How to Write Punch Lines

Video Transcript

"Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano, Drew Carey, great comedians. How do you write for that great comedian, and get the great punchline, that you want? Well, my name is Joe Pauly. I've got about twenty years experience in TV, writing, and acting, and I'm going to try and help you out, to write the perfect punchline. Your first thing you're going to have to find out is, who you're writing for,whether it be yourself, or for a friend of yours, or another performer, and is that person, say an observational comedian, somebody like a Jerry Seinfeld. A story comedian, like a Bill Cosby, who tells a great story. The prop comedian, like a carrot top. The impression person, a Frank Caliendo, or a Rich Little. An insult comedian, Lisa Lampanelli, Don Rickles, somebody who uses insults, or the regular standard joke comedians, which most of them are, where it's a joke. Your opposite of where your joke starts. That's your punchline. You're going a specific way, and you go the opposite. That's what humor is. The joke, that's no lady, that's my wife. The opposite, take my wife please, the opposite of where you're going. The horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, Why the long face? The opposite, that's where you're going. A B=C. Take a look at the aristocrats, the farmer's daughter, minister, priest, and a rabbi. Great setups to great jokes. The call back and the stinger. Does your joke come around and give you a stinger at the end? Start watching other great comedians. Watch funny movies. See how the jokes work. Give it some thought. There's no quick answer to this. There's no magic pill I can give you. Watch it. See how the comedians work. See what's selling. Watch You Tube. See what you can find out. See what's funny to you. Write what you know. Good luck. My name is Joe Pauly."