This article was co-authored by Andrea Vicunia and by wikiHow staff writer, Aimee Payne, MFA. Andrea Vicunia is an actress, writer, and stand-up comedian based in Los Angeles, CA. With over 15 years in the entertainment industry, some of Andrea’s credits include her roles in Portrait Haus and Libres. In addition to acting, Andrea wrote a comedy series called Stereotyped that released on Amazon Prime and won her the AT&T’s Best Underrepresented Filmmaker Award in 2018. She is a scholarship recipient from the Groundlings School and was a mentee in the Chicago “Women in Comedy Cohort”. Andrea has appeared on BuzzFeed, Amazon Prime Video, Who Haha, and backstage. She is also passionate about storytelling and has volunteered as a mentor for Young Storytellers since 2018.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Have you ever had the urge to pay someone a compliment that brightened their day and made them laugh? If so, this article is for you. We put together a complete list of funny compliments to help you give the people in your life an ego boost with a side of laughter. We’ll also cover how to deliver your funny compliments so they get the reaction you’re going for every time!
Steps
How to Give Funny Compliments
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Make the compliment sincere and personal. The key to paying any type of compliment is to mean what you say. It’s also important to compliment the person on something more than just surface things like looks. Though it’s perfectly fine to compliment a person’s looks, try to be more unique by complimenting non-physical attributes, like their personality, values, or actions.[3]
- Add humor to the compliment, not the other way around. When you pay a funny compliment, the compliment is always the most important part.
- Make the person feel genuinely appreciated and valued with a sincere compliment. Then, treat the humor as icing on the cake.
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Try using the “Rule of 3” to be funny and complimentary. In comedy, the “Rule of 3” says to pair 2 ideas that go together to set up the joke. Then, use a third idea to break the pattern in a surprising – and funny – way. This method is easy to remember and works whether you’re writing or telling someone how much you admire them.[4]
- For example, say something like, “You’re handsome, witty, and tall enough to reach the top shelf at a grocery store.
- When you use the “Rule of 3,” don’t get too flowery with your compliments. This method works best when you keep things short and snappy.
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Practice by giving more compliments and injecting them with humor. When it comes to comedy and compliments, practicing is the best way to get better and develop your skills. If you feel like you don’t have a sense of humor, practicing can help you build confidence and develop comedic timing.[5]
- Start small by challenging yourself to give 5 random compliments every day. Then, inject a little humor with the help of the “Rule of 3.”
- The best part is that even if your jokes don’t hit, you’ll still be making the other person feel good with a genuine compliment or two.
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ Manuel Garavito. Comedian. Expert Interview
- ↑ Manuel Garavito. Comedian. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-sincere-compliments-can-help-you-connect-with-others-0222175
- ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/how-to-mix-humor-into-your-writing
- ↑ https://ciib.org/blog/how-to-be-funny/