How to Make a Joke

Joke about yourself., Crack one about your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend., Target a group of people., Joke about a place or situation., Home in on a specific person or current event.

6 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Joke about yourself.

    Using yourself as the butt of your own joke is a sure way to get people cracking up.

    There's something about self-deprecating humor that triggers schadenfreude, the act of taking pleasure in someone else's pain, and this forms the foundation of many famous comedians' jokes.

    Figure out what's sadly hilarious about you and offer it up for laughs.

    I’m really good in bed.

    I can sleep for like 10 straight hours without waking up once. — Jen Kirkman The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how much I play, I’ll never be as good as a wall.

    I played a wall once.

    They’re relentless. — Mitch Hedburg
  2. Step 2: Crack one about your spouse

    We've all seen comedians use their SOs as funny joke fodder.

    So many people can relate that you're bound to get a few hearty laughs.

    If you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you can make fun of boyfriends and girlfriends in general.

    Straight guys will never know how expensive it is to be a woman.

    And that’s why you pay for dinner. — Livia Scott , Hipsters, rednecks, politicians, lawyers, rich people, kids, elderly people, men, women . . . the list goes on and on.

    Jokes about groups of people get some of the hardest laughs of all, but be careful not to go to far
    - you might offend people.

    Everyone knows hipsters are like human bedbugs.

    You see one, there are probably 40 more under your bed, judging your music. — Dan Soder , At a bus stop, high school, sports dugout, airplane, office, coffee shop, bathroom, and so on are all excellent fodder for jokes.

    Figure out what's quirky, annoying or surprising about somewhere you've been or something you've seen.

    I grew up near Newark, New Jersey.

    If New York City’s the city that never sleeps, Newark, New Jersey is the city that watches you sleep. — Dan St.

    Germain I will never understand why they cook on TV.

    I can’t smell it, can’t eat it, can’t taste it.

    The end of the show they hold it up to the camera, ‘Well, here it is.

    You can’t have any.

    Thanks for watching.

    Goodbye.’ — Jerry Seinfeld , Talk about someone or something famous, like the president, a Hollywood celebrity, a sports figure, or someone else who's often in the news.

    Jokes about famous people are great, since most people will know what you're talking about and enjoy laughing at the expense of the rich and famous.

    I wonder if Jeremy Irons ever quietly laughs to himself while he’s ironing. — Jon FriedmanI’ve been wearing so many scarves lately that I wonder if my ancestors were part Steven Tyler mike stand. — Selena Coppock
  3. Step 3: boyfriend or girlfriend.

  4. Step 4: Target a group of people.

  5. Step 5: Joke about a place or situation.

  6. Step 6: Home in on a specific person or current event.

Detailed Guide

Using yourself as the butt of your own joke is a sure way to get people cracking up.

There's something about self-deprecating humor that triggers schadenfreude, the act of taking pleasure in someone else's pain, and this forms the foundation of many famous comedians' jokes.

Figure out what's sadly hilarious about you and offer it up for laughs.

I’m really good in bed.

I can sleep for like 10 straight hours without waking up once. — Jen Kirkman The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how much I play, I’ll never be as good as a wall.

I played a wall once.

They’re relentless. — Mitch Hedburg

We've all seen comedians use their SOs as funny joke fodder.

So many people can relate that you're bound to get a few hearty laughs.

If you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you can make fun of boyfriends and girlfriends in general.

Straight guys will never know how expensive it is to be a woman.

And that’s why you pay for dinner. — Livia Scott , Hipsters, rednecks, politicians, lawyers, rich people, kids, elderly people, men, women . . . the list goes on and on.

Jokes about groups of people get some of the hardest laughs of all, but be careful not to go to far
- you might offend people.

Everyone knows hipsters are like human bedbugs.

You see one, there are probably 40 more under your bed, judging your music. — Dan Soder , At a bus stop, high school, sports dugout, airplane, office, coffee shop, bathroom, and so on are all excellent fodder for jokes.

Figure out what's quirky, annoying or surprising about somewhere you've been or something you've seen.

I grew up near Newark, New Jersey.

If New York City’s the city that never sleeps, Newark, New Jersey is the city that watches you sleep. — Dan St.

Germain I will never understand why they cook on TV.

I can’t smell it, can’t eat it, can’t taste it.

The end of the show they hold it up to the camera, ‘Well, here it is.

You can’t have any.

Thanks for watching.

Goodbye.’ — Jerry Seinfeld , Talk about someone or something famous, like the president, a Hollywood celebrity, a sports figure, or someone else who's often in the news.

Jokes about famous people are great, since most people will know what you're talking about and enjoy laughing at the expense of the rich and famous.

I wonder if Jeremy Irons ever quietly laughs to himself while he’s ironing. — Jon FriedmanI’ve been wearing so many scarves lately that I wonder if my ancestors were part Steven Tyler mike stand. — Selena Coppock

About the Author

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Susan Butler

A passionate writer with expertise in pet care topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.

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