Setup + Punch Introduction
Teaching you how to be funny!
What is a Joke?
From a young age I have been fascinated with making people laugh. As a kid I constantly watched stand-up on Comedy Central, developing a natural ability to humor others. Unsurprisingly my parents had to endure waves of complaints from my teachers. One even stated, “Your son is hilarious, but he distracts the entire class, and we are having trouble staying on track. Please make him shut up.”
In college I finally started to wonder… What is the essence of comedy? Is there a formula for joke writing? And am I ever going to find work as a philosophy major?
With no formal experience, I signed up for a stand-up comedy class at the Helium Comedy Club in Philadelphia. I still remember standing in front of the class one day and telling jokes that I thought would kill. They did not. Instead, due to the anxiety I was feeling from bombing I was laughing like a hyena to a room of blank stares. The teacher eventually asked whether I was “Ok.” After I answered that I was fine, he then asked “why are you laughing.”
I was so embarrassed. How am I able to seemingly conjure laughs at will when I am with my friends, family, and colleagues, but fail in a stand-up context. I stopped by the local Barnes and Noble to try to find a resource to help. It was there that I discovered Greg Dean’s “Step By Step To Stand-up Comedy.” That book gave me my first definition of a joke.
As time progressed I honed in on the skillset and decided to compete in a Humorous Speech Competition. I developed a formula to all types of humor, including humor for public speaking. My speech won at my Toastmasters club, then I won in my area, I won in my division, and from there I competed as a finalist in my district.
1. Setup + Punch
Everyone can be funny. I truly believe that. In this newsletter, I want to help readers understand comedy. I want to share my formula with you. Whether you are a seasoned comedian that wants to learn more, or an emotionless Elon Musk-type, I am confident that you will be funny if you utilize my techniques.
I also firmly believe in using humor in all aspects of life, including professional contexts. I am a lawyer by trade and I have found that adding humor to the mundane world of legal arguments has made my work stand out. In turn, standing out has helped me win for my clients.
If you are interested in the blueprint to making people laugh, you are in the right place!
2. Jokesters Welcome
If you are a jokester, join our Setup + Punch community for weekly analysis of jokes, skits, humorous writing, etc.
3. What Is The Catch?
At Setup + Punch, we will post an in-depth analysis of one joke, skit, or other humorous work each week. We will focus on topics such as joke structure, writing comedic storytelling, physical humor and much more!
Our free subscribers will be able to join in on the fun.
Support the Series
If you love breakdowns like this, consider supporting us on Patreon:
👉 www.patreon.com/setupandpunch
You'll get early access to more in-depth posts, exclusive writing tips, join an online community with live events and brainstorming sessions, etc.