Comedian
• Witty Wonders of Satire: Journey into Irony
• Amusing Art of Nonsense Poetry: Crafting Rhymes That Baffle
• Laughable History of Ridiculous Inventions
• Silly Secrets of Clowning: Balloons, Makeup, and Slapstick
• Laugh-Out-Loud Chronicles of Classic Comedy Films

Public Funny Speech Topics

• Hilarious Insights on Parenting: Nurturing Little Laughter Machines
• The Quirks of Online Dating: Searching for Love in a Swipe-Right World
• Laughing Our Way Through Office Politics: Surviving the Cubicle Jungle
• Side-Splitting Travel Mishaps: Adventures in Lost Luggage and Missed Flights
• Comedy in the Kitchen: Mastering Culinary Catastrophes With a Smile
• Chuckles in the Classroom: How to Survive Teachers With a Sense of Humor?
• Unforgettable Wedding Disasters: I Do’s, Oops, and Hilarity Ensues
• The Ups and Downs of DIY Projects: When Your Home Improvement Dreams Become Comedy Acts?
• Roaring With Laughter: Taming Wild Pets and Their Mischievous Antics
• Laughing Out Loud at Awkward Family Gatherings: Lessons in Love and Laughter
• Finding Humor in Fitness Fails: Embracing the Gym Life With a Big Smile
• From Catwalk to Cat Fails: Unveiling the Comical Side of Fashion
• Guffaws and Gags in the Gaming World: Mastering Virtual Adventures With a Sense of Humor
• The Chronicles of Awkward Social Encounters: Turning Red Faces Into Belly Laughs
• The Comedy of First Dates: Awkward Moments, Epic Fails, and Endless Laughter
• Laughter Therapy: How Humor Can Heal and Unwind Our Daily Stress?
• Stand-Up Comedy Survival Guide: Making People Laugh Without Breaking a Sweat
• The Comedy of Technology Fails: Embracing Glitches and Technical Difficulties
• Chuckles and Chaos in Traffic Jams: The Commuter’s Guide to Keeping Sane
• The Hilarity of Pet Ownership: Furry Friends and Their Unpredictable Antics
• The Funny Side of Exercise: Turning Sweating Into Smiles
• Comedy in the Corporate World: Breaking the Ice and Building Bridges With Humor
• Navigating Awkward Conversations With Grace and Wit: Turning Tension Into Laughter
• Laughing Through Financial Woes: Finding Humor in Money Matters
• The Jokes on Us: A Light-Hearted Look at Everyday Blunders and Mistakes
• The Power of Puns: Unleashing Wordplay for Maximum Chuckles

Motivational Funny Speech Topics

• Unleashing the Hilarious Power of Positive Thinking
• Embracing Laughter: The Key to Unlocking Success
• Climbing the Humorous Mountain of Personal Growth
• Mastering the Art of Juggling Life’s Challenges
• Roaring With Confidence: The Funny Path to Self-Discovery
• Laughing Your Way to the Top: Success With a Smile
• Embracing Imperfection: Finding Joy in the Quirks
• The Comedic Journey of Overcoming Obstacles
• Hilarious Strategies for Boosting Productivity
• Sparking Creativity With a Side of Humor
• Finding Balance Through Belly-Laughter
• The Humorous Path to Self-Motivation
• Chuckles and Triumphs: Laughing Your Way to Victory
• Hurdling Barriers with a Comic Twist
• The Funny Fuel for Reaching New Heights
• Embracing Failure: The Comedic Road to Success
• The Power of Hilarity in Building Resilience
• Laughing in the Face of Fear: Conquering Challenges With Humor
• From Giggles to Greatness: Unleashing Your Full Potential
• Harnessing the Joyful Energy of Funny Inspirations
• The Laughter Workout: Flexing Funny Muscles for Success
• Poking Fun at Procrastination: Proven Techniques to Get Things Done
• Quirky Confidence: Embracing Your Unique Awesomeness
• Tickling the Funny Bone of Creativity

Demonstration Funny Speech Topics

• Unforgettable Adventures: Skydiving With a Hilarious Jester
• The Hysterical Science of Flatulence
• An Outrageous Guide to Wild Pillow Fights
• Training Your Pet Octopus to Perform a Comedic Dance Routine
• The Art of Pranking: Mastering Classic Gags and Tricks
• Laughter Therapy: The Professional Tickling Revolution
• The Epic Clash: Socks vs. Sandals Showdown
• Conversing With Inanimate Objects: The Absurdity Unveiled
• Finding Humor in Unconventional Sports: The Comedy Olympics
• The Secret Life of Pigeons: Tales From the Avian Comedy Club
• The Great Breakfast Rebellion: Pancake Mayhem
• The Smiling Deception: Navigating Awkward Social Encounters
• Exploring the World of Corny Dad Jokes
• The Musical Bathroom: Singing Showers and Dancing Toothbrushes
• Embracing Your Inner Clown: Lessons From the Circus Academy
• Awkward Dance Moves: The Science Behind the Laughter
• The Adventures of the Superhero Sock: A One-Footed Comedy Crusade
• Animal Impersonations: Unleashing the Inner Beast
• Surviving as a Stand-Up Comedian’s Heckler: Trials and Tribulations
• The Comedy of Mistakes: Embracing Fails and Blunders
• Rubber Chicken Chronicles: A Life Less Ordinary
• Laughing at Yourself: The Unexpected Benefits
• The Mime’s Handbook: A Quirky Guide to Silence and Gestures
• Conversations With Plants: Unveiling the Botanical Comedy Scene
• The Prankster Gnome’s Unbelievable Journey
• The Science of Laughter: Making an Entire Room Snort

Humorous Speeches Ideas

• Laughing Lessons: How to Master the Art of Hilarity?
• Roaring Robots: When Artificial Intelligence Tells Jokes?
• Tummy Troubles: A Comedic Exploration of Digestive Disasters
• Hilarious Hobbies: Unconventional Pastimes for a Good Laugh
• Fumbling Fiascos: Tales of Awkward Moments and Misadventures
• Giggle Gurus: Seeking Wisdom From Professional Comedians
• Pranks and Pandemonium: Navigating the Fine Line of Practical Jokes
• Jovial Jargon: Decoding the Language of Comedy
• Comedy Cuisine: Spice Up Your Cooking With Laughter
• Witty Wonders: Unraveling the Science Behind Humor
• Tickling the Ivories: The Musical Side of Comedy
• Mischievous Memoirs: Tales of Childhood Mischief and Mayhem
• Chuckle Chronicles: Memorable Moments from Stand-Up Comedy History
• Side-Splitting Surprises: Unexpected Laughter in Everyday Life
• Hilarity on Wheels: A Humorous Journey Through Transportation Woes
• Light-Hearted Learning: Lessons in Laughter From the Classroom
• Silly Superheroes: Unveiling the Comedic Side of Caped Crusaders
• Laughing Legends: Iconic Figures Who Defined Comedy
• Giggling Geography: Discovering the Funniest Places on Earth
• Quirky Quotations: Unearthing the Wittiest Lines in Literature
• Laughable Laws: Exploring Bizarre Legalities Around the World
• Hysterical History: Forgotten Tales of Laughter From the Past
• Jokes on Screen: A Cinematic Celebration of Comedy
• Stand-Up Secrets: Behind the Scenes of a Comedian’s Routine
• Comedy and Crime: When Humor Collides With the Law?
• Hilarious Health: The Benefits of Laughter for Well-Being
• Comic Conundrums: Solving Riddles and Puzzles With Humor

Comedy Speeches

• Hilarious Adventures of a Rubber Duck
• The Absurdity of Unicycling Hippos
• Laughing Through Life’s Little Mishaps
• Peculiarities of Pogo Stick Races
• Mirthful Mayhem: Clowns vs. Monkeys
• Tickling the Funny Bone: Stand-Up Comedy Secrets
• Chuckles and Chortles: An Ode to Silly Walks
• The Unforgettable Fiasco of a Synchronized Swimming Competition
• The Quirks and Quips of a Penguin Convention
• Rib-Tickling Antics of Mischievous Kittens
• Guffaws and Giggles: Exploring the World of Prank Calls
• Comedic Capers of a Salsa-Dancing Granny
• The Hilarity of Accidental Gymnastics
• Laughing in the Rain: Umbrella Etiquette Lessons
• The Side-Splitting Saga of a Talking Parrot
• Unraveling the Wacky World of Competitive Pie Eating
• Giggle Factory: Behind the Scenes of a Comedy Club
• The Comedy of Errors in a Haunted House
• Belly Laughs and Slapstick: A Study in Physical Comedy
• The Wonders of Juggling Chainsaws (Safely, of course!)
• Hysterical High Jinks at a Toy Store
• The Hilarious Misadventures of a Bungling Magician
• Finding Humor in Traffic Jams: Car Horn Orchestra
• Quizzical Quacks: A Duckling’s Stand-Up Routine
• The Amusing Art of Balloon Animal Sculpting

Improvised Speeches

• Benefits of Engaging in Outdoor Physical Activities for Mental Well-Being
• Enhancing Creativity Through Music, Art, and Expression
• Significance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Development
• Exploring the Potential of Renewable Energy Sources for Sustainability
• Promoting Gender Equality in Educational Institutions
• The Impact of Social Media on Interpersonal Connections and Relationships
• Implementing Sustainable Practices for a Greener Future
• Embracing Cultural Diversity in a Globalized Society
• Fostering Collaborative Teamwork in the Modern Work Environment
• Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Support in Educational Settings
• Strategies for Effective Time Management in the Digital Era
• The Influence of Literature on Society and Personal Development
• Nurturing an Entrepreneurial Mindset for Innovation and Success
• The Importance of Critical Thinking in Decision-Making Processes
• Addressing Cybersecurity Threats in the Digital Age
• Strategies for Building Resilience in Times of Change and Uncertainty
• Encouraging Volunteerism and Active Community Engagement
• Promoting Financial Literacy for Personal Economic Stability
• Exploring the Potential of Virtual Reality in Enhancing Learning Experiences
• Enhancing Global Cooperation for Effective Climate Change Mitigation
• The Influence of Music on Mood Regulation and Emotional Well-Being
• Strategies for Effective Conflict Resolution in Personal and Professional Relationships
• Leveraging Technology for Inclusive and Accessible Education
• Overcoming Stereotypes and Bias for a More Inclusive Society

