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.

 

1. 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.

2. SELECTION SEQUENCE

A. 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 that level.

 

B. In those areas with four assigned clubs or less eight

weeks prior to the area contest, districts have the

option to allow the two highest placed available contestants

from each club to compete in the area contest.

Should additional clubs charter prior to the area contest,

the two highest placed available contestants from

each club may compete. In those divisions with four

assigned areas or less, districts have the option to allow

the two highest placed available contestants from each

area to compete. In districts with four assigned divisions

or less, districts have the option to allow the two highest

placed available contestants from each division to

participate in the district contest.

 

The decision whether or not to allow two contestants to

advance from club to area, from area to division, and/or

from division to district must be made and communicated

throughout the district prior to the commencement of

the contest cycle – i.e. prior to any club contests being

held. Once the decision is made, it must be implemented

consistently throughout the district in all areas and divisions

affected. If a district decides to allow two contestants

to advance from club to area, its decisions regarding the

SPEECH CONTEST RULEBOOK 21

number to advance from area to division and/or from

division to district need not be the same.

 

3. ELIGIBILITY

A. 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.

 

B. The following are ineligible to compete in this contest:

incumbent international officers and directors;

district officers (governor, any lieutenant governor,

secretary, treasurer, public relations officer, division

governor, or area governor) 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.

 

C. 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.

 

D. A contestant must be a member in good standing of

the club, area, or division being represented when

competing in a speech contest at the next level.

 

E. 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.

 

F. Each contestant must be present to compete. Participation

by audio and video tape and teleconference is

not permitted.

 

4. SPEECH PREPARATION

A. The subject for the humorous speech shall be selected

by the contestant. The speaker should avoid potentially

objectionable language, anecdotes, and material.

 

B. Contestants must prepare their own five- to sevenminute

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.

C. The speech must be thematic in nature (opening, body,

and close), not a monologue (series of one-liners).

22 SPEECH CONTEST RULEBOOK

 

5. GENERAL PROCEDURE

A. At the club level contests, a contest chairman, chief

judge, at least five judges, a tiebreaking judge, three

counters, and two timers are appointed, as far as

practical.

At the area level contests, there should be at least five

judges or equal representation from the clubs composing

the area in addition to a contest chairman,

chief judge, a tiebreaking judge, three counters and

two timers.

At the division or district level contests, there should

be at least seven judges or equal representation from

the areas composing the division or district in addition

to a contest chairman, chief judge, a tiebreaking

judge, three counters, and two timers. At the district

contest, no judge shall be a member of the club represented

by a contestant.

 

B. 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.

 

C. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate

speaker, if present, may attend the briefing in

place of the primary contestant. If the primary contestant

is not present when the person conducting the

contest is introduced to conduct the contest, the

primary contestant is disqualified and the alternate

officially becomes the contestant. Should the primary

contestant arrive after the briefing but before the person

conducting the contest is introduced, the primary

contestant may compete, provided the primary contestant:

 

1) reports to the contest chairman upon

his/her arrival, and 2) has all required paperwork in

good order before the person conducting the contest is

introduced to begin the contest. The primary contestant

waives the opportunity of a briefing.

 

D. All contestants will speak from the same platform or

area designated by the contest chairman. All contestants

and judges will be advised of the speaking area

before the contest begins. The contestants may speak

from any position within the designated area and are

not limited to standing at the lectern/podium.

1. A lectern/podium will be available. However, the

use of the lectern/podium is optional.

 

2. 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.

 

3. 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.

 

E. Introduce each contestant by announcing the contestant's

name, speech title, speech title, and contestant's name.

SPEECH CONTEST RULEBOOK 23

 

F. There will be one minute of silence between contestants,

during which the judges will mark their ballots.

 

G. Contestants may remain throughout the duration of

the contest, in the same room.

 

H. 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.

 

6. TIMING

A. Speeches shall be from five to seven minutes. Contestants

who speak less than four minutes 30 seconds or

more than seven minutes 30 seconds will be disqualified.

 

B. Time will begin with the first word uttered by the contestant.

However, should the contestant engage in 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

contestant going overtime, the contestant will be disqualified.

The green signal will be displayed at five minutes and

remain displayed for one minute. The amber signal

will be displayed at six minutes and remain displayed

for one minute. The red signal will be displayed at

seven minutes and remain displayed until the speech

is concluded. No audible device, such as a buzzer, shall

be used for the overtime period.

 

C. Any visually impaired 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 be 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.

 

D. In the event of technical failure of the signal, a speaker

is allowed 30 seconds extra overtime before being

disqualified.

 

E. Prior to announcing results, the chairman should

announce if time disqualification(s) occurred, but not

name the contestant(s) involved.

 

7. PROTESTS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS

A. 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.

 

B. 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.

 

C. All decisions of the judges are final.

 

8. 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.

 

9. 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.