What is humor?

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:10 am

I know in advance this topic will fail. The dullest book I ever read was one that tried to explain in the most bizarre, behavioristic terminology what humor was and how it operated. But still...

What makes something funny? Why do you laugh, if you do? And who the hell *are* you, anyway?

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:56 am

There are good and interesting, but hardly humourous, social psychology explanations of what humour is.

Without going into this, I can say that I personally enjoy intellectual, witty satire and irony about topics that aren't really funny. That's why I've always loved Monty Pyhton's Flying circus, but will forever yawn and become annoyed by Jim Carey.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:00 am

I saw the Jim Carey Show once, and didn't laugh at all. I kept thinking, "This man is supposed to be extremely funny, and he's going to do something that just sets me off any second," but nothing happened. It was a lot like the experience of an old friend of mine from college days, who used to read the comic strip Nancy scrupulously, because he wondered how something supposedly humorous could be so utterly unfunny, so consistently.

But Monty Python was great. I loved so much of their stuff. What do you think Jim Carey lacks, that Monty Python had?

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:18 am

Originally posted by fable
But Monty Python was great. I loved so much of their stuff. What do you think Jim Carey lacks, that Monty Python had?

Talent, wit, creativity and acting skills? No, j/k, I do think Jim Carey is talented in his genre, I just hate his genre. I saw parts of a movie (I don't remember which one) and all the comic events were either based on pure slapstick, or on Jim Carey making funny faces, or were related to natural bodily fluids. In short - it seemed very infantile and shallow.

Monty had what I like in terms of being able to create situations and contexts that enhanced the comical effect by being unusual or absurd, they were very educated and intellectual people, which added extra depth to many sketches (many people love the philosopher's song or the "I'd like to order a conversation"-sketch, but they are even more funny if you are also familiar with the philosophers they make parodies of. )
Monty also contains a fair share of social comment and critisism towards the British society and typical institutions in that society. Politics, media, contemporary events...
They were also highly creative and unpredictable, and the fact that much of the Flying circus were made live and improvised before an audience, makes it even more impressive IMO

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:28 am

Talent, wit, creativity and acting skills? No, j/k, I do think Jim Carey is talented in his genre, I just hate his genre. I saw parts of a movie (I don't remember which one) and all the comic events were either based on pure slapstick, or on Jim Carey making funny faces, or were related to natural bodily fluids. In short - it seemed very infantile and shallow.

Well, that would explain it: not much room for originality and imagination in that vein. I think The Three Stooges and Ben Turpin pretty well covered it all many years ago.

The Pythons were an exceptional bunch, unafraid of using or abusing highbrow concepts. Contrary to popular belief, there *are* highly intelligent American comics. (George Carlin and Woody Allen--who became as a standup comic--are excellent examples.) But they're a rare breed, and the face the inherent American commercial bias against hiring or using anything which is literate, in favor of the lowest common denominator (and potential income).

If you go back to before WWII, however, there was a plethora of clever American comedy, not unlike Monty Python (if a bit more decorous, given the censorship of the times). I'll write more on that, later.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 8:23 am

I am sure there must be good US comedy as well - I am sure there must be good Swedish comedy too, but it's not so easy to find it. I have a personal allergy towards Woody Allen, it's not that I think it's bad, it's just something personal I have against him.

A problem I have with Swedish comedy is connected to what I've previously said about Sweden as a fairly anti-intellectual culture, combined with an IMO strange love for everything the idea that people should be able to "recognise themselves". This results in Swedish comedy either being simple slap stick, or being based on very trivial events that "everybody should recognise themselves in", or a combination of the two. Satire, especially political satire is quite popular in Sweden, but such satire never has an edge, never has a really daring and sharp critisism in it, but is mostly flat, innocent imitation with funny voices and such.

There was a recent discussion in a Swedish newspaper about the infantilisation in media, I think that debate is valid in Swedish comedy. The stuff my parents generations watched, was much more sharp and innovative than any Swedish comedy I've seen the last 10 years or so.

The Z · Post by **The Z** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 8:28 am

I think many of the comedies nowadays are basically a show of sexual comments, and crude humor. I don't think I've seen a recent comedy that actually makes me laugh at something that's genuinely funny. Humor is smart, creative, and it's supposed to lighten the stress that many people are under. The degrade of innovative humor is probably related to the decline in moral behavior in teens.......I think.......dunno, maybe humor is too abstract to understand?

Tybaltus · Post by **Tybaltus** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 8:42 am

There are several sorts of comedy:
Theres slapstick-which is funny now and again-I mean the three stoges, I chuckle sometimes in their antics. But its the most immature style of comedy.