Parody Speeches

• Hilarious Ways to Conquer the Couch Potato Syndrome
• Whimsical Strategies for Mastering the Art of Procrastination
• Unconventional Techniques to Achieve World Peace Through Sarcasm
• Outrageously Effective Methods for Becoming an Unrivaled Internet Troll
• Amusing Secrets to Transforming Into a Highly Successful Underachiever
• Comical Approaches to Becoming a Professional Overthinker
• Ridiculous Steps to Becoming a Champion in the Sport of Napping
• Satirical Techniques for Acquiring an Advanced Degree in Procrastination
• Laughable Ways to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse (Without Breaking a Sweat)
• Absurd Strategies for Outsmarting Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life
• Hysterical Tips for Mastering the Skill of Talking Nonstop About Nothing
• Ironic Secrets to Becoming an Unstoppable Expert at Misplacing Things
• Parodic Methods for Achieving a Perfectly Mediocre Work-Life Balance
• Tongue-in-Cheek Approaches to Becoming a Social Media Influencer Overnight
• Mocking Steps for Achieving an Exemplary Level of Cluelessness
• Sarcastic Techniques for Becoming the Ultimate Pro at Avoiding Responsibilities
• Comedic Strategies for Turning a Hobby Into an Unprofitable Business
• Farce-Based Approaches for Finding Your Zen in a World Full of Chaos
• Witty Methods for Becoming a Highly Unskilled Chess Grandmaster
• Satirical Tips for Mastering the Art of Being Politically Incorrect
• Laughable Ways to Perfect the Skill of Procrastinating Procrastination
• Parodic Techniques for Becoming a Not-So-Superhero
• Mocking Steps to Attain Unparalleled Levels of Awkwardness
• Ironic Strategies for Surviving an Alien Invasion Using Only Sarcasm
• Hilarious Approaches to Becoming an Expert at Misinterpreting Instructions

Funny Short Speeches Topics

• Adventures in Sock Pairing: The Unsung Hero’s Quest
• Surviving the Grocery Store: Mission Impossible Edition
• Vegetables: Nature’s Tiny Comedians
• Life Hacks for Lazy Living: An Unmotivated Guide
• Misadventures in DIY: When Craft Projects Attack?
• Decoding Cats: Understanding the Furry Enigmas
• Fashion Faux Pas: The Hilarious Horrors of Style
• Joyful Journey Through Jungle Gyms: Playground Perils
• Bizarre Baking Blunders: Tales From the Kitchen
• Pigeons: The Unappreciated Comedians of the Bird World
• Dogs’ Dramas: The Hidden Soap Operas in Pet Parks
• Houseplants: Silent Saboteurs of Home Decor
• Dancing Disasters: My Life as a Two-Left-Footed Dynamo
• Parenting Paradoxes: Navigating Through Toddlers’ Logic
• Adventures in the World of Online Dating: Swipes, Likes, and Misfires
• Caffeine Chronicles: When Coffee Becomes a Lifeline?
• Gym Fails: The Secret Life of Exercise Equipment
• Hunting for the Remote: A Living Room Odyssey
• Commuter Chronicles: Tales From Public Transit
• Office Pranks: The Art of Workplace Shenanigans
• Food-Fight Fiascos: A Tribute to School Cafeterias
• Sneakers: Tales of Unruly Footwear and Their Laces
• Awkward Elevator Encounters: A Study in Silences
• Parking Lot Perils: An Ode to Parallel Parking

Funny Speech Topics for 1-3 Minutes

• Unexpected Outcomes of Eating Super Hot Chili Peppers
• The Unbelievable Adventures of My Sleepwalking Dog
• Bizarre Incidents in the Supermarket Aisles
• Reimagining Traffic Lights: The Rainbow of Chaos
• Impersonating Vegetables: Lessons From a Carrot
• Deciphering Teenager Text Messages: An Insider’s Guide
• Invasion of Socks: The Everlasting Mystery of the Missing Pair
• Failed Attempts at Becoming a Yoga Master
• Alien Abductions: My Hamster’s Story
• Extreme Sports for Couch Potatoes: Remote Control Relay
• Surprising Insights: The Secret Life of Refrigerators
• Battle of Wills: Training the Untrainable Cat
• Hilarious Misadventures on My First Camping Trip
• Navigating the Perils of DIY Haircuts
• The Comical Mishaps of Online Dating
• Introducing the World’s Laziest Superheroes
• Life According to Toddlers: The Wisdom and Wackiness
• Spontaneous Combustion of Common Kitchen Disasters
• Funny Lessons From My First Job Interview
• The Intriguing Dilemma of the Forever Singing Parrot
• Uncovering the Reality Behind Perfect Instagram Lives
• Captivating Chronicles of a Terrible Cook

Funny Speech Topics for 4-6 Minutes

• Astonishing Adventures of an Amateur Acrobat
• Bizarre Encounters With Extraterrestrial Fast Food
• Curious Chronicles of Coffee Connoisseurs
• Unraveling the Mysteries of a Procrastinator’s Brain
• Peculiarities in the Evolution of Parenting Styles
• Socks: The Great Domesticated Disappearance
• Pets Who Believe They Are People: An Investigation
• Misadventures of a Meticulous Meal Planner
• Intriguing Incidents Involving Imaginary Friends
• Hilarious History of Hairdos and Hair Don’ts
• Trials and Tribulations of a Toddler Teacher
• Unique Use of Umbrellas in Unexpected Situations
• Navigating the Treacherous Terrain of Teenage Trends
• Wacky World of Whistle-Blowers at Work
• Frenzied Fiascos of Family Road Trips
• Entertaining Escapades of an Online Shopaholic
• Remarkable Revelations Regarding the Tooth Fairy
• Puzzling Popularity of Pineapple Pizza
• Laughter Lessons From Llamas in Love
• Daring Deeds of a Drama Queen’s Dog
• Comical Confessions of a Closeted Comic Book Collector

Funny Speech Topics for 7-10 Minutes

• Discovering the Art of Sock Puppetry
• Underwater Basket Weaving: Future Olympic Event?
• Decoding the Language of Houseplants
• Training Squirrels: The Next Big Thing in Pet Ownership?
• Unraveling the Mystery of Missing Socks
• Navigating the Grocery Store: A Survival Guide
• Implementing Teleportation in Everyday Chores
• Investigating the Secret Lives of Pets
• Demystifying the Art of Sleeping With Eyes Open
• Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse With a Rubber Duck
• Inventing New Sandwich Fillings: An Epicurean Experiment
• Decoding Cats’ Meows: A Comprehensive Study
• Unmasking the Truth: Santa Claus in the Off-Season
• Harnessing the Power of Yawns: A Groundbreaking Discovery
• Reinventing the Wheel: Silly Suggestions for Transportation
• Dissecting Cartoon Logic: A Humorous Deconstruction
• Superheroes’ Day Off: Unseen Adventures
• Elucidating the Complexity of Comic Book Collection
• Concocting Unusual Pizza Toppings: A Gastronomic Adventure
• Procrastination Olympics: Gold Medal Techniques
• Comprehending the Intricacies of a Dog’s Bark
• Reinterpreting Fairytales in Modern Times: A Hilarious Twist

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

372 Commemorative Speech Topics & Good Ideas

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• 188 funny how-to speech topics

Funny how-to speech topics

188 funny topics for a demonstration speech

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Give us some funny how-to speech topics! None of your bore them to snoring speech ideas. We want funny, chucklesome ones. Ones to make them smile.☺

And you've got them!

What's on this page?

188 funny how-to speech ideas split into 7 groups

• How to yarn bomb with aplomb , and 25 more topic ideas
• How to dance like no one is watching , and 27 other suggestions
• How to enter hobby horse riding competitions and win , and 27 more
• How to make pumpkins feel OK about being carved for Halloween , and 25 more funny how to speech ideas
• How to be a hero to your children , and 24 more
• How to interpret the decor of a room . What does it say about a person?  and 25 more speech topic suggestions
• How to speak fluent emoji , and 27 more funny how to speech ideas

Plus, resources to help craft your speech

• Defining 'funny' and how to choose a topic  
• Printable funny how-to speech outline document
• Example of a completed funny how-to speech outline
• Links to more demonstration speech resources
• Links to onsite resources for working with humor

Return to Top

• How to yarn bomb with aplomb
• How to mirror write
• How to flatter a person effectively
• How to pretend you're a statue
• How to convince your cat you speak meow
• How to speak and sound intelligent despite knowing very little about the subject you’re talking about
• How to survive a visit to the dentist
• How to dumpster dive – the top tips on how to find real treasure
• How to know if you're a genius
• How to master the art of topiary – turn your hedge into a row of trumpeting elephants today!
• How to meet and interview a famous person
• How to successfully cram for an exam
• How to work the room – the fine art of mixing and mingling
• How to recognize a true friend at first glance
• How to deal with invasion of mice in your pantry
• How to convince your car it's a Transformer
• How to amuse yourself while you are stuck in a traffic jam
• How to amuse your co-workers with secret pranks
• How to interpret your parent's body language - when to stay, when to run and when to ask for something.
• How to create the perfect piece of modern art
• How to win a creative dog grooming competition
• How to master the art of silly walking
• How to appear interested when you are most definitely not 
•  How, when and why to pretend you're an alien ambassador from another planet 
•  How to know which is the correct item of cutlery to use – a guide 
•  How to tell if your house is haunted

