Comic Timing

Post date: Apr 8, 2021 3:02:08 PM

Basically the mind can get disrupted to stimulus at the right time. In relation to something like boxing, you time your jab to what is the least predictable. Laughter is just like this in terms of surprising the mind.

The “punch” line is the specific line that gets the laugh. If it’s said too fast the audience might still have their guard up. If it’s too slow the audience might see it coming. Every audience has a different timing as well. You can also combo it up with tag lines, which are additional punchlines on the topic. If you throw your tag punchlines too fast you might not hit anything. You have to wait for them to react to the punchline before and throw the tag when they are vulnerable. If you hit them too much you can actually knock them out too. Audiences can only handle so much, you have to let them breathe and that is instinctual as well.

A comic told me years ago that comedic timing can’t be taught and it’s instinctual. I can’t prove he is right but I definitely agree with him. Timing seems to be genetic cause when comics do in fact have killer timing usually it’s unique to their style as well. Patrice O’neal’s timing is entirely different than George Carlin. Dave Chappelle’s timing is entirely different than Dave Attell’s.

Timing also refers to how old or new a topic is on a topic. I’m sure you heard the term “too soon” when a comic does a edgy joke referencing something that was recent. Old stuff is considered to be beat to death or sometimes hackneyed.

Timing also refers to your general rhythms to your speech pattern. You can say some things slow and some things fast and it will change the audience’s mood entirely depending on the cadence and rhythm at which they hear it.

Another thing “comedic timing” is attached to is how many times or how much an audience laughs during a set period of time. Obviously the more the better.

Comedic timing isn't just stand up comedy related either. I recently spent some time watching a Dr. Ken live taping. Many times they will do a scene over and over again and use the take that get’s the biggest laugh. The crazy thing is despite the audience knowing what will happen in the scene after all the repetitions they will sometimes laugh harder when it’s timed differently.