How to be funny / witty?

BetaMaleFeminist · 2016-03-09T14:12:25+00:00

Wit, humor, and having a nimble mind are all products of a unique thought process. Most people never bother to think outside the box. For instance; Karen says "Work totally sucked today." A normal person would think inside the box, "Karen thinks work was difficult and unpleasant today." A witty or keen individual would process this statement outside the box... what are euphamisms for sucking? or work sucking? Most people would respond "Well, ya win some ya lose some." The witty person would respond "Did it spit or swallow?"

It's a cheap joke, but you get the idea.

Sally wants to show you a "cute cat video" she just watched. A normal person would grudgingly watch, give a smile and walk away. A witty person would watch for a second, act confused, and slyly ask "when I watch pussy videos online, they're usually a lot more stimulating."

Taking an experience and thinking about it in an overly literal, sarcastic, or outlandish way will often yield witty thoughts.

Comparisons are usually pretty humorous. For instance, when deadpool said his scarred, bald head looks like a testicle with teeth, or an old avocado, that shit was hilarious.

Always speak last in a group. Polish your thought while someone else makes a comment. Often times you can become the punch line and garner the most attention if you speak last.

94redstealth · 2016-03-09T15:49:11+00:00

wit and humor are not learned. its not something you can practice.
It is a side effect of knowledge and understanding, just like sarcasm.

If you want to be witty, you need to increase your knowledge. Without a deep understanding of the topic/situation you will not be able to input into the conversation.

You also have to understand vocabulary, tone, connotation, sarcasm, misinterpretation, and so on. All that english bullshit they taught you in school about metaphors, similes, puns, hyperboles, and other shit is the basis for wit. You have to be able to use language, situation, and other peoples knowledge(or lack there of) to express ideas and thoughts.

hhex · 2016-03-09T15:58:09+00:00

I'm naturally introverted like a lot of the guys on this sub but what worked wonders for me was realising that as long as I had high energy (Law 37, create compelling spectacles) then I could pretty much do what I wanted.

Previously I could only be extroverted I was drunk or had the highest social standing in the group, and I used to really beat myself up about it. But once I realised that I could turn on high-energy-mode pretty much at the flick of a switch everything became a lot easier, including being funny.

Fake it till you make it bro. It's super liberating.

nastynickdr · 2016-03-09T18:22:53+00:00

You are caring too much about what others think of you.

"We all know women (and men) like funny people and this helps with social status."

So what? Just do what you wanna do. Set your objectives and goals and pursue them. If thats what you want, chicks are attracted like magnets to busy quality men following their own path and are very eager to get a little of their attention and time.

nathanisfat · 2016-03-09T19:05:27+00:00

Practice. Watch comedians deal with hecklers. Practice. Read books about comedy writing. Practice. Think back on what people have said to you and how you would have liked to respond. Oh, and don't forget to practice.

SureImShore · 2016-03-09T19:42:41+00:00

Being witty has to do with thinking quickly and knowing your audience (as a great line delivered a few seconds too late can bomb, and comedic taste varies). You have to be smart and intuitive to be witty; you can't really learn it.

Same thing with being "funny" in general. There are specific things you can do to increase your endurance and strength, attain higher levels of proficiency in a language, and obviously things you can do to improve your success with women. But there isn't a "practical" set of things you can do to go from "Funny Level 2" to "Funny Level 7". Its really more of a trait than a skill; like intelligence.

Tanukiri · 2016-03-09T19:52:40+00:00

Making the group laugh has always come natural to me, so I have done it my whole life. I have also failed many times and watched others fail many times, often consistently. This has lead me to realize the golden rule of wit (besides brevity): don't force it. If something pops into your head that's genuinely funny to you, say it. If you're looking for a joke that's not there, or, god-forbid, you have some knee-jerk pun reaction, keep quiet. You can build an internal sense of humor by seeking out comedy you like.

oldredder · 2016-03-10T04:29:59+00:00

no practical information can exist. It's instinct, it's not pre-planned and if it was, it wouldn't be/sound witty.

If you're not then either your life experience is lacking or your thinking is too slow and that's it.

Tricky-Nicky · 2016-03-09T19:33:26+00:00

Practice shortening your sentences to only the words you need to get your point across. Then come up with scenarios where you can be witty. Also, after real-life moments where you could've shown wit, think back to those moments and imagine what you would've said.

These practices give you time to think. Going over responses everyday will help make you faster at coming up with them in real-life. I think about it like playing an instrument: you can't play something at a fast tempo without practicing it at a slower tempo first. Once you can do it at a slow tempo, speed it up. Soon it'll be second nature.

I walk into a room...

Housemate: Look everyone, she's here!

Me: Takes one to know one.

Processing afterwards

Better Response: Oh, you think I'm a girl? So that's why you keep "accidentally" stumbling into my room when I'm changing.

See friends at party...

Girl: Oh no, Nick's here.

Me: Afraid of losing the spotlight?

Processing afterwards

Better Response: Are you still mad because I wouldn't let you join my entourage?

After sex with a girl...

Her: When can I see you again?

Me: I'm busy for the next few days. Maybe next week.

Processing afterwards

Better Response: I think I can pencil you in for an appointment next week. Do you have my secretary's contact info?

Now of course, these are all specific to my personality. You can come up with your own responses and style of wit based on your personality. The key, however, is to be sharp enough to respond at any time. It's like reading a book about Muay Thai versus going to a Muay Thai gym: No matter how much you read (watch videos of witty people), you'll never be able to fight unless you practice fighting (trying to be witty in real life and coming up with responses).
That said, it's good to see real examples every now and then. Watch Craig Ferguson's celebrity interview on youtube. He's a master.

animalpoo · 2016-03-09T22:30:54+00:00

Wit is knowledge base x quick thinking.

Let's say that you've grown your knowledge base on relevant topics and if you had the time you could probably tell a funny joke. It just takes time to construct.

It's the quick thinking that brings forth the knowledge and arrangers this into a comical and quick comment. So you need to get faster at your responses. So the question is how do you do this ?

First you need to be checked into your environment, observant of everything and everyone that's there. Not focusing on work, or that interesting book you were reading. This allows you to maximise your oppertunities. To increase your speed, learn how to freestyle rap - YouTube it. The speed will come with practise.

medik13 · 2016-03-09T13:51:00+00:00

Use text to help develop, you can take time to think about it and come up with something witty. Also push the boundaries a little, be cheeky and see what you can/cant get away with

Title	How to be funny / witty?
Author	globst
Upvotes	12
Comments	18
Date	March 9, 2016 1:08 PM UTC (10 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/49nz0b/how_to_be_funny_witty/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-to-be-funny-witty.161798 https://theredarchive.com/post/161798

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