It seemed funnier in my head…

Because of the nature of my job, I get to do all kinds of fun things.  One of which is that I get to talk to a great number of different people.  Now, I know that most people would tell you that their top two fears are speaking in front of groups and death… In that order…

Personally, I don’t mind talking to groups, but then again, I guess that’s why I blog.  Let’s face it, it’s just talking in front of a group.  The big difference is that I get to lay on my couch and type stuff up on a laptop, but that’s neither here, nor there.

At any rate, dear reader, I get the chance to talk to large groups regularly.  Today was one of those days, and I got to talk to a group of around 250.  Now the interesting thing is that often times I don’t know what I’m going to talk about until a couple of minutes right before I speak.  This means that I need to have a couple of thoughts in mind at all times.  However, I should say that I work for a company with a great Marketing and PR department, and they do a great job of giving me talking points.  Today, however, I didn’t have talking points today.  Instead, I got to fly by the seat of my pants.

By nature, I like to tell jokes and stories, it’s how I relate to people.  When I went to speak today, I had a turn of phrase in mind, and it sounded funny in my head.  Guess what I found out, after I said it, it wasn’t funny…

Now, in my mind (and still, for that matter) I think it’s funny.  I don’t know if it was the wrong lines for the group or what, but it missed the mark.  It was like crickets chirping and tumble weeds blowing through the place.  Dear reader, let me promise you that it wasn’t in appropriate or anything of the such.  Actually it came across more stupid and silly.

When I started thinking about it, I probably had two or three good lines in the talk.  So, I ended with a 3 to 1 ratio of funny to not.  However, I realized, after thinking about some other talks that ratio is right.  And, I have to say, at 75 percent joke rate is pretty stinking good.

So, my question to you, dear reader, is has the same thing happened to you.  You’re at a party, you have that great zinger that pops in your mind, and then nothing, no laughs, titters, anything.  What are your stories on the lack of funny?