Rules of Comedy Writing
I was recently reading "Hitchhiker", a biography of Douglas Adams, and there was a mention of John Cleese's 3 rules of comedy writing, which are:
1. NO PUNS
2. NO PUNS
3. NO PUNS
Not all that helpful, right?
However, it got me thinking that there are quite a lot of theories about what makes good comedy. For example, Norm McDonald (you know, SNL) says he hates applause because it just means you said something the audience agrees with (e.g., some political remark like "Bush sucks!") and is not really funny.
And you remember Larry David saying that he didn't want any characters on "Seinfeld" to hug or learn anything (you know, become better people). "Seinfeld", of course, was firmly rooted in a world of sitcoms where the characters are trapped (doomed!) in their own amusingly defective psyches.
NOW THEN, can anyone suggest any other rules for comedy writing?
And here's a bonus question: there is a story of Lorne Michaels (SNL once again) looking at two pots of coffee and saying "Now, which one of these coffees is freshest?" And an observer thought "He even thinks in comedic pentameter!" Can anyone come up with other ordinary ideas expressed in "comedic pentameter"?
**********************************
"Ah, what time is it? You know, this watch was sold to me by my grandfather on his deathbed."
However, here is a clear example of a funnier revision of a funny idea:
(1) One summer my mother sent my sister and myself to Europe because she needed a vacation.
(2) My mother, one summer, decided she deserved a vacation. So she called up the travel agent and got tickets to Europe. For me and my sister.
******************
1. NO PUNS
2. NO PUNS
3. NO PUNS
Not all that helpful, right?
However, it got me thinking that there are quite a lot of theories about what makes good comedy. For example, Norm McDonald (you know, SNL) says he hates applause because it just means you said something the audience agrees with (e.g., some political remark like "Bush sucks!") and is not really funny.
And you remember Larry David saying that he didn't want any characters on "Seinfeld" to hug or learn anything (you know, become better people). "Seinfeld", of course, was firmly rooted in a world of sitcoms where the characters are trapped (doomed!) in their own amusingly defective psyches.
NOW THEN, can anyone suggest any other rules for comedy writing?
And here's a bonus question: there is a story of Lorne Michaels (SNL once again) looking at two pots of coffee and saying "Now, which one of these coffees is freshest?" And an observer thought "He even thinks in comedic pentameter!" Can anyone come up with other ordinary ideas expressed in "comedic pentameter"?
**********************************
"Ah, what time is it? You know, this watch was sold to me by my grandfather on his deathbed."
However, here is a clear example of a funnier revision of a funny idea:
(1) One summer my mother sent my sister and myself to Europe because she needed a vacation.
(2) My mother, one summer, decided she deserved a vacation. So she called up the travel agent and got tickets to Europe. For me and my sister.
******************
Why do you laugh?
I've tought some about it and discovered that there are some main reasons why do you laugh:
1 - Because of the surprise - Most of the reason why you laugh is because the funny thing was so unexpected that you end up laughing, at least smiling.
2 - Because you get it - This is part of the surprise, the part where you get it. But i think it makes a different item because that's the reason why you laugh at intelligent jokes. Because you get it and most of the people don't. That's what makes Simpsons so hilarious.
3 - Because you can - This is more why you wouldn't laugh. If it's about black humour specially. Imagine some redneck talking all goofy, dribbling while speaking. Embarassing, huh? Yeah, but imagine now somebody telling about a redneck he talked to that talked this and that way, imitating while telling this. Hillarius stuff.
There are probably some other reason(s) why you laugh, I couldn't figure them all out. If you have any, just post it!
1 - Because of the surprise - Most of the reason why you laugh is because the funny thing was so unexpected that you end up laughing, at least smiling.
2 - Because you get it - This is part of the surprise, the part where you get it. But i think it makes a different item because that's the reason why you laugh at intelligent jokes. Because you get it and most of the people don't. That's what makes Simpsons so hilarious.
3 - Because you can - This is more why you wouldn't laugh. If it's about black humour specially. Imagine some redneck talking all goofy, dribbling while speaking. Embarassing, huh? Yeah, but imagine now somebody telling about a redneck he talked to that talked this and that way, imitating while telling this. Hillarius stuff.
There are probably some other reason(s) why you laugh, I couldn't figure them all out. If you have any, just post it!
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