Tips on practicing comedy routines/bits...?

Question

Im in school and I'm learning how to do speech's and such and put a lot of comedy into it by writing a lot of jokes to slip in during the speech. I was curious what most comedians/speakers do to prepare for their bits. Is it best to memorize word for word and just practice telling it like its your first time? Or is it better to remember the jokes and try to 'ad lib' the rest? Its hard to memorize it but not think about it too much to get you tripped up if you miss a word or a line. Just looking for suggestions

Answer 1

It is good to rehearse your speech several times before actually performing it in front of an audience. If you do that, there will be less of a chance of you "blanking out" while speaking. It's not necessary to do your speech exactly as written - sometimes you will have to "ad-lib", or change the wording so it sounds more natural.

I bring a "set list" with me when I perform speeches/comedy. A set list basically the subject of your jokes/speeches. Memorizing a 5 to 10 minute speech can seem overwhelming, but if they are broken into several categories that are only 1 to 2 minutes each, it doesn't seem so bad. Here's an example of a "set list":

Dating
College
Sports
Movies
Travel

I usually keep my set list in my back pocket. I don't even look at it, unless I totally blank out. After I look at my set list, seeing it puts me back on track.

When you do your speech/routine, maintain eye contact with your audience as much as possible. They will feel more connected to you that way.

Answer 2

It is better to learn to give an "After Dinner Speech" join Toastmasters and learn how.