Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine. A hearty guffaw eliminates tension, making you get by a rather stressful day. Many people totally enjoy the expression, which is why the world has an endless supply of comedians and knock-knock jokes. The funny thing is, there are individuals who are too stiff or serious to inject humor in their biological systems. Start a conversation with these guys and you’ll end up with a dazed look and a pretty awkward feeling. Why not try to make them laugh? It’s not impossible. You just have to hit the right spot.

Serious people are often preoccupied by their previous engagements, which blocks their ability to laugh. They are either too busy or too nonchalant about stuff not related to their endeavors. As a concerned friend or coworker, you can give them the gift of laughter with a little help from the element of surprise. Just make sure you have a firm grasp on the individual’s personality, or else he or she might get offended. So without further ado, here are 13 ways to make your silent dates and companions laugh:

1. The Surprise Knock-Knock - A simple knock-knock joke won’t work on people who are stressed with their lives or their careers. You’ll only look silly if you attempt to tell one at random, which will probably be met by an icy glare or an annoyed reaction. What you can do is improve your approach. Start a serious topic with “iceman” until he opens up. After discussing the topic, say this - “By the way, I have been meaning to ask you something, since it has been bothering me for a long time. <Pause then show a serious look> Knock Knock? <Insert knock-knock joke>” Prepare for a barrage of laughs coming your way.

2. The Silly Game of Rap - Rapping is an art and a serious music genre until you actually use it in your normal conversations. Open a topic that your dull friend can relate to. When the topic is about to end, start giving replies that rhyme with your companion’s last word. Make hip-hop gestures and cliche gyrations, so your companion will get your drift. Not before long, you guys will be engaged in a hilarious rap battle. (Learn how to battle rap)

3. Diss Yourself - Conan O’Brien and popular stand up comics gained fame by seriously dissing themselves on TV or in front of a live audience. You, on your part, can focus on your previous blunders and the flaws of your personality. Associate any funny or unfortunate situation that your companion mentions with your blunders, which will act as a precursor to your funny stories.

4. Flirt with Disaster, Literally - Disastrous incidents like slipping on a banana peel or bumping onto a glass door are funny, since they are unplanned and totally unexpected. You can simulate a similar situation when you’re with a silent companion, especially if he or she happens to be your date. Arrange the “disaster areas” before you meet up with him/her then proceed with the plan. When the “unfortunate event” happens, your companion will be roaring with laughter.

5. Boyband Karaoke Moves - The karaoke joint is a place for a thousand laughs, even for those deemed “laughless.” One of the never fail strategies is to imitate the lamest and silliest performers you’ll see on TV: boybands. Pick a lame boyband song then imitate the gyrations of each member while singing in a cutesy voice. Your boring partner will soon follow suit. If he or she doesn’t, include alcohol in the picture.

6. The Accidental Mooning - Wear extra baggy pants when you’re going out. Leave your belt at home, since it will only get in the way of your plans. Fetch your date or companion then go to the park. While engaged in a dull conversation, drop a random item on the ground. Swallow all your courage and pick the item up, which will make our pants slide down. Your partner will surely burst with laughter after that. Embarrassing as the act is, you might get a steamy reward before the date ends.

7. Sarcasm - Intellectuals don’t always laugh at the silly stuff. Their brain power requires them to respond only to a higher and smarter form of comedy, sarcasm. Pepper your conversations with tons of sarcastic one-liners. When you want to get more physical with your date, state sarcastic sensual remarks until he or she feels challenged. Several hours after, you’ll probably wake up with a smile on your face, without any trace of sarcasm in it.

8. A Nostalgic Trip - A quick way to capture a person’s heart is to delve into his or her interests when he/she was younger. Go to a place that is memorable for your date. Your companion will then remember all of his/her silly high school and college stories, including the blunders. He/she, filled with old memories, will end up being the one to make you laugh with his/her experiences.

9. Funny YouTube Videos - The internet is your ultimate resource for funny stuff. A good stop for humor is Youtube. Make your partner watch silly videos like “The Numa Numa Guy” and “Afro Ninja.” If he/she does not laugh, better bring him/her to the hospital. He/She must be suffering from humor-deficiency syndrome. (Or you could search on YouTube the Top ten hilariously bad music videos of all time and laugh till you drop)

10. Conversation Fail - Save a dull internet conversation from going sour by directing your pal to the Fail Blog (www.failblog.org). Send him/her the site’s link via Yahoo Messenger or your preferred messaging service.

11. Stolen Shots - With your digital camera, you can take stolen shots of your friends or random people doing things that don’t look flattering. Catch all of them when they’re eating, right before they put their spoons in their mouths. That particular moment never fails to produce funny photographs. Show the funny pictures to your companion and expect a barrel of laughs in return.

12. Playful Puns - Laughter, according to philosopher John Morreal, creates a deep-seated inconsistency. You might as well start that inconsistency with a pretty inconsistent play of words called the pun. Examples of playful puns are: “Hey there Mark Guyver, can you make me a gadget?,” or “Austin Sweet 16 says today’s your birthday (for wrestling fans).”

13. Silly Song Medleys - Singing is one of the world’s most common interests. Remarkably, it is also the theme for a funny game that you and your partner can play - silly song medleys. The game’s mechanics are simple. You just have to take turns in trading medleys created from the spliced lyrics of more than one song. For example, “I’m falling even more in love with you (taken from Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse), multiply life by the power of two (taken from Power of Two - Indigo Girls);” is a good medley, since the first line’s rhythm is retained throughout the medley.

Humor is important in every relationship, whether friendly, parental or romantic. Silly as laughter may be, it improves your mood, breaks barriers and brings people closer to one another. If you learn how to make your friends, including the dullest ones, lovers and parents laugh, your interpersonal relationships will blossom. You’ll then realize that life comes easy as a barrel of laughs.