Theres satire-which is my favorite style of comedy. Just depends on what topic that it is making fun of. It can be both witty and immture.

Theres crude humor-Like The Z said, the rude sexual comments and jokes. The most desperate and lowly sort of comedy. This is the stage that comedy is big in right now, which might indicate the depreciation of society and what the masses consider humerous.

Im sure there are more forms that Ive forgotten, but thats what I remember for now.

Vinin · Post by **Vinin** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 8:51 am

Bah I prefer my own friends to keep me alive adn laughing. I dont really look forward to tv shows or movies to really make me laugh, its all about life being there with ur friends adn that moment thats funny to you. BTW I thought the monty pythons were incredibly stupid and not funny AT all. or maybe I just saw the bad ones....

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 9:07 am

What makes me laugh in movies and books is quite different from what makes me laugh irl or here on SYM. In movies and such I think i laugh most at really depressive things with abit to much pretentiousness in it. (Songs from second floor, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Metropolis, etc) Alternatively I laugh at obvious but not too stupid humor like Dr. Strangelove or Monty.

Irl or here im quite fine with slapstick though.

Originally posted by C Elegans

A problem I have with Swedish comedy is connected to what I've previously said about Sweden as a fairly anti-intellectual culture, combined with an IMO strange love for everything the idea that people should be able to "recognise themselves". This results in Swedish comedy either being simple slap stick, or being based on very trivial events that "everybody should recognise themselves in", or a combination of the two. Satire, especially political satire is quite popular in Sweden, but such satire never has an edge, never has a really daring and sharp critisism in it, but is mostly flat, innocent imitation with funny voices and such.

There are some that is okey imo, like Tage Danielson or some early works of Claes Eriksson&Co

Ode to a Grasshopper · Sat Jul 20, 2002 9:28 am

I usually laugh at things that very few other people find funny, in cinemas I always find myself giggling away during horror films that are meant to be scary, and at the most 'human' moments when most of the audience is going "Awwww..."

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 9:41 am

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
I usually laugh at things that very few other people find funny, in cinemas I always find myself giggling away during horror films that are meant to be scary, and at the most 'human' moments when most of the audience is going "Awwww..."

Hmm, I know what you mean...I laughed through most of the non-action parts of Spiderman

Welcome back btw Ode, I guess you'll have to tell me about your hols somewhere other than in one of fable's threads, lest he accuse me of spammi...oops

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 12:00 pm

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
I usually laugh at things that very few other people find funny, in cinemas I always find myself giggling away during horror films that are meant to be scary, and at the most 'human' moments when most of the audience is going "Awwww..."

Same here, i think it is the cheesy aspect, it's hard to define.

IRL i usually stick with quipping someone elses behaviour, i never tell jokes and i do act like a clown, i don't mind being the butt of other peoples jokes...as long as they are funny

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 12:11 pm

Originally posted by Kameleon

Hmm, I know what you mean...I laughed through most of the non-action parts of Spiderman

lol, same here. The scene where his father decided to look in tha paper for jobs were a favourite of mine. The whole theater stared at me in a evil way.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 12:54 pm

Originally posted by Dottie
lol, same here. The scene where his father decided to look in tha paper for jobs were a favourite of mine. The whole theater stared at me in a evil way.

Hehe, the old "nudge your friend and get them to laugh along" didn't work when I was almost LMAO at the end and simultaneously trying not to puke...touching? Yeah right. More like sickeningly hilarious

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 1:51 pm

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
in cinemas I always find myself giggling away during horror films that are meant to be scary

Same here, but Sleepy's right, it's usually because it's so horribly cheesy, rather than scary...

My friend did complain when I was giggling all the way through A Knight's Tale though, even though it was obviously not taking itself seriously...

I think most of the things that make me really laugh, as opposed to just a little chuckle, is the surreal sense of humour that my brother and I share... We have the most random conversations sometimes, and they probably wouldn't either make sense to or amuse anyone else...

Reminds me actually of something the late Spike Milligan said - he wasn't trying to amuse anyone else, he just said and did whatever he did to make himself laugh - it just happened that other people were amused by his antics as well.

Ode to a Grasshopper · Sat Jul 20, 2002 11:24 pm

Even when it's not cheesy I still laugh, though cheesy is funny too. I cracked up at the ghost of the kid who throws up porridge under the table in The Sixth Sense, though admittedly that was because I scared my mum into shrieking out loud by grabbing her arm and making the most horrible snarl I could right when the kid appears.

Of course, my mum clutched at peoples' arms in fright during Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, so it wasn't that big an achievement.

I'd say it's down to a warped sense of humor, as Georgeous says. I have the same random conversations with my best friends, usually prompting other people to ask what the hell we're on about.