Specific Tips for Comedy Writing Pt 4

This is the fourth in a short series of specific, technical tips for writing funny. This is the kind of work that expert, experienced comedic speech writers do, whether it's a funny speech for a wedding, birthday, anniversary, retirement, bar mitzvah, corporate or business event, or a civic public speaking engagement:

A Person’s Career or Hobby

When writing about someone’s career or hobbies, it’s important to stay away from anything too tragic or embarrassing. You might try: “Herman is quite the surgeon. With my own eyes, I have seen him separate the inferior lateral gluteous from the ventricular pectoralis. And that was just the boiled lobster.” Or, “Debbie’s a certified public accountant. I better be nice to her, or she’s going to report my poker winnings.”

Specific Tips for Comedy Writing Pt 3

 This is the third in a short series of specific, technical tips for writing funny. This is the kind of work that expert, experienced comedic speech writers do, whether it's a funny speech for a wedding, birthday, anniversary, retirement, bar mitzvah, corporate or business event, or a civic public speaking engagement:

Specific Personal Attributes and Qualities

As with personal appearance, make the jokes about qualities that your subject would take pride in, or that are widely known as safe topics for ribbing. For instance: “Aunt Nadine acts incredibly youthful, like she’s a fraction of her age. Last year at her birthday we hired a clown. And she still cried and ran away.” Or, “Brian is pretty oblivious to holidays. He asked me 'What's the date for 4th of July?” There's a way, in a funny speech or roast, to make fun of someone's qualities- good or bad- without causing serious embarrassment or hurt feelings.