The Secret Meaning of American Pie -Using Humor For a Greater Connection With Your Audience

Whether you are a salesperson, coach, teacher, parent, volunteer or looking for a date, humor is a great way to reach out and touch your audience. Humor keeps them interested and increases the chances they remember you, whomever that audience maybe.

But it shouldn’t be used just to get a laugh. It must connect to the story or point you are about to make. It also helps if you aim the humor at yourself. Self-deprecating humor makes you more human, more real and avoids the possibility of insulting anyone.

For example, in the series of seminars I do for the PGA (golf pros) I usually start off my story by saying, “All I ever wanted to do was become a golf pro. Unfortunately, lack of talent held me back!” They are all in the room for the same reason, or they would be on the PGA Tour with me, and they always laugh :)

Many years ago, I saw Don McLean perform at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. It’s a small, intimate venue and our group was close to the stage. He started to strum the opening bars to “American Pie,” stopping every now and then to talk.