Theories of humor

1. Through the use of humor, Sartwell is able to engage the audience with his piece and establish a connection with them, contributing to the effectiveness of the piece. By referencing things that they share in common, such as “Unlike Thoreau, I have cable” (Sartwell 14), it enables his audience to relate to his points and as a result, creates a sense of cohesiveness between the contrasting ideas that Sartwell brings up. The thought that “… if Thoreau were around today, he’d be pushing a cart…

“There’s a truth in every joke.” This phrase mean on a joke being taken seriously after all the laughs have died down. Joking around can be for the sake of getting laughter from others, but it is a fun and lighthearted way to bring awareness. Satire isn’t an unfamiliar subject to most performers and comedians. Comedian Dave Chappelle used satire, that usually dealt with racial identity and politics in America in most of his comedy bits in his comedy hit, The Chappelle Show. The use of satire in…

Stemming from a progressive household, Hari Kondabolu’s humor is a reflection of how he was raised. Kondabolu is a comedian who uses his voice to discuss social issues regarding race, sexuality, identity, and civil rights. Under the guise of comedy, Kondabolu is able to raise awareness and share his stance on the subjects, while maintaining real humor that people can laugh along and relate to. Kondabolu cites his identity as the catalyst for the beginning of his career, as the lack of Asian…

Ignorant New World Why do people laugh? Is it an effect from a witty joke, a nervous tic, or perhaps a humorous accident? Whatever the reason is, laughter is a contagious and social occurrence. In the book, Brave New World, there are many circumstances where laughter takes place. However, the people in the book are not necessarily aware of what they are laughing about. It is not that they are replacing thinking with laughter, instead, they do not have the ability to comprehend what they are…

Pleasure and Pain Both the Miller’s tale and the Reeve’s tale are quite comical at first glance, but when taking a closer look, one can easily take many life lessons from these two stories. Chaucer held no bars in these two tales. The Miller’s tale takes a more comedic and jolly approach, yet his tale still lays a plot thick with deceit, sin, and pleasure at someone else’s expense. Diving into the Reeve’s tale spins a spiteful tale to mock and prod the miller while holding a comedic tone all the…

in a joking manner. The presenters refer to themselves as the “Best Fake News Team”, but report actual news and events in a comedic way designed to make the audience laugh, but imply the truth hoping that they realize the hypocrisies. This trend of humor isn’t just a modern day occurrence. For example, in Candide by Voltaire, the author mocks society and religion under the disguise of a clever satire, never quite forwardly criticizing the topics in order to avoid persecution. Voltaire was…

According to The Miami Herald, “Hoot is a rollicking a righteous story.” Some people say that “Hoot” is boring but this book is filled with plot twists, comedy, and relatable characters! “Hoot” is so much more than what you think. “Hoot” is a book that gives you a detailed background of every character in the story. For example, on page 3 the book brings up a new character named Dana Matherson. As soon as he is brought up the author starts bringing up what Dana has done in the past. Another…

feeling that other person's joy too. Laughter can make you feel captivated even in the darkest of times. People can use laughter as a way to tell their story or get things off their chest in a different way. Humor can be a different way of telling a story or giving voice to something. Humor, for me allows me to share my opinions or voice in a way that's not so obvious. When I make someone laugh by telling a joke, it makes me feel exceptional. Laughter is an emotion that everyone at one time or…

This ad use the humorous and snarky comments/attitudes of the M&M's to bring humor. The song that is sung in this ad is meant to be catchy, upbeat,and rememberble so that the song would make the audiences want to sing along and get up to dance to it. One thing people might not consider or overlook is when the commercial show past…

Did you know that mockumentaries ultimately exist to parody serious subject matters addressed everyday? Directors of mockumentaries use many techniques in order to do this. In particular, the mockumentaries 'Babakiueria' (1986) directed by Don Featherstone and 'The Majestic Plastic Bag' (2010) directed by Jeremy Konner both attempt to mock prominent issues that exist in society. Despite the different purposes of both mockumentaries, many similarities also exist. They are both able to highlight…