That attentive ear is precisely what you want from the court. Thus, candor is foremost among the essential elements of appellate success. Earlier, I likened a brief to a conversation with the court. Being courteous and pleasant is a requisite for all conversations. Don't be belligerent, sarcastic or bombastic.
People recoil from a contentious, disagreeable person, and judges are people.
A sense of humor is not inappropriate. It can lighten up the weight of a turgid paragraph or two, and is useful as an amiable response to a nasty thrust by your adversary. Wit in its place can shine, but don't be a wise guy. The Fourth Department has a 70-page limit for an appellant's brief. Don't even come close, unless the case absolutely demands it, and very few do.