What Makes You Laugh? 1. Exaggeration may be applied to physical, mental, or personal characteristics or situations Exaggeration Physical characteristics Caricature/Grotesqueness-- Exaggerated or distorted features Caricatures: Exaggerated personalities Caricatureexaggerated personalities Bad kids Nerd Exaggerationexaggerated situation Hyperbole Exaggerated languagesaying more than what is meant Hyperbole Understatementsaying less than what is meant 2. Incongruity Human beings have a built in sense or order, and if what we expect is does not occur, we laugh For example, when things are out of time, out of place, or out of character Out of character IncongruityOut of Character Incongruity--Out of time Incongruity--Out of place Incongruity--Out of Place Incongruity--Out of place The Unexpected- not what is expected Incongruity--the Unexpected "Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesnt seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. "The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: My friend is dead! What can I do? The operator says: Calm down, I can help. First, lets make sure hes dead. "There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: OK, now what?" Incongruity: the unexpected The UnexpectedI bet you didnt know that Spongebob shopped at Walmart? Reversalthe tables are turned Reversal Irrelevantwhen something unimportant is considered highly important Irrelevant Funny Movements/Sounds https://gaggle.net/gaggleVideoProxy.do?op=vie w&v=92a81219cec40c5e5706d2cb75cafdef 3. Anticipationlooking forward to a laugh Anticipation 4. Ambiguitydouble meanings (such as mistaken identities, ruses and disguises) Ambiguitydouble meanings Ambiguity-mistaken identities/disguises Ambiguityword puns Ambiguity- word pun 5. Recognitionwhen we know something that a character does not That apple has been rubbed with a poison ivy leaf! Recognitionaudience knows there is no baby in that blanket! Recognition-we know what he is grilling! 6. Protectionabusive actions can be funny when we know they are not really happening 7. Comic Reliefwhen emotions lead to a burst of laughter to relieve tension Comic reliefbeing stranded on an island is no laughing matter! 8. Superiority--we laugh at inferior or ugly individuals, because we feel a joy at being superior to them Superioritymy hair has never looked that bad! Superiorityone more reason for not using the Walmart scooters!