• How to audition successfully for a role as a zombie – Your top tips: how to dress, how to make yourself up, how to move, how to speak, what to say...
• How to dance like no one's watching – Get them up and moving. Teach some hilariously exaggerated dance moves.
• How to train your pet rock – Give a humorous guide on pet rock obedience training.
• How to make the perfect peanut butter & jelly sandwich – Share absurdly detailed steps for this simple snack.
• How to thoroughly annoy your siblings – Offer tongue-in-cheek suggestions for the fine art of sibling irritation.
• How to speak fluent gibberish – Provide tips on creating your own nonsensical language. Have your audience try them out.
• How to fake a good night's sleep – Humorous tips for looking well-rested when you're not.
• How to be the world's worst secret agent – Share comically ineffective espionage techniques.
• How to survive a boring meeting – Offer satirical advice on enduring tedious gatherings.
• How to master the art of procrastination - With the best of the worst humorous excuses.
• How to know if someone is telling you a lie 
•  How to become a respected member of the fashion police 
•  How to get a date with person of your dreams 
•  How to create extraordinary and fantastical looks with make up
• How to guarantee failing a driving test (with comical mistakes).
• How to create the perfect bedhead hairstyle (including outrageous hair tricks).
• How to be a cat whisperer (demonstrating absurd cat communication).
• How to become a couch potato (exaggerating the art of lounging).
• How to be the best of the worst karaoke singer: Demonstrate hilarious vocal blunders and off-key singing for a good laugh.
• How to survive a haunted house tour: Share humorous tips on navigating a spooky attraction with bravery.
• How to look busy at work: Provide amusing techniques for appearing productive while actually doing nothing.
• How to fake being a chef: Share comical tips on making restaurant-quality meals with minimal effort.
• How to train your pet bird to talk and perform cunning tricks.
• How to master the art of parallel parking (and make it look easy).
• How to embarrass your kids in 5 easy steps: Offer funny and light-hearted advice on embarrassing your children with love.
• How to win an argument with your pet: Share a tongue-in-cheek guide to persuading your furry friends to see things your way.
• How to speak "teenager": Translate popular slang and expressions used by today's youth.
• How to take a perfect selfie: share funny tips on posing, lighting, and editing for Instagram-worthy photos.

• How to enter hobby horse riding competitions and win
• How to moo like a cow
• How to speak fluent boomer 
• How to choose a character to cosplay
• How to cunningly divert attention away from yourself
• How to organize a karaoke night
• How to fail at DIY – examples – the woeful stories of plumbing disasters, glue that stuck fingers, or worse, together, tie-dye T-shirts that ran in wash turning everything pink...
• How to interpret your daily horoscope
• How to convince your friends to do your homework for you
• How to tease your siblings
• How to teach your dog new tricks
• How to become professional at doing nothing
• How to dress to impress
• How, and why, to start a flash mob – the ultimate in distractions
• How to tell if someone is really in love with you
• How to look confident and self-assured in all situations
• How to get other people to pay for your meal or your drinks when you’re out with them
• How to make a meal out of leftovers
• How to tell jokes really well
• How to use a cardboard box creatively – turn it into a child’s playhouse, a racing car...
• How to get your parents to agree to extending your curfew
• How to survive a long-haul economy class flight
• How to avoid having to accept adult responsibilities
• How to pretend you're a superhero in disguise
• How to convincingly explain to your parents why the car got dented
• How to talk yourself into learning to walk a high wire
• How to recycle (regift) unwanted Christmas presents without causing offence
• How to find and release your inner rock star

• How to make pumpkins feel OK about being carved for Halloween
• How to survive a road trip with children – (Are we there yet?) 
•  How to build a great pillow fort under the table 
•  How to eavesdrop successfully on other people’s conversations 
•  How to fake it until you make it 
•  How to survive giving a children’s tea party 
•  How to disagree with your boss without getting fired
• How to plagiarize an essay and not get caught 
•  How to cheat creatively on your tests 
•  How to remember people’s names and how to cover when you don't
• How to become a gossip columnist 
•  How to make your houseplants feel like royalty 
•  How to become famous for telling terrible puns 
•  How to successfully fake being a psychic fortune teller
• How to get a child to eat their vegetables 
•  How to successfully photo-bomb or news raid
• How to know if you're living in the wrong era 
•  How to teach your Grandparents how to use their cellphones well 
•  How to make the best funny faces to amuse a child
• How to become a secret agent 
•  How to impress by speaking in pirate lingo 
•  How to tell the best dad jokes
• How to annoy your GPS navigation system 
•  How to become a business class time traveler 
•  How to communicate using telepathy 
•  How to win friends and influence people

• How to be a hero for your children
• How to dress your dog stylishly
• How to fake a foreign accent for fun
• How to make friends with your lawn mower, your washing machine or some other household appliance.
• How to become a stand-up comedian
• How to become a professional thumb wrestler
• How to embarrass yourself – true stories
• How to win a pillow fight championship
• How to start a food fight for fun
• How to start a fashion craze
• How to throw a convincing temper tantrum – lessons I learned from my two year old.
• How to train your dog to fetch the remote
• How to strategically ask for favours and get them
• How to be the life of the party
• How to recover from publicly embarrassing yourself
• How to annoy your parents with bad jokes
• How to be a mind reader
• How to interpret a person’s character through observing their table manners
• How to convince your teacher someone really did steal your assignment
• How to develop a hobby or interest that will make you fascinating to others
• How to teach your little sister (or brother) to blow bubbles
• How to survive a zombie apocalypse
• How to eat spaghetti politely
• How to make sure you inherit another person’s wealth
• How to lie with confidence

• How to interpret the decor of a room. What does it say about a person?
• How to hide your chocolate stash from kids
• How to be the world's worst tourist
• How to survive an awkward visit to relatives
• How to effectively avoid being asked to do chores
• How to speak ‘dog’ fluently – woof, woof, arf...
• How to annoy your roommate without getting caught
• How to turn your mother into an Influencer
• How to be the best worst dancer at the party
• How to make your pet Instagram famous
• How to and why to develop a poker face at family gatherings
• How to over analyse a text message – what did she/he/they really mean?
• How to interpret the shapes of the clouds in the sky? What do they foretell?
• How to find proof of genius in your child’s drawings
• How to create the perfect excuse note
• How to blame shift with subtlety and elegance
• How to make friends with your bank account
• How to use mime to get out of difficult situations
• How to master and perfect the art of awkward silences
• How to survive a conversation with a telemarketer
• How to write a perfect love letter
• How to know how the parents of a new born are getting along - the top 5 signs of fatigue!
• How to win a staring contest with a stranger
• How, when and why to fake a British accent
• How to use a brick creatively: 10 alternative things to do with a brick – use it as a window prop, a door stop, a weight, pretend it’s a phone
• How to avoid making eye contact with a person you don’t want to talk to

• How to survive a binge-watching marathon
• How to master the fine art of sarcasm: a crash course for beginners
• How to master the art of napping wherever you are
• How to speak fluent Emoji
• How to get out of unwanted conversations
• How to bath a puppy
• How to give medicine to a cat (without getting scratched to pieces.)
• How to win an argument with a rose bush
• How to write a self-help book for compulsive collectors of curious things: shoes for left feet, nail parings, ball point pens, salt and pepper shakers...
• How to live through a date with a vampire
• How to watch a horror movie by yourself without freaking out 
•  How to become the next supermodel 
•  How to fail a job interview spectacularly 
•  How to take the perfect selfie with your pet 
•  How to behave like a star in a soap opera 
•  How to win at rock-paper-scissors every time 
•  How to start a dance party in an elevator 
•  How to learn to ride a bike no-hands 
•  How to get through a day without wi-fi 
•  How to speak fluent toddler
• How to become a superhero's sidekick 
•  How to have a meaningful conversation with a tinfoil hat wearer 
•  How to interpret the way a person walks. What does it tell you about their character? 
•  How to translate a Shakespearean soliloquy into Valley Girl
• How to become a ghost hunter
• How to fake being a hypnotist 
•  How to play fantastic air guitar 
•  How to teach yourself to change your opinion about someone or something– to go from loathing to loving

Defining 'funny' and how to choose a topic

Funny doesn't necessarily mean laughing out loud, helpless giggling or crying because something is just so, so hilarious. 

Funny can also be quiet smiles and a chuckle of appreciation.

There are opportunities for all shapes and sizes of it here from pure slapstick through to ridiculous absurdism. 

As you move through the topic suggestions look for possibilities to play with, and extend, strengths you may already have. 

Do you move well? What about a topic like, "How to dance like no one's watching"? You could teach some exaggerated dance moves and get your audience up and moving.

Or "How to master the art of silly walking". That too offers audience involvement opportunities.

Can you do straight face? Or dead pan? Yes? What about a totally daft topic that you take utterly seriously? One like: "How to take a perfect selfie: share funny tips on posing, lighting, and editing for Instagram-worthy photos."

Or "How to make pumpkins feel OK about being carved for Halloween". I can see the pumpkins being counselled, spoken to gently, being listened to... ☺

Before you make a final decision, think carefully about your audience. Who are they? What's appropriate for them? What would make them smile? Whatever you choose, I hope you have fun! 

Printable funny how to speech outline document

To make planning your speech easier, here's a printable funny how to speech outline document (pdf). To download it click on the image below. (It will open in a new window.)

Example of a funny how to speech outline

How to write perfect excuse notes.

My example speech outline, below, follows the pattern I've used in the printable. The heading for each section has been  bolded .

Title of speech : How to write perfect excuse notes.

General purpose : to entertain or amuse while giving a 'soft skill' * , 'show and tell' or demonstration speech.

Specific purpose : to demonstrate, with humor, how to write an effective excuse note. 

Central idea (thesis statement) : to show how putting some thought and time into preparing an excuse note can lessen the fallout or damage caused by not doing whatever it was that you were expected to.

For example: come to school or work, come at the required time, hand in an assignment, or arrive with the right equipment and wearing the right clothes.

* Soft skills -also known as power skills, common skills, essential skills, or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions. For more this Wikipedia definition and explanation .

