what's funny?

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I am doing a paper on what makes something funny. So I'd like to know what makes something funny and what is funny (like examples of things that make you laugh)?

-- ellie portman (portmaem@muc.edu), April 22, 2001

Answers

what makes sonetyhing funny? if you have to ask, its already too late. funny is the subtle form of acceptance we use on things that we do not understand or that make us uncomfortable, but these things are watered down to seem humorous... but its just all wrong and everything is evil

-- billjustin dotcom (justinbill@hotmail.com), April 28, 2001.

You.

-- anti-ellie (portmaem@muc.edu), May 15, 2001.

I suggest you read "From Earth to Mars" by Eric Idle, of Monty Python Fame. In the book, a robot tries to write a thesis on humor (a distinctly human trait) Of course, by observing somthing, you change it, and humor is the best example of this that there is. If you ask why something is funny, it ceases to become so. Humor is intrinsically linked to the human subconscious, and like art, "Trying" to be funny leads to disappointing results. Humor is born of a moment, and is best when it is fresh, unscripted, and unexpected. What is funny to one may not be to another (a pie in the face is funny to those who watch, but 'assault' to Willie Brown.) This is probably one of the most difficult papers you could have chosen to write. Good luck.

-- Bubba McGee (dlossner@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.

Ahhh...another question based on the analysis of a billion, dense factors. Consider this: how many different kinds of funny are there? I'm just trying to be helpful, though a classificaton scheme is most likely hopeless in this context (as in others...).

-- caw (brulette@hotmail.com), June 02, 2001.

I think cornflakes look like people

-- Ernie (msgusa@pacbell.net), June 06, 2001.


and some small dogs can often raise a smile

-- Ernie (msgusa@pacbell.net), June 06, 2001.

"Funny", is a relationship between two entities. The observer and the subject. In all things that aim to be funny, one entity (usually the subject) must become the victim. Through familiarity, or unfamiliarity with the victim, the observer is given a context in which the subject is made victim of circumstance. Blonde jokes, for example, denegrate the whole fair haired population by vitimizing them with the stigma of stupidity. The jokes can then point that stupidity out with blatant force. To date, my experiments have not yielded a single piece of humour where one party or another, is not the victim (aka BUTT) of the joke.

-- Ken Kavanagh (kenk@lionsgate.com), June 13, 2001.

yeah insults are funny, but you have to look at sitcoms and things like that as well which tend to point out absurdity. Early tv and radio shows like the goon show (194?) they used to play on it heavily. Impersonation is also a key area because it utilises pre conceptions in the same manner as stereotypes but with less -ist stigma (-ist stigma is the stigma against the politically incorrect, racist, sexist, ageist) as they usually refer to specific people rather than character types. Slapstick is a different type of humour, related to black comedy (dark comedy not african american). You laugh nervously at first as there appears to be no reaction beffiting seeing what you see or the pity you feel for the recipient of pain. However logic tells you it is only a film/tv show and that actual concern is either unwarranted or futile (as they are on tv or it happened in the past) so you laugh as no other response fits and in a way you are trying to hide your emotions about the way it makes you feel, be it scared or concerned. As you grow as a viewer and become more sophisticated you seemto recall previous experiences and have learned response.really he should look in the psychology all psychiatry section the library.

-- joe (joeytwomugs@hotmail.com), February 12, 2003.

My JOKE..... What is a baby duck? A DUCKLIN

-- Ineeda (ineeda_crap@hotmail.com), July 19, 2004.

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