Watch this very funny man. He’s called Sean Lock. Unlike Milton Jones, a naive character (see my post ‘Look and Learn‘), Sean Lock is the man-in-the-street, challenging conventional thinking.
This is a very important aspect of the stand-up’s role; obviously the first is to entertain, but there’s a great opportunity – and one might argue, a duty – to make the audience think. To present an alternative viewpoint which questions convention (see also my post ‘Weird Science’). For a stand-up that’s usually the information given by the news, advertising and the government.
However, just criticising things is easy, and requires no imagination or soul. But to dissect something questionable, to present the case that perhaps we shouldn’t accept a particular instruction or way of thinking, in a way that’s considered and well thought-out? Well, that can be very powerful and inspiring.
So when you’re next drafting a something for public speaking, try this approach:
- Ignore the rules
- Challenge convention
- Prove your point