It’s said that stand-up comedy gigs are like one night stands: you go out on-stage and try to seduce strangers with your wit. When speaking to people you don’t know, you can present a new, impressive persona to to them, much like a date with a stranger.
Need some confidence? You’ve already got it, by deciding that you’re going to go on-stage (check out my post ‘The Confidence Trick’). Here are a few other things you can use:
- Those clothes you’re wearing? They think you wear those all the time (so make sure they’re top quality).
- That perfectly pronounced foreign greeting or phrase? They think you’re fluent!
- A few references to great art or literature and they’ll think you’re an intellectual (although try to avoid hackneyed quotes from the internet).
It’s not lying, it’s just showing what you have in the best light.
And that’s the definition of good presentation.