The purpose of holding for laughs is to enhance the comedic effect by giving the audience time to fully appreciate and react to the joke. It creates an opportunity for the audience's laughter to build, making the punchline or humorous moment even more impactful. By strategically inserting pauses, the comedian ensures that the audience does not miss the punchline and has a chance to fully enjoy the humor.
This technique requires good timing and a sense of the audience's reaction. The performer must anticipate how the audience will respond and adjust the length of the pause accordingly, ensuring that it doesn't drag on too long and lose its comedic effect.
Holding for laughs is a skillful technique often employed by experienced comedians and performers to heighten the impact of their comedic material and create memorable moments in their routines.