What Makes Something Funny?

[mkgal1]

AKMom had said this is another thread:

The core of any joke is its "wrongness." Pretending that the "wrongness" is acceptable is what makes it humor. That's precisely what humor is, actually.

....and I don't know about that. As I get older, I do seem to find less things funny.....but I'd never really given thought to what actually makes things funny.

I don't think there's one answer---I think there's a few reasons why we laugh at things. I had to first think of some things that even make me laugh. These are a couple:

Any ideas?

 

[Murby]

Seems that animals experience it too:

I don't think AKMOM had her critical thinking hat on when she said that.

 

[snoochface]

I think it's interesting that you said as you get older, you find things less funny. I said to my husband just the other day that as I'm aging, either the world is becoming more vapid, or I'm becoming more humorless. Some of the things people find hilarious on the internet I just... don't get.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

Well as time has gone on I've looked at, read, watched things from my past that I found funny and no longer find them funny. I sometimes even find it stupid or wonder why I thought it was funny. One recent example of that is the old show Full House. After the new version came out I watched some of it and felt it was overly cheesy and stupid. I didn't get what was funny. So I found some of the old versions shows and watched them online. They too were stupid. Not sure why I loved the show back then.

I think as we age, our humor does too. Its why so many young people love things and we don't love those same things. We are passed that stage. Though there are some things that are older that I still laugh at. Three Stooges, Marx Brothers. But then again the humor at the time was better to some degree. Now a days we have brainless humor like Family Gun or Spongebob.

 

[akmom]

The first one is funny, as far as I can tell, because the Grinch's appearance is wrong. That is not how people look, nor an activity we consider in character for the Grinch. And yet he is pretending that it's perfectly okay for him to be sitting there doing yoga.

The second one isn't funny. It's just cute. Does any one really laugh at that? I don't know that it was intended to be humorous...

I can't vouch for the monkey's perceptions.

ETA: I couldn't get sound with either video. Apparently I missed crucial parts due to that.

 

[akmom]

People's preference for humor differs, and definitely changes as they age. There are topics that some people prefer to joke about more than others. For example, I do not like dirty jokes. The topic of sex doesn't amuse me, even if those jokes have all the criteria for a joke and I do "get it." It's still humor. I think Hetta's original post is an example of this. She posted a meme that she didn't find funny because the topic was, I think, simply distasteful to her. It was still humor because it was about a man acting like a child (wrong) and the wife/mother pretending it was acceptable.

I think a joke's potential really is linked to how "wrong" it is. That's why puns aren't that funny; using the wrong word isn't that "wrong" of a thing to do. That's probably why kids prefer humor like fart jokes and silly sounds; they are just beginning to perceive these things as wrong, so it's amusing to consider these events happening in inappropriate settings. As adults, we are so used to these occurrences that it's not a big deal. Sure, farts smell bad and silly noises are annoying, but we just don't care enough to be highly amused when they occur at inappropriate times. But we at least understand why kids laugh at them, right?

As cultural perceptions change, we might not consider something "wrong" any more, so a joke about it would not amuse us or maybe we wouldn't even "get it" because we can't pick out what is supposed to be wrong. I think that is kind of what happened with Full House.

 

[ValleyGal]

I used to laugh easily and joke around about most things. In fact, I used humor as a coping mechanism. Then I went to university and got all scholarly and serious. At my last job, I worked with a woman who was a fantastic story teller, and she could tell a serious story in a very funny way. In a way, she taught me how to be more light-hearted again, and I loved working with her for all the fun we had. Maybe a tenth of it was a little crude, but mostly it was just funny stories of her personal experiences. I have not worked with her for a couple of months now, and in my new job I work with people who are very professional and we are all scholars. My personal life got very serious again, too, so I'm really missing my old colleague... maybe time to get together with her for a laugh-in.

I wonder about what people find funny, and if the things we find funny have more to do with our state of mind rather than our age. Social work colleagues who have been in the field too long tend to get jaded and rarely laugh; in fact, life has made many of them very bitter. But for those who do not have such a heavy spirit, I wonder if they find more things funny and laugh easier. I know it is true for me, at least, that when my heart is light, laughter comes much easier.

