People love to laugh. That’s why successful comedians make big bucks and become household names. But famous folks don’t hold all the hilarity cards. We likely all know someone in our everyday lives with a gift for comedic timing.
One of those everyday improv geniuses ran into Conan O’Brien during an episode of SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma, and people are blown away by their interaction. O’Brien is known for his ability to riff off the cuff, and this woman casually went toe-to-toe with him. Her banter even had the late-night show host belly-laughing in less than a minute, and people are raving about her.
Watch:
How the viral bit came about
The premise of the show SubwayTakes is that comedian Kareem Rahma rides the New York City subway and asks riders for their “take” on a question. Most of the people he talks to are everyday New Yorkers, but celebrities also join him.
In this particular episode, Conan O’Brien spent a good 20 minutes talking to Rahma about his “5 most controversial takes,” which includes things like “All statues should be made out of soap,” and “We should have a separate area for people who want to talk about their diets.”
Near the end, the comedians apologize to a woman who asks to walk between them and the camera, and she says, “That’s alright, Conan,” as she sits down next to Rahma. She said it so casually that Rahma asked if O’Brien knew the woman. That’s when the riffing started, and she didn’t drop a single ball lobbed her way.
Conan himself was impressed
O’Brien told Rahma that he and the woman had been married, and she immediately jumped in with, “We were married a long time ago—we got two kids.” When O’Brien asked how the kids were because he hadn’t seen them in a long time, she said, “One’s in medical school, the other one’s in jail, but he’ll be home soon.”
Her deadpan delivery and commitment to the bit as it went on were simply delightful, and her quick responses had everyone giggling.
“You’re amazing. What’s your name?” O’Brien asked her after their interaction. She told him her name was Debbie, and he said, “You are so funny…We got a show right here. You are absolutely fantastic.” Imagine getting that kind of compliment from Conan O’Brien!
Debbie told the men she owns a bar. “Have I been thrown out of it?” O’Brien asked. Without skipping a beat, she held up two fingers and said, “Twice,” which had him rolling all over again.
8 tips for being funnier
Commenters across social media are saying she should be on Saturday Night Live or go into improv or stand-up comedy. Maybe she will, but there are lots of Debbies in the world who are just naturally funny people with no plans to make a career out of it.
Behavioral researcher Vanessa Van Edwards says being funny is also a learnable skill, and an important one at that. She suggests eight strategies for learning to be funnier:
- Say yes instead of no, and vice versa
If the expected answer to a question is “yes,” try saying “no” instead. Unexpected responses are a big part of humor. (You can always laugh at the surprising answer that just came out of your mouth, then give your real answer, or play with it and see what happens.)
2. Play with numbers
The way Debbie said she and Conan O’Brien had “two kids” and that he’d been kicked out of her bar “twice” are perfect examples of this strategy. Specificity is funny, and numbers are an easy way to be specific.
3. Use the ‘rule of 3’
The “rule of 3” in comedy refers to a pattern: normal, normal, unexpected. Van Edwards shares examples such as “I love hot dogs, hamburgers, and handsome men” and “I am so thrilled, happy, and terrified to be here!”
4. Switch characters around
Again, the idea is to set up something unexpected. For example, instead of the Big Bad Wolf being the villain, treat him as the protagonist and Little Red Riding Hood as the villain.
5. Utilize ‘whatever.’
If you find yourself the butt of a joke, pull out a “Whatever” as a surprisingly powerful way to avoid getting flustered.
6. Mine your life for stories
We all have funny anecdotes from our real lives, but we often don’t think of them in the moment. Keep a running list of funny stories from your life and rehearse them regularly so you can more easily pull them out.
7. Delay the funny
Don’t be too eager to share that hilarious story. Save your funny bits for the right moment.
8. Craft your own unique comedy style
Embrace your quirks, draw inspiration from comedians you admire, and practice until your humor comes more naturally.
We may not all be as hilarious as Conan O’Brien or Debbie, but we can all bump up our humor skills to add more laughter to a world that definitely needs it.
