Adding humour to speeches?

Question

how do we add humour to a speech? if the topic is: television causes aggression?

Answer 1

Guidelines:

1) All humor must somehow relate to the topic.  If the joke isn't at least tangentially about television or violence, don't use it.

2) A good point for humor is at the very beginning, as an attention-getter, and also at the very ending, as a send-off.  Humor interjected in the body of the speech must be extremely relevant to the point being made at that moment.

3) Don't force it!  If you wouldn't toss the joke out in your customary conversation, don't force yourself to be who you're not by using it in a speech.

4) Keep 'em short.

5) If it's a set-up/punchline gag, pause briefly before the punchline.  That's the secret of "comic timing".

6) Borrow a joke from somebody else if you wish, but give them proper credit.  I think it was Billy Crystal who asked if all that humor on TV was what was causing kids to go around telling jokes.