Hey!

My friend Carole Montgomery created this show a few years ago called “Funny Women of A Certain Age.”  It has been turned into 3 comedy specials on ShowTime network, including one hosted by Fran Drescher.  It tours the country and has had several residencies in NYC.  The cast rotates.

Here is a segment by a comedian named Lynne Koplitz..  I really liked it, hope you do too.

https://youtu.be/0MowBnjfy0g

Below it is the text of the first two emails I sent to the class.

Hi Everyone!

Nice meeting you or seeing you again, whichever category you fit into.

I hope you enjoyed our first class, wanted to mention a couple of things.

1. I would love if you would prepare something to present at our next session, doesn’t have to be memorized or perfected in any way.  No more than 7 minutes long please!

2. You are welcome to email me anytime for any reason, questions, suggestions, thoughts. . .

3. My cell phone is 310-595-5000 if you ever need it

Please watch some standup comedy!  There are tons of it.  All the comics i listed are pretty darn good if you want to check them out.  Also here is Drybar Comedy’s youtube channel in case you’re interested There are some famous comics on there but most are people who are not famous but pretty good.  My old friend Brad Upton for example is the most streamed comic ever with over 150 million views.  Has spent most of the past 5 or 6 years on tour with Johnny Mathis (who retired this past year).  Also he’s in our age grroup.

I would skip Adam Corolla and Rob Schneider but that’s just my opinion hahaha.

Laffs Comedy Club has open mic on Thursdays (I think it’s free although there might be a 2-item minimum) 30+ comedians performing 3 minutes each.  It’s sometimes awful but sometimes pretty funny.
They have (mostly unknown) touring acts on Friday and Saturday nights.

ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING: WITH REGARD TO THAT LIST OF “TRANSITIONS” I HANDED OUT. . .

I used the example from my source about “My wife ran off with my best friend” etc but I think the joke I wrote that I did for you is actually a better example.  It went like this:

“The counter tops in my house are cultured marble.  I don’t know if your familiar with cultured marble, but it’s . . .neither”

STRUCTURE:

1. The countertops in my house are cultured marble - TRUE OR PLAUSIBLE

2. I don’t know if your familiar with cultured marble”  TRANSITION

3. But it’s (SHORT PAUSE FOR TIMING) neither - SURPRISE/PUNCHLINE

There are other possible punchlines to be had - see if you can think of some! You can use my transition, choose one from the list, or make up your own.

Cheers and see ya next Wednesday

Ron
Hi Everyone!

Nice meeting you or seeing you again, whichever category you fit into.

I hope you enjoyed our first class, wanted to mention a couple of things.

1. I would love if you would prepare something to present at our next session, doesn’t have to be memorized or perfected in any way.  No more than 7 minutes long please!

2. You are welcome to email me anytime for any reason, questions, suggestions, thoughts. . .

3. My cell phone is 310-595-5000 if you ever need it

Please watch some standup comedy!  There are tons of it.  All the comics i listed are pretty darn good if you want to check them out.  Also here is Drybar Comedy’s youtube channel in case you’re interested There are some famous comics on there but most are people who are not famous but pretty good.  My old friend Brad Upton for example is the most streamed comic ever with over 150 million views.  Has spent most of the past 5 or 6 years on tour with Johnny Mathis (who retired this past year).  Also he’s in our age grroup.

I would skip Adam Corolla and Rob Schneider but that’s just my opinion hahaha.

Laffs Comedy Club has open mic on Thursdays (I think it’s free although there might be a 2-item minimum) 30+ comedians performing 3 minutes each.  It’s sometimes awful but sometimes pretty funny.
They have (mostly unknown) touring acts on Friday and Saturday nights.

ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING: WITH REGARD TO THAT LIST OF “TRANSITIONS” I HANDED OUT. . .

I used the example from my source about “My wife ran off with my best friend” etc but I think the joke I wrote that I did for you is actually a better example.  It went like this:

“The counter tops in my house are cultured marble.  I don’t know if your familiar with cultured marble, but it’s . . .neither”

STRUCTURE:

1. The countertops in my house are cultured marble - TRUE OR PLAUSIBLE

2. I don’t know if your familiar with cultured marble”  TRANSITION

3. But it’s (SHORT PAUSE FOR TIMING) neither - SURPRISE/PUNCHLINE

There are other possible punchlines to be had - see if you can think of some! You can use my transition, choose one from the list, or make up your own.

Cheers and see ya next Wednesday

Ron

I ran across this graphic on social media, a joke by comedian Ryan Wingfield.  Ryan is a really good comic that you’ve never heard of lol

It is constructed the same way I was talking about:

1. True statement -
2. Connector
3. Punchline

Line 1 - the setup - creates the expectation
Line 3 the punchline contains the unexpected

TRUE (or very plausible) MY MOM WAS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER
CONNECTOR: WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSING BECAUSE
SURPRISE: I WAS HOMESCHOOLED

Password:

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Some thoughts: First there is a bit of tension because of some sensitive subject matter “special Ed”
Tension is not eased by the connector “embarrassing” “hmm where is he going with this”
But all that tension is released at the end, double bonus HE TURNS THE JOKE IN ON HIMSELF!
HE is the butt of the joke and we tha audience like that and are relieved that he is not “punching down.”

TRY WRITING SOMETHING USING THIS FORMULA, and see if there’s anything on the “connector” list that you might use.

ALSO - speaking of surprise and misdirection in comedy - here’s someone for you to check out - EMO PHILLIPS, veteran comedian from Chicago, some of the most clever comedy ever, all done in character

“I’m a great lover. . .I bet”

https://www.emophilips.com/

See ya in a couple of days

Ron