Comedy
Quick Overview
What you should know:
1. Definition of comedy
2. Types of comedy
3. Types of jokes
4. Assignment details
Comedy is…



“Literature which has as its purpose
to delight, entertain, or regal.”
“A play that endsCongo
happily.”
River
“A story where people are shown
worse than they are.”
Comedy is…
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
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“A story which achieves catharsis through
amusement and laughter, rather than fear
and punishment.”
Congo River
“A means to unmask
and correct faults
and foibles.”
“Most comedic when it is relatable for the
audience. Like tragedy...”
Types of Comedy
Most effective comedies
mix elements of high and
low comedy
SNL:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/536145
John Oliver:
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=DeQqe0oj5Ls
Friends: High(ish)
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=n9hqFErP1Tk
Friends: Low
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=3-uIJ-vP4bs
The Importance of Being
Earnest:
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=r3TEbOR9SyQ
A few ways to get a laugh
Pun: A pun is a play on words, in which a word of multiple meanings,
or a word of similar sound but different meaning, is used to create the
joke. It is probably the commonest form of verbal humor, and often the
most derided! Heard about the fight down town? It was called a
shopping maul.
Mixed Metaphor: Mixed metaphors are the confusing/amusing result
of combining well known clichés. He's not the smartest kid in the
toolbox.
Shaggy Dog Story: This is a long rambling story filled with irrelevant
detail and repeated phrases, which has an absurd anti-climatic punch
line. It leads its listeners on in the expectation there will be an ending
to make sense of all they’ve heard. Often there isn’t, or there will be a
really weak pun. Its pointlessness is the joke
A few ways to get a laugh
Satire: Satire is used to expose silliness, foolishness or stupidity
through ridicule. It attacks with the aim of alerting its audience to
problems and to make way for reform. See Steven Colbert for an
example.
Absurdity: Absurdity is humor obviously lacking in reason. It is foolish
or ridiculous and often includes the use of nonsensical language. In
absurdity, the preposterous, incongruous, fantastical and whimsical
are right at home.
Overstatement / Understatement
Rant: Over-the-top ramblings from a single (often controversial) POV
on a specific subject.
3 parts to a joke:
Premise: The subject of the joke should be
something the audience has a preconceived notion
about (they must relate to it). This causes the
audience to form expectations.
+
Support: The speaker (author) provides at least
limited support for these expectations (nurtures
them), while simultaneously setting up the
punchline.
+
Twist/Punchline: A comedic device used to
somehow contradict the audience’s expectations,
which surprises them and causes a laugh.
Jerry Seinfield

"According to most studies, people’s
number one fear is public speaking.
Number two is death. Death is number
two. Does that sound right? This means to
the average person, if you go to a funeral,
you’re better off in the casket than doing
the eulogy.”
Time to write your own
Due: last 30 minutes of class on 5/24
Requirements:
• At least one page in length
• Not racist/sexist/anyotherist
• Must rely on language for humor
You might
• Write a poem/story/song…
• Describe an everyday situation
in great (and humorous) detail
• Rant about something you find
absurd/frustrating
• Satirize something offensive