What are the three main purposes of any speech?
The purpose of a speech is to somehow change the audience you are talking to. There must be some reaction. You are expecting a response. It could be "Oh, that was interesting, I've learned something", or "Yes, I enjoyed that". There are three major purposes and each has a different audience outcome.
The three main purposes of a speech are: to inform (informative), to persuade(persuasive) or to entertain (entertaining). In this session, we will discuss the speech to entertain.
What does it mean to entertain?
An entertaining speech differs from the informative and persuasive speech. Your aim is to provide a speech that your audience can enjoy. You have no other intention than to present thoughts and ideas that are light-hearted and amuse.
What's an example of a 'funny' speech?
Notice in the video that the speaker is not telling jokes or performing a stand-up comedy routine. He simply recalls events that the audience can identify with. They may be humorous or embarrassing. But, for this audience, they are entertaining.
How do you start an entertainment speech?
The opening of a speech can make or break you. And this is particularly true when it comes to an entertaining speech. If you start with a joke that bombs, you have lost your audience. They either cringe or give an embarrassed chuckle. Not what you want. How should you start an entertaining speech?
A safe way to introduce an entertainment speech is to:
⦁ quote from a recognised comedian - it can be a joke or a humorous observation
⦁ tell a light-hearted short story - somebody wanted something but got something else
⦁ use a prop - it can be a hilarious image or an object that creates a surprise
You are not going for the big laugh. Just a simple smile or chuckle.
What do you say next - it has to be funny + give me examples?
The body of your speech is going to be a collection of sayings that can be amusing to your audience.
There are different ways to create humour, but each catches the audience by surprise:
⦁ Exaggeration - take an observation about a person or situation and make it absurd
⦁ Misdirection - make a connection between two people /places / things / situations that nobody expects
⦁ Storytelling - tell a short story with an ending that nobody expects
⦁ Teasing - identify a person's trait and make fun of it
⦁ Sarcasm - point of something that is obviously the opposite to what people are thinking
⦁ Puns - offer different possible meanings of words that sound alike but have different meanings
⦁ Role Play - when you pretend to be someone else
How do you finish a speech to entertain?
There are some great ways to conclude your humorous speech:
⦁ Restate the main point of your speech in a different way, using different words
⦁ Tell a story that has a humorous twist - there are many on the internet
⦁ Contrast your humourous thought with a serious idea
Conclusion
I hope this session on giving an entertaining speech has been useful. We have looked at how to begin it, what to include in the body of your speech and how to end it. Wishing you every success, Paul.
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