GREG DEAN’S GLOSSARY
OF COMEDY TERMS

“What’s a synonym for Thesaurus?”

2nd story: the scenario imagined in the mind of the audience based on the punch of a joke.

ad-lib: to make up a joke within a scripted show.

alternative reinterpretations: a list of meanings or functions of the connector that are not the same as that of the target assumption, one of which will become a reinterpretation.

assumption: 1.) the audience’s expectation that the 1st story will continue along the predicted line of though. 2.) everything one is not experiencing with one’s senses in the present.

beat: take a a pause; to take a break for the purposes of comic timing.

behavioral jokes: jokes constructed with the nonverbal connectors of character, emotions/state of mind, body language/actions, and sound effects.

bit: a section of a stand-up comedy show or routine, also a short routine or a section of a routine.

blue material: jokes using graphic sexual overtones, scatological (toilet) references, and swear words.

bomb: to to perform a comedy show which gets no or few laughs.

booker: a person who hires and/or pays comedians to work in nightclubs.

callback: a joke that refers back to another joke performed earlier in the show; often presented in a different context.

capper: an antiquated term for the final in a series of jokes on the same subject matter which ends the routine with the biggest laugh.

catch: phrase a common phrase said in a extraordinary manner which becomes the trade make of a particular comedian. For instance Steve Martin’s “Excuse me.” or Billy Crystal’s “You look marvelous.”

character : POV the perceptual position achieved when pretending to be someone or something else.

closing line: the final joke of a stand-up comedy show which should get a huge laugh.

comedian: someone who makes his or her living being funny by means of an amusing character.

comic: someone who makes his or her living being funny by telling jokes.

connector: at the center of a joke, the one thing perceived in at least two ways. One way of perceiving it constitutes the target assumption; the second way of perceiving it reveals thereinterpretation.

Critic Spot: a location designated for evaluating one’s show; separate from the Rehearsal Space.

flop sweat: the overabundance of perspiration one experiences from a panic reaction to bombing.

flopping: bombing; not getting laughs.

gag file: a joke file.

gag: a joke.

gig: a show business job.

graphing: a scaling device with dots on paper for evaluating the effectiveness of jokes to determine their proper placement within a routine or show.

hack: from the British word hackneyed. Over used and thus cheapened, trite.

hammocking: a technique for placing weaker material or improvisation between two strong comedy bits.

headliner: the third and last comedian considered the star of a standard stand-up comedy show.

heckler: an audience member who talks and interrupts a show, usually by exchanging insults with the comedian.

improvisation: akin to ad-lib, but usually refers to the spontaneous making up an entire bit or the continual comedic conversing with audience members.

inside joke: a joke referring to information only a select group of people have.

joke: a device for expressing humor that employs a setup which contains a target assumption to misdirect the audience into accepting a bogus 1st story; and a punch which contains areinterpretation which creates a 2nd story that shatters the target assumption.

Joke Diagram: a visual aid for illustrating the structure of a joke.

joke file: jokes organized and stored on index cards or in a computer.

Joke Map: the first part of the Joke Prospector Writing System starts with a topic, creates apunch-premise, forms a setup-premise, and concludes with writing setups.

Joke Mine: the second part of the Joke Prospector Writing System begins with a setup and explains the process of using the joke mechanisms of target assumption, connector, andreinterpretation, to write a punch.

Joke Prospector Writing System: a joke writing system consisting of the two part of the Joke Mapand the Joke Mine.

jokey: 1. a term used to describe such obvious jokes that one would expect to hear a rim shot following them. 2. a comic’s groupie.

kill: to to give an excellent comedy performance.

laughs per minute: a measurement for counting the number of laughs in a show.

line-up: a list of the comics slated to perform.

LPM: laughs per minute.

M.C.: Master or Mistress of Ceremonies; the person who introduces the performers.

middle: the second comedian in the standard three comedian stand-up comedy show line-up.

mike: abbreviation for microphone.

monologue: a speech for one person; in comedy, a stand-up comedy script for a solo comedian.

narrator POV: the perceptual position achieved when being an observer or non-participant of an experience.

Neuro-linguistic Programming: a behavioral model and set of explicit skills and techniques founded by John Grinder and Richard Bandler. Defined as the study and mapping of the structure of the mind.

NLP: Neuro-Linguistic Programming

on the road: continually working outside of one’s city of residence.

one-liner: a joke made up of only one or two sentences.

one-nighter: a job which only lasts one night.

open-mike: a policy to allow anyone to get on stage and try to be funny.

opener: the first of three comedians in a standard comedy club line-up.

opening line: the first joke of a stand-up comedy routine.

pause: to stop talking in a show to enhance the timing of a joke.

POV: point of view.

premise: the central concept from which a series of jokes or a routine is written.

punch: the second part of a joke that contains a reinterpretation that creates a 2nd story thatshatters the setup’s target assumption.

punch line: (same as punch).

punch-premise: a step in the Joke Map stating a negative opinion about a smaller aspect of thetopic.

regulars: comedians who appears frequently at a particular nightclub.

Rehearsal Space: a location designated for practicing one’s show; separate from the Critic Spot.

reinterpretation: an unexpected meaning or function of the connector that shatters the target assumption.

reveal: within the punch, the pivotal word, phrase, or action that exposes or presents the 2nd story’s reinterpretation.

riffing: verbally bantering with the audience.

rip into or ripping: to attack, insult, or verbally tear into an audience member or comic who has heckled or otherwise deserves the abuse.

roll: on a delivering a string of jokes so that the audience continues laughing for an extended period without interruption.

routine: jokes all on the same subject or story that can be repeated on a regular basis.

running gag: multiple callbacks; a recurring joke within the same show.

shtick: a Yiddish word meaning a comic scene or piece of business; often implying physical comedy.

segue: a transitional sentence for purposes of leading from one joke or routine to another.

self POV: the perceptual position achieved when performing as one’s self while participating in an experience.

set: a a stand-up comedy show of any length.

setup: the first part of a joke that contains a target assumption to misdirect the audience into accepting a bogus 1st story.

setup-premise: a step in the Joke Map stating the opposite opinion to that of the punch-premisefrom which setups are written.

shatter: with reference to joke structure, the point at which the audience realized that theirassumption is incorrect.

showcase: to perform a stand-up comedy show for little or no compensation for the purposes of getting experience or being seen by a potential employer.

showcase club: a comedy club using a line-up of ten or more comics in a row.

sight gag: a physical joke meant to be watched.

stage time: the duration, in minutes, a comedian spends in front of an audience making them laugh.

tag or tag line: an additional punch immediately following a punch that does not require a newsetup.

take: a a comedic facial reaction. Like the long Jack Benny take to the audience.

target: a shorter term for target assumption.

target assumption: the misdirecting assumption in a joke’s setup which creates the 1st story and is shattered by the reinterpretation.

throw away: to put little emphasis on a point usually considered important. time slot the specific spot a comedian occupies within a showcase club line-up.

time slot: the specific spot a comedian occupies within a showcase club line-up.

timing: the use of tempo, rhythm, pause, etc. to enhance a joke, or tailor it to an individual performing situation; African Dancing and Drumming.

topic: the single and overall subject of a routine based on a problem.

topical jokes: about current events.

topper: an antiquated term referring to a joke playing off a previous joke; same as tag.

Contact the Dean of Comedy at: gregdean@stand-upcomedy.com