  Comedy
This week: Edited by: Robert Waltz  
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"I had thought — I had been told — that a 'funny' thing is a thing of a goodness. It isn't. Not ever is it funny to the person it happens to. Like that sheriff without his pants. The goodness is in the laughing itself. I grok it is a bravery... and a sharing... against pain and sorrow and defeat."
- Valentine Michael Smith
(Robert Heinlein,
Stranger in a Strange Land) |
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JOKES
As I threatened in my last newsletter, I want to explore that cornerstone of comedy, that foundation of funniness, that jumbo jet of jest: the common "joke."
There is a speculation that the words "humor" and "human" are so similar for a reason, that being that the possession of a sense of humor is what makes us human. Humor sapiens, if you will. Actually, there's no such speculation; I just made that up. If you believed me, that might have made you a humor sap...
...but I digress. I don't need to go into detail about the general structure of a joke, but I will anyway. Stripped to its (funny) bones (a joke's skeleton consists mostly of bones of the humerus type, though sometimes there's a femur or an ulna thrown in just because those words are such fun to say), a joke consists of a setup and a punch line.
Sounds simple, right? Well, it's not. Proof of this is that not a single reader answered my challenge, presented last issue, to wit: make up a joke and send it to me. Oh, I've received some funny email since then, mostly geared toward convincing me that I need a larger something-or-other, but no deliberate jokes. Anyway, the setup part contains what is familiar, explaining only to the extent necessary for the audience's understanding of the situation. This is why stereotypes are so often used in jokes - they're a kind of shortcut, when they're not used maliciously, allowing one to use a "travelling salesman" or "priest" or "duck" without going into detailed character descriptions. Incidentally, putting a duck in a joke makes it funnier. Try it; it works every time.
A few years back, Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire put together a large online study called LaughLab (http://www.laughlab.co.uk/home.html) as a research project to determine the most humorous - excuse me, "humourous" in his case - joke.
As presented on the abovelinked site, the Funniest Joke in the World is:
A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says: “OK, now what?"
Now, I could spend the rest of this newsletter trying to explain what makes that joke funny, but I don't want to lose even more readers. Suffice it to say that if it didn't take place in New Jersey, the joke would make no sense at all.
How do we apply the principles of jokes in our writing? That may be easier than making up an actual joke. The essence of humor is surprise - which is also the essence of horror, mystery, and many other genres. One classic form of science fiction short story, for example, introduces a twist at the end that, in retrospect, makes perfect sense - just like the punch line to a joke.
So, even if you're not telling jokes, consider how to make your writing twist itself to a conclusion that is only obvious in the reader's hindsight.
And throw in a duck.
Next month: Why hyperbole is the worst possible literary device in comedy. |
Even though no one sent me any jokes, I found some jokes, variations on jokes, and other potentially humorous items lurking around the site:
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#1207441 by Not Available. |
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A poem and jokes written for a gathering.
#1178788 by Murray  |
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#1176050 by Not Available. |
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#1155033 by Not Available. |
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#1042008 by Not Available. |
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Well, I didn't get any jokes from y'all, but I did get some very kind feedback:
Vivian  : Welcome to the editors' corner, Robert. You did a good job for your first official issue. Congratulations, funny man. ~~ Viv
-Thanks, Viv! At least, I think thanks... after all, there could be more than one meaning of "funny man." Hmmm...
billwilcox: It's good to see an actual comic take the reins of the Comedy Newsletter. Welcome aboard!
-Thanks, Bill! High praise from a funny man! Your GPs are on their way! 
alyssa91075: Great job with the newsletter Robert. I look forward to your future editions. 
-Well, here's a future edition. Changed your mind yet? 
MysticalPhoenix : In this this there seems to be alot of invalid items, for me at least.
-I advised this user to become a Registered Author, which appears to have happened. If anyone reading this has a gray case and can't read some of the items, it may help to post something and become a Registered Author, if the authors of the items in question have set their access restrictions to "Registered Authors and Higher only." If it's something funny, I might even feature it in a future newsletter!
darkin:  Pretty funny newsletter, Mr Waltz...and I'll think about a joke to send
-... and darkin is still thinking!
Now, folks... I appreciate all the comments; I really do. But last month, elizm446 received more comments than I did. This hurt my fragile male ego, a pain only soothed by knowing that I'm funnier (looking). I sulked about it for three weeks. Now give me some feedback. If you throw in a duck, I might even laugh.
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Comedy: April 11, 2007 Issue [#1653]
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