One thing that can often turn out really funny is auto-correct on texting. I had a good, hearty belly laugh today when I was in conversation with my son. I had $10 in a bill and needed change for the vending machine at the prison tonight, and he wanted me to stop and get him a burger for supper. So I sent him a text "if you go to 7-11 and get me a coffee and $6 loonies, I can stop for a burger for you on the way home from work."

His response was "buy you a coffee and a colony, right" Followed by "not sure any government would sell me one for $8 though."

I said "what>"

He said "$8 in colonies."

Stupid auto-correct. It turned "loonies" into "colonies." LOL. The whole office thought I was nuts, laughing so hard. They could hear me all the way down the hall! Son was right, though. The government would not likely sell me any colonies for $8.

Now most of you are probably thinking that's not funny at all, but I had such a good belly laugh over it - I was in a good mood, but on overload learning a new job, but thankful it was Friday, etc.... context mattered. I laughed and it felt soooo good!

 

[ImaginaryDay]

I can see AK's point. A cartoon caveman goes to kill a bear with a club, and a 'Minion' stops him to hand him a fly swatter instead. Said caveman hits the bear with said flyswatter, and said bear attacks said caveman. That's just wrong. Hilarious!

 

[RedPonyDriver]

I haven't lost my sense of humor...I love to laugh, and laugh at the most absurd things. Movies that aren't meant to be funny, I laugh at the funny parts. I LOVE Mel Brooks' movies...crude, rude and tasteless though they may be...good grief they're funny! Tonight a friend and I cracked up over something I said at recovery group...good grief, we laughed for 5 minutes! My husband shares my absurd sense of humor and we can laugh over many things...

For those who have lost that sense of humor, I feel sorry for you...life is too short to be serious.

 

[mkgal1]

The first one is funny, as far as I can tell, because the Grinch's appearance is wrong. That is not how people look, nor an activity we consider in character for the Grinch. And yet he is pretending that it's perfectly okay for him to be sitting there doing yoga.

The second one isn't funny. It's just cute. Does any one really laugh at that? I don't know that it was intended to be humorous...

I can't vouch for the monkey's perceptions.

I don't know. Even if that weren't the grinch in that video......I'd still find it funny. I guess---if I had to analyze it (which sort of ruins it)---I'd say it's that there was a request to "release all those inner sounds that are trapped inside your mind" and he did (and he was fully aware that he's 'a little messed up'). I think it's the casual and straight-forward way that he says he's a little messed up that makes it hilarious to me (kind of like, "So what? I admit it"). I guess I could get a little deeper and maybe I'm laughing b/c so many people claim to want other people to be "completely transparent and authentic" but are shocked when others truly are (and a little repelled).

The second video? Yes......I laugh at that (especially the two monkeys). I think it's clever to have come up with narratives that fit the actions so well.

I don't think there's one summary or one formula as to what makes thingS funny (I noticed my typo in the title). There's different varieties of humor. Some may be based on "pretending something wrong is acceptable"......but I don't think that applies to all.

 

[mkgal1]

I think it's interesting that you said as you get older, you find things less funny. I said to my husband just the other day that as I'm aging, either the world is becoming more vapid, or I'm becoming more humorless. Some of the things people find hilarious on the internet I just... don't get.

Maybe we're just more discriminating Same thing as music: I've listened to a lot of the lyrics to songs that I used to LOVE (mainly just paying attention to the beat and sound)---now the lyrics have just ruined the song all together and I wonder what.the.heck? That song was about *that*?

I've not LOST my sense of humor.......I just don't LOL at as much. Autocorrect is another thing that cracks me up (especially when the attempts to fix it...get even worse).

 

[Murby]

For those who have lost that sense of humor, I feel sorry for you...life is too short to be serious.

Is it just me or is there a correlation between religion and humor? It would seem that the more deeply religious one is, the fewer things they find funny.. or the worse their sense of humor becomes.

Any deeply religious stand up comedians out there? or, more to the point, any good ones?

 

[mkgal1]

So I sent him a text "if you go to 7-11 and get me a coffee and $6 loonies, I can stop for a burger for you on the way home from work."

I have to ask: what are "loonies" that you purchase at 7-11?

