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GET MORE LAUGHTER IN YOUR LIFE!
David Granirer - North America's Psychotherapist/Stand-Up Comic
Volume 3, Issue 8
Editor: David Granirer, david@psychocomic.com
Publisher: David Granirer
www.psychocomic.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
1. Welcome from the Publisher
2. Joke
3. How to Prepare Spontaneous Humor
4. What’s Good Stories
5. An Opportunity To Help
6. Classified Ads
7. Contact Information


PRIVACY STATEMENT: WE WILL NOT DISTRIBUTE YOUR
EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANYONE. PERIOD.


1. WELCOME FROM THE PUBLISHER

****Come Have a Laugh!****

We have just completed the Search for the Funniest Comic with a Day Job Contest. Thanks to everyone who participated. Congratulations to 1st place finisher Jeffery Yu, 2nd place finisher Debra Walley, and 3rd place finisher Troy Firth. Each night the judging was very close, and people were impressed by how good ALL the contestants were. Thanks to all of you who came to watch. We were packed every night.

Our regular Friday evening shows resume on September 6 at Flori’s Coffee Centre, 3851 East Hastings, Bby, Reservations recommended (604) 294-8505. Clean, intelligent comedy in a smoke-free environment. Showtime is 8:00 pm. Every second Friday of the month we’ll have a Best of the Search for the Funniest Comic with a Day Job Contest show featuring various contestants.

SPECIAL THANKS: Bill Clennan, the Memory Man donated a ticket to one of his workshops as one of the prizes. Bill gives great workshops on how to remember names, faces, and just about everything else. I’ve been to one and he’s terrific! To find out more http://www.idoinspire.com

2. THIS MONTH'S JOKE

Being Jewish, I just can’t resist a good Jewish joke.

Yeshiva University decided to field a rowing team. Unfortunately, they
lost every race. They practiced and practiced but never managed to come in any better than dead last.

Finally, the Yeshiva head decided to send Yankel to spy
on the championship Harvard team. So Yankel schlepped off to Cambridge
and hid in the bulrushes of the Charles River from where he carefully
watched the Harvard team as they practiced.

After two weeks Yankel returned to Yeshiva. "I have figured out
their secret," he announced. "What? Tell us," they all wanted to know.

"We should have only one guy shouting; the other eight should row."


3. HOW TO PREPARE SPONTANEOUS HUMOR

People seem to think that humor can only come about spontaneously. They say “My humor is totally off the cuff, I can’t plan it, it just happens.” Of course spontaneous humor is wonderful. But the problem is we have to wait for it to occur, and let’s face it, the inspiration isn’t always there, especially when we most need it. It’s those times we feel tongue-tied, nervous, embarrassed, or afraid, that our relaxed, impromptu wit seems to desert us.

The belief that humor can only arise spontaneously also stems from a misconception people have about stand-up comedy. They think that stand-up comics can just walk on stage and be spontaneously funny for an hour. Nothing could be further from the truth. Stand-up comedy is about 80% written and rehearsed, and 20% spontaneously ad-libbed.

If you go see a comic two nights in a row you’ll pretty much see the same show, and even some of those ad-libs you thought were spontaneous and brilliant you’ll realize are a planned part of the routine. Also, why do you think comics almost always win battles with hecklers? True, comics have the mic, but they are also prepared, having memorized heckler lines for just these situations. Old favorites include “I don’t want to get in a battle of wits with an unarmed man,” and “C’mon sir, I don’t come to your job and criticize you.”

We too can benefit from having some prepared spontaneous lines to use when we’re stuck for something to say. It’s important to remember that unless we want to use them as stand-up comedy, our prepared lines don’t need to be night club funny. When we see a comic, our expectations are high that she will make us laugh, especially if we’ve paid a cover charge.

But the expectations are much lower in everyday conversation, so laughs are much easier to come by. Studies of laughter in everyday conversation have found that only 10-20 percent of laughter is in response to something humorous. The other 80-90 percent is used for social purposes like filling pauses in conversation, and conveying agreement, empathy, and support for the speaker. In other words, you have an 80-90 percent chance of getting laughs if others like you, whether or not you are actually funny!

The “I Don’t Just” formula will give you strategies for preparing spontaneous humor.

