
Ask HN: How can I learn to be funny? - jimijazz
Hi all, I&#x27;m looking for resources on how to learn to become funny at conversation.<p>Any books, thoughts, blog posts, ideas, videos, etc, are welcome.<p>Hopefully language agnostic since I&#x27;m a native spanish speaker.<p>What has worked for you?
======
carapace
"Dying is easy. Comedy is difficult."

"If you don't have a sense of humor, don't try to be funny."

If you just want to be good at conversation and social stuff, get a copy of
"How to Win Friends and Influence People"
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influen...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People)

It's cheesy but it works.

That said, if you are really after being funny, then know that _the essense of
comedy is timing_. Being funny is more like dancing than acting, say. Good
news is it's a skill and unless you're hopeless you can practice and learn it.
Get yourself a copy of Ol' Asimov's "Treasury of Humor" and just tell people
jokes and practice your timing and delivery. Good luck! It's wonderful to make
people laugh!

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov%27s_Treasury_of_H...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov%27s_Treasury_of_Humor)

~~~
jimijazz
Thanks for the reading suggestions. I had Asimov's sci-fi stuff in my reading
list, and learning he's got comedy writing will definitely make me get
acquainted with his work now even more quickly.

------
peter_d_sherman
Hang out with people that are funnier than you... If you don't know any people
that are funnier than you, then go to comedy clubs on amateur nights. If you
go on a night when a professional comedian is performing, while he might be
funny, chances are you won't be able to meet him or hang out with him
afterwards. On amateur nights, you should be able to meet everyone afterwards.
Find the funny amateurs, meet them, ask to hang out with them, and their humor
will eventually rub off on you... You could try Improv classes too, as
suggested by another poster.

~~~
jimijazz
This seems like a good plan too. It has helped me to become a better musician
just by playing music with good musicians. I would call it learning by
osmosis.

------
brownbat
0\. Have more conversations with more groups of people.

1\. Notice the things that make you laugh or you find witty in conversations.
Keep a journal if necessary.

2\. Steal liberally.* If the comments are highly situational, think of ways to
generalize, or imagine similar situations where you could use similar
material.*

3\. Focus on people's reactions when you tell those stolen jokes.

4\. Once you can get a reaction with tested material, branch out to variations
and introduce your own material. (Don't stick with joke theft forever, just
use it as a transition, so you can isolate other things to work on.)

* (2) probably requires multiple distinct social groups. Even in the same group, you can get away with this with a little hat tip, like, "It's like that time when John said X..." Or if you build from that into storytelling--everyone likes hearing stories about times they said or did interesting things--so you'll have a sympathetic audience while you practice some timing and rhythm.

~~~
jimijazz
Thanks for your suggestions. I find the journal idea pretty awesome. I'm very
methodic when setting my mind to learn something new.

------
CyberFonic
I did a course in script writing for film and TV. There was a considerable
amount of work on how to structure for comedy. The best part of the course was
that homework was to watch TV, comedy shows in particular and de-construct
them.

The key to being funny is to be aware, notice things and see the unexpected,
etc. The funniest material is adapted from real-life events with a sprinkling
of whimsy added. Telling jokes is very much about engagement and timing.

~~~
jimijazz
> The best part of the course was that homework was to watch TV, comedy shows
> in particular and de-construct them.

This sound very intersting. Could you share an example of such work?

------
surfallday
are there improv classes in your city?

~~~
jimijazz
I'm pretty sure there are. I hadn't considered that option. Have you tried it?

------
CharlesW
Serious question: Were you ever funny?

~~~
jimijazz
I do make people laugh sometimes, though I tend to be more literal and stick
to meaning than absurdness in conversation.

------
Cypher
You could try and enrol into clown college. It worked well for Steveo the star
of Jackass.

