HC - Timing is Everything Lesson
Timing is Everything
Comic timing is essential to establishing the relationship between the comedian and his/her audience. A subtle change in voice inflection signals to the audience that the joke has progressed to the punch line and laughter is now the appropriate response. The sound of the language is crucial to the experience of comedy. Punctuation, syntax and style help writers achieve effective comedic timing. When we studied Mark Twain, we discovered that dialect reflected through misspellings and incorrect grammar can also represent voice inflection to a degree. In this lesson we will study two comic essays by contemporary authors.
David Sedaris is a contemporary American writer and comedian. His essays broadcast regularly on radio shows such as This American Life. In this lesson we will listen to "The Squirrel and the Chipmunk." In the following essay, Sedaris cleverly uses animals to satirize human events and characteristics.
Listening Assignment: "The Squirrel and the Chipmunk" by David Sedaris
Viewing Assignment: Excerpt from Alphabet Juice by Roy Blount, Jr.
Roy Blount, Jr. is another contemporary American humorist. Listen to and read along with the following clip from his book Alphabet Juice. Take note of his comic timing and the effects of varied voice inflection.
Reading Assignment: "Gilbert Gottfried Fired as Aflac Duck after Japanese Tsunami Tweets"
Here is an example of a failure in comedic timing. Click here to read about the firing of a famous comedian because he joked too soon. Links to an external site.
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