🛠 Bonus Resource!
Need a few ready-to-use lines for your talk?
🎁 Download 53 Humorous Quotes and Flubs to Add to ANY Presentation
👉 Click here to get the free guide
Hey, it’s Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks here
Once again with some practical tips on how to add humor to your presentation—even in situations that don’t feel all that funny… like being pulled over by the police!
🎯 Real-Life Humor: The Guinness Traffic Ticket Story
A few years back, I was stopped for going through a red light. The cop and I had a surprisingly affable exchange. No drama—just a calm chat.
Eventually, I asked: “Officer, how much is this going to cost me?”
Deadpan, he replied:“$75, sir.”
Now, it just so happened this was **March 16th**—the day before **St. Patrick’s Day**.
So I said: “Have you any idea how many pints of Guinness I can get tomorrow for $75?”
The man cracked up laughing. I mean, he really lost it.
And for a long time in my presentations, I followed that story with this punchline
“I think he thought I was on crystal meth.”
It always got a great laugh.
🛑 Why I Pulled the Funnier Line
Despite being funny, I eventually pulled that line. Here’s why…
As someone who speaks regularly to healthcare professionals, cancer survivor groups, and wellness advocates, I realized that even lighthearted references to drug use—especially one as destructive as crystal meth—might not sit well.
Humor should connect, not cut.
Even when a line is funny, you have to weigh the impact. So I swapped it out and moved on.
😂 From “Hee Hee Hee” to “Ho Ho Ho”
Here’s a core principle I teach:
If something gets a smile or a giggle—pay attention!
Then ask:
- Can I enhance it with a pause or a voice shift?
- Would a follow-up line make it funnier?
- Or… should I let it go if it risks offending?
You’re not aiming for a Kevin Hart punchline—just a smile that builds trust.
💡 Humor Tip: Punchlines Are Optional, Connection Is Not
You don’t need to be a stand-up comic to use humor effectively.
But you do need to be a stand-up human.
Use humor to build connection:
- ✅ A Smile Builds Connection.
- ✅ Connection Builds Trust.
- ✅ Trust Makes Your Message Stick.
🛠 Bonus Resource!
Need a few ready-to-use lines for your talk?
🎁 Download 53 Funny Quotes and Flubs to Add to ANY Presentation
👉 Click here to get the free guide
🎤 Final Thought
A great presentation doesn’t need nonstop jokes.
But when you use humor *intentionally*, you’ll find it’s easier to win over even the toughest audience.
So next time you’re about to deliver a message—think of that $75 Guinness moment… and deliver with a smile.
With a smile,
Conor Cunneen
IrishmanSpeaks
Humorous Business Speaker | Cancer Survivor | Purveyor of Smiles
🛠 GET 53 Humorous Quotes & Flubs you can add to any presentation
Need a few ready-to-use lines for your talk?
🎁 Download 53 Humorous Quotes and Flubs to Add to ANY Presentation
👉 Click here to get the free guide to 53 Humorous Quotes & Flubs
Includes funny quotes from Mark Twain, Mayor Richard J. Daley “”The policeman is not here to create disorder. The policeman is here to preserve disorder,” Mother Teresa (honest), George Bernard Shaw, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama and many more.
IrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen (left) is a Chicago-based motivational, humorous business speaker who delights in adding humor in his presentations and helping others to do the same.
If you'd like to know more........ I'd love to hear from you
MORE Blogs on Adding Humor to your Presentation or Speech
Adding Humor to your Presentation? You Don’t Have to be Funny to be Funny!
Finding Humor in the Unexpected: My Journey as a Dual Cancer Survivor and Keynote Speaker
What’s the Best Way to Add Humor to Your Speech?
How to Add Humor to your Speech
Adding Humor to a Presentation is no Laughing Matter.
The Power of Humor in Business Presentations
How Humor Enhances Safety Presentations
The Power of Self-Deprecating Humor for Speakers and Presenters
0 Comments