Humorous Speech Contest Rules

These rules apply to all Humorous Speech Contests, which are conducted in English only. These rules may not be supplanted or modified, and no exceptions may be made.

PURPOSE
a) To provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragement to all.
b) To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their Toastmasters training.
c) To recognize the value of humor in speaking.

SELECTION SEQUENCE

Each Club in good standing may select a contestant to compete in the Area contest. A Club may choose its contestant by whatever means the Club desires. If a contest is held, it must comply with all these rules and the contest result is final. The Area speech contest winner then proceeds to the Division contest (if applicable). The Division winner then proceeds to the District contest. Should an Area or Division contest winner be unable to participate in the next contest level, the highest placed available contestant will advance to the next level.


ELIGIBILITY

All Toastmasters who are members in good standing of the Club in which they are competing are eligible to compete. The Club also must be in good standing. New, dual, or reinstated members must have dues and membership application current with Toastmasters International.

A member must maintain eligibility at all levels of any contest. If at any level it is discovered that a contestant was ineligible to compete at any previous level, the contestant must be disqualified even if the ineligibility is not discovered until a later level and has been corrected.

The following are ineligible to compete in this contest: incumbent International Officers and Directors; District Officers (Governor, any Lieutenant Governor, Division Governor, Area Governor, Secretary, Treasurer, or Public Relations Officer) whose terms expire June 30; International Officer and Director candidates; Immediate Past District Governors, District Officers or announced candidates for the term beginning the upcoming July 1; presenters of educational sessions at the Area, Division, and District event at which the contest will be held. An individual may not be a judge at any level for a contest in which they are still competing.

Toastmasters who are members in more than one Club and who meet all other eligibility requirements may compete in each Club Humorous Speech Contest in which membership in good standing is held. However, should they win more than one Club Humorous Speech Contest, they can represent only one of the Clubs at the Area level. No contestant can compete in more than one Area Humorous Speech Contest, even if the two Areas are in different Divisions or different Districts.

A contestant must be a member in good standing of the Club, Area, Division, or District being represented when competing in a speech contest at the next level.

Each contestant must complete the Speaker’s Certification of Eligibility and Originality (Form 1183) and submit it to the Chief Judge prior to the contest.

Each contestant must be present to compete. Participation by audio and video tape and teleconference is not permitted.


SPEECH PREPARATION

The subject for the humorous speech shall be selected by the contestant. The speaker should avoid potentially objectionable language, anecdotes and material.

Contestants must prepare their own five to seven minute speech, which must be substantially original and certified as such in writing to the Chief Judge by the contestants prior to the presentation of the speeches (on Form 1183, Speaker's Certification of Eligibility and Originality). Any quoted material must be so identified during the speech presentation.

The speech must be thematic in nature (opening, body, and close) and not be an act or monologue (series of one-liners).


GENERAL PROCEDURE

A contest Chairman, Chief Judge, at least five Judges, a Tiebreaking Judge, two Counters and two Timers are appointed. These appointments will be as far as is practical at Club levels, but required for Area through District levels of this contest. All Judges will judge all contestants.

Before the contest, contestants are briefed on the rules by the contest Chairman. Judges, Counters and Timers are briefed on their duties by the Chief Judge. Contestants will then draw for their speaking position with the contest Chairman.

If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate speaker, if present, may be included in place of the primary contestant. When the contest Toastmaster is introduced, if not present, the primary contestant is disqualified and the alternate officially becomes the contestant. Where the primary contestant arrives and makes this known to the contest chairman and has all required paperwork in good order prior to the introduction, and missed the briefing, disqualification shall not occur and the primary contestant may speak in the drawn order, but waives the opportunity of a briefing.

All contestants will speak from the same platform or area designated by the contest Chairman with prior knowledge of all the Judges and all the contestants. The contestants may speak from any position within the designated area and are not limited to standing at the lectern/podium.

A lectern/podium will be available. However, the use of the lectern/podium is optional.

If amplification is necessary, a lectern/podium fixed-mounted microphone and a portable microphone should be made available, if possible. It is suggested that the fixed-mounted microphone be nondirectional. The selection and use of a microphone is optional for each contestant.

All equipment will be available for contestants to practice prior to the contest. Contestants are responsible for arranging their preferred setup of the lectern/podium microphone and other equipment in a quiet manner before being introduced by the Toastmaster.

Introduce each contestant by announcing:

• the contestant's name,

• speech title,

• speech title,

• the contestant's name.

There will be one minute of silence between contestants, during which the Judges will mark their ballots. There may also be one minute of silence before the first contestant.

Contestants may remain throughout the duration of the contest, in the same room.

Announcement of contest winners is final unless the list of winners is announced incorrectly, in which case the Chief Judge, Ballot Counters, or Timers may immediately interrupt to correct the error.


TIMING

Speeches shall be five to seven minutes. Contestants who speak less than four minutes 30 seconds or more than seven minutes 30 seconds will be disqualified.

Time will begin with the first word uttered by the contestant. However, should the contestant engage is definite verbal or nonverbal communication with the audience (including the playing of music or other sound effects, a staged act by another person, etc.) prior to reaching the speaking position and uttering the first word of the speech, the Timer shall activate the timing device at that point. If this results in the contestants going overtime the contestant will be disqualified.

• A green signal will be turned on a five minutes and remain on for one minute.

• An amber signal will be turned on at six minutes and remain on for one minute.

• A red signal will be turned on at seven minutes and remain on until the speech is concluded.

No audible device, such as a buzzer, shall be used for the overtime period.

Any sightless contestant may request and must be granted a form of warning signal of his or her own choosing. Acceptable warning signals would include, but not limited to: a buzzer, a bell, or a person announcing the times at five, six, and seven minutes. If any special device and/or specific instructions for such signal is/are required, the contestant must provide same.

In the even of technical failure of the signal, a speaker is allowed 30 seconds extra overtime before being disqualified.

Prior to announcing results, the Chairman should announce if time disqualification(s) occurred, but not name the contestant(s) involved.


PROTESTS

Protests will be limited to Judges and contestants. Any protest will be lodged with the Chief Judge and/or contest Chairman prior to the announcement of the winner and alternate(s). The contest Chairman shall notify the contestant of a disqualification regarding originality or eligibility prior to that announcement before the meeting at which the contest took place is adjourned.

Before a contestant can be disqualified on the basis of originality, the contestant must be given an opportunity to respond to the Judges. A majority of the Judges must concur in the decision to disqualify. The contest Chairman can disqualify a contestant on the basis of eligibility.

All decisions of the Judges are final.


WINNERS

In contests with five or more participants, a third place winner (if wanted), a second place winner, and a first place winner will be announced.

In contests with four or fewer participants, a second place and first place winner will be announced.


CONTEST SCHEDULE

Districts conducting Humorous Speech Contests should announce the date of the District contest and establish dates by which the Division, Area, and Club contests must be completed.