 

[WretchedGoat]

My sense of humor was never very developed, but as I've aged I do notice that the things that a lot of people seem to find funny just seem silly and stupid to me. I still like a good pun or a bit of clever humor, but I can't seem to wrap my mind around the type of humor used in sitcoms or most TV shows these days. This is especially true for stand-up comedy - I just don't see why that stuff is funny.

 

[mkgal1]

Any deeply religious stand up comedians out there? or, more to the point, any good ones?

I can't think of a stand up comedian---but Rev Ed Bacon has the most wonderful laugh and sense of humor---and he's "deeply religious". I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. I even found a Tweet of his that speaks to how laughter brings joy & peace to our souls (and that we should turn to it when we find ourselves afraid, overly-serious, and tense).

 

[ValleyGal]

I have to ask: what are "loonies" that you purchase at 7-11?

Loonies are Canadian dollars. I had a ten dollar bill and needed him to buy a coffee for me and get the change in loonies for the vending machine.

 

[ImaginaryDay]

Is it just me or is there a correlation between religion and humor? It would seem that the more deeply religious one is, the fewer things they find funny.. or the worse their sense of humor becomes.

Any deeply religious stand up comedians out there? or, more to the point, any good ones?

Eh, that's pretty sweeping, and I wouldn't necessarily say it's true. There are the cultural moral standards that are espoused publicly by modern Evangelicals and others, and then there are those that have a sense of humor that is opposite, yet we are still what you term "religious". My avatar gives a hint to what I find 'funny', and what others would find to be crass and offensive. I think a lot of people would be shocked to know what I find humorous.
I also have a sense of humor that is rather dry. I enjoy things like the old 'Pink Panther' films (with Peter Sellers), and other comedy like it. Others don't find things like that entertaining and it puts them to sleep. It's personal preference, although some make it a religious issue.

 

[akmom]

I don't know. Even if that weren't the grinch in that video......I'd still find it funny. I guess---if I had to analyze it (which sort of ruins it)---I'd say it's that there was a request to "release all those inner sounds that are trapped inside your mind" and he did (and he was fully aware that he's 'a little messed up'). I think it's the casual and straight-forward way that he says he's a little messed up that makes it hilarious to me (kind of like, "So what? I admit it"). I guess I could get a little deeper and maybe I'm laughing b/c so many people claim to want other people to be "completely transparent and authentic" but are shocked when others truly are (and a little repelled).

The second video? Yes......I laugh at that (especially the two monkeys). I think it's clever to have come up with narratives that fit the actions so well.

I don't think there's one summary or one formula as to what makes thingS funny (I noticed my typo in the title). There's different varieties of humor. Some may be based on "pretending something wrong is acceptable"......but I don't think that applies to all.

I didn't realize there were narratives with the second clip! That probably changes things quite a bit. Analyzing humor to its raw elements, I still think we find that it's all some form of "wrongness" being portrayed as something other than wrong, and that humor is inherently a coping mechanism. That's why it's so delightful! I don't know. Has any one else read Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land? It was AP reading when I was in high school. They try to explain humor to this highly intelligent Martian, and he just doesn't get it. It finally clicks when he finds himself laughing, and he is horrified at what humor is, and the book actually investigates it quite thoroughly. I was hoping to dissect more humor in this thread to see if these elements were present. (Unfortunately I don't have an Internet connection that allows video.) There are so many examples. Not everyone will appreciate every kind of humor, but all humor will have those elements. Even the little things that make babies laugh, if you consider their perceptions per their developmental stage.

 

[mkgal1]

I didn't realize there were narratives with the second clip! That probably changes things quite a bit

Yeah.....I think that changes that a LOT!

 

[mkgal1]

I was hoping to dissect more humor in this thread to see if these elements were present. (Unfortunately I don't have an Internet connection that allows video.) There are so many examples. Not everyone will appreciate every kind of humor, but all humor will have those elements. Even the little things that make babies laugh, if you consider their perceptions per their developmental stage.

If I had to come up with my "favorite" type of humor.....I think I'd have to say it's satire/irony and parody---and that's *mocking* something (so that's not "pretending something that's wrong is acceptable"---it's the opposite, it's pointing out the "wrongness"). I don't like "big funny"----I prefer dry humor (deadpan, I guess).

I think babies typically laugh at surprises (like peek-a-boo....things disappearing)....don't they?