Being funny on stage can be a tough task, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. “The Goddess of Comedy”, AKA, author and speaker Judy Carter shares some of her wit and wisdom when it comes to infusing speeches with a little humor. Learn why you can’t spell “message” without “mess”. Also, we’re willing to bet that you will laugh more than once during this episode.

Topics Discussed:

1:50 How did Judy go from stand up to speaking and coaching?

5:40 What is the formula for discovering “the message of you”?

10:29 Judy talks about how to find humor in your everyday life.

11:21 How would Judy apply “the message of you” to speakers that are already an expert?

14:49 3 Words Judy doesn’t mention in the first 20 minutes of a speech.

17:17 Why is humor so difficult? (Or is it?)

19:21 “Tell a meaningful story that happens to be funny.”

21:09 How can we revisit older stories to inject some humor into them? Judy offers a couple formulas.

27:31 Who are some of Judy’s comedy-writing heroes?

30:42 “There is no such thing as an un-funny story.”

36:28 Judy discusses how she goes about writing a TED Talk.

42:10 What is the rehearsal process for a TED Talk?