Timing is Everything

One of the hardest things I have as a comic is taking pauses. Even after a decade of performing, they scare me. The silence feels infinite. But I have pushed myself through it because timing and pauses can elevate a joke to the next level. Give the audience a chance to absorb the words you are saying. Most importantly, if they are laughing, give them time for their laughter. This is a good thing. You have connected with them and they are giving you the response you seek. Don’t rush into that next joke. It will be there in 15 seconds. Let their laughter simmer a bit before moving on to the next thing. It may be hard to be standing on stage not saying anything, but it is worth it.

Also, some jokes hit better when you pause in certain places. Play around with your timing. Tell the same joke in 5 different ways until you figure out which way hits best with the audience. Just because you have a joke that is funny, doesn’t mean you can’t make it funnier simply by changing your timing. Sometimes a joke isn’t working and it is because the timing is off. Making that small adjustment can go a long way!