That’s the construction of a joke; the set-up is all the required information, and the punchline is where everything falls into place. Here’s what it means for you and your public speaking: After each piece of information, give its application. Sounds obvious perhaps, but unless you give the audience the reason you’ve told them this particular […]

At my second comedy gig, much like James T Kirk doing the Kobayashi Maru* test, I skewed the odds in my favour (by inviting a lot of my friends). There were so many of them that the venue was at capacity, and they probably made up two-thirds of the audience. I did it because I

I think I’m different to most people, perhaps even slightly weird, and I love it. Michael Lazerow is responsible for an inspiring piece here on being weird, in which he writes:‘Normal is blah. You don’t want to be blah. Blah is boring. Boring people are forgettable. I like weirdos. They are interesting. They have crazy ideas. They have

Now, I may be the most white, middle-class English person you’re aware of (in fact, I probably am), but I certainly know a thing or two about hip hop (please don’t call it rap*). I draw great inspiration from this phenomenal musical form for my public speaking philosophy, specifically: Have fun. Be yourself. Disregard convention.

Round Two – Fight! Here are three quotes from Bruce Lee, with my own practical applications for speaking: “Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it.”Meet people, use the internet, find and listen to the most useful voices out there. “I always learn something, and that is: to