Does anyone have any jokes or one-liners that they use in their kid's shows, that are meant for adults to understand more than the kids? I'm not sure if I made that clear, but what I am looking for are jokes like Disney does in many of their kid's movies. They usually have a few jokes throughout their kid's movies that the adults would understand more than the kid's, and they put them in there to entertain the parents who take their kid's to the movies. I thought of this when I went to see Shrek 2 this past weekend, and I realized there were a lot of little things in the movie designed to entertain/amuse the parents as well as the kids. I like to do this, because a lot of times, I have a few adults in the audience and I find that if they are laughing, the kids laugh even more. And I like to try to entertain everyone there, but of course, the kids are priority #1 at my kid's shows. Also, it is never anything crude, just jokes/lines that you would have to be an adult to appreciate. Any ideas?

I have found *most* of the usual lines are for the parents in the room. The kids rarely get them, of course according to the age of the party.


These links on the Café may help:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=17

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=17

I use adult lines in my show because afterall it is also the parents that booked you. As much as you want the child to have fun, you also want the parents to have fun as well and a few one liners directed their way shows them that you are aware they are there and that you thak them for watching.

Kyle

Yeah, I feel the same way Kyle, do you have any examples of the jokes you use for adults?

Hello:

There was another thread on this subject where Ken Scott shared a line to use. I've been using it ever since, and it gets HUGE laughs everytime...and I mean everytime. I'll pass it on with my thanks to Ken:

"I want you to know that at no time will my fingers leave my hands. And I'll prove it. Here, pull my finger (go up to a child like you're going to have him pull your finger)."

Funny, Ken!

Ron

It is funny how the lines I use just come out naturally during my shows. I tend to feed off the audience and I improv a lot. I will try and recal some of the lines I might use more often or the situations I do for adults.

During my silk in egg routine: Sir do you know where they get wooden eggs from... decoys. Please try and stay with me here sir it's a long show. hehe

If something messes up: Well folks, that is the very first time that has ever happened (look at adult0 .. AGAIN!

When I do my comedy Measle Bag Routine: So your name is Bobby? Bobby how old are you and what grade are you in in school? (whatever the child says, I mix them up... so if the kid is 6 and in 1st grade I say) WOWSERS this kid is 1 year old and already in the 6th grade. man dude you are smart. ok who's kid is this. (watch all theparents hands shoot up.

Ok and your name is Mandy? Mandy are you married? (watch for reaction) Do you have a job? No??.. ME NEITHER (pretend to look very happy as you look at an adult)

When doing my optical illusion hand warm up exercise: ok now shake out your hands like this. Sir do you know what this does? Absolutely nothing.. I call it STALLING. (pause). Now point your index fingers out. Sir I said INDEX finger... you could use the other finger but then your doing a TOTALLY different trick.

There are more but here are a few I use for starters.

Kyle

Read as many comedy one liner books you can. by reading these you are learning to be funny.

Yes. I try to put in a bit of entertainment for the adults as well as the kids. It helps the show, and gets on the good side of the adults as well.

Really “good parents” would rather you direct your humor to the kids. You have plenty of time to communicate your wonderful sense of humor for the parents, before and after the show your doing for the kids.

Good parents always will appreciate the attention you give the kids. They will know exactly what you are doing if you try to demonstrate your wit for them.

Bob

Well, that's true Bob, and I would never take time out of my kid's show to specifically attempt to make the parent's laugh and not the kids. But slipping in one-liners before, during, or after an effect doesn't take anything away from the kid's enjoyment, and as I said earlier, I have noticed that quite often, kids will often feed off of parents as far as laughing goes. I love hearing a parent laugh during my shows, it makes me feel like I can not only get the kid's rolling by bonking myself in the head withg amagic wand, but that I can amuse the adult portion of the audience as well. Sometimes when a more reserved kid sees an adult laughing, they realize it's ok for them to open up and laugh as well.

That is true.

Bob

I'd like to recommend The Comedy Magic Textbook by David Roper. It has a lot of material that is good for family audiences, as well as information on how to write your own material.

Good points Danny.

Good performers can deliver comedy on multiple levels.

One reason that adults watch Looney Lunes is the humor directed on BOTH adult and child levels.

Good performers will also never sacrifice the children's entertainment for the adults.

digimaestro

I always put in a few jokes for the adults that are probably not understood by the younger kids. I believe when the adults are laughing the kids will have more fun and laugh more too. The older kids may like your show better if you include some adult jokes also. Just make sure the jokes are clean and in good taste. Never tell a dirty joke or one that may hurt feelings, especially at a kidshow.

Regan

I think it's important to make sure the adults enjoy themselves too however do it while entertaining the kids.

You're walking a fine line - it can sound a bit cynical or acerbic if you just pop off lines that are obviously way beyond a child's grasp.

I find three particular occasions when "for the grownups" lines work well:

First, when the child says something that could be taken in a definitely non-child way (this takes a bit of care to avoid venturing into tasteless areas): "Are you married?" "Yes" "Who's your husband?" "Daddy!" - options that might not get you thrown out immediately: "Let's just move along..." or "You might have some objections from your mom" or (wait for the laugh to subside) "Hey, don't laugh! He's a good-lookin' guy!"

Second, when you can be just a little more out-of-touch than the kid: "How old are you?" "Six!" "She's twenty-six years old today!" "No, SIX!" "She's SIXTY-SIX years old today!" "No, SIX!" "Oh, if you're sick, you should be upstairs in bed!" "No, SIX!" "Oh, six! So am I!"

Third, when you get a cue you can't resist from an adult: "Could I get you something to drink?" "Sir, it was drink that got me into this job."

I have been having almost as many adults watching the show as kids lately.
I have found that at least have a trick that makes the parents go hmmm.. helps out.
I also have been having the mom of the b day child help in a trick. I have been getting a good response from this

I don't do anything for the adults except one line in Marmites routine. The rest of my show is aimed at my target audience, the kids I'm being paid to entertain. The adults love to watch it, they join in with the kids, and have lots of fun as well.

He says he'll eat the kids if they te;ll me what he's doing,
I say you can't eat the kids I won't get paid,
he says some of the mum's might pay us,
and I reply not out of this lot they wont, these kids are good.

As bob said <<Really “good parents” would rather you direct your humor to the kids. >>>> I've had lots of people say to me, We saw so & so last week, he was OK but a lot of his stuff went over the kids heads as he kept throwing lines towards the adults. They think it's wrong, because in their view if you pay someone to entertain your kids, that's what they expect.

Including humor on two levels is what takes a children's entertainer to the next level - Family Entertainer. I know where Kyle is trying to take his business and for him the transition to family entertainer is imperative. By using lines that work on multiple levels I wind up hearing at the end of the show - I came for the kids, but I think I enjoyed your show as much as they did. Remember, children do not write the checks nor do they call and do the booking. You are working for the adults and don't ever forget that.

Martin

My aim is the kids. However, things happen and I'll respond to them. Always in good taste and to keep everyone laughing. When I confirm a show booking with the host/ess I purposefully invite the adults to be present -- especially since I don't want to turn into the $200.00/hr Babysitter. (BTW I invite all the adults but specifically state there MUST be some adults present!) So if the parents are going to be around I make sure they are entertained too.

Today, for example, not all of the invited kids were present at the time I was to start. So I did balloons before the show instead of after. With all the kids holding/playing with their sculptures I did a few walk-around tricks by starting conversations with the host and then others. Result: 10 adults stayed for the show with 7 kids present. Two families came to me afterwards to thank me and ask for a business card. More impotantly, not only did the kids have fun, the entire audience interacted together.