Humorous and Evaluation Contests

Special Edition

How to Win A Toastmasters Speech Evaluation Contest

By jdonovan interview in November 2012 with speech contest champion Christine Clapp

Tip #1: Craft a positive introduction

During the introduction, start off by thanking the speaker and saying something relevant, personal, and positive. For example, your speech is such a timely topic. I completely empathize with you since I too have kids that get sick at the worst times.

Tip #2: Focus on content and delivery in the body of your evaluation
Structure the evaluation with two sections in the body: content and then delivery. Break each of the two sections into the following three parts and first go over the content:

First, start with one thing the speaker did well, Second, share one thing the speaker did well but could have done better, Finally, close with one thing that the speaker can improve upon.

Then, repeat these three components in the delivery section.

Tip #3: Conclude with a call-back, a call-to-action, and a summation

When you transition into your conclusion, call back to the positive detail you used during the introduction. Then, encourage the speaker to apply a relevant call-to-action, e.g. I hope that you consider using this for a humorous speech contents in the future. or, Your story was very well told; you should consider pursuing the Storytelling advanced manual.

Tip #4 Know where the speaker is sitting

You should know where the speaker is sitting so you can look at the speaker when you start the evaluation and when you give com- Inside this issue: plements. Types of Humor
The Humorous Stories Six elements of Humor Keep Your Evaluations on Target The Habit of Courage Club Information

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Tip #5 Mind the time

Youll be disqualified if you are going over the time.

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Types of Humor
Most humor falls into one of two categories: jokes and stories. Unlike stories, a joke is brief and it has no beginning, middle, and end, and offers little background information or detail. Below are some examples:

Humorous Stories
A story is longer than a joke and includes more background information. A humorous story have the following parts: the set-up, pause, punch line, punch word, and the ending pause. The set-up is the information the listener needs to find the joke funny. It leads the listeners down a path to an unexpected destination. The pause occurs just before you deliver the punch line to the joke. The pause also signals your audience that you are about to say something important. The punch line is the phrase or sentence that creates the humor. Its what makes people laugh.

Six Elements of Humor

target hostility Realism Exaggeration Emotion Surprise
Target. Every story is directed at someone or something, and the someone or something is being ridiculed. Targets can be people, places, ideas, or objects. Hostility. The humor comes from making fun of the target in either a subtle or obvious way. Realism. Most humorous stories are based on truth. Exaggeration. The speaker expands on the subject, greatly distorting it. Emotion. The speaker must emotionally involve the audience by making the story come alive. Vocal variety, enthusiasm, and body language all contribute to attracting and keeping the audiences interest. Surprise. Humor must be unexpected. A successful humorous story leads listeners in one direction, then at the last minute fools them by suddenly changing direction.

Exaggeration: The movie was so bad, people were lined up to get out. Incongruity: Be accurate, be brief, and be seated. Definition: Experience is what you have left after everything else is gone. Reverse:

The punch word is the one word in A thank-you letter to a friend who gave the punch line which creates the a gift of a playpen for a new born child humor.
is worded as follows: The pen is just what we needed. I sit in it every afternoon and the kids cant get near me. Understatement: Could you get me a postage stamp? I believe Ill do a little reading. Implication: The husband: I was driving 55 mph all the way home. The wife: Oh, was a police car behind you?

From RD March 2012

Husbands Anonymous
A cop stops a drunk late at night and asks where hes going. Im going to a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects it has on the human body, slurs the drunk. Really? Whos giving that lecture at one in

Customs Agent
Purpose of visit? asked the customs agent as we approached a checkpoint at the Canada-U.S. border. Were going to a wedding, my wife said. Are you carrying any weapons knives, guns? he asked. No, she said. Its not that kind of wedding.
Readers Digest Laughter

A day without laughter is a day wasted.

Charlie Chaplin

the morning? My wife.

