Despite what some may think — writing jokes is hard! It’s one thing to be funny and to have that amazing personality trait, but sitting down and writing jokes is challenging and takes a lot of effort. Stand-up comedians tend to rely on writing jokes that work well with a wider audience, so they often rely on using the base of a classic approach to joking and giving it a new and original meaning. Here are five types of jokes that comedians love and the stand-up comedians that became absolute masters in their game while using them.
1. The One-Liner
One-liners are a great way to get your point across quickly and effectively. They are short, catchy, and easy to remember. When used correctly, they can help you hook your listeners and get them interested in what you have to say. One-liners can help you grab anybody’s attention and keep them engaged.
When we say one-liner, we immediately think of Jimmy Carr! His jokes are quick, witty, and smart and while you’re figuring out what he actually said, he is off to the next one!
2. The Anecdote
An anecdote is a short and funny story that you probably would have never thought would happen to you in a million years. It’s amusing, unexpected, exciting, and incredibly funny. Ever heard of a story that seemed too funny to be true and it just got stuck in your subconscious mind so now just thinking about it brings that special sparkle of joy? That’s a good anecdote!
Let’s all agree that when it comes to telling a great story in stand-up, we all think — Louis CK. His anecdotes come from his daily struggles and wins and they are so entertaining, we just want a never-ending story!
3. The Dark
Having a dark sense of humor is considered a personality trait. It’s not for everybody! Laughing at things that people would consider morbid or joking about things that are considered taboo is kind of special. These types of jokes can be tricky and get you in a lot of trouble.
One of the people that felt the consequences of his jokes is Anthony Jeselnik. His comedy is edgy and provoking. He’s oftentimes joked about subjects that others would not dare to even think about. You always have a sense of wonder if you should laugh or not, but it’s so bizarre that you just can’t seem to stop yourself from doing it!
4. The Observation
It’s simple as it sounds. You find something that you find funny in your everyday life and start joking about it. It can be an everyday phenomenon that is rarely noticed or discussed. Sometimes called the “Have you ever noticed?” jokes, they still work. The best thing is that the story or situation is so familiar to most people that it’s impossible not to laugh about it. There is not really a punchline to it but it’s universally familiar and hard not to relate to it.
The sometimes eccentric Chris D’Elia can teach a lesson or two about this type of comedy, for sure.
5. The Slapstick
Or simply put — physical comedy. Comedy that mocks violence and simulated bodily harm is staged for comic effect. This is an oldie, but goldie. Many names come to mind, The Three Stooges, Charlie Kaufman, Jim Carrey, and Mr. Bean, but our always beloved Monty Python are the absolute geniuses who to this day make us laugh out loud! For real, who can ever get over the Ministry of Silly Walks or just two men standing and slapping themselves with different sizes of fish? A-R-T!