Speech introduction - what's your hook?

There are quite a number of ways to hook an audience - to make them sit up and want to listen from moment you open your mouth. These include using a startling statistic, asking a rhetorical question, sharing a compelling story, using an apt quotation or showing an interesting visual aid.

Which attention grabber will you use?

Attention grabber(s)

Rhetorical question:

How effective do you think these excuse notes were?

3 examples of notes:

• "Jimmy will be absent from school on Mondays until further notice. Adding an extra day to the weekend will lower his stress levels, as well as ours. We believe mental health is important." 
• "Stephanie had to stay at home yesterday because she had to wash and dry her hair."
• "Brook's kid brother barfed on her book. We couldn't clean it and had to throw it out." 

The next section is about establishing your authority or right to talk on your chosen subject. Why should your audience listen to you? How much do know about the topic? What experience have you had?

Credibility builders:

I taught teenagers for many years, and these are examples of excuse notes that were given to me.

I got literally 1000s and some were way more effective than others.

The majority were very ordinary: with nothing distinguishing them at all. They served their purpose. I filed and forgot them.

However, sometimes parents, caregivers or the student unintentionally excelled themselves. Their very funny notes were meant to be taken seriously no matter how cliched, far-fetched or ludicrous they were to me.

There is a definite limit to the number of grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, best friends... whose final act of kindness and consideration is to conveniently and suddenly die, how many times a person can be smitten by a horrible stomachache, a throbbing headache, or the dog can eat the homework.

Preview:  

So, what is a perfect excuse note? One that is believable. One that is concise, respectful in tone, and shows a responsible attitude: i.e. an understanding of the possible impact of not turning homework in, missing classes or not coming into work. It has also been proofread to pick up lapses in logic, spelling or grammatical errors, is formatted well and handed over prior to being prompted for it.

This, dear audience, is what you're going to find out more about today: how to craft an effective excuse note. One addressing why it was you failed to submit an assignment on time. 

Or one to help smooth over an absence, whether caused by genuinely unforeseen circumstances out of your personal control or by the simple desire to 'bunk off' - to not be where you are supposed to be, just because. And let's face it, who hasn't been tempted to do that occasionally?

An excuse note prepared well helps maintain mutual trust and respect while hopefully minimizing any possible negative consequences. Knowing how to write one is a valuable essential skill.

The next section, a transition, takes us into the body of speech. The body is the heart or main part of the speech where you fulfill its primary purpose: to show or teach your audience how to write perfect excuse notes - step by step.

(The remaining parts/steps of this outline are mostly in note form. They'll need additional fleshing out to make them into a followable, interesting, funny speech.)   

Transition : Are you ready? Let's get on with it.

Body of speech

Step One: Know your audience

Understanding who you are addressing in your note is essential if you want the note to work for you, rather than against you. Example.

• What does the person receiving the note need from you? - a believable reason for either your absence, or not handing in your assignment - an assurance that whatever duties etc. you were supposed to fulfil and didn't will be made up for. Examples. 
• Depending on the circumstances, a doctor's certificate, to verify what you say in your note. 
• What do they expect in an excuse note from you? - honesty, accuracy, respect, understanding of the possible implications of the event on them.
• When do they need the note? - as soon as possible.

Transition:

Step Two: What NOT to do The majority of funny excuse notes are funny by accident. Their writers did not intend them to be amusing. They knew no better. Literally. 

Here's a list of common pitfalls to avoid.

• Oversharing - Whoever is on the receiving end of your note does not need to know all the intimate-up-close-and-personal details of what happened. Or who said what to who about it and how. What's needed is a concise, clear summary or account. Example of over sharing and the same example rewritten concisely.
• Vagueness - using language that avoids naming or giving the reason necessitating an excuse note. Examples of vagueness - due to unforeseen circumstances, events beyond my control
• Fake information - deliberately providing false information for whatever reason. Once lying is found out it can be difficult to rebuild trust. 
• Informality - blurring boundaries between positions, for example, student and teacher, parent of student and teacher, employee and employer, by using colloquial language that is generally used between friends and acquaintances. It shows a lack of understanding about the nature of the relationship. Examples - Hey bro, etc., ...
• Lack of proof-reading - reading over to pick up typos, words that have been left out by accident, inconsistencies - details that don't logically line up as they should, missing information - signature, contact details, dates etc. Examples.
• Poor presentation/formatting - the note should be easily read. Choose a clean clear font, black ink, white paper and space it properly. Examples showing poor v good.

Transition: While it might be amusing to get inadequately prepared excuse notes the consequences for the writer may not be so funny. To dodge that possibility, let's prepare two good excuse notes which you can use as guides. 

Step Three: Crafting the perfect note

Prepare example excuse notes:

• from a parent to a teacher to cover their child not handing in an assignment
• from an employee to an employer to cover unexpected absence from work
• Gathering necessary information - name of the person the note is to go, reason for the note: illness, family emergency, severe weather event (flooding, snowstorm...), transport breakdown, appointment with medical specialist, lawyer, dentist..., specific dates it covers, contact details
• Outline of what will/has been done to minimize impact - delegation of tasks, rescheduling of meetings, arrangement made to catch up on completing the assignment...
• Content, Tone and Proofreading/formatting check   Is the note clear and concise? Does it cover everything it should? Is the tone of the language appropriate? Are there any spelling errors, word omissions or lapses in logic? Has the note been formatted well?  

Example of note from parent to teacher

Example of note from employee to employer

Transition: The final results of this process will never be as ridiculously silly as some of the reasons I've been given or the ones we can find online:  "Someone stole all my shoes." or "My dog is depressed, and this morning he finally summoned the courage to tell me about it. I have to stay at home to support him.".

We won't be rolling in the aisles reading them. However, they'll achieve much more than a laugh at some else's expense will ever do. 

Conclusion: Wrapping it up

Part one: summary

Writing a perfect excuse note is an essential and learnable skill.

Part two: benefit recall

A well-crafted excuse note demonstrates professionalism, maturity, and the ability to take responsibility. It shows respect, creates continuity, and builds mutual trust. 

Part three: call to action

The next time you need to write an excuse note make sure you go above and beyond the joke!

Other resources for how-to speeches

For more about demonstration or how-to speeches:

• Demonstration speeches step-by-step | how to give a successful 'how-to' or 'show and tell' demonstrative speech.
• Demonstration speech sample outline - an example that follows the logical step-by-step process that is essential for any "how to" type of speech.

For demonstration speech topic ideas - 100s of suggestions, including 50 on soft skills - how to say 'no' politely, how to handle a temper tantrum, how to be gracious in defeat...

Other resources for working with humor

Humor is notoriously tricky to get right because one person's funny is another person's not. And when we do get it wrong, it can be very difficult to recover and win back the audience's attention.

• How to use humor effectively in speeches  - 6 tips with examples. What gets a laugh? What doesn't and, why?
• Laughter as strategy - The 7 pillars of humor for impactful business presentations (Article by Damien Gauthier - Impactful Speaking)

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Breaking news, kamala harris slammed for deploying a ‘fake accent’ in detroit speech.

Vice President Kamala Harris was accused Monday of using a “fake accent” in her remarks to teachers union members in Michigan. 

Harris, speaking at a Detroit high school, appeared to alter her tone of voice in moments where she became particularly animated and when interacting with supporters in the crowd. 

“You may not be a union member, but you better thank a union member for the five-day workweek. You better thank a union member for sick leave. You better thank a union member for paid leave. You better thank a union member for vacation time,” Harris said at one point in her remarks that several social media users shared on X. 

The Trump campaign noted that Harris delivered a very similar line hours later, during a speech to union workers in Pittsburgh , in which the apparent accent wasn’t present. 

“Let’s see if you can spot the difference…,” read a post on the Trump campaign’s X account, which included video clips from both speeches. 

WATCH: Kamala Harris delivers the same exact line in a speech earlier today in Detroit and again in Pittsburgh a few hours later. Let’s see if you can spot the difference… pic.twitter.com/FCRqCBqcBZ — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 2, 2024

In another viral moment, Harris, after being interrupted by a supporter, responded, “Let’s just get through the next 64 days. How about that?” and followed up with a fist-bump motion. 

“This is SO CRINGE!” comedian and podcast host Chad Prather wrote on X , sharing a clip of Harris’ Detroit speech.

“Kamala Harris has again brought out her FAKE accent…this time in Detroit, Michigan!” he observed. “NO ONE IS BUYING IT!”

Matt Whitlock, a Republican communications strategist, argued that “all of politics is a performance to Kamala Harris,” likening her apparent accent switch to her policy flip-flops. 

“She changes fake accents like she changes policy positions and political personas,” Whitlock wrote on X . “Today she’s talking in a fake southern accent, pretending to be a moderate. Next week she’ll be back to San Francisco liberal.” 

Comedian Terrence K. Williams charged that Harris was “pretending to be black southern woman” by “using a fake accent.” 

“She is mocking southern folks and pandering for votes,” he argued .

The vice president was born in Oakland, Calif., and raised in the Bay Area before attending Howard University in Washington, DC, and the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. 

Harris does not have any apparent Southern roots, as her father is from Jamaica and her mother was born in India.

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Harris has previously faced accusations of putting on an accent to pander to certain crowds. 

In July, social media erupted when Harris appeared to speak with a Southern drawl during a rally in Atlanta.

She was also mocked online back in 2021, when during a trip to Paris, she appeared to mimic a French accent . 

This is the speech delivered by Tom Tugendhat today

Good morning.

Nice to see you too.

I am here actually to apply for a job.

But I’ve got to be honest with you, it’s not the job I want.

I don’t want to be Leader of the Opposition.

I want to be Prime Minister.

I don’t want to oppose, I want to govern.

But first, first we need to change.

Because while people may sometimes vote for a party they don’t always love. And sometimes they’ll vote for a programme that they don’t fully agree with. They will never vote for a party that  they’ve stopped taking seriously.

