Summary of How to Write a Joke

Overview of How to Write a Joke

This 99% Invisible episode features Roman Mars interviewing Elliot Kalin — former head writer at The Daily Show and author of Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense — about the craft of writing jokes as a reliable, repeatable process. Kalin argues that professional comedy is less about innate talent and more about a system you can use to produce humor on demand. The conversation lays out the “joke farming” method, illustrates it with concrete examples, and covers tone, audience, timing, ethics, and practical advice for anyone who wants to write funnier material.

Who’s speaking / context

• Elliot Kalin: comedy writer (Daily Show head writer, standup, TV writer, co-host of The Flophouse), author of Joke Farming.
• Roman Mars: host, guiding the interview and prompting examples.
• The episode mixes technique, examples from Kalin’s career (including The Daily Show and Mystery Science Theater 3000), and broader observations about comedy.

Key points and main takeaways

• Comedy as craft: Being “naturally funny” isn’t enough for professional comedy; develop a reproducible process.
• Definition: A joke is anything created to make someone laugh.
• Joke farming: A deliberate, stepwise process to generate jokes quickly and reliably, especially under deadline.
• Audience completes the joke: Laughter is the final element; if the audience doesn’t laugh, the joke failed.
• Timing and spacing matter: Overloading jokes robs each joke of space to land.
• Ethics: Jokes are tools and can be used for good or ill; what’s funny isn’t automatically “right.”

The joke farming process (core elements)

1) Identity (Who is telling the joke)

• Determine the voice/persona that will deliver the joke (e.g., host, character, standup persona). That voice shapes tone and what the audience will accept.

2) Point (the meaning)

• Decide the message the joke is trying to make — often the non-funny kernel that the joke will reveal.

3) Premise (the set-up idea)

• Build a “what if” or scenario that leads the audience toward the point without stating it outright.

4) Structure (ordering & escalation)

• Mechanically release information step-by-step.
• Use pattern and heightening (escalate from plausible → absurd) then subvert the pattern with a punchline.

5) Tone and voice management

• Choose sincerity vs. irony, aggression vs. gentleness. The persona informs acceptable tone (Don Rickles’ insults vs. Stephen Wright’s deadpan).

6) Wording

• Economy and precision: fewer, clearer words often make jokes stronger. One well-chosen word can carry the whole payoff.

7) Audience and timing

• Audience reaction is essential; spacing between jokes matters so each has time to land. Audience feedback is vital for refining material.

Notable examples discussed

• John Kerry joke (Daily Show): point = Kerry is an extreme Francophile; premise = he loves anything with “French” in the name; structure = Q&A list (favorite fries? French.) → subversion → favorite mustard? Heinz (ties to Kerry’s marriage). Demonstrates pattern, heightening, subversion, and tying back to a specific target.
• Rita Rudner joke: economy of words and a single pronoun (“him”) serves as the punch — shows how minimal language can carry a big twist.
• Charlie Hill: perspective matters — a joke about “cowboys and Indians” reframed by someone from a marginalized group shifts meaning and makes biting but precise commentary.
• Don Rickles vs Stephen Wright: tone examples (insult vs deadpan).
• Andy Kaufman: anti-comedy that makes audience confusion part of the act; risks alienating listeners but can work as an artistic choice.
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 experience: initial “max jokes” approach proved audience couldn’t process every gag — lesson: edit ruthlessly so best jokes get their moment.

Ethics & misuse of comedy

• Comedy is a communication tool and can be used to mislead or normalize harmful ideas.
• Funny does not equal right. Jokes that succeed on craft can still be morally problematic.
• Performers and writers should be aware of how context, target, and audience interpret jokes (example: a biting offhand laugh about Aleppo’s seed bank drew hurt reactions despite no malicious intent).

Practical, actionable tips (for writers and performers)

• Have a process that fits your voice; know the steps so you can work without waiting for inspiration.
• Start by isolating the point, then invent a premise that leads to it.
• Build structure: establish pattern, heighten, then subvert.
• Use minimal, precise wording; aim for economy.
• Test material: try it on audiences, but treat feedback as data (e.g., “not funny” vs. “it didn’t land”).
• Space jokes — allow silence/timing for each joke to register.
• Keep a daily writing habit (Jerry Seinfeld-style regular writing is cited as effective).
• Be mindful of ethical consequences and the audience’s lived experience.

Notable quotes

• “A joke is anything that is created in order to make someone laugh.”
• “You can’t wait for inspiration to strike. It has to be a reliable thing that you can go to when you need it.”
• “The audience provides the most important part of the joke.”

Who should read/listen

• Comedy writers and performers seeking a practical system.
• Writers, improvisers, and creatives who want tools to make humor more deliberate.
• Curious listeners who want to understand how jokes are built and why some work while others don’t.

Final note

Elliot Kalin’s approach reframes joke-writing as an engineering task you can learn and refine. The episode and his book (Joke Farming) combine craft, real-world examples, and ethical reflection — useful both for people who want to write professionally and for anyone who wants to better understand why jokes land.