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Here are a couple of tips on how to be funny:

1. Assess the situation. Who is the audience and how can you relate to them? For instance, you probably should avoid cracking jokes about pregnant women when you and your wife are at a natural childbirth class. Violate this rule at your own risk, lest you find yourself receiving dirty looks, shin bruises and several months of sleeping on the couch.

Another part of this determines whether or not you should use salty language or adult-oriented topics. Eddie Murphy's obscenity-laden routine would not be advisable as the opening act for a conference of Baptist ministers.

2. Relate to your audience. A civilian comic at a USO show in Iraq had the soldiers laughing out loud when he made the joke that it was good to see commanding officer (a man) not wearing women's clothes. Other jokes about the officer's head being as shiny as a bowling ball had the folks rolling in the aisles.

3. Target yourself. Self-deprecating humor is one of the most effective comedy tools around - that's why so many comics use stories about themselves or their families and friends to get laughs. A red-haired, pasty-faced white comic playing to a mostly black audience got tons of laughs when he started talking like he was from 'da hood.' His uptight, white delivery of the Ebonic slang made every word hilarious.

4. Mock stereotypes. Korean-American comic Margaret Cho's first few jokes poked fun at the generalizations some non-Asians have about those of Asian descent. Carlos Mencia is another comic who does an excellent job of this.

5. Tap your experience. Whether it is fictional or factual, great stories are the foundation of great comedy. Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy are two masters of this art. Murphy's stories about the family barbecue and Rock's account of various absurdities are great case studies in getting plenty of laughs out of one good story.

6. Impressions. If you can do this, it adds an extra dimension to your comedic toolbox. Robin Williams, Carlos Mencia and Eddie Murphy are just a few examples of comics who can mimic and get jokes. Murphy's impression of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and James Brown are legendary.

7. Insults. This can be tricky but comics like the late Rodney Dangerfield and Don Rickels are masters of this art. Who can forget the famous line from Caddyshack where Dangerfield's character, at a formal dinner, states that "this steak has marks from where the jockey was hittin' it."

8. Have fun. Laughter is what it's all about so if you look like you're having fun, the audience will respond in kind.

Learn more about this author, Tom Sutcliff.
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