--- description: So What Are The Six Steps To Being Funny? Mel Helitzer’s Comedy Writing Secrets is commonly used as a textbook in college courses on comedy... title: For April Fools Day: How To Be Funny-Six Essential Ingredients To Humor image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt26cd4945533b7fe6/69868835e53aba0c6a4d1c53/76382137.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # How To Be Funny: The Six Essential Ingredients To Humor by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 1, 2014 4:01 AM CUT  Chris Rock (L) and Louis CK (R) Chris Rock (L) and Louis CK (R)Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic for Variety Magazine by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 1, 2014 4:01 AM CUT **So What Are The Six Steps To Being Funny?** Mel Helitzer’s [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined") is commonly used as a textbook in college courses on comedy writing. **What does it say is the best method for how to be funny? Helitzer explains the “THREES” formula.** It’s an acronym for the six essential elements that are found in everything from good one-liners, to funny anecdotes to full comedy sets: 1. **Target** 2. **Hostility** 3. **Realism** 4. **Exaggeration** 5. **Emotion** 6. **Surprise** Here’s a breakdown: ## **1) Target** Via [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Louis CK’s target here is his doctor. (Note — All videos are NSFW): ## **2) Hostility** Via [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Lewis Black, the king of comic hostility, unleashes a torrent of anger regarding the milk section of the supermarket (around 3 mins 16 seconds in): ## **3) Realism** Via [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Louis CK is quite harsh — but hysterical — when talking about his daughter (1min 29 seconds in.) But it works because it contains elements any parent can relate to: ## **4) Exaggeration** Via [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Eddie Izzard explains World War 2\. For many, history can be dry but he exaggerates and dramatizes key moments to lighten the subject matter: ## **5) Emotion** Via [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Watch how Chris Rock leverages emotion to engage his audience: ## **6) Surprise** Via [Comedy Writing Secrets](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582973571/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1582973571&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- [UCLA film school professor Howard Suber](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/interview-ucla-film-school-professor-howard-suber-explains-storyteller/ "undefined") says surprise is the key to all storytelling. Jerry Stahl tells the story of how he managed to break his addiction to heroin… by switching to crack: (More on how humor works [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/5-reasons-why-humor-is-more-powerful-than-you/ "undefined"). More on how humor can improve your life [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/10/whydowelaugh/ "undefined").) **What Can We Learn From A Pro?** My friend Andrew Goldberg, a staff writer on [Family Guy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000083C6V/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000083C6V&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"), gave a number of comedy tips in [my interview with him](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/01/interview-secrets-creativity-learn-writer-family-guy/ "undefined"). What can he add to the six tips above? Don’t get wedded to your first idea: --- > “” --- Keep at it. Keep trying new versions (“alts”) of a joke until one clicks: --- > “” --- **To read the extended interview with Andrew and learn more about how to be funny, join 45K+ readers and get my free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** Related posts: [5 reasons why humor is more powerful than you would ever guess](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/5-reasons-why-humor-is-more-powerful-than-you/ "undefined") [Three secrets to creativity you can learn from a writer on “Family Guy”](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/01/interview-secrets-creativity-learn-writer-family-guy/ "undefined") [What makes something funny? Can humor improve our lives?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/10/whydowelaugh/ "undefined") _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/ "undefined")_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/44168/how-to-be-funny-the-six-essential-ingredients-to-humor/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/44168/how-to-be-funny-the-six-essential-ingredients-to-humor/"},"headline":"How To Be Funny: The Six Essential Ingredients To Humor","datePublished":"2014-04-01T04:01:25.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:53:54.371Z","description":"So What Are The Six Steps To Being Funny? 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