How to Share Humor

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“Laughter without a tinge of philosophy is but a sneeze of humor. Genuine humor is replete with wisdom.” – Mark Twain

A couple of months ago, I was getting rid of a couple of disparate things from my backyard. I hauled my round patio table and chairs along with a toddler’s basketball net out to the curb and put a FREE sign on them. When I texted my friend, Eric, a picture, he replied, “Court side dining! Nice.”

That reply perfectly encapsulates Eric’s witty marketing genius. So I wrangled him to come on the How To Share podcast to talk about how to share humor.

In this episode, PR and marketing professional Eric Knudson and I explore the multifaceted nature of humor, discussing its role in relationships, politics, and corporate settings. We delve into the elements that make humor effective, such as shared experiences and cultural differences, while also addressing the challenges of navigating humor in today’s society. Our conversation highlights the importance of humor as a tool for connection and communication, offering insights and tips for sharing humor effectively.

Takeaways

  • Humor is an effective tool for winning friends and influencing people.
  • Not everyone generates humor, but most people appreciate it.
  • Shared experiences are crucial for humor to resonate.
  • Cultural differences significantly impact humor appreciation.
  • Humor can serve as a coping mechanism in difficult times.
  • Political humor varies greatly among different leaders.
  • Humor can help build relationships in corporate settings.
  • Modern society presents challenges for sharing humor due to self-selection.
  • Humor is a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly.
  • Finding opportunities to use humor can invite people in.

This is a great episode filled with funny stories that will have you laughing – and thinking about how you can share laughter. I know you’ll love it.

Here’s a short clip to give you a taste of the great conversation with the clever and charming Eric Knudson:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch to the full episode:

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

How to Share Our Luck with Gil Gillenwater – How To Share

In this enlightening conversation, Gil Gillenwater is with host Wynne Leon and shares his experiences and insights from over 35 years of philanthropic work along the US-Mexico border. He discusses his book, 'Hope on the Border,' which highlights the transformative power of education and community service. Gil emphasizes the importance of enlightened self-interest over traditional charity, advocating for a model that empowers individuals and fosters dignity. He explores the duality of poverty, the need for sustainable opportunities, and the joy found in serving others, ultimately presenting a vision for a more connected and compassionate world.TakeawaysEducation is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.Enlightened self-interest can lead to personal and communal growth.Charity should not be viewed as a sacrifice but as a mutual benefit.Volunteering provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment.Welfare can disempower individuals and communities.Community service fosters connections and shared humanity.The disparity in wealth is a significant issue that needs addressing.Experiencing poverty firsthand can change perspectives.Creating opportunities in one's home country can reduce migration.The joy of service is a pathway to personal happiness.Links for this episode:How to Share homeHope on the Border at AmazonGil's organization: Rancho FelizGil Gillenwater on FacebookWynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith; Blog: https://wynneleon.com/; Substack: https://wynneleon930758.substack.com/
  1. How to Share Our Luck with Gil Gillenwater
  2. How to Share 1970's Chicago with Doug. E. Jones
  3. How to Share Feedback with Dr. Vicki Atkinson
  4. How to Share the Next Generation with Mari Sarkisian Wyatt
  5. How to Share Impactfully with Social Media Friends with Amy Weinland Daughters

Links for this episode:

Eric Knudson’s company website: ⁠Basecamp Communications⁠

Eric Knudson on LinkedIn: ⁠(24) Eric Knudson | LinkedIn⁠

80 thoughts on “How to Share Humor”

  2. Love the curbside dining joke, and love how Eric appreciates the nuts and bolts of what makes humor and his observations on how comedians make humor. Both of your minds seem to mesh well together! ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

  3. I use humor with my kiddos (at school) as funny dad jokes, but sometimes humor can be lost because the audience missed the connection… I am going to find space in the day to work this in! Have a great day and I love courtside dining!

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Humor can be risky. You have to be able to try out comments or jokes or stories that fall flat.

    The Marx brothers tried out new material for their act on the road. If they got laughs they retained the humor for the next town. If they didn’t get laughs the material was dropped. Much of what succeeded is to be found in their numerous movies in the ’30s and’40s.

    Best of all is the “stateroom scene” from “A Night at the Opera.”It can be found on YouTube..

