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GET MORE LAUGHTER IN YOUR LIFE!
David Granirer - North America's Psychotherapist/Stand-Up Comic
Volume 3, Issue 9
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. Preparing Spontaneous Humor: Part Two
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

****We’re Back!****

My comedy nights start again on Friday January 11 at Flori’s Coffee Centre, 3851 E. Hastings in North Burnaby, 2 blocks east of Boundary. To reserve (604) 294-8505.


****Comedy Course****

If you’ve ever had a dream to do comedy, my 8-week Stand-Up Comedy Clinic Course at Langara College starts on the evenings of February 5 and 6. (I’m running 2 sections this term, a Tues. and Wed. class). To register call Langara at (604) 323-5322. To see testimonials from people who have taken the course go to http://www.psychocomic.com/ComedyCourse.htm

2. THIS MONTH'S JOKE

To help you lighten up, Iíve decided to start every issue with a joke. If anyone has some good clean jokes that are reasonably short, feel free to email them to me at david@psychocomic.com

Being Jewish, I just can’t resist a good Jewish joke. Here’s one to follow last month’s:

A woman goes to her rabbi with a serious problem. Any time she has visitors, her two female parrots embarrass her by saying in unison, "Hi! We're hookers. Want to have some fun?" The rabbi breaks into a smile, explaining that he has two male parrots trained to spend most of the day praying in their cage. He's confident that if the woman brings her two parrots over, his two parrots will exert such a positive influence that her birds will turn into model parrots.

The next day the woman brings her two parrots to the rabbi’s home. She notices a large cage with two parrots, each wearing a little kipah, tiny tallis and holding a miniature prayer book while they rock back and forth in prayer. Sure enough, as soon as she places her parrots in the cage, they shout out to their male counterparts: "Hi! We're hookers. Want to have some fun?" One of the rabbi's parrots immediately turns to the other, squawking: "Moishe, put the freakin book down. Our prayers have been answered!”


3. PREPARING SPONTANEOUS HUMOR: PART TWO

Last month I gave you a formula for finding humor in your flaws. The point was that spontaneous humor is great, but 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. Thus it’s to our benefit to have some prepared spontaneous lines.

You also learned that unless you plan to do stand-up comedy, your humor doesn’t have to be night club funny, since expectations are much lower in everyday conversation. As a matter of fact, you have an 80-90 percent chance of getting laughs if others like you, whether or not you are actually funny!

Here’s another formula to help you prepare spontaneous humor that pokes fun at yourself. Start with something that evokes a so-called negative emotion, then exaggerate your reaction. Let’s say you’re jealous and insecure in your relationship. Here’s something you can say to poke fun at yourself, in both the template and finished version:

“Just seeing you talk to another woman makes me want to yell out, ‘Don’t touch him, he’s mine.’”

“Just ___________________________ makes me___________________________.”


Obviously you can adapt this depending if you’re a man, woman, or in a same-sex relationship.

Here are the steps to get there:

Step 1: Identify something that evokes a so-called negative emotion.
Blind dates

Step 2: Identify what would be a normal reaction to this thing.
A normal reaction to blind dates would be: Feeling nervous or getting tongue-tied

Step 3: Now come up with a way more exaggerated reaction to the thing you identified in step 1.
An exaggerated reaction to blind dates would be: Having a panic attack.

Step 4: Take the thing from step one and phrase your sentence as though you were just thinking about it or seeing it, not actually doing it. By distancing yourself from that actual thing you allow the exaggerated reaction you add in step 5 to be even more disproportionate.
Just thinking about a blind date

Step 5: Now add the exaggerated reaction from step 3.
“Just thinking about a blind date makes me go into a full blown panic attack.”

Here’s a short cut template for you to use:

“Just thinking about (situation that evokes a negative emotion) makes me (exaggerated response to that situation).”

“Just ___________________________ makes me___________________________.”

If you’re still a bit confused, here’s the step-by-step template:

Step 1: Identify something that evokes a so-called negative emotion.
______________________________________

Step 2: Identify what would be a normal reaction to this thing.
A normal reaction to _______________ would be: ____________________________________

Step 3: Now come up with a way more exaggerated reaction to the thing you identified in step 1.
An exaggerated reaction to _______________ would be:__________________________

Step 4: Take the thing from step one and phrase your sentence as though you were just thinking about it or seeing it, not actually doing it. By distancing yourself from that actual thing you allow the exaggerated reaction you add in step 5 to be even more disproportionate.
Just thinking about _____________________________________________________

Step 5: Now add the exaggerated reaction from step 3.
“Just thinking about __________________________ makes me
__________________________________________.”

Have fun with this, and feel free to adapt it to suit your personal style.



****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!"  
 

Leslie Tessman from North Vancouver, B.C. contributed this month’s story.

Dear David,

A friend of ours John has cancer. At Xmas the doctors gave him days to live. So his friend (& ours) Fred, flew to John’s home-town and video-taped all his old buddies from his days as a professional athlete.

He then flew to where John lives now and played the tape for him. Well it is
6 months later and John is at home, still cancerous, but much, much better. We visited
John, and he said he played that tape over and over and it gave him the will to live!!
He said "Damn it, I'm going to beat this thing."

This kindness of Fred’s really affected me. Before we visited John, I was very stressed and didn't want to see him. But again Fred led the way. When we got there John was so excited and appreciative of our visit. I felt like I was a gift. I forgot my self and my little fears. When I got home I finally called a friend whose husband was dying. I had been putting off calling her. I thought I would share this story as it had such an affect on me!

Love and laugh,
Leslie Tessman

5. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

ARTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS brings psychological relief to the victims of war in the form of art and/or entertainment. They send performers and artists to refugee camps and zones of conflict. Theyíve been to Kosovo, East Timor, Chechnya and more. If youíd like more information, or to help out, (Theyíre a non-profit organization and could use donations) go to their web site http://www.artwit.org .

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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