OK, here's my challenge to you:
I'm teaching a summer class called "The Art and Science of Humor." It's an interdisciplinary seminar that examines humor from a variety of disciplines; for example, two of the texts I'm using are called "The Healing Power of Humor" (using biology) and "Mathematics and Humor" (using, of course, math).
One of the first questions I plan to pose to the class is: "What is funny?" I would like you guys to try to answer that on here. I want as much variety as I can get my hands on. The "evolution of dance" video inspired me to ask you guys, because your senses of humor tend to vary widely.
Have at it.
To paraphrase: "Humor can be dissected like a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are gross and icky."
Humor blindsides you.
D'ja hear about the new courduroy pillows?
They're making headlines.
A man in a gorilla suit is funny.
Any TV show or Movie starring the Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello or the Three Stooges is funny.
a kick in the crotch, as long as it's not mine, is hilarious
BhamHoosier Wrote:a kick in the crotch, as long as it's not mine, is hilarious
Mel Brooks once said, "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall down an open man hole and die."
BlazerPhil Wrote:A man in a gorilla suit is funny.
What about a dragon suit?
Blzer4Life Wrote:BlazerPhil Wrote:A man in a gorilla suit is funny.
What about a dragon suit?
that dude
IN the dragon suit is funny... looking
This is the best you can do? Come on!
UAB Kirksville Wrote:This is the best you can do? Come on!
Super Troopers, i shouldn't have to say more than that
Small children playing organized sports is funny.
I've always enjoyed the absurd as funny. The more exaggerated the better.
examples:
Comedians
Steven Wright
Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
Comics
The Far Side
Bloom County
Calvin and Hobbs
TV
the Police Squad TV series (not the movies)
Monty Python
Fawlty Towers
Movies
Spinal Tap
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Airplane
Raising Arizona
Monkeys. That's what's funny.
I'll agree with MB on the absurd as being funny.
I also find excessive sarcasm and cynicism funny.
Memphis Blazer Wrote:I've always enjoyed the absurd as funny. The more exaggerated the better.
examples:
Comedians
Steven Wright
Mitch Hedberg (RIP)
Quote:i like and escalator man, because an escalator can never break down, it can only become stairs. there would never be an "escalator temporarily out of order" sign, only "escalator temporarily stairs, sorry for the convienience"
Alcoholism is like a disease, but it's the only disease that you can get yelled at for having. "Damnit Otto, you're an alcoholic." "Damnit Otto, you have lupus." one of those doesn't quite sound right.
I think Pringles initial intention was to make tennis balls. But on the day that the rubber was supposed to show up, a big truckload of potatoes arrived. But Pringles is a laid back company. They said "F it. Cut em up."
If you had a friend who was a tightrope walker, and you were walking down a sidewalk, and he fell, that would be completely unacceptible.
Stagediving...yeah. You know a lot of people talk about how bad stagediving is, how dangerous it is. But people are 90% water, so really, when you go stagediving, it's like jumping into a 90% pool. Cool.
My friend asked me if I wanted a frozen banana. I said,"No, but I might want a regular banana later, so, yeah."
the man was a genius.
i got to see hedberg the last time he was in bham, about a month before he died.
im more of a fan of either smart funny or blatantly crude funny. dennis miller cracks me up. he's smart and you have to be somewhat educated to get his jokes. then again i also love good crass humor. someone who is blunt and doesnt beat around the bush, kinda like andrew dice clay.