I read that some parts of the world “see” a smile (or a laugh at a comment) not as a kind or disarming aspect of meeting someone new, instead those little things are seen as acts that call for suspicion of those giving ‘em. Fortunately I didn’t read that article prior to getting into comedy, that sure would be a cause for concern, to know that me, my smile, and good-hearted laugh, might be considered a little hinky.(!?) If that was a political party, I’d join the opposition.
I see a smile, (even more so a laugh) as about as good a start to a conversation or interaction as one can have. (OK as a comic, this maybe could fall under the kind of cliché as in “when you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail” and as a comic I want to see everything as a smile or laugh…)
Part of getting laughs is the (sad) stark reality knowing that you’re not always gonna get the laugh(s)… A great side effect of performing more often, is learning where the laughs are gonna be most of the time, but to not get thrown by where they end up being some of the time…and I include if they end up being in your head and not anywhere near the stage…
Some of the advice I’d give anybody starting out behind the mic’ telling stories and trying to entertain with comedy, would be that the audience doesn’t always “get” where they’re supposed to laugh…because the thought isn’t clear, because the comedy isn’t clear, or perhaps because the comedy thought isn’t funny.
When I see someone working out something new, I value the performer’s skill where they maintain the confidence to simply stand there and move on from where they might’ve thought the laugh was. So even if you look “hinky” in part of the world, I say just smile and get to the next hopeful laugh when the first laugh doesn’t have the Olympic dismount you wanted.
Until next time…