You Become Instantly Humorous by Saying “I Don’t Know” This Way

Summary

The article suggests that humor can be effectively induced by strategically responding "I don't know" to questions one obviously knows the answer to, as demonstrated by celebrities like Kristen Bell and Maya Rudolph.

Abstract

The article presents a unique approach to being humorous in everyday interactions by employing a clever use of the phrase "I don't know." Drawing on the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, the author implies that a small change in behavior can have a significant impact on social dynamics. The piece cites examples from popular television shows where actresses Kristen Bell and Maya Rudolph use this tactic to comedic effect, surprising the audience and eliciting laughter despite the simplicity of the words. The article encourages readers to adopt a similar style of delivery, emphasizing that one doesn't need to be a professional comedian to be funny; a well-timed, unexpected response can transform a mundane interaction into a humorous one.

Opinions

The author believes that being humorous does not require one to be inherently funny or to possess the comedic talents of well-known comedians like David Letterman or James Corden.
Humor is seen as resulting from an unexpected or surprising response, as demonstrated by the reactions of audiences to Kristen Bell and Maya Rudolph's use of "I don't know" when they clearly know the answers.
The delivery of the line is crucial; mimicking the apparent sincerity and genuine puzzlement of the examples provided can enhance the humor.
The effectiveness of the phrase "I don't know" as a humorous device is validated by its success in the context of television interviews, suggesting its broader applicability in everyday conversation.

Kristen Bell did, Maya Rudolph did…

You probably have heard of the 80/20 rule — 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort.

The same goes for being humorous.

You don’t need to be the next David Letterman or James Corden, but you may benefit from being more interesting and humorous in daily conversations.

There are some lines that you can immediately use to be funny. And you don’t need to be naturally funny to use them well.

“I don’t know” is one of them.

Since humor is about surprising people, using “I don’t know” to answer a question you definitely know the answer to will make you humorous.

Jimmy: I know you’re very very busy. You have two very young daughters. How old are your daughters?

Kristen: Whew… I don’t know.

The audience laughed immediately.

I encourage you to watch the clip to see her delivery. The words alone may not look that interesting.

The simplicity of this funny line reminds me of Maya Rudolph who used the same exact tactic on the Ellen Show.

Ellen: How many kids you have?

Maya: Who knows!

Again, the audience burst into laughter!

Try saying “I don’t know” to a question you absolutely know the answer to: e.g. how old are you? how many siblings do you have?

But also mimic Kristen and Maya’s delivery — they acted like they really had no idea. And that made them look even funnier!