Strong Punchlines are NegativeIn this joke writing article, How to Write Funnier Jokes: Tip 5 – Strong Punchlines are Negative, I’ll show how stand-up comedians increase the pain within jokes to get bigger laughs. This is another skill to practice as you write and rewrite your comedy routines with strong punchlines.Previously in this series of joke writing articles, you learned How to Write Funnier Jokes: Tip 1 – Short Setups and Punchlines, Tip 2 – End Punchlines with the Reveal, Tip 3 – Use K-Words to Improve Punchlines, and Tip 4 – Localize Comedy Routines.

You are well on your way to writing funnier and funnier jokes.

Tip 5 – Strong Punchlines are NegativeOn an unconscious level most comedians and comedy writers know this technique, yet it’s not often explicitly stated or taught. We laugh at someone else’s pain, so if we can ratchet up the pain, it’s more likely to have strong punchlines which can get bigger laughs because the negative consequences are more intense.

Here’s a joke by my student Aaron Thompson who was a police officer when he took my classes. Since, he’s transitioned into a full-time comedian.

Here’s how he learned to have strong punchlines Aaron: “I was on a walking patrol when a drug addict ran up to me.”

Addict: “Officer, stop that man.”

Aaron: “Why?”

Addict: “He stole my drugs.” (laugh)

Aaron: “Where’d you get them?”

Addict: “It was a present.” (laugh)

Aaron: “From who?”

Addict: “My drug dealer.” (laugh)The stand-up comedy routine was already getting laughs by acting out the scene and playing the character. I made a note, so when Aaron sat back down, I gave him kudos for writing a funny bit. Then I used I taught him that strong punchlines are more negative.

I pointed out the specific places in the funny story where he might strong punchlines to push the laughs by finding more negative consequences.

Addict: “My drug dealer.“

Again, a really good laugh, but I wanted to see if we could bump it up a bit. This took a bit longer as we went through, “wife, grandmother, priest, doctor,” and more, until Jake Gallo said, “His AA sponsor.” The class went into a fit of laughter for a minute or so. That was so ironic and terrible which help make strong punchlines, it was perfect.Here’s the rewrite:

Aaron: “I was on a walking patrol when a drug addict ran up to me.”

Addict: “Officer, stop that man.”

Aaron: “Why?”

Addict: “He stole my crack.” (laugh)

Aaron: “Where’d you get it?”

Addict: “It’s a baby shower gift.” (laugh)

Aaron: “From who?”

Addict: “My sponsor.” (laugh)All three of these examples are basically the same jokes, yet they got more robust laughs when performed. Not an accident, but the willful construction of strong punchlines to make a funnier stand-up comedy routine by simply using this technique.

My job as a stand-up comedy teacher was to point out this joke writing technique to show everyone in the joke writing portion of my class how to punch-up the jokes of this funny story.

BTW this is a common occurrence in my stand-up comedy classes as I often use this technique to make strong punchlines get better laughs.

Comedy Writing Practice:

Search your jokes and routines to find circumstances that can be given more negative results to create strong punchlines. Sift through the wording of every sentence to uncover that moment that could explode into a much bigger laugh just by making it more negative. Same basic jokes with bigger laughs.

In this joke writing article, How to Write Funnier Jokes: Tip 5 – Strong Punchlines are Negative, you learn to search for the aspects of jokes you can add more negative consequences to get more laughter from the same stand-up comedy routine.

In the next joke writing article, How to Write Funnier Jokes: Tip 6 – To Pun or Not to Pun, you’ll learn how to turn puns that get groans into stand-up comedy jokes that get big laughs.

Greg Dean’s Stand-Up Comedy Classes

Greg teaches his techniques in two classes. Level 1 – How to Build a Stand Up Comedy Routine is the beginning class (also called the “101 class”) that teaches you everything you need to know to build and perform a stand-up comedy routine. Level 2: Writing & Performing at the Improv (also known as the “201 class”) guilds you through the process of building a routine and preparing to perform at one of the world’s most prestigious comedy clubs.

Even though these classes are named a beginning and advanced, they are actually classes that stand up comedians of any number of years of experience can take. They are beginning and advanced in the Greg Dean system. If you’re interested in faster and better ways to create good jokes and you want to dive deeper on joke writing then you’ll want to take both of these classes.

Free On Demand Webinar: How to Build a Stand Up Comedy Routine