Now that’s why I’m standing.

I will make the Conservative Party a serious force again. I will make us respected for our experience and our realism, admired for our integrity, acknowledged for our achievements and given credit for seeing the errors that we may make and correcting them.

Now by doing that, I believe that I will lead our party back to power.

Now my campaign will be sober, it will earn and deserve trust. And it will be about governing. And I will work in opposition as you would expect a future Prime Minister to act.

Because what I’ve learned about leadership, about fighting for liberty and protecting our security, I didn’t learn in Westminster but in the army and I won’t be playing politics. I know that integrity matters.

So I want to start with an apology. The Conservative Party owed you better. Politics is not a game.

And we all know the cost when government isn’t sober and serious.

We saw it in the lives lost in Afghanistan, and then in that wasted chaos of that withdrawal.

We saw it during Covid – not just in the lost years of education that cost so many, or the opportunities missed nor even in the grief for lost loved ones, or those left to cope alone – but through the disrespect and the double standards.

Like you, I witnessed the recent political trauma with a combination of depression and anger.

I witnessed the failed coups and the successful ones. And I saw duty give way to ego.

That’s why I am standing before you today. Because this country can change. We must change. And Britain deserves better.

We need a different government. One that will serve our country with conviction, and act for you.

One that remembers the core duty of the state.

And I believe that message is simple:

My mission is the happiness and prosperity of the British people.

Now let me say that again to be absolutely clear:

Now it’s easy to say, but it’s tough to deliver.

Because at its heart, it’s about putting the government back at the service of the people. It’s about investment and innovation. But it’s also about freedom. Freedom to succeed and yes, freedom to fail.

It’s about a commitment to grow our economy and to see our people prosper.

And that’s why this election, it’s not just a coronation, it’s not just a referendum on immigration, or any other policy. It’s not just a chance to re-fight old battles. That’s all the politics of the past.

What we are doing is we are choosing new leader who sees clearly the challenges that we face, and we are giving them four years to do the hard work to prepare, so that the next Conservative government will not waste one moment.

We need to be ready from day one.

Now the last great economic transformation that our country saw was in the 1980s. Some of you will remember it well. It’s time for a new Conservative revolution.

Since those changes, Britain’s creeping bureaucracy has returned, and it’s stifling growth and its smothering opportunity. And we need to clear back those cobwebs so that once again our economy, and most importantly of course our people, can breathe free and make our country grow again.

Now we have some of the most creative and entrepreneurial people in the world, but without freedom, no one can prosper.

Now I’m standing because we need leadership and we need to deliver that vision.

And as leader, I will bring back the honest, the responsible state. One that serves you, one that leads the changes that we need, and that acts on its word.

And that’s what I’ll deliver. Not just as leader of the Conservative Party, but as Prime Minister of this amazing United Kingdom.

Now I will set out the agenda for us to win back trust.

And I am optimistic for the future, because I know this country’s history and culture have been built on the strongest possible foundations for success.

And that’s why I will lead in opposition as I will govern in office. I will listen to the serious ideas that come to us and support those who champion what is best for our country. I will win back younger voters. And I will deliver on these four objectives.

First, I will rebuild the connections between – and within – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to see our shared economy grow.

The Government can’t pull a lever, but it can release a brake.

We can invest in infrastructure and recognise that what Ben Houchen has delivered in Teesside proves that Conservatives can deliver – and can win – across the United Kingdom. We know that the state has a role – to create the environment for long term investment – and that’s what allows enterprise to take risks and to flourish.

Because Government doesn’t create jobs, we all know that, but it can enable others to.

And that’s not just about planning, it’s about everything from lower energy costs and better transportation to infrastructure, education and transport. It’s about recognising that talent is found across our country, but opportunity is not.

This is about making sure that every part of our great United Kingdom has the respect and the commitment from our government to allow our people to succeed.

It’s about ensuring that this country has the right skills, the right grid connections and the right infrastructure.

We are already a nation of entrepreneurs. We already have more start-ups each year than anywhere else in Europe, and we also have more unicorns than my daughter has drawn on the walls of her bedroom.

But our over regulation has made pensioners poorer by reducing savings returns – and it’s drained the pools of capital we need to grow global leaders.

Now, I am going to draw lessons from Australia and Canada, where private savings and public investment have seen resilience and investment in infrastructure grow. And I will sunset rules that are constraining smaller firms from innovating and competing.

After all, we did not successfully roll back the frontiers of the state a generation ago only to see them reimposed by stealth, through regulation.

We need to be bolder, much bolder, about setting the conditions for success, and be even more determined to deliver the new Conservative revolution we need.

Now that’s the only way that we will grow the economy that we need to keep us protected at home.

Because make no mistake, when we invest, we are investing in ourselves, but to keep us safe in a dangerous world.

And that brings me to my second point. Let’s be clear. The purpose of British foreign policy is to keep the British people safe and prosperous.

Nothing more. It’s not to play games. It’s not to study the Afghan tribes, no matter how interesting some of us may find them. And it’s not to virtue signal. We must be completely focussed on putting our own people first. Now of course this doesn’t mean “Britain alone”, we need partners and allies to keep us safe. From NATO, Lancaster House, the Five Eyes Alliance, to the CPTPP and AUKUS, our partnerships protect us, and they all matter. Alongside our allies in Europe, we’re supporting Ukraine. But that should never come second to our own interests.

Now no one else would do differently so lets focus on what we really need. We need to use our own Armed Forces and intelligence services to go further in fighting that modern scourge, that modern version of the slave trade – human trafficing. We need to go further in making sure our defence is strong and our people are safe. Because our strength matters.

And that’s why investing in defence is not a choice like with other budget lines, it’s not a decision we can make on our own. Our enemies and our allies set the conditions that we have to adapt to. They help determine what we must spend.

Now as we face a more dangerous world, let’s be clear we need to invest in our security.

We cannot bet our future on the choices of others and let’s be honest we can’t depend on the kindness of strangers.

And that’s why Labour’s plans are so wrong.

They’re planning to draw down our defences, to close off technology and to reduce our protection. We need to make it absolutely clear that we will defend our national security and be clear about planning for 3 percent of our GDP to be spent on our national security.

Now many years ago, many of you heard me warning about the dangers that we’re seeing change around the world.

And I was right to warn that the Golden Era with China was over. I was right to warn that Moscow’s gold was corrupting. And I’m sad to say that I was right to warn that the violence coming out of Tehran and threatening us all around the world is a danger to everyone in the civilised world.

This is no time for a faint heart, or for a novice. We need to understand clearly that the threats we face, the threats that are out there, they are real, and for me, this is personal.

Now a century ago, my family’s name was perhaps not common, but it was certainly spread across Europe.

In that generation of totalitarian hatred, it disappeared from many countries where we had called home.

We cannot appease tyrants. And that is a battle I have fought for years, and I have been sanctioned by Russia, Iran and China because of it.

So I guess there’s three leaders that won’t be pleased if I win.

But the world is becoming more dangerous and we do need to protect our interests. We need to reset Britain’s foreign policy and rethink many of our assumptions to rebuild our resilience.

And that starts at home.

And it brings me on to my third point – migration matters.

Our security challenges are all connected. From energy and food to the environment and migration, we must realise that we are actually making choices as we balance outcomes.

And we’ve got to be honest with the British people about the decisions we are taking and the choices we are making.

High levels of low skilled migrants are a choice.

We allowed businesses to underinvest in skills, and to make up for it by hiring from abroad. We allowed a culture to develop that saw people opt out of work.

And we started to change that in recent months but let’s be honest, over earlier years, we issued the visas needed to make sure our economy could have the illusion of growth, while avoiding the necessary work of fixing these core problems.

Now our country was left dependent on immigration to maintain our active workforce and, after Brexit, instead of fixing the cause, we swapped young Europeans for older families from around the world, again maintaining the illusion of growth, at the expense of real growth and real productivity gains here at home.

Now, that is the economy that we’ve run. That is the system that we have. And that’s why migrant numbers are higher than ever before.

Now we have left ourselves with an invidious trade-off between immigration and the economic growth necessary to fund our public services.

That’s why there isn’t a quick fix to this question.

Because we can only change the migration numbers and truly grow the economy – the economy that people feel, the money they earn, the cash in their pocket – if we are serious and honest about the choices we need to make.

And it’s just not true to say that one Bill or one treaty could do that.

We need to rethink our entire economy and invest – of course – in automation and training. But that alone isn’t enough. We need to go much further.

We need to make sure housing is affordable, and transport connects people to jobs. And, perhaps most of all, we need to change the culture amongst those who have been left idle and ignored. And amongst those who have been willing to leave them there.

Now, I will be serious about leadership. I will connect policies and recognise complexity. But to drive change, we do need clear targets, otherwise there is always going to be another excuse.

So, under my leadership, the maximum level of non-British net migration will be capped at 100,000 people a year.

That will allow businesses to start planning for a different kind of economy, and make sure that everyone understands long in advance, long in advance, too long in advance, that the public sector cannot depend on other people’s children to step in for our own.

Now we need to begin that change now.

We need to make these four years of opposition count, because we need to stand up for the rights of our citizens, and we need to make sure we are standing up against those who try to harm us. And this comes to a different point on migration.

We need to be clear that citizenship comes with duties and obligations. Canberra understands this. Australia recently expelled migrants who committed serious crimes and those who were naturalised citizens were stripped of that citizenship. Last week, Germany, a country that obeys many of the same rules as us, deported 28 serious criminals back to Afghanistan.

Now, where there are obstacles to us doing the same, we must remove them. The British people should never have their rights trumped by the rights of criminals who have come to do them harm.

Now that’s why, as I have been arguing since I left the Army in 2013, We need to opt out – to derogate as the expression goes – from some aspects of the European Convention on Human Rights and we need to reform others. And if we can’t achieve what we need to in a reasonable timeframe, we need to be prepared, I am prepared, to leave.

