From the November 2006 American Speaker issue:

Unless you’ve been invited to appear as a professional comedian, tread softly when it comes to humor. Don’t try to pass for a hometown version of David Letterman or Jon Stewart, and don’t try to shock your audience into laughter. Look for humor that is warm, personal and relevant to your audience, your topic and yourself. Above all, shun the “seven deadly sins” of speech humor, says veteran comedy writer Gene Perret — whose clients included Bob Hope, Johnny Carson and Phyllis Diller.

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