Most of us here at Dr. Peanut Butter have all been schooled by the comedy guru Gary Finkelgarb.  He’s a genius, and his insights about comedy are used internationally.  Gary has been so kind as to share some of his time-tested rules of comedy with us here.  So, without further ado, we’ll just let the master speak for himself….

Hey, Knuckleheads!  It’s me Gary Finkelgarb, the King of Quips, the Professor of Puns, the Wizard of Wit…If you’re interested in learning how to write and perform comedy, then you’ve come to the right place!  Every now and again, I’ll share some rules of comedy that I’ve discovered over a 20-year career.  If you’re serious about getting seriously funny, then pay attention!  These rules will help you turn Yucks into Bucks!  For each rule, I will provide a clip of one of my students who have gone on to do Great Things in this crazy business we call Comedy!

Rule #1: Get a Hook- No, I’m not talking Peter Pan!  Get your head out of the clouds!  I’m talking about a verbal or performance device that helps people remember who you are.  The hook can be pretty much anything– a hat, a catch phrase, a Sammy Davis, Jr. mask– that helps promoters, audience members, and managers associate you with something memorable.  Who’s an agent more likely to remember: the guy with the Sammy Davis Jr. mask or the guy without it?  You can even make your whole act revolve around the hook.  This is what one of my recent graduates did, and you can just tell how much it improved his performance.  He’s gone on to great things, and so can you!  E-mail me for private lessons, and let’s start turning Yucks into Bucks!