Lesson 4 · Joke mechanics · 6 min · Misdirection
Misdirection: lead them, then swerve
Point everyone's attention one way, land somewhere else
The big ideaMisdirection is a magic trick with words. You get the listener looking at one meaning, then pay it off with another one that was hiding in plain sight.
Watch the pro do it
Watch forNormand's one-liners are short, fast and built on swerves. Listen for words with two meanings: the setup uses one meaning, the punchline flips to the other. Also notice how little he explains. The swerve is the whole joke.
Via Mark Normand on YouTube
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More pros doing it
Talk-show storytelling: a true story with a strong opening line, a build, and a turn. Notice how he sets up the premise in one sentence.