Pun with Wordplay - Comedy101

This article is part of the series, “How to Write 101 Jokes that Kill“

Comedy Writing Objective

After successfully completing the activities in this article you will be able to write funny puns.

What’s pun in that?

One of my favorite ways to write jokes is to have pun with word play! I’ve performed stand-up comedy for over 25-years and I’ve saved plenty of moments during comedy shows by getting quick laughs using old school techniques like the play on words.

A pun plays off the various meanings, sounds, and intentions of words, phrases or actions.

This article will explain this basic joke writing technique and challenge you to write at least 5 funny puns.

Example of a Pun

I’m dating a guy who’s half Russian, half Asian. It’s not working out. He keeps messing with my erections.

Explanation of the Pun

The set-up is “I’m dating a guy who’s half Russian, half Asian.” The punchline is “He keeps messing with my erections.“
The pun is the word ‘erections’ sounds like ‘elections’.
The joke happens when the audience realizes the comedian has purposefully replaced ‘erections’ to play off a stereotypical Asian mispronunciation of the English word ‘elections’.

Comedians Just Wanna Have Pun
Comedy101.ChuckRoy.com

Here’s a few more examples of puns.

Example: When the lightning strikes

I was struggling to figure out how lightning works then it struck me.
Source (YourDictionary.com)

This pun plays off the dual meaning of ‘strikes’. When lightning connects with an object it is called a ‘lightening strike’. When inspiration creates an idea it is said to ‘strike’ a person. Therefore, the idea of how lightning works has struck the author of this joke.

Example: Camouflaging the joke

I really wanted a camouflage shirt, but I couldn’t find one.
Source (YourDictionary.com)

Camouflage shirts help a person hide. For example a hunter wears clothes with a pattern that mimics the woods. In this pun, the author is looking for a camouflage shirt but cannot find one because it is effectively hidden.

Puns put the P-U in stand-up!

I love puns! After reading this article, I hope you have a better understanding of how puns are constructed.

Now, it’s time to write your own funny jokes using puns!
Scroll down for the Comedy Writing Challenge for tips on writing 5 new jokes that demonstrate your ability to write funny comedy using puns.
Next, complete the Show Business Challenge to write 5 more jokes for your Media Kit.

Comedy Writing Challenge | Write 5 Puns

It’s time to write jokes!

Start writing 5 new, funny jokes using puns!

Choose 5 topics to write jokes about.
Brainstorm each topic for words, phrases and clichés associated with your topics.
Think of ways to twist the words, phrases or clichés to generate laughs.
Write at least 1 pun per topic.

Click here for a few Pro Tips.

Pro Tips:

Warm-up your joke writing sessions

One way to get good at joke writing is to write daily.

Give yourself a time limit and measured writing goal, for example 30-minutes to create 5 new jokes for an upcoming show.
Focus on quantity and quality of jokes. To warm-up a writing session, you can quickly write 5 new jokes. After the first draft of the jokes, you can decide whether the jokes are funny or need improvement. Either way, you’ve accomplished the joke writing task to create 5 new jokes.
After you complete 5 jokes, try to edit and revise your jokes to get big laughs. Predicting the audience response is a good way to build your joke writing skills. After you perform the joke, you’re able to critique and improve your ability to predict whether a joke will get laughs.

Comedy Show Business | Write 5 puns for your Media Kit

Let’s get write to work!

Use puns to describe your act.

Write a punny joke that explains your style of comedy.
In 25 words or less, use a pun joke to help explain the history of your hometown.
Use a pun to create a funny slugline for your PR 1-sheet.
Brainstorm your favorite adult beverages for funny puns to include in your next social media post inviting an audience to a comedy show.
Develop at least one funny pun that improves the quality and humor of one of your YouTube video descriptions.

Wow! You’ve written 5 jokes that could be used in your Media Kit! Seriously, can your promotional materials be funny?

Click here for the answer.

Answer:

Yes, your Media Kit can be funny.

As a professional stand-up comedian, you can be funny with your marketing materials. One of the best skills that you can develop is the ability to explain your comedy to potential ticket customers. Adding jokes to your Media Kit can help your audience laugh all the way to the Box Office!

Click here for Media Kit for Stand-up Comedians (2020), a free online course from Comedy101!

You have finished this section!

After reading the examples of puns and trying the joke writing activities, hopefully you were able to write 5 new jokes that use puns, plus 5 new word play jokes for your Media Kit!
If you’re enjoying this series, How to Write 101 Jokes that Kill, please scroll down for links to more articles.

Suggested Order for the Series

START HERE: How to Write 101 Jokes that Kill

The Comedy Reverse
Write a Set List with an opener, segues, and closers
Add more jokes with tags and call-backs

Part 2 | Pun with Wordplay

Oxymorons
Similes
Inuendo
Metaphors

Part 3 |Topical Humor, customized jokes, and writing funny stories for stand-up comedy.

Current Events Jokes
Holiday jokes that kill
Writing funny stories for stand-up comedy

Final Project: Write a 10-minute Showcase Set

Laugh, like, share.

Please share this article with comedians in your neighborhood comedy scene.

2020