This is a funny (erhem) thread for me because I got paid one of the finest sideways compliments ever by a non-magish friend, Patrick Franz...

"You have some of the funniest lines that nobody laughs at..."

My show is full of off-the cuff, slightly surreal things like 'miracles and wonders from the four corners of the circular globe' (op cit Firesign Theater, I think).
A lot of my act is stuff that (initially) just leapt out of my face while I was doing the set-up, the build, or the blowoff for my show, and I keep the bits *I* personally think are funny. Fortunately enough, enough of these bits get one or two people laughing that I can then say "Thank you for laughing at that joke."

This inevitably makes *more* people laugh. So I can say "Thank you for laughing at *that* joke..." which makes more people laugh and so on.

If you can get one person to laugh, and compliment them (or ask if they can come back to your next show, etc), this helps the rest of the group loosen up enough to be *able* to laugh at the rest of your material. Assuming it's intended to be funny.

Sometimes when a line falls flat, I just look out at the audience and explain, "Sometimes I just say things *I* think are funny. Let's move on."

... and get a laugh.

I quite like that one

Chris

I read the entire thread and can't beleive no one remembered this old vauldville line when a joke bombs.
"Is this an audience or an oil painting"
Am I giving my age away? hehehe
Later,Don

Love it Don.

I cant wait to use it!

Thanks

BroDavid

Bro Dave,
I bet you NEVER have a joke bomb again so you can use that line...
That would be a good trade off...hehehe
Later,Don

Well I save them all up, just in case it ever happens to me

I love the classics. And a lot of my act depends on one liners, and running gags. I used to be a big fan of Norm Crosby, who used all of the wrong words in all of the right places and used to just floor me with his sharp wit and off handed delivery. So I use a lot of that approach and deliver lines that sound right, until you think about them, and I will have an audience member suddenly break out laughing because he just got it, and everyone is already done laughing, but they start up all over again, because the other guy just got it. It is a bit of mind game, and I love it. I just merrily roll along dropping time bombs as I go.

And since my act is more entertainment than magic, I need a lot of good lines to play out the day.

But I probably should just sit down with you, Don. And I bet that in a couple of hours of listening to you, I could collect enough good material for the rest of my performing life.

Thanks again!

BroDavid