I am absolutely serious about my commitment to our security. I can’t deliver on my mission to achieve the happiness and prosperity of the British people, if we are not safe at home and secure in our own country.

And that’s also what brings me to my last point.

We need to invest in – and we need to reform – our public services.

Now, many of you will know that I care very deeply about our security and our defence. And I also care about migration and the growing economy. But as a father, my immediate priority is my children. Their education and their future.

Now, our kids are incredibly lucky to have the most amazing headteacher and a fantastic team of staff who teach them. And as an economy, that team has been freed to do what they think is best for their students, for my kids and we trust them to deliver. They’re the professionals, they know what they’re doing and that’s allowed them to innovate, they’ve adapted to the needs of our community to the needs of the families and children in our school.

And now Labour are saying they’re going to end that freedom.

They’re saying that instead of learning from the best, from the free schools, from the academies here in England, they’re going to be using, extraordinarily, the failed model of Welsh education under a Labour government, to make the changes.

Now that’s disastrous. It’s not just disastrous for our children, it’s disastrous for our future. And, by making envy the centrepoint of his education policy, Sir Keir Starmer is frankly promising that there is worse yet to come.

Now, by taxing education, Starmer is using that to pay off the left, but he is paying it off at the cost of our kids who are just trying to do their best.

And he is doing that because he’s got absolutely no plan. He’s got no plan for where he will get the money from that it is going to cost to make this change. He’s got no plan for where the kids are going to go when their parents can no longer afford the school. And he’s got no plan to address what is clearly going to be the challenges that come out of what is one of the most vindictive policies that we’ve seen from a British government in generations.

Now we know what he’s going to say. He’s going to say he’s taxing the rich, but he’s not. He’s attacking families. He’s attacking that connection between all of us, that desire that every parent has to do their best for their children to make sure they have a better start, a better future than they had themselves.

And as Conservatives, we don’t accept that. We are on the side of families. We’re on the side of those who work hard and do the right thing by their community and by our country.

And that’s something James, that Kemi, Mel, Priti, Rob and I all agree on.

That’s why I am not fighting them. They’re friends. They’re good Conservatives. And they have my respect.

I’m taking the fight to Keir Starmer.

Now, all I’ve heard from Sir Keir recently is negativity, despair and fear. And frankly that’s when he’s talking about Angela Rayner.

What I hear about the country is just him talking Britain down because he has no idea how to build this great country up.

and he’s right when he says  there’s a tough road ahead. That’s because despite his massive majority, he’s got absolutely no idea what he’s doing. He doesn’t even know what his MPs are doing.

And after dropping Corbyn and reinventing himself as heir to Blair, or to Brown, or to anyone frankly, Keir Starmer is now only concerned with paying off the promises that he made to achieve power.

Not to the country – no, no, no, to his party.

He’s bribed his union paymasters and made pensioners pay for it and he’s made strikes the bargaining tool of choice.

You’re going to have to be really rich before you can afford to vote Labour again.

And it’s no wonder he’s preparing us for this bleak future. Because he’s already abandoned the country to the hard left.

When he took down that portrait of Margaret Thatcher in Number 10 wasn’t just a cheap political stunt that was beneath the dignity of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. They didn’t stoop to it, in fact they invited Margaret Thatcher into Number 10. No it was a rejection of the reforms she brought in that empowered our citizens, that saw power going out, back to the people  and saw opportunity and aspiration championed. He’s abandoned all of that. He doesn’t believe in the future. And he’s abandoning the growth that we all need.

That’s going to cost us all.

And it’s going to cost none more than my friend’s daughter who has worked incredibly hard and won a scholarship to dance at the Royal School of Ballet. But because they’re not a rich family, and because they depend on a scholarship and on reduced fees, it demands sacrifices.

This grasping of Keir Starmer’s political envy is going to make it unaffordable for them and no doubt for many other families. And while they are sacrificing as all families do, Keir Starmer is making it harder for them.

Now that’s not what I’m in politics for. Not for the games. Not the ideology, but for people.

I’m in politics to support families and to serve our friends and our neighbours. I’m in politics because making our country safe and our people happy is the prime mission of any government.

And we need our government to be there beside us, to be there when we need it, but we’re seeing the government control us. That doesn’t just take our liberty, it erodes our imagination and it steals our ideas.

And that is why I am standing to lead this party, and to become Prime Minister in 2029.

So let me be clear, I will not manage decline. I will not accept despair.

I will act to bring change and as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister, I will bring back a serious vision of a liberated economy and a connected Britain. I will draw lessons from Conservative leaders across the country, and around the world, and I will deliver the Conservative revolution that we have for so long needed.

Now, I will be serious, I will be honest and determined to make us stronger at home and abroad.

And I will serve, I will lead and I will act to make us better.

I will work hard to regain your trust and to serve our great country as I always have.

And the best apology I can offer for the past is the promise of better leadership and a better future.

And that is what I will always do.

My promise to you is clear, my mission is simple and I will always act in the interests of my children and yours.

Together we can build a better Britain.

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18 Times TV And Movies Aimed For Seriousness, But Delivered Comedy Gold Instead

I think they needed to do a second take for that one.

BuzzFeed Contributor

Screenplays and teleplays are often crafted with a vision for a dramatic moment, but sometimes, the final product doesn't turn out quite as planned. Sometimes, a serious moment is botched, leaving the audience laughing.

Here are 19 tv & movie scenes that are meant to be serious, but are accidentally hilarious:, 1. dawson becomes a meme legend with his ugly-cry after being rejected in dawson's creek ..

The infamous GIF of James Van Der Beek crying actually has a less sarcastic origin.

In the Season 3 finale of Dawson's Creek , Van Der Beek's character, Dawson, tells his romantic partner, Joey, to be with his friend, thus letting her go. The crying face that followed was borderline silly and sucked the air out of a moment that was supposed to be a massive momentum shift in the show.

2. The American Sniper baby leaves audiences in tears for all the wrong reasons.

Imagine a dramatic scene of a father, who is the most lethal sniper in U.S. history, holding his baby as he speaks to his wife over a sensitive topic. Now... imagine that baby is a cheap doll you'd find on Wish.com.

That's precisely what happened in the biographical war drama American Sniper . While the film generated buzz for many reasons, both for critical praise and controversial elements, the masses on the Internet made that little plastic toy go viral.

3. "Harry, did you put your name in the goblet of fire?" Dumbledore asked (not) calmly.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , Harry is confronted by Dumbledore after he is inexplicably chosen to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. He pushes Harry against a wall to grill him if he entered his name. It's a critical moment in the plot, but how it goes down is distractingly funny.

Every Potter fan knows the meme, but ignoring how  The Goblet of Fire  veers away from the book's calm delivery, it is still weird to see the headmaster of a school pin a student while interrogating him. Anger and panic still work for the scene, but the physical contact makes it so out of character and really hilarious.

4. " Batman , did you deactivate my bomb?" Talia al Ghul dies calmly.

At the end of  The Dark Knight Rises , surprise villain Talia al Ghul crashes her vehicle, which contains an atomic bomb. She sits disheveled in the driver's seat, delivers a monologue as the heroes awkwardly watch on, and then dies .

The way she dies looks ridiculous, and the way she is sitting makes no sense. If her death happened while she was pinned against the wheel and seat, it would have made sense, but she's just slouched and looks unmarred from the crash. It all felt too calm and rushed, but, hey, there's a bomb to get rid of.

Holy rushed death, Batman!

5. The O.C. picks the worst time to blast an Imogen Heap song ...or the BEST time.

In the Season 2 finale of The O.C. , Trey fights Ryan and is prepared to kill him. Marissa makes the difficult decision to shoot Trey to save Ryan. She shoots him in the back . Everything gets flooded out by the lyrics "MMM WHATCHA SAY," which is part of Imogen Heap's song "Hide and Seek."

The song continues to play throughout the rest of the dragged-out scene and is hilariously cringe-filled with cut-away shots. The scene was so ridiculous that it inspired the SNL  "Dear Sister" skit in response.

6. Unintentionally funny? Pick any scene in The Happening .

The Happening is a movie about people killing themselves due to something airborne. What, in concept, should be terrifying is packaged together as a ridiculous product.

From Mark Wahlberg's stiff acting to the deaths that are supposed to be chilling but are comical, the film takes itself seriously at all the wrong times. Sure, there are plenty of moments of it playfully poking fun at itself, but the overall movie was a huge miss.

7. I have to watch a villainous Cats musical number with a naked MacCavity .

Although Cats isn't meant to be too serious, it still deals with some deeper themes. Any scene could have been picked from this film because the frightening CGI cat people watered down even the profound moments.

The one scene that sticks out is the big climactic scene of Idris Elba's character and villain MacCavity attempting to kidnap the HCIC (Head Cat in Charge). He comes out for a big musical number, and after having a trench coat on the whole time, the cat is straight-up naked. It was extremely distracting, and I couldn't finish watching the whole number without dying laughing.

8. Javert's death should be a heart-breaking moment, but it crashes and drowns in Les Miserables .

Sticking with Tom Hopper musicals, Les Miserables is a lot more serious than Cats . Javert's demise is supposed to be a huge moment , but it ends in a thud...literally.

For some reason, when Javert falls off the bridge, we, the audience, need to see his body crash into the water and listen to his bones crunch with the music. It was very out of place with the rest of the movie, and although it was filmed artistically, it fell flatter than Russell Crowe.

9. The remake of The Wicker Man gives us "the talk," and teaches us all about the Nic Cage and the bees .

In the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man , the finale for Nicolas Cage's character really didn't need Cage to go full Cage. What should be a creepy, dramatic moment turns into a parody. Cage screaming "not the bees" became a meme because of the ridiculousness of the scene.

Please watch the original 1973  The Wicker Man . I promise it is excellent.

10. Hereditary makes us combust with laughter.

I am a Hereditary Act 3 defender, but the combustion scene of the husband really missed the mark. So many moments in this film are horrifying in their graphic simplicity. Toni Collette's acting is top-notch, but the way the scene happens so suddenly is less scary and more "holding in my laugh as some poor guy burns alive."

