What’s So Funny?

Humor, Mark Twain, and a bag of cumquats

Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it. - Bill Cosby

Humor is tragedy plus time. - Mark Twain

Humor is a rubber sword - it allows you to make a point without drawing blood. - Mary Hirsch

• The purpose of humor is to point out common ground and to make people feel better about the bad things in their life. It is a coping skill, a way for people to get through difficult times.

• The purpose of humor is to point out common ground and to make people feel better about the bad things in their life. It is a coping skill, a way for people to get through difficult times.

• The perception of humor exists within your mind. It is culturally defined and socially constructed.

• When you laugh your brain releases neurochemicals, such as, endorphins - which is a feel-good chemical. These chemicals are released instantaneously. It makes you feel good, which loosens the muscles in your face, and lights up a smile.

• It is interesting to note that smiling is a universal sign of feeling good.

• The perception of humor exists within your mind. It is culturally defined and socially constructed.

• When you laugh your brain releases neurochemicals, such as, endorphins - which is a feel-good chemical. These chemicals are released instantaneously. It makes you feel good, which loosens the muscles in your face, and lights up a smile.

• It is interesting to note that smiling is a universal sign of feeling good.

Elements of Humor

A sense of humor can be defined as the ability to perceive one or more of the universal characteristics. Therefore, one’s sense of humor involves the capacity to appreciate incongruity, wordplay, absurdity, what if..(future), common experiences, cultural and historical contexts.

IncongruityIncongruity

Incongruity means putting two Incongruity means putting two things together that don’t things together that don’t belong together.belong together.

““Don’t sweat the petty things, Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty and don’t pet the sweaty things.” - George Carlinthings.” - George Carlin

““Never take a sleeping pill and Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative in the same night.” - a laxative in the same night.” - Dave BarryDave Barry

Wordplay (double Wordplay (double meanings)meanings)

We exchange anything - bicycles, washing We exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines etc. Why not bringmachines etc. Why not bring your wife your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?along and get a wonderful bargain?

Elephants please stay in your car.Elephants please stay in your car. Toilet out of order. Please use floor belowToilet out of order. Please use floor below In case of fire do not use elevator, use In case of fire do not use elevator, use

water.water. The farmer allows walkers to cross the The farmer allows walkers to cross the

field for free, but the bull chargesfield for free, but the bull charges

Wordplay (Double entendres)Wordplay (Double entendres)

A double entendre usually implies a subtext A double entendre usually implies a subtext beyond the real literal meaning…phrases beyond the real literal meaning…phrases that can be understood in two different that can be understood in two different ways (often sexual.)ways (often sexual.)

““Gymnasts do it upside down.” Gymnasts do it upside down.”

““Actors do it onstage.”Actors do it onstage.”

““When talking about taking pictures of people he passes on When talking about taking pictures of people he passes on the street, he says "I often startle passers-by when I the street, he says "I often startle passers-by when I suddenly pull it out of my trousers and it goes off in their suddenly pull it out of my trousers and it goes off in their eyes.”eyes.”

““If I told you you had a beautiful body, would you hold it If I told you you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?” against me?”

Wordplay (Rule of three)Wordplay (Rule of three)

This is often used by comedians, and requires that This is often used by comedians, and requires that they list two normal items in a sequece, followed by they list two normal items in a sequece, followed by a third that is nonsensical or absurd or wrong.a third that is nonsensical or absurd or wrong.

““Can I get you anything? Cup of coffee? Doughnut? Plastic Can I get you anything? Cup of coffee? Doughnut? Plastic surgery?” surgery?”

In The Addams Family, Morticia is clearing out a closet and finds In The Addams Family, Morticia is clearing out a closet and finds three bags. In bag #1, "Uncle Knick-knack's Winter Wardrobe". In three bags. In bag #1, "Uncle Knick-knack's Winter Wardrobe". In bag #2, "Uncle Knick-knack's Summer Wardrobe". In bag #3, bag #2, "Uncle Knick-knack's Summer Wardrobe". In bag #3, "Uncle Knick-knack.”"Uncle Knick-knack.”

