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It is possibly one of the worst feelings one can experience. You enter a group conversation and, in an effort to gain the affections of those present, you tell a joke. Now in normal circumstances this may be the right course of action and may work perfectly as you slide effortlessly into your surroundings and become an envied, humourous orator commanding the floor. If, however, you are unable to tell jokes properly or are simply inept then fear not. Help is at hand.

The first thing to remember is that no matter how funny or well-rehearsed the joke is there is always a chance it will not be well-received. You must be prepared for the worst. There is also the chance that no matter how funny or well-rehearsed the joke is you may be completely humourless and dry. If this is the case then avoidance is the order of the day. If you can't tell jokes then don't bother. They won't be funny. If you think you're funny and insist on telling jokes then read on.

I always think that attack is the best form of defence. Come back, for a minute, to that scene where you have just introduced yourself to a group of people by way of a joke concerning share prices or mortgage options. The punch-line has been delivered and nobody is laughing. A sense of panic begins to rise in your chest and your 'fight-or-flight' instinct is about to kick in. Now, running like a girl out of the room and drowning your sorrows on cheap vodka may seem like a good idea but I promise you, the people you have left your bombed joke with will never respect you again. You have to stay and deal with it if you are to have any hope in th office the following day.

As I said, attack is the best form of defence. Don't let your stinker hang too long in the air. If it does then it will fester and poison the minds of those present. Say something like "Crikey. That was a bad one wasn't it?" or "The only thing funnier than that joke is potato blight". You must acknowledge the fact that your joke has bombed. This is crucial to your recovery. If people think that you haven't noticed things get awkward. So bite the bullet, admit you told an awful joke and move on.

You can also turn the tables and focus all the attention on someone else. You could say "Wow, that was bad but luckily John here (or whoever is next to you) has a great one!". Now all the attention is on John and you can sit back and watch him squirm!

Jokes falling flat are one of the risks we take when humouring the masses but it is a necessary one. Don't take it too seriously and the sooner you recover the less the damage that is done. So get right back up on that horse and remember, laughter is good because... it, er.. makes you laugh... that one bombed didn't it?

Learn more about this author, Peter Tobin.
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