It was indeed meant to be sudden, but all the dread and tension vanished the second "on-fire father" began flailing away.

11. Brad Pitt gets hit by two cars in Meet Joe Black , and I'm pretty sure I can hear the Looney Tunes theme playing.

This is one of the few I don't know the context of, but it's so bad I had to include it.

In the film Meet Joe Black , Brad Pitt's character is looking back at his love interest as he crosses the road. CGI cars miss him by mere inches until, finally, a vehicle strikes him . A CGI Pitt flies through the air, only to be bonked by another CGI vehicle, sending him into the air.

The physics of it are all wrong, but the main character's death shouldn't look so comical.

12. In Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas continues to be obsessed with having Darth Vader yell, "NOOOOO!"

The dialogue between Darth Vader and Palpatine during the scene where Vader realizes he "killed" Padme in Episode III works well. The anger Vader shows while using the Force is great. Why...oh why...did he need to scream "NOOOOO" to the sky? The scene is so corny, even for Star Wars.

I get he wanted it to rhyme with Episode VI, but he literally added that one. Does it even count as poetry if you rewrite the original material to match it?

13. Johnny Depp slips into a singing Captain Jack in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

The adaption of the musical Sweeney Todd had a lot of great vibes to it. The choice to cast Johnny Depp was questionable, but critically, everyone seemed to enjoy his take on the demon barber.

However, there are a few moments in the song "Epiphany" where Depp sounds like he is singing in his Jack Sparrow voice from Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a well-filmed scene meant to be a serious "turning" for the character, but I was waiting for him to start doing that infamous Captain Jack run.

14. Perry Mason shows us how quickly and dramatically one can make a murder admission.

In the popular law drama Perry Mason , Mason accuses that Mr. Wells was actually the one who murdered Ned Thompson. Mr. Wells, in the courtroom, then stands up and admits to the crime in the most over-the-top way imaginable . It makes sense he'd be that passionate in his confession, but the showrunners didn't allow the moment of reveal to breathe for even a millisecond.

Hey, time is money, and that goes for TV runtimes.

15. The Birds gives us one too many cuts during a terrifying explosion.

In The Birds , the deadly flyers knock over some gasoline. One lit match later, a chain reaction of fire begins. The scene is meant to be chaotic and terrifying as the flames crawl toward a gas station . What unfolds next is about four camera cuts within six seconds of the protagonist Melanie's shocked (motionless) face following the trail.

It ruins the tension and is actually hilarious how her face is moving to follow the streak of fire without actually moving.

16. Legolas goes full Super Mario in The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies .

I was never a big fan of  The Hobbit  films, so unfortunately, the bad sticks with me more than the good. The scene I remember most from  Battle of the Five Armies  was the "epic" battle between Legolas and an Orc on a bridge. The bridge begins collapsing, which leads to a ridiculous shot of the elf hopping stone to stone on his way to safety .

The scene defies physics and will make you despise CGI for the rest of your life.

17. Anything Keanu Reeves says in Bram Stoker's Dracula .

Most people believe the 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula is the greatest take on the popped-collar vampire. However, Keanu Reeves's presence and accent kill me in every scene where he gets screen time. His over-the-top acting in this period piece is a different speed from every other character, and it's so earnest that it will have you loving the campiness of the performance.

I'd still take a spin-off film of his character reciting monologues. It'd be highly entertaining. Who doesn't love Keanu?

18. Degrassi presents us with the concept of "whore tears."

In the teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation , Eli is furious over Clare sleeping with Drew. When Clare's eyes begin to fill with tears, Drew sees the tears and responds with, "didn't expect to see those from such a whore."

It's meant to be such a cruel part, but the line delivery followed by silence is really awkward and funny. I give the show credit; it reads like something an angry teen boy would say, but that doesn't stop it from being hilarious.

These are just my opinions, of course, but there's gotta be a dramatic TV or movie scene that unintentionally made you chuckle. Comment below and explain why the scene made you laugh!

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Money blog: Iconic Trio chocolate bar could return, hints McVitie's

The Money blog is your place for consumer and personal finance news and tips. Today's posts include NatWest launching the cheapest mortgage on the market, an old Liam Gallagher tweet about ticket pricing and our latest Bring It Back feature - as McVitie's tells us Trio could return.

Tuesday 3 September 2024 15:55, UK

• How your pension could be taxed more as chancellor refuses to rule out hikes
• High-street bank trumps rivals with cheapest five-year mortgage
• Iconic chocolate bar could return, hints McVitie's
• 'Blow' for female founders as agency backtracks on competition awards  

Essential reads

• Basically... Free school meals
• 'This job has saved lives': What's it like selling the Big Issue?
• Best of the Money blog

Tips and advice

• Cheapest holidays dates before Christmas
• Money Problem : 'My dog died but insurance still wants whole year's payment'
• How else to eat Greggs on cheap as O2 Priority scraps freebies

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Female founders have been dealt a "blow" after Innovate UK delivered just half the number of grants pledged in a funding competition for women business owners.

The Women in Innovation programme was aimed at encouraging women leading small to medium-sized businesses to apply for grants of up to £75,000 each.

The government-backed agency said it would be offering the grants to 50 female founders when it launched the competition earlier this year - but subsequently changed the wording to say "up to 50". 

Only 25 ended up being chosen to receive funding, out of 1,452 applicants.

Dearbump and Femtech founder Emma Jarvis said in a LinkedIn post that the situation will have left many female entrepreneurs "pretty disheartened"

The post  has been shared more than 100 times and has garnered nearly 830 reactions.

"Innovate UK's decision is a blow not just to existing female founders but future ones," Ms Jarvis said. "It's really disappointing to hear that the number of awards was cut in half and that the wording was changed after the results were announced."

She said the "only way forward" was for Innovate UK to honour its original commitment of 50 awards.

Meanwhile, Patricia McGirr, Repossession Rescue founder , said female founders "deserve more than lip service". 

She said Innovate UK's decision "isn't just trimming fat, it's cutting opportunity and ambition".

"This broken promise to the women fuelling our future is a step backward for innovation and a slap in the face to countless women who dare to lead."

And Debbie Porter, managing director at Destination Digital Marketing , said the move was "hard to believe".

"Innovate UK ought to go back over those 1,427 other applications as a matter of priority to fix this situation," she said. 

In a statement to the Money blog, Innovate UK apologised and said its decision was a "mistake". It also said it would honour its original commitment to award 50 applicants with funding.

The added: "We recognise the impact this has had on the many applicants and on the community as a whole, and we apologise wholeheartedly.

"We confirm we will be funding a total of 50 awards."

Our Money blog reporter Jess Sharp spoke to women who are  leading figures in their respective fields for our eight-part Women in Business series earlier this year. You can read some of their stories here...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has refused to rule out heavier taxation on pensions in the October budget. 

"I'm not going to speculate on what will be in the budget, but I'm absolutely determined to ensure that working people are better off," she told MPs in the House of Commons. 

"This budget will be a budget to fix the foundations of the economy after the mess left by the previous government."

How could your pension be taxed further? Let's have a look at some of the possibilities...

Leading left-wing thinktank The Fabian Society said the government could raise at least £10bn a year by reducing pension tax relief for high earners. 

At the moment, pension tax relief depends on an individual's tax band. 

But Ms Reeves could create a single flat rate of tax relief for all tax bands, the society said.

"First, the rate of income tax relief should be equalised for people on all tax bands - for example at 30% of gross earnings, midway between the 20p and 40p rates of tax," the thinktank said in a report. 

Ms Reeves could also reduce the maximum tax-free lump sum  you can get on retirement from £268,275 to £100,000 or 25% of pension wealth. 

"The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that this might eventually save over £2bn per year, which would be targeted entirely at people with high lifetime earnings or assets," the report added. 

Another suggestion was to charge national insurance on private pension incomes . 

The organisation said it would lead to today's affluent pensioners making a higher tax contribution.

Other possibilities could be to levy income tax on all inherited pensions. 

It said pension pots could also be liable to inheritance tax in the same way as other assets. 

What else did the chancellor say today?

Away from refusing to rule out pension tax changes, Ms Reeves also confirmed a cap on corporation tax.

Speaking during Treasury questions, she said the tax would be capped at its current level of 25% to "give business the confidence to grow". 

Corporation tax applies to the annual profits of UK resident companies and branches of overseas companies.

The 25% main rate is payable by companies with taxable profits above £250,000.

A small profits rate applies for companies with profits of £50,000 or below, meaning they will pay 19%.

Up until April 2023, the previous corporation tax main rate was 19%.

After the revival of popular Cadbury's chocolate bar Top Deck earlier this year, we asked you which discontinued treat you would like to see brought back - and we got so many responses that we've decided to make a weekly feature of it called  Bring It Back . 

Every Tuesday, we'll pick one from our comments box and look at why it was so beloved and, crucially, find out whether the companies in question might consider reintroducing them.

This week we're looking at a chocolate bar that became a staple of lunch boxes in the 1980s and '90s - and spawned a TV advert that is among the most fondly remembered of the era: McVitie's Trio.

Sold in multipacks of six, each bar included three segments made up of a caramel layer over biscuit, all covered with milk chocolate.

The product became synonymous with a memorable commercial that featured an animation by artist Bob Godfrey and a play on the traditional Jamaican folk song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)".

Its lyrics, which will be familiar to almost anyone who grew up in the 1980s, included the bar's tagline: "I want a Trio and I want one now."

Having discontinued the product in 2003, it briefly returned to shop shelves in 2016 following a Facebook campaign, before vanishing from sale again shortly after.

Hordes of Sky News readers have called for the chocolate bar's revival.

Kellie said: "I'd love to have Trios back! They were yummy. McVitie's really need to start selling them again."

Derek told us: "What a chocolate bar the Trio was! I could eat an entire multipack in one sitting now if given the chance. And that old advert... instantly transported back to childhood just thinking about it."

Samantha said: "I can hear the jingle in my head now! Trios were just delicious chocolate bars... and we want one now!"

When asked by Sky News, a McVitie's spokesperson conspicuously declined to rule out a return for the iconic chocolate treat, saying the company was "constantly listening to what audiences want".

"This helps us to keep innovating and adapting to changing tastes, meaning more biscuits and snacks you love for generations to come," they said.

"For those who miss the caramel taste of Trio, one of our newest and most exciting innovations, McVitie's Gold Billions Wafer, will be your new favourite for on-the-go chocolate moments."

And, tantalisingly for fans of the bar, they added: "Watch this space for more to come..."

Along with the legions of Trio diehards, the Money blog will certainly be doing that - and hope to bring you news of further developments in the crusade in the near future.

Got a craving for any of the products below? Click the links to find out if they've got any chance at making a comeback... 

NatWest has launched the cheapest five-year fixed mortgage deal on the market. 

The 3.71% rate comes with a £1,495 product fee and is available to customers who have a 40% deposit. 

Other lenders have also announced cuts this week, including Barclays and Halifax. 

Yesterday, Barclays reduced its five-year fixed 60% LTV remortgage deal from 4.06% to 3.93%. 

It also announced cuts across its purchase product range, with a five-year fixed 75% LTV deal coming with a 3.95% rate and a £899 product fee. 

Halifax also launched a 3.81% five-year deal to new borrowers yesterday. 

Brokers have welcomed the cuts as "hugely positive" news, and suggested more lenders could follow suit. 

"NatWest's latest rate cut is another clear signal that mortgage lenders are pulling out all the stops to reignite the housing market," Ranald Mitchell, director of Charwin Mortgages, told Newspage.

"This flurry of rate reductions is a positive step towards finding that sweet spot where consumer confidence rebounds, and the property market gets back on track. 

"It's an exciting time for potential buyers, affordability is improving, and the window of opportunity is wide open." 

Justin Moy, the managing director at EHF Mortgages, said: "Lenders are looking to grab some market share by the end of the year.

"Other lenders will likely want to make a similar move over the coming days to remain competitive." 

By James Sillars , business reporter

It's a fairly muted start to the day's trading, again, on financial markets.

The FTSE 100 has opened 10 points higher at 8,373.

Rolls-Royce, the civil aerospace-to-defence firm (not to be confused with the luxury motor car manufacturer), is leading the gainers.

Its shares rallied by 4% early this morning after a 6.5% decline the previous day.

That tumbled was in reaction to the apparent mid-air failure of one of its engines on a Cathay Pacific flight .

Analysts said that the share price recovery was down to an update from  the airline that the fleet affected should be back to full operation by the weekend.

A tweet Liam Gallagher wrote seven years ago criticising the eye-watering price of gig tickets has come back to haunt him.

His message, written in September 2017 about his older brother Noel, who was touring America with his band High Flying Birds at the time, read: "350 dollars to go and see rkid in USA what a c*** when will it all stop as you were LG x"

The tweet has resurfaced after dynamic pricing for Oasis's much-hyped reunion next year left fans - many of whom had spent hours queueing online - stunned after some standard tickets more than doubled in price from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster due to demand.

X users pointed out the irony upon seeing the 2017 tweet, posting comments including, "Well this is evergreen", "What's your excuse for charging over 368 quid then?" and "Not ageing well, Liam".

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Using a phrase Liam adopts in his own social media comments, another fan wrote simply "BIBLICAL".

Hundreds of people have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over "misleading claims about availability and pricing".

In response, Sir Keir Starmer has said the government will get a "grip" on the issue of surge pricing, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy promising a consultation over the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, and the technology around queuing systems, to ensure fans don't get ripped off.

Yesterday we revealed that official reseller Twickets had lowered its fees after criticism from Oasis fans.

Scroll through today's Money blog for: Cheapest dates to go on holiday this year (6.42 post); how do you get free school meals (7.58 post); pay-per-mile tax proposed (7.38 post)

Basically, free school meals are aimed at making sure the country's more vulnerable youngsters don't go hungry while they're learning in their earlier years.

Children of certain ages automatically qualify without having to apply, but the rules differ across the four nations.

Children whose parents claim certain benefits or asylum support may also be eligible - though an application may be needed.

Free school meals without having to apply

In England, outside of London , all state school children in reception to year two automatically qualify for infant free school meals, while in the capital , all state primary school children up to age 11 qualify for the benefit in the 2024-25 academic year.

In Scotland , all state school children up to primary five (around four to nine years old) get the meals automatically. There are plans for this to be extended to pupils in receipt of the Scottish child payment in primary six and seven from February.

In Wales  all primary school children in state schools can get free meals from September.

Families who claim benefits

If your child falls outside the eligibility criteria for automatic free school meals, they'll still be able to benefit in certain circumstances.

Wherever you are in the UK, your child may be able to get free school meals if you get one or more of the following:

• Income support
• Universal credit
• Income-based jobseeker's allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of pension credit
• Child tax credit
• Working tax credit (Scotland and Northern Ireland)
• Working tax credit run-on England and Wales) – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit

There's some specific criteria for families by devolved nation, which we'll break down below...

England and Wales

If you're claiming universal credit, your net household income must be less than £7,400 after tax, and not including any benefits.

Those receiving child tax credit must not also be entitled to working tax credit and must have an annual income of less than £16,190.

If you're classed as having no recourse to public funds - a type of condition placed on temporary visas in the UK - and the parents are able to work, they must have a household income of no more than:

• £22,700 for families outside of London with one child
• £26,300 for families outside of London with two or more children
• £31,200 for families within London with one child
• £34,800 for families within London with two or more children

People claiming universal credit in Scotland must have a household monthly income of no more than £796 (£9,552 per year) to qualify for free school meals. 

Families on child tax credit, but not working tax credit, can get the meals if they earn less than £19,995. For those on both benefits, their income must be no more than £9,552.

Northern Ireland

You may be able to claim free school meals in Northern Ireland if you receive universal credit and your post-tax earnings are £15,000 or less per year.

If you get child tax credit or working tax credit, you can still get free school meals on an annual income of up to £16,190.

How can I claim the meals?

In England, Wales and Scotland, you apply to your local council.

The UK government website has a local authority postcode checker here , which directs you to the council running services in your area. There are similar tools on the Scottish and Welsh government websites.

In Northern Ireland, you can use this form to apply directly to the government.

How many children are eligible - and how much does it cost? 

According to the latest data from the Department for Education, 2.1 million pupils were eligible for free school meals in the 2023-24 academic year - 24.6% of pupils. This was a rise from 23.8% the year before.

According to the London mayor's office, it's estimated that school meals cost £13.25 per week - or £2.65 meal - on average.

It says its free school meals offer for all state-educated primary school children in the capital saves parents around £500 per year.

According to a 2023 report from the IFS, the current system of free school meals in England – both means-tested and universal provision – costs the government around £1.4bn a year.

But separate research from the Food Foundation found that expanding free school meal eligibility to all primary school students could generate around £41bn in direct benefits to students and a further £58bn to the wider economy over 20 years.

Read other entries in our Basically series.. .

Tax receipts from petrol and diesel duty bring in £25bn for the Treasury each year - and questions have been raised about what happens as more drivers go electric.

Today, the public transport charity Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) is proposing that drivers of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), such as electric cars, should be charged based on how far they travel.

They are asking Chancellor Rachel Reeves to impose the pay-per-mile scheme, saying it's the solution to a "black hole" that will be created by the loss of fuel duty.

The scheme would not apply to drivers of traditionally fuelled cars.

Under the plan, drivers with a ZEV before the implementation date would be exempt, incentivising the switch to electric vehicles.

Previous governments have found the prospect of introducing per-mile charges - known as road pricing - to be too politically toxic.

But CBT claims it would have public support.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box - and read more on this story here ...

Summer may be edging towards the rear-view mirror, but that doesn't mean Britons are turning their back on sunshine. 

With many looking to sort an autumn holiday, Expedia has taken a look at the best times to fly and book hotels - with savings of up to £120 if you are savvy. 

Its data is based on average daily rates for lodging and flight prices between 22 September and 21 December this year.

When to book flights for

• Cheapest : 22, 23 or 24 September
• Least busy : 10 or 17 December
• Most expensive : 19, 20 or 21 December
• Busiest : 20 and 21 October

"For the best deals, travellers should look to book their flights 14 to 20 days before travel, saving them on average £120 compared to booking 91 days or more out, or saving £60 compared to booking 60-90 days out," Expedia says. 

"Target the 22-29 September for travel, when average ticket prices (ATPs) for flights are shaping up to be nearly £100 cheaper than the autumn average, and £50 cheaper than summer ATPs."

When to  book a hotel

• Cheapest : 20 November or 11 December
• Most expensive : 14 or 21 October
• Busiest : 23 October or 25 September

"For hotel stays, target the 3-9 November, when average daily rates are £15 cheaper per night than the seasonal average and summer stays," Expedia says. 

The holiday booking site says the most popular autumn destinations have remained largely the same as last year based on the largest number of hotel searches...

• New York, USA
• Paris, France
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Manchester, UK
• Tenerife, Spain
• Birmingham, UK
• Rome, Italy

Despite this, Expedia says savvy Britons are searching out "under the radar" getaway spots.

"Flight searches have surged for Brits looking to discover new, under-the-radar European cities this autumn, such as Tirana (+95%) in Albania and Bucharest (+70%) in Romania, as Brits look to stretch their budgets further by looking outside the popular city break hotspots."

The top 10 destinations with the biggest search increases are:

• Saint Malo, France
• Didim, Turkey
• Syracuse, Italy
• Beijing, China 
• Palermo, Italy
• Tromso, Norway 
• Brescia, Italy 
• Poznan, Poland
• Tangier, Morocco
• Ischia, Italy

The Money blog will return shortly - meantime, why not scroll through some of our best and most popular features below...

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