The iron test is: Do you laugh? If you laugh, you know they're gonna laugh.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Laughter from the audience confirms the joke is working and signals shared understanding.
- In plain terms
- If you laugh, the joke is succeeding.
- What can you take from it?
- Audience reaction is the best test of humor.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you know a joke worked?
Another view
Silence can be intentional or genuine failure.
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You could never give your mother as much as she gave you.
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