What makes people laugh? (tip no.1 of how to make people laugh)

Some people will laugh at everything. Some people will sit through even the most hilarious, clever event ever, stoney faced, whilst seemingly unimpressed. However, most of us fall somewhere between those two points. Some people are paid to make people laugh, some people just get a thrill from making people laugh, but everyone feels good after inducing histerics from someone, but how it is done? And is there any way to just become 'funny'?
Well, it it's scientifically shown that people are 30 times more likely to laugh in the company of other people. Have you ever wondered why you can sit through Mock the Week, not even smirk, and still enjoy yourself. This is because your brain is still experiencing the same joy, it just isn't telegraphing to to the outside world, because we have no one to impress. And yes, we laugh to impress people. It may sound far fetched, but we laugh to shown someone that we share the same sense of humour, a factor vital in a friendship.
That is why there is a laughter track on sitcoms, it increases the likelyhood on someone laughing along, because the sound of laughter encourages the viewer to laugh. It is also why a comedy gig has to have an audience, a comedian can't just recite his jokes to one person and expect the same reaction as he would get if that person was in a crowd.
Ever looked at a comedian and thought, that looks so hard to do? Well he has it easier than you do in a social situation. His audience is already being encouraged to laugh by the fact that he is surrounded by people, all of whom he is subconsciencely trying to show he shares a sense of humour with. This is where tip no.1 comes in.
If you want to make a particular person laugh, maybe someone you are trying to impress, and you have a great story, don't just tell them. Get a group of people, maybe get their friends too, and tell the group. That person will instantly find you more funnier. This is what seperates a comedy gig to a conversation. It may look harder for Michael McIntyre to make 20,000 people laugh at one go, but in actual fact, he's making it easier for himself.
So next time you look at a comedian and think, I could never do that, think again