One of the biggest misconceptions about humor is that it’s only useful if you want to become a stand-up comedian. It’s not. Humor is one of the most powerful tools a speaker, entrepreneur, coach, educator, salesperson, auctioneer, or leader can learn to use. Because when people laugh: - they relax - they trust you more - they remember more - they stay engaged longer - and most importantly… they feel connected to you That connection is what moves people. Over the years I’ve seen speakers with incredible information lose a room because they sounded robotic… while other speakers with less experience completely win an audience because they knew how to use humor, timing, stories, and personality to create energy. That’s why I made this slide. Not to say “become a comedian.” But to show you that humor is a strategic advantage. And honestly… most people use humor completely backwards. They think it’s about telling jokes when really it’s about: - relatability - rhythm - emotional release - audience psychology - tension and release - and human connection That’s what we’re really studying in this community. So whether you speak on stages…run meetings…teach…sell…lead…pitch…or just want to become more engaging and memorable…you’re in the right place. And if one of these 10 points hits you… comment on it below. I’d love to know which one stands out most to you and why. Because the more you understand why humor works…the more intentional you can become using it.

One of my rules when writing humor: If there’s a victim in the joke… and it’s not you… don't say it. Now before comedians come for me… I’m not saying superiority jokes don’t work. They absolutely work. In fact they can be amazing. But I think we laugh for two very different reasons: 1. Superiority We laugh because something looks worse than us. We feel smarter. Safer. Ahead. That can work GREAT… Especially when the target is: ✅ Yourself ✅ A product ✅ A system ✅ A shared frustration Example: Making fun of a flip phone in 2026?Easy. Making fun of PEOPLE who still use flip phones? Now the joke changed. Because maybe they can’t afford something else. Maybe they hate tech. Maybe they’re simplifying their life. Now they became the victim. But if YOU still have a flip phone? Game on. Now we laugh because we recognize something human. Which brings me to the second kind… 2. Commonality We laugh because we recognize ourselves. “That’s me.”“I do that.”“Oh man… I’ve thought that.” That kind of laughter creates connection. And connection creates trust. That’s why my favorite humor usually isn’t making fun of people. It’s showing people they’re not alone. In this video I talk about why I think this matters… …and why the biggest laugh isn’t always the best laugh. Curious where you land on this 👇

For 25 years I’ve been obsessed with one question: Can humor be taught? Not just to comedians… but to speakers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, educators, sales teams, awkward people, introverts… people from all walks of life. After teaching thousands of people and spending decades writing, performing, coaching, and studying what actually makes people laugh… I stopped asking: “How do I teach people to write jokes?” …and started asking: “How do I teach software to think about humor the way comedians do?” This is the result. The **They Laugh. You Win. Humor Engine.** Not an AI joke generator. A system designed to help people turn their stories, observations, experiences, speeches, toasts, social posts, awkward moments, and real life into humor they can actually use. You bring the moment. We find the funny. And the part I’m most excited about: The app doesn’t stop at generating a draft. Now it introduces **Punch It Up** — a second pass built around my actual editing philosophy to make jokes tighter, more conversational, more human, and more performable. This is still early. But it’s working. So I’m starting to schedule short demos. Right now I’m looking for: • Strategic partners • Early investors • Product thinkers • AI builders • People who see the opportunity in communication, confidence, and connection If that sounds like you, send me a message or drop a comment and let’s set up a quick demo. Because when They Laugh. You Win.

One of the biggest problems newer comedians and writers have is they think every line has to be perfect the first time. It doesn’t. Professional comedians make choices. A lot of them. Because sometimes the first line isn’t “the line”… it’s just a placeholder so you don’t get stuck. That’s one of the biggest differences between experienced comedians and newer comics: we know how to KEEP MOVING. George Carlin always said that last thing he did when writing a standup routine was to "punch it up" ... go through what he had already written and rewrite it using different words and phrases and timing to bring more energy and spark to it. “Punch up” writing has been a longstanding and vital practice in Hollywood since the first screenplay was written and there is evidence that even William Shakespeare would often apply this finishing touch on many of his works. Going back through the material and rewriting words, phrases, timing and imagery to make the joke hit harder. Because words on a page are a living organism. They evolve. And there are always ways to make them: • sharper • funnier • more vivid • more memorable • more impactful That process doesn’t just apply to stand-up comedy either. It applies to: podcasts, speeches, keynotes, sales, storytelling, content creation and everyday communication.

Quick question for everyone in the community… How many of you would actually come to LIVE Joke Writing Office Hours if I started doing them weekly? I currently have one scheduled for next month… But honestly, if there’s enough interest, I’ll do one NEXT WEEK. 😂 And the whole idea is simple: You bring me: ➡️ stories ➡️ awkward moments ➡️ speeches ➡️ ideas ➡️ observations ➡️ failed jokes ➡️ random thoughts ➡️ presentations ➡️ anything …and I’ll break down how I would turn it into something funny, stronger, and more engaging in REAL TIME. Because funny isn’t random. There is a system to funny and I would love to show you how I do it. I started performing at 3 years old and I’ve spent my entire life studying this craft: 🎤 Comedy 🧠 Humor 🎙 Connection ✍ Storytelling 😂 Audience psychology And one thing I know for sure is… People learn FAST when they actually WATCH funny get built. Not theory. Not motivational quotes. Not memes. The real process. That’s why I think these Office Hours could become one of the coolest parts of this community. So let me know below 👇 Would you actually show up if I did one next week? And if you WOULD come… What would you bring me to work on?