Humour in a speech

I was asked a question about humour in a speech by a friend who works for a major international bank. He had watched a famous comedian on DVD and thought he could borrow the jokes that the comedian’s audience loved. I asked him if he was trying to commit career suicide, and he stared at me with a blank expression on his face. I believe humour is essential for any speech, but you are better off introducing it gradually if you are new to it. Some comedians have been rehearsing their routines for 10 years before they get their break. So why would you think you can do it after 10 minutes. Here are 5 tips for using humour
• practice at least 25 times before you deliver
• record yourself and listen to it
• get feedback from a pro
• only use a joke if it suits your personality and your audience
• keep a humour library

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk