A little wit. A real point.

Funny Persuasive Speech Topics

Find a subject your audience can smile at—and still disagree about. These 20 funny persuasive speech topics pair an original opening angle with a specific position, three ways to develop it, and an objection worth answering.

01 / Browse the ideas

Make them smile.
Give them a reason.

These are argument starters, not verified findings. Adapt the setting to your audience and check the assignment before taking a comic approach.

Showing all 20 ideas

Education01

Should group projects end with a movie-style credits slide?

Give the person who formatted every slide a moment in the spotlight.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: End group presentations with one short, agreed credits slide.

Three directions:

  1. Recognize useful work beyond speaking.
  2. Agree on responsibilities before the deadline.
  3. Use a brief team reflection to acknowledge contributions.

A fair objection: Public credits could become a popularity contest.

A possible response: Let the team approve neutral descriptions; do not rank people or reveal disputes.

Try this opening: “Every great film has credits. Our group project has a producer, an editor, and someone who finally finds the missing charger.”

Check before speaking: Check your presentation rubric and ask whether a short team acknowledgment is allowed.

Technology02

Should class group chats have quiet hours?

The homework chat does not need to become a midnight radio station.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Agree on quiet hours, with a separate route for genuinely urgent messages.

Three directions:

  1. Make ordinary response expectations explicit.
  2. Separate announcements from casual conversation.
  3. Let classmates read routine messages on their own schedule.

A fair objection: Different schedules make a single quiet period unfair.

A possible response: Treat quiet hours as a courtesy about routine messages, not a rule banning access or urgent help.

Try this opening: “At midnight, our class chat becomes a live broadcast called Has Anyone Started the Assignment? I would like to cancel the overnight season.”

Check before speaking: Review the group’s notification settings and any existing course communication policy.

Technology03

Should browsers hold a graduation ceremony for abandoned tabs?

Turn a crowded browser into a small ceremony with a practical point.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Finish each study session by closing, saving, or deliberately keeping each tab.

Three directions:

  1. Give unfinished research a clear next step.
  2. Save useful pages with names you can recognize.
  3. Separate current work from things you merely meant to read.

A fair objection: Closing tabs can remove useful reminders.

A possible response: Keep genuine next steps in a short list; the proposal is a review, not an indiscriminate purge.

Try this opening: “This tab has served us faithfully since the first week of term. We do not know what it contains, but today we thank it for its service.”

Check before speaking: Compare your own bookmarking or reading-list options; do not claim a measured productivity benefit without evidence.

Technology04

Should the snooze button have to defend itself in court?

Put a familiar habit on trial without making medical claims.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Choose one realistic alarm plan the night before instead of negotiating with five alarms in the morning.

Three directions:

  1. Decide when you actually intend to get up.
  2. Prepare the items needed for the first task.
  3. Review whether the plan suits your real commitments.

A fair objection: Some people need different routines or accessibility accommodations.

A possible response: Make this a personal experiment, not a universal rule or advice about sleep disorders.

Try this opening: “Your Honor, the defendant promised me five more minutes. The evidence shows that the negotiations have now entered their fourth round.”

Check before speaking: Use your own routine as a clearly labeled example. Avoid claims about sleep quality or health.

Environment05

Should the office mug collection face a one-in, one-out rule?

The cupboard is beginning to look like a museum of conferences nobody remembers.

College
Build the argument

The position: Adopt a voluntary space limit for shared mugs and offer clean extras for reuse.

Three directions:

  1. Keep shared storage usable.
  2. Make room for items people actually use.
  3. Offer unwanted mugs to someone who wants them.

A fair objection: Some mugs have personal or sentimental value.

A possible response: Apply the idea only to shared, unclaimed items after a clear notice period.

Try this opening: “Welcome to the Museum of Complimentary Mugs. On your left is an artifact from a meeting that might have been an email.”

Check before speaking: Check ownership and shared-space rules before suggesting a collection or donation.

Technology06

Should “reply all” come with a practice round?

One person says thanks; forty people receive a sequel.

College
Build the argument

The position: Teach a simple recipient check before sending messages to a large group.

Three directions:

  1. Distinguish a group update from a private acknowledgment.
  2. Check who needs the information.
  3. Offer a separate social channel for ongoing conversation.

A fair objection: Public replies can build connection or clarify a question for everyone.

A possible response: Keep group replies when they add shared information; the target is accidental audience expansion.

Try this opening: “I appreciate your appreciation of the previous appreciation. I am simply not sure everyone on the mailing list needed the entire trilogy.”

Check before speaking: Look at the email service’s recipient controls and the group’s communication expectations.

Society07

Should borrowed pens come with a return ticket?

Treat a tiny social agreement with the seriousness of international travel.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Ask before borrowing supplies and return them before leaving the room.

Three directions:

  1. Make ownership clear.
  2. Give the lender a useful item back when needed.
  3. Make shared supplies an explicit alternative.

A fair objection: A formal rule for a pen feels unnecessarily strict.

A possible response: Keep it to a friendly reminder, not a deposit system or a punishment.

Try this opening: “This pen left my desk for a short trip to the next row. It now appears to be enjoying a semester abroad.”

Check before speaking: Use an invented vignette or your own experience; do not identify or mock an actual classmate.

Education08

Should assignment reminders sound like movie trailers?

This Friday, one document stands between a student and the upload button.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Write reminders that are memorable but still put the deadline and task first.

Three directions:

  1. Make the required action easy to find.
  2. Give one precise place to submit.
  3. Use humor only after the essential information.

A fair objection: A joke can obscure an important instruction.

A possible response: Keep the date, time, task, and submission link in plain language before any dramatic flourish.

Try this opening: “In a world with fourteen browser tabs, one assignment dares to ask: have you clicked Submit? Coming to your calendar this Friday.”

Check before speaking: Check the actual syllabus. Never change or invent a course deadline for a joke.

Education09

Should empty chairs be allowed to reserve library seats?

A backpack appears to have enrolled in a very demanding study program.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Use the library’s posted rules to distinguish a brief break from leaving a seat unused for a long period.

Three directions:

  1. Explain the difference between a break and a reservation.
  2. Keep the shared purpose of the space visible.
  3. Offer a clear way to ask staff about uncertain cases.

A fair objection: People need breaks and may have accessibility needs.

A possible response: Do not time, confront, or move other people’s belongings; ask staff to explain and apply the actual policy.

Try this opening: “I am impressed by this backpack’s dedication. It has attended every study session today, though I have yet to see it open a textbook.”

Check before speaking: Find the current library seat policy and available accessibility guidance.

Technology10

Should passwords retire from using the family pet’s name?

Your dog did not agree to become the head of account security.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Use current account-security guidance rather than treating a familiar name as a security strategy.

Three directions:

  1. Review the service’s recommended sign-in options.
  2. Keep recovery details current.
  3. Distinguish memorable personal information from a considered security plan.

A fair objection: Convenience matters, and people use different devices or accessibility tools.

A possible response: Compare the options your service supports instead of prescribing one setup for everyone.

Try this opening: “My dog’s qualifications include sitting, staying, and occasionally eating paper. I am reconsidering his appointment as chief security officer.”

Check before speaking: Consult the official security guidance for the specific service. Do not collect or display real passwords.

Society11

Should the last shared snack require a public announcement?

One biscuit remains. Suddenly everyone becomes a negotiation expert.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Ask before taking the last item from a shared snack supply.

Three directions:

  1. Clarify whether someone saved it.
  2. Give others an opportunity to decline.
  3. Agree on a simple replacement habit for shared supplies.

A fair objection: A formal announcement over one snack is excessive.

A possible response: Propose one friendly question, not a committee meeting; respect allergies and dietary needs.

Try this opening: “I have called this emergency session because there is one biscuit left and at least three people pretending not to notice it.”

Check before speaking: Check the group’s actual sharing expectations. Avoid unsupported nutritional claims.

Technology12

Should chargers have name tags at group study sessions?

At the end of the session, every identical cable suddenly has three owners.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Label personal chargers and ask before using someone else’s equipment.

Three directions:

  1. Make ownership easier to communicate.
  2. Agree on borrowing expectations.
  3. Check compatibility before connecting equipment.

A fair objection: A label can fall off or reveal more personal information than necessary.

A possible response: Use a simple symbol or first initial; do not label items with private contact details.

Try this opening: “We arrived with four chargers. We are leaving with four chargers. Why does this still feel like an unsolved mystery?”

Check before speaking: Check device and charger instructions for compatibility; avoid making electrical-safety claims from memory.

Education13

Should campus maps admit when a building has a confusing nickname?

The building everybody calls the Old New Hall could use a translator.

College
Build the argument

The position: Put common building names alongside official names in student orientation materials.

Three directions:

  1. Explain names used in everyday directions.
  2. Distinguish an official room number from a nickname.
  3. Offer an accessible text alternative to the map.

A fair objection: Too many unofficial names could make the map harder to read.

A possible response: Use a short searchable index rather than adding every nickname to the main map.

Try this opening: “To reach New Hall, turn left at Old Hall. If you reach the building formerly known as New Hall, you have gone too far.”

Check before speaking: Verify actual building names and accessibility routes with the institution before using real directions.

Education14

Should group projects have a one-page friendship treaty?

Agree on who does what before the group chat develops international tensions.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Write a brief team agreement covering tasks, check-ins, and how to ask for help.

Three directions:

  1. Assign responsibilities clearly.
  2. Choose a realistic way to flag delays.
  3. Agree on a fair process for reviewing unfinished work.

A fair objection: A team agreement adds another task to an already busy project.

A possible response: Limit it to a few practical sentences that can change when circumstances change.

Try this opening: “We, the undersigned members of Group Four, agree that thumbs-up is an acknowledgment, not proof that the slides have been finished.”

Check before speaking: Start with the assignment’s collaboration rules; do not present the agreement as a legal contract.

Environment15

Should reusable water bottles get a lost-and-found reunion day?

Somewhere on campus, a shelf of water bottles is waiting for its season finale.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Make the institution’s existing lost-property process easier to find and use.

Three directions:

  1. Tell people where to check for lost items.
  2. Explain how to identify ownership without oversharing.
  3. Clarify the actual collection and retention rules.

A fair objection: A public reunion display could expose names or private details.

A possible response: Keep identification with staff and follow the institution’s rules; do not post personal information.

Try this opening: “Tonight, after months apart, one student will be reunited with a bottle they were certain had simply moved on.”

Check before speaking: Ask the lost-property office about its current procedure and privacy restrictions.

Technology16

Should the campus printer receive an annual performance review?

Discuss a service problem as if the machine were a very complicated coworker.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Publish clear printer instructions and an easy way to report faults.

Three directions:

  1. Explain approved file formats and settings.
  2. Make support contacts visible.
  3. Give users a way to distinguish a fault from an incorrect setting.

A fair objection: A review cannot fix hardware or provide a repair budget.

A possible response: Ask for clearer communication and fault reporting, not a promise that every breakdown will disappear.

Try this opening: “The printer’s strengths include dramatic pauses and an ability to detect when I am already late. Its development goal is printing.”

Check before speaking: Check the actual help page and support process; label fictional incidents as fictional.

Society17

Should the shared fridge have a diplomatic protocol?

The mysterious container in the back has become a foreign-policy issue.

College
Build the argument

The position: Agree on simple labels and follow the shared kitchen’s existing clean-out policy.

Three directions:

  1. Make ownership and intended use clear.
  2. Explain who manages unclaimed items.
  3. Keep borrowed food separate from food offered to everyone.

A fair objection: People have different schedules and may miss a notice.

A possible response: Use a clear notice process and responsible staff or owners; never discard someone else’s property on your own initiative.

Try this opening: “Relations between the yogurt shelf and the leftover-pasta region have deteriorated. I propose a summit, with labels.”

Check before speaking: Check the space’s actual rules. For food-safety advice, consult the responsible official guidance.

Society18

Should campus tours include a practice run for saying “excuse me”?

The narrow corridor is a group project nobody knew they joined.

College
Build the argument

The position: Include shared-space etiquette and accessible route information in orientation.

Three directions:

  1. Point out busy entrances and bottlenecks.
  2. Explain where groups can stop without blocking routes.
  3. Make alternative and accessible routes easy to find.

A fair objection: Etiquette advice can ignore different mobility and communication needs.

A possible response: Frame the proposal around access and consideration, not policing how people move or speak.

Try this opening: “Our group has reached the narrowest doorway on campus. Naturally, this is where we have chosen to hold the entire conversation.”

Check before speaking: Verify routes and access information with campus services; do not invent universal movement rules.

Technology19

Should presentation software ask before scheduling a dramatic entrance?

The real plot twist is an update screen where your opening slide should be.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: Add an equipment and file check before a presentation, following the venue’s update rules.

Three directions:

  1. Test the actual presentation setup.
  2. Keep an approved backup of the slides.
  3. Know whom to ask when equipment needs attention.

A fair objection: Students may not control shared devices or update schedules.

A possible response: Propose preparation within your control; do not recommend disabling security updates or altering shared equipment.

Try this opening: “I prepared a surprise opening. The computer also prepared a surprise opening. Unfortunately, its surprise has a progress bar.”

Check before speaking: Read the venue’s technical instructions and the software vendor’s current presentation guidance.

Education20

Should a study desk have a closing ceremony?

Give tomorrow’s student a fair chance. That student is you.

College & high school
Build the argument

The position: End a study session by leaving one clear next step and returning shared materials.

Three directions:

  1. Record the next action in plain language.
  2. Put borrowed items where they belong.
  3. Choose what should remain ready for the next session.

A fair objection: A perfect-desk routine can become another reason to delay work.

A possible response: Keep it brief and personal; the goal is a useful next step, not an aesthetically perfect workspace.

Try this opening: “We now conclude today’s study session by returning three pens, identifying one cable, and asking this pile of paper what it plans to do tomorrow.”

Check before speaking: Use a personal example rather than claiming that one desk routine improves everyone’s results.

02 / From a joke to a position

Three openings with somewhere to go.

An amusing premise becomes persuasive when it leads to a clear request. These original mini examples show the transition; they are not complete researched speeches.

01

The group project premiere

“Every great film has credits. Our presentation has research, editing, and one person who found the charger. I propose a short, team-approved credits slide—not to award points, but to acknowledge the work we actually shared. If contributions overlap, credit the whole team. Recognition should not become a public grading dispute.”

Read the complete credits speech ↗
02

The midnight broadcast

“Our chat has launched an overnight program called Has Anyone Started the Assignment? I propose a closing time for routine expectations, with an agreed way to handle urgent changes. You can still study late. You simply do not need to treat every notification as a request for an immediate reply.”

Read the complete group-chat speech ↗
03

The printer’s review

“This printer has excellent dramatic timing. Its development goal is printing. We cannot repair every fault with a speech, but we can ask for visible instructions and a clear reporting route. Before describing a real incident, check what actually happened and what support already exists. The joke introduces a service request; it does not prove the equipment is defective.”

Explore the printer idea ↑

03 / Choose the right kind of funny

A joke is the opening.
The claim is the destination.

Start with the assignment

Check whether a light approach is permitted, what evidence is required, and who will listen. An informal team exercise and a serious policy assignment may need very different tones. Choose a subject you can explain without making a classmate the punchline. If you are unsure, bring your exact proposed claim to the instructor before writing the speech.

Keep the action small

“Printers are terrible” describes an attitude. “Put clear instructions and a support link beside the shared printer” proposes an action an audience can evaluate. Narrow funny persuasive speech topics in the same way you would narrow a serious topic: identify the decision, who can make it, and the limits of your proposal.

Make disagreement possible

Choose the strongest reasonable objection. A credits slide could feel like public scoring; quiet hours could overlook different schedules. Adjust your proposal rather than making the opposing side sound foolish. A fair objection gives the speech structure and stops the joke from taking over the whole argument.

Separate illustration from evidence

A fictional lost pen or imaginary printer review can make an opening vivid. It cannot establish how often something happens or what a policy would achieve. Label imagined examples, check actual institutional rules, and verify any factual claims you add. Keep health, security, and safety advice tied to the appropriate current official source.

For the selection and planning method, see Surry Community College’s persuasive speech guide and Maricopa’s topic-selection chapter. These sources explain the process; they do not verify every proposed claim or describe these original examples.

04 / Before you speak

Questions about funny topics.

Can I use these funny persuasive speech topics in a serious class?

Check the assignment first. A light opening can introduce a serious argument, but the required research and reasoning still apply. Some rubrics call for a formal tone or exclude certain themes. Adapt the proposal to the actual task rather than assuming humor is always welcome.

What is the difference between funny and interesting?

Funny relies on amusement, playful exaggeration, or a comic comparison. Interesting may simply mean thought-provoking or personally relevant. Use the general topic collection if you want broader choices without a comic premise.

Do I need to use the suggested opening word for word?

No. Treat it as a model for moving from a playful image to a clear claim. Change the language to your own voice, keep imagined events clearly hypothetical, and follow any disclosure or originality requirements for the assignment.

Can a silly proposal still have a counterargument?

Yes. Even a small request can raise questions about fairness, access, time, ownership, or enforcement. Responding to a real concern is more persuasive than adding an obviously weak objection just so you can dismiss it.

Found the joke. Need the structure?

See how an opening becomes a complete claim, body, objection, and close.

Read the speech examples ↗