Humorous Interpretation (often shortened to "HI", or "Humor") is an event in competitive middle and high school forensics leagues such as the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association and the National Speech and Debate Association.
It consists of a piece from any published work, edited to fit within a 10-minute span with a 30-second grace period (it does not have a minimum and cannot be above 10:30).
Ideally proper portrayal of characters should achieve a comedic effect to the judge.
While rules vary by state, a piece must be published, cannot exceed ten minutes, and must be of a humorous nature.
In addition to the introduction being original, competitors may also incorporate verbal transitions, so long as they do not exceed 100 words or change the intent of the author.
Singing and dancing is allowed in Humorous Interpretation, but it must be motivated by the text and easily justifiable.
[1] When choosing a piece, competitors may use any form of published material - whether it be a dictionary, movie script or a novel.
According to Darren C. Goins, picking a "fresh" piece is one of the best ways to ensure a successful season.