There is the joke about the comedians that numbered the jokes and merely stated a number and everyone in the group knew the joke.  There are actually very few new jokes which the above line points out.  New jokes or some jokes that are not well known will catch us unawares.  However, what makes a good joke?  If we could always tell a good joke, we could all be successful standup comedians.

What makes a good standup comedian is mainly the delivery of the joke.  If the delivery is sloppy or too quiet or comes across with a lack of confidence in the deliverer, then the audience does not approve of the comedian.  Another successful tactic is to know your audience.  You should never tell a joke that will offend the group.  This is kind of a hard one to really get a grasp on.  A rule of thumb would be that if there is any doubt, do not tell the joke.

Having the complete joke in mind before beginning is another good idea.  Having to go back and correct something or mention something you have forgotten takes all of the punch out of the joke.

Another item that would make a good joke is that the punch line is unexpected.  Often when someone is telling a joke, the punch line becomes obvious before the teller is ready to deliver it.  Then the listener is merely waiting for the end.  If the listener thinks they have the punch line figured out and then the actual punch line is completely different and still funny, that is what makes the joke worth it.  Jokes that take a while to figure out are also successful jokes.  If someone has to consider the joke for a few minutes, then it is a funnier joke.  Of course, if the teller has to explain the joke because they did not tell it correctly, that causes the joke to lose its savor.

Some jokes are so stupid, they are actually funny.  Put down jokes are usually never funny.  If does not matter if it is yourself or someone else who is being put down it still comes across as dry.  Some versions of sarcasm are funny though.

A joke can be the worst joke in the world and if it is told by the right person, it becomes funny.  That is why some people are natural comedians.  They know the right inflections and non-verbal communication to make any joke work.  Even stand-ups have bad nights however, so just keep on practicing and do not worry if you blow it one time.  Just keep on going.  Eventually you may be able to make it as a highly considered comedian.