Got big ears? Do you snort when you laugh? Do other kids call you beanpole because you’re skinny?
Well, you’re off to a good start. If you want to gain some confidence, you’re going to have to gain the ability to laugh at yourself first. And you’re going to need some material to work with.
So why not start with what makes you different? That’s the question Janet Schultz asks the kids who sign up for the comedy classes, camps and workshops she teaches.
Schultz, a professional comedian and former social worker, runs the Kid Komedy Foundation, a nonprofit organization she started that teaches children how to write and perform stand-up comedy. The programs are fun and help boost self-esteem, Schultz says.
“Most of our students already know they’re ‘different,’ ” Schultz says. “Kid Komedy gives them the ability to good-naturedly poke fun at themselves and feel more comfortable with who they are. Once a kid writes a funny joke about his big ears, any teasing and bullying about that rolls right off his back.”
While the snide remarks may be rolling off the kids’ backs, audiences attending the always-packed graduation shows are rolling on the floor with laughter, Schultz says. The shows are the grand finale of the six-week-long comedy workshops.
To reach that point, training first has to focus on what is not funny, such as any kind of humor that hurts people’s feelings. Once the no-nos are established, Schultz tries to get a sense of what exactly makes the fledgling comics laugh.
“The answers range from Chris Tucker to SpongeBob SquarePants,” Schultz says. “When they come in, some find crude humor to be funny. But when they leave, they’ve learned that you don’t have to be gross or pretend to hit yourself to get a laugh.”
Along the way, kid comedians learn the lingo and fundamentals of life on stage (adjusting the microphone to bring it down to your size is a crucial skill). Since no one comes in knowing how “to kill” an audience–or even what “kill an audience” means–there’s a comedic dictionary complete with terms like “gig,” “heckler” and “punch line.”
Kids also work on physical humor, like silly walks and the occasional rubber chicken-enhanced skit. To bring out the “shtick” in everyone, Schultz has created workbooks with “fill in the punch line” lessons, like “My mom’s purse is so cluttered that …”
Parents are the butt of many a joke, which kids enjoy. But the bottom line is, kids really like the confidence the program instills. “Before I took the class, oral reports were a nightmare,” says David O., 14, of Roswell, Ga. “Now, I can easily get up in front of hundreds of people. It feels really good when they laugh.”
“I always enjoyed the classes,” says Miles G., 12, of Atlanta.”Now, I always try to see the humor in life and I’m quicker on my feet.”
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“My memory is so bad, I could be CEO for Enron.” — Charlie W., 11
“My Mommy says I’m too lazy. I’d argue with her, but I just don’t have the energy.” — Justin W., 9
“I’m not great at sports. In school, we took the Presidential Fitness Test. I was impeached.” — Lillie K., 10
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The Kid Komedy Foundation this year will expand its programs nationwide. To learn more, or to read jokes and submit your own, check out www.kidkomedy.org. For more fun, check with your town’s park district; some offer comedy or improv classes for kids. Going solo? Get a copy of “Funny Bones: Comedy Games and Activities for Kids” (Chicago Review Press, 2002), by Chicagoan Lisa Bany-Winters.