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Our family has lots of little inside jokes that sew us together. My partner has an ear for perfect homophones where two phrases sound alike but have very different meanings. Keeps us laughing.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I look forward to listening to your friend that you’ve mentioned in many posts. I feel like I know him already! My daughter took comedy writing classes and went on to stand up class. She. was performing downtown SF! But she’s taking a break because she decided she wasn’t that funny. Maybe a little time of will take off the pressure.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. You’re talking my language now, Wynne. 😊 Right away, I was thinking about my sister. We are incredibly different people, but boy, we do share the same sense of humor. It’s that shared family experience, for sure. And I need to do a combo comment here. One of my favorite Monty Python moments (more British humor!) was in Life Of Brian where he is telling the crowd, you don’t have to follow me, you are all individuals, and all of them repeat “we are all individuals!” Meanwhile, one lone voice says “I’m not.” That still gets me. 😂 The wordplay and set-up is so clever. Thank you to Eric and you, Wynne for bringing the laughs. Loved it!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Oh, I’m howling about the Life of Brian scene. You are too funny! And I love that you and your sister have the same humor. As I said, same with my brother.

      Here’s to laughter and wordplay! Thanks for tuning in, Melanie!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. I can see why you two are friends! Eric is right about the ‘shared experience,’ an audience can certainly identify and connect with someone if they feel they have been there and understand and it makes it all the funnier. an ‘inside joke’ if you will. can’t wait to listen to your whole conversation!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Girl Wynne, humor is my muse and a coping mechanism when things look crazy. I guess you could say I am laughing most of the time! 🎭 Thank you for adding a little lightheartedness to my day my friend! 😂😍🤣

    Liked by 1 person

  18. I appreciate you putting things on the curb as free. I do this too. My thinking is the person who needs the item will happen upon it, and sure enough the items are often gone the following day. 

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Isn’t it amazing? The only reason I sent Eric a picture is he thought I’d never get rid of that table by putting it on the curb – but it was gone by afternoon. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m laughing about auto-correct, Jen! Even auto-correct is funny! Hope you have a great road trip and thanks for putting this podcast on your list! Enjoy!

        Like

  22. Oh my goodness…I’m so behind in reading here. I love Eric’s sense of humor and this post! I look forward to tuning in…you two are hilarious in all circumstances and I love his perspective. xo! 🥰

    Liked by 1 person

  25. When I went through cancer treatment, my husband kept me laughing. I came home from work to find a rag doll sitting in my swing. He had put a sock under her dress on one side so that she appeared to have only one breast – just like me. He also called me Cyclops.” Some might think his humor strange, but it kept me laughing. I said that faith in God and a strong sense of humor is what got me through that terrible year of battling cancer.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love it, Barb! It definitely can break the tension and help us not to take things so seriously – especially when we need to turn it over to God. Great comment. Thank you!

      Like

  29. Lovely, heartfelt and yes, humorous chat, Wynne. Humour, even the bad dad jokes and the self deprecating ones, can be so helpful in building trust, breaking down social barriers and humanize someone. It is a skill for sure and those who wield it have such a gift.

    Your comment on funny people being sad does ring true to some degree. It made me think of people like Robin Williams; who have a gift for humour but also masked so much unseen pain.

    And you both said it best, it is a rewarding sense of joy to see our children develop their own personalities and humour. I definitely see this in T and such a joy to see take shape in real time.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Robin Williams was exactly who we were talking about when we talked about funny/sad. But then they saw Alfonso Ribero on America’s Funniest Videos and said, “I hope he’d not sad.”

      Your comment resonates on so many other points – humanizing and connecting and watching our kids develop their own. Soo good. Thanks for tuning in, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Courtside seating!!! So quick and witty! I love it. I’m so grateful to have experienced that man in real life. My boss said something not long about political candidates (I think), noting: “If you’re making people laugh, you’re winning.”

    I remember being super nervous to meet Paul’s friends when we were dating. One of them was so funny, thought, he put me at ease right away. I wound up having a fun, memorable time. I’m grateful for that guy.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’m glad you got to meet him in person too! That’s a good line from your boss. Yes, humor can be so disarming. Thank goodness for that! I love the humor in your writing, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

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