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To learn more about witty comments and how to improve our comedy skills, we spoke to Abigail Paul, a standup comedian, improviser, and actress with an irreverent and original comedy brain. Having performed improvisation, standup comedy, and theatre in venues all over Germany, the US, and the EU, she was kind enough to share her thoughts on why people leave comments in the first place.
“Today’s reader has the advantage over their predecessor that they feel part of the action,” she said. “In comedy, we are always looking to create content that an audience member will relate to, so when someone leaves a fantastic comment on an article or picture, it helps us feel connected, a little less alone.”
“It shows us that someone else, maybe many people, think the same way we do,” Abigail mentioned. “We take great comfort in not being alone on our ideas.”
The standup comedian revealed that the secret to a successful comment is probably equal parts true and surprising. An unexpected remark “that just has shock value isn’t as highly regarded as one that is embedded in truth.”
“In comedy terms, your picture or article you are commenting on is your setup. Your witty comment is the punchline,” she explained. “There are lots of ways to be funny, but a great punchline will usually have excellent use of wordplay, exaggeration, or make an analogy to something else so the reader can maybe see the topic in a new light.”
“The most important thing is usually an element of surprise. Good comedy writers use misdirect as well as a magician does. We think we see you going to one place and you go somewhere unexpected. Audiences love a twist,” Abigail said, providing true crime podcasts as an example.
According to her, leaving a comment and letting out a few chuckles helps us bond with others. “Comedy is the most fun thing humans can share (besides pizza),” she said. “The pandemic has forced a lot of comedy experiences online. It hurt live comedy a lot, but new spaces have thrived online because people need to connect and laugh. The upside is you can find ways to be funny at home in your PJs.”
If you want to improve at writing clever comments online, you need to practice. “Comedy is a skill,” Abigail told us. “The more you write, the better you usually get.” But it’s important “not to get too precious about your work. Notice which clever comments you are writing get lots of likes or replies, and see if you can dissect why that comment is working.”
“If something isn’t working, don’t worry too much about why. A lot of good writing is throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.” She advised you to focus on what works and try to replicate your own formula. “Also - edit. Are there any words you can take out, but the comment is still really funny? Then do. The more concise you are, the better it is for your reader.”
Abigail is now busy with her new organization in Frankfurt called English Comedy Frankfurt, aiming to bring fun shows with diverse audiences and comedians. So if you want some tips on writing for standup, be sure to check out her website and follow her work on Twitter.