To communicate your fears in a humorous way, complete the following three-part sentence. The sentence contains your fear, a logical and a grossly exaggerated thing you need from others or must do yourself to aleviate it. Here’s what the sentence and the end result looks like:
“To _______________, I don’t just ______________, I need ____________________.”

“To (lessen a fear you have), I don’t just (logical thing you’d need to cope), I need (Exaggerated thing you’d need to cope).”

“To lessen my fear of rejection, I don’t just need you to tell me I’m OK, I need you to put it in writing!”

“To lessen my fear of getting sick, I don’t just wash hands after using a public phone, I disinfect my whole body!”

Feel free to change and adapt this formula, and let me know if you come up with anything you’d like to share with our readers.


****Free Articles for Your Newsletter****

If you would like to print one of my articles on humor in the workplace in your newsletter free of charge, email me at david@psychocomic.com and Iíll send you a complete summary of all the articles Iíve written.

For other free articles about laughter go to www.psychocomic.com/Articles.htm

For free back issues of this ezine go to www.psychocomic.com/Newsletter.htm

*****GET MORE LAUGHTER IN YOUR LIFE!*****
Check out David's tapes, posters, buttons at www.psychocomic.com/Products.htm
 

4. WHAT'S GOOD STORIES

It's so easy to see all the bad things around us, that sometimes we forget about all the great things that go on. And we need to hear about good things because that gives us hope and inspires us to go out and do more good things.

In this section, I want to hear from you. What's happened in your life that's good? What things have people done that inspire you to be kind to others? What funny things have happened?

Email your short stories to me at david@psychocomic.com, and if I publish yours, you get a free copy of my tape "I'm OK But YOU Need Professional Help!"  
 

Karen Mills from Lake Forest, Georgia contributed this month’s story.

Hi David,
You make me laugh and I make others laugh. Here's my story:

My 10 year-old daughter and I were having a leisurely lunch on the weekend. When we finished, I asked the waitress for the check. She said that it had already been taken care of. I asked, by whom? She pointed at an elderly gentlemen walking out the door. I said "But I don't even know him, why would he pay our bill?" She said that he just wanted to do something nice for someone today. Then I asked the waitress for change so that I could leave a tip. She then said that he already gave her a tip.

This happened after my recent move from the Midwest to the South (specifically from Detroit to Atlanta). I always thought the south would be harder for me to live in because I am Black. However, it has been great! By the way, the elderly gentleman who paid our bill was White.

Two days later, my daughter and I were at the park. I noticed a woman who seemed to be in distress. As it turned out, she was out of gas. I offered to take her gas can, fill it up and bring it back to her. She tried her best to make me take money for the gas, however I would not accept it. I returned with her gas and she was on her way.

One good deed leads to another! By the way the woman was white, and I am still in the South.

5. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

Heather Darney writes:

Hi David,

This is a very worthwhile Canadian project:

Maple Leaf Legacy Project http://www.mllp.demon.co.uk is a volunteer project,
started by a Canadian, Steve Douglas. The goal of the MLLP is to photograph
every Canadian war grave from the Boer War right up to the present day
peacekeepers. We are photographing only those who died during the wars, not
after the wars. Our goal is to provide a virtual memorial on the internet.

We have volunteers worldwide taking photographs and so far, we have just
over 52,000 photographs of Canadian war dead. We also find loved ones'
graves and provide families/friends with a photo of the grave, as many will
not be able to travel to the gravesite overseas.

This project is not only to leave Canadians a legacy but also it is touching
so many lives who lost a loved one during wartime.

Regards,

Heather Darney
BC Regional Representative
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

If anyone has a good cause they'd like to promote please email me at david@psychocomic.com
 

6. CLASSIFIED ADS

Speakers: Learn how to incorporate stand-up comedy into your presentations. Check out David's stand-up comedy skills coaching for presenters at: www.psychocomic.com/ComedyCourse.htm
 

7. CONTACT INFORMATION

David Granirer gives laughter in the workplace presentations helping hundreds of organizations throughout North America reduce stress, increase wellness, and cope with change. For more information on his presentations, stand-up comedy, products, and articles call (604) 205-9242 or go to www.psychocomic.com

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