Source: TM Humorously Speaking Manual

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Keep Your Evaluations on Target

o many novice speakers, the word evaluation brings back painful memories. Images of brutal remarks from schoolteachers and smirks from fellow students can pull a potentially great speaker away from the lectern. Yet, give that speaker one experience with a helpful, positive and motivating evaluationand youll see the speaker work, progress and grow to realize that potential. Effective evaluations benefit the speaker by: Providing immediate feedback. Supportive commentary and helpful suggestions can reinforce positive speaking behaviors and point toward areas that need work. Offering methods for improvement. It helps the speaker recognize and then solve any difficulties that may have been encountered during a presentation. Building and maintaining self-esteem. Learn how to play up your strong points and correct speaking flaws and you cant help but feel better about yourself. Show that youre interested. Focus on the speakers needs. Consider the speakers objectives. Contact the speaker in advance to discuss the manual objectives as well as the speakers personal goals and concerns. Personalize your language. Avoid using advice that starts with, You Instead, focus on the word, I So that you give your personal reactions, rather than attempting to speak for the entire audience. Evaluate the speech not the person! Do not impose your values on someone elses speech. Focus on helping the speaker communicate those thoughts in a more effective manner. Promote self-esteem. Encourage and inspire the speaker to participate again by offering honest and sincere praise along with criticisms.
Source: Toastmasters International

The humor in Husbands Anonymous

This is a humorous story, which has the set-up, pause, punch line and punch word. It has the background information and details that form the beginning, as the cop stops the drunk, the middle with the questioning and the answer, and the ending with the punch word My wife. The pause is between Whos giving that lecture at one in the morning? and the answer My wife. And the ending pause following it allows time for the audience to laugh. Editor

The humor in Customs Agent

This is also a humorous story, and it has the background information and details of a story. The beginning is the question Purpose of visit? from the custom agent. We know exactly where the story takes place at the Canada-U.S. border. The middle consists of what the wife said Were going to a wedding and the custom agents questioning of Are you carrying any weapons. The punch line is No, its not that kind of wedding. The pause between No and its not that kind of wedding creates a little suspense and whats said after it is a twist, or an unexpected ending that creates the humor. Editor

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County Communicators Club #9433

County of Ventura 800 South Victoria Ave. Ventura, CA 93009 Contact: Sergio Vargas, Club President Phone: 805-650-4077 Mark Lager, VP of Education Phone: 805-701-1317 Email: sergio.vargas@ventura.org

Mission Statement We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

On June 12, 2013, our club has celebrated its 20th anniversary. The club meets once a week on Wednesday mornings from 6:40 to 7:45. We are a club chartered by the Toastmasters International and members participate in a self-help program practicing communication and leadership skills following the guidance of speaking and leadership manuals prescribed by the Toastmasters International. Members prepare speeches based on a self-paced progress, practicing organization of, use of voice and body language for, 5-7 minutes prepared speeches. Members also serve as officers of the club, as Club President, VP of Education, VP of Membership, VP of Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms for leadership practice. We are located in the Ventura County Government Center in the Pacific Conference Room of the Cafeteria, in the Hall of Justice building on the side by Victoria Avenue. Free parking.

We are on the Web! Countycommunicators.toastmastersclubs.org

Editor Sally Chen Armstrong CC, CL, ACB

The Habit of Courage

Become other-conscious. Dont focus on yourself and what the audience might think. Instead, replace your selfconsciousness with otherconsciousness. Try to focus on your audience! Find a single person in the audience and make eye contact with him or her. Stay with that person long enough to deliver a full sentence or complete thought then move to the next person. If you take responsibility for the audiences understanding of your message, you will soon forget your sweaty palms and knocking knees. Anxiety feels worse than it looks. If you can refrain from calling attention to your fears and anxieties, nobody will know about them. Its a classic case of fake it 'til you make it, Landrum says. Act confidently, and soon enough youll feel confident. Make it look easy. The audience wants to hear the speech, not worry about the speaker. Be humble: This is not about you its about your speech! Your ideas and thoughts, and how they benefit the listeners are the most important part. Deliver these with grace, style and enthusiasm, but avoid egobuilding enhancements. A speech easily delivered is gladly received. Let yourself be encouraged. Dont be self-effacing or overly modest. Embrace the supportive atmosphere of a Toastmasters club and nourish visions of success! Learn to give yourself the benefit of the doubt that you so easily would extend to anyone else! Landrum says. Persistence is the most useful virtue of the human heart. You are never beaten until you admit it. Source: TM Intl

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to ones courage.

Anais Nin