How To ‘Fake’ Charisma Like Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon may be a polarising figure on the internet, but he can bring in the ratings. Some believe he’s fake, while others are drawn to his charisma. This video breaks down how to emulate that charisma on your own.

It’s Evil Week at Lifehacker, which means we’re looking into less-than-seemly methods for getting shit done. We like to think we’re shedding light on these tactics as a way to help you do the opposite, but if you are, in fact, evil, you might find this week unironically helpful. That’s up to you.

As this video from Charisma on Command explains, Jimmy Fallon’s charismatic draw comes from his overwhelming positivity. Coincidentally, this is the same reason people accuse him of being “fake”. I mean, who laughs that much at a joke that wasn’t even that funny, right? Fallon’s uproarious laughter at a guest’s relatively mundane story can seem fake, but it can also put guests at ease and make the show seem more inviting. It all depends on your perspective.

Charisma on Command suggests that, cynicism aside, Jimmy Fallon’s positivity and exuberant laughter isn’t necessarily fake, but just an example of an extreme personality. The video points out that Fallon frequently broke character while on SNL by laughing too much and at inappropriate moments in the script. That infectious laughter invites guests, viewers and co-stars to feel more comfortable and enjoy themselves. If your host is laughing, you feel more comfortable laughing. If you don’t naturally gravitate towards enthusiasm laughter, the video has a few tips:

• Watch videos that make you laugh. You might not laugh at everything, but you probably have something that you find funny that make you laugh every time. Laughter is a habit and the more you practise enjoying yourself, the easier laughter comes to you.
• Recognise that laughing at someone’s joke is paying them a compliment. You can brighten someone’s day (and build your own confidence) by giving someone a compliment. As the video points out, laughter is a form of a compliment. It tells your conversational partner that you enjoy their jokes and stories. Being generous with laughter can be a powerful way to make those you talk to feel comfortable.
• Celebrate stupid little things. We’re often taught to quell our enthusiasm when something isn’t “worth” being excited about. This video suggests to avoid that trap. If you feel enthusiastic about something dumb, let that enthusiasm show. Don’t apologise for it, and let others share in it.
• Do goofy things you personally find amusing. If you can’t let yourself enjoy the things that amuse you, you’re not going to be able to enjoy things other people like. The video suggests that indulging the goofy or silly aspects of your personality can help you let your enthusiasm feel more comfortable. When you’re comfortable with your own enthusiasm, other people can enjoy it, too.

The point here isn’t to pretend to laugh when you don’t think something’s funny. Rather, it’s that being cynical isn’t always the best strategy. You can always find something wrong with the people you talk to or the things you’re doing if you want to look for them. However, learning how to laugh and enjoy yourself more can make you happier in general, which translates to how others view you.

Of course, as some reactions to Jimmy Fallon can show you, not everyone will respond to it. If you try too hard to force laughter or enthusiasm, people will notice (and sometimes they will “notice” even if you’re not faking). If you don’t have any enthusiasm in a given conversation, don’t try to force it. However, you can practise letting your laughter and silliness out more over time. If you’re going to fake it, you may as well go for the long con.

Why Jimmy Fallon Seems Fake [Charisma on Command]

This post is part of our Evil Week series at Lifehacker, where we look at the dark side of getting things done. Sometimes evil is justified, and other times, knowing evil means knowing how to beat it. Want more? Check out our evil week tag page.