““For Halloween this year, my kid got 3 apples, 2 candy bars, and For Halloween this year, my kid got 3 apples, 2 candy bars, and the deed to one of McCain’s seven houses.”the deed to one of McCain’s seven houses.”

The Constitution guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of The Constitution guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of useless consumer goods imported from China.”useless consumer goods imported from China.”

Absurdity, ridiculousnessAbsurdity, ridiculousness

Something that makes no sense Something that makes no sense and is just over-the-top strange. and is just over-the-top strange.

“ “Some people are like Slinkies - not really good for Some people are like Slinkies - not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.see one tumble down the stairs.””

““English - Who needs that? I'm never going to English - Who needs that? I'm never going to England!England!” ”

- Dan Castellenata- Dan Castellenata

What ifs…What ifs…

““Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mind-bog-gglingly useful could have evolved anything so mind-bog-gglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as the final and clinching proof of the non-existence of as the final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.The argument goes something like this: `I refuse to God.The argument goes something like this: `I refuse to prove that I exist,' says God, `for proof denies faith, and prove that I exist,' says God, `for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.'`But,' says Man, `The Babel fish without faith I am nothing.'`But,' says Man, `The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. arguments, you don't.

'`Oh dear,' says God, `I hadn't thought of that,' and '`Oh dear,' says God, `I hadn't thought of that,' and promptly vanished in a puff of logic.`Oh, that was easy,' promptly vanished in a puff of logic.`Oh, that was easy,' says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.crossing.””

-Doug Adams, “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe.”-Doug Adams, “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe.”

More what if…More what if… “The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is

tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating…” - George Carlin

“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating…” - George Carlin

Common ExperiencesCommon Experiences

Truth in comedy is what makes Truth in comedy is what makes people laugh and relate to the people laugh and relate to the humorist’s jokes or comments. humorist’s jokes or comments.

““Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? TheOh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODre's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.Y, and they meet at the bar.” - Drew Carey” - Drew Carey

““Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slowerHave you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? you is a maniac?””

- George Carlin- George Carlin

Cultural Context Cultural Context

Humor is funny because we can Humor is funny because we can relate to it. What people in relate to it. What people in America find funny, people in America find funny, people in Egypt might not find funny.Egypt might not find funny.

Jokes about our culture work Jokes about our culture work because we recognize the truth because we recognize the truth in them. in them.

What’s funny in your culture?What’s funny in your culture?

Historical ContextHistorical Context

Humor is a real snapshot of a Humor is a real snapshot of a certain time. Things that were certain time. Things that were funny in the ‘80s aren’t as funny funny in the ‘80s aren’t as funny today. today.

Mark Twain’s humor doesn’t Mark Twain’s humor doesn’t make us laugh as much as it make us laugh as much as it made the people of his own time made the people of his own time laugh. laugh.

TYPES OF HUMOR

• Satire - sarcasm (Daily Show)• Farce - broad, over-the-top humor (Weekend

at Bernie’s, Dr. Doolittle, Austin Powers)• Slapstick - physical humor (Three Stooges)• Parody- copying the form of something

established, but tweaking it (Saturday Night Live, Colbert Report)

• Situational - personal life situations that are funny.

• (Dane Cook, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock)

Your job:

You will be working on “monologue” using some of the elements we discussed today.It should be about a page long (or longer). To get you started, think about something in your world that strikes you as being strange or weird or wrong. Some things to help you begin:

“Did you ever notice that….” “What if….” “Something that really bothers me is…” “Here’s the problem with school today…” “Yesterday (last year, this summer) was the worst (day,

year) of my life…”

Now, take one of these, or something on your own, and use some of

the elements of comedy to create a monologue!