YOU GOTTA LAUGH, MATE

On 28^th July I held a comedy and laughter group for a group in Camberwell, Melbourne. For several of them, English is a second language and laughter served as a common language that bridges cultures and creates harmony. The participation was enthusiastic and the feedback was positive.

‘I have been coming to this group for three years,’ said Seema, one of the participants ‘and this is one of the best things that has happened to me.’

When I started doing comedy and running laughter groups, the reaction was a bit bemused.

‘An Indian woman doing comedy and laughter groups?’ said one audience member to me. ‘That’s amazing.’

A few months ago, a comedian called Mikey Dynon approached me.

‘I’m organizing an event called ‘Laugh to stop homelessness,’ he said. ‘The idea is to focus attention on the plight of the homeless. I’d like you to take part.’

I didn’t hesitate for a moment.

‘Of course, Mikey,’ I said. The plight of the homeless has always been a cause close to my heart. Whenever I get into my warm house and bed, I remember those who are spending cold winter nights on our streets.

Laugh to stop homelessness is a charity event with several comedians taking part, at Trades Hall on October 27^th this year.

What happens when no one laughs?

Ever tried to make a joke or tell a funny story and no one laughs?  It happens to all of us. What do you do when no one laughs? 

The simple answer is, you keep going. If you’re giving a talk and your joke falls flat, don’t stop and question the audience and tell them they have no sense of humour. Just keep going.

A while ago I did a gig at a retirement village. There was no response to my funny stories from the audience members. I had a sinking and queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach but I wanted to be professional so I kept going till the end. I couldn’t wait to get off that stage.

After the show, several audience members came up to me and said.

‘We loved your show. It was so funny.’

Huh, I wondered. Why didn’t they laugh?

I decided to ask them.

‘Why wasn’t anyone laughing?’

‘Oh, we smile on the inside, dear’ said a lovely lady with permed hair, a blue handbag and a matching dress.

That was a relief to know. People may not laugh for several reasons. They may laugh on the inside like this group, they may be having a bad day or they may not find your material funny. Don’t let it stop you trying again. Being funny needs practice. Whether it’s telling a funny story to your friends or giving a humorous talk, keep trying out your material till you get more people laughing.