Types of Humor and Comedy
What would people do without comedy? Humor is a fundamental component of human society that helps us deal with the illogical, morbid, and gross in a way that's lighthearted and easier to process. It's no wonder that so many comedic films and other art forms that incorporate humor are perennially popular. This article will tell you about some of the main types of comedy, including the intricacies of stand up that you can see at many venues like the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.
All about Slap-Stick Comedy
You only need to look as far as the early silent films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to get a good education in the classic elements of slap-stick comedy. Slap-stick comedy is sometimes categorized as a form of "low comedy." What this really means is that most people, no matter their literacy or age, find it funny. The most common types of slap-stick jokes involve someone slipping on a banana peel or walking into a rake. Slap-stick has been around for thousands of years. Some of the first official Roman comedies involved lots of misunderstandings and humor that centered on people's bodies: getting hurt, into fights, or turned around. At first glance, appreciating slap-stick seems sadistic as it involves laughing when someone else is hurt or unfortunate. However, most slap-stick jokes exist in a universe where the normal laws of physics, as should apply to the roadrunner and coyote, cease to exist, and some of the humor derives from the unlikely reactions and survival of those involved.
High Comedy: Wit, Allusions, and Satire Shakespeare is famous for combining high and low comedy flawlessly. Alongside a body-humor joke, he'd have a complex literary allusion or pun, which are forms of high comedy. This type of comedy usually demands that the person hearing it be literate or educated in order to understand and find it funny. If you don't know the intricacies of grammar, knowing why it's silly for someone to mix up homonyms is pretty unlikely. In addition to wordplay and clever usage of grammar elements, satire, which often comments on societal or political norms, can also be classified as "highly humorous." (Please excuse that rather obvious pun.) Satire and witty retorts are awash in comedic creations from Shakespeare to modern-day TV shows like The Daily Show and Saturday Night Live. If you have a "high brow" sense of humor, you're more likely to be impressed by a clever reference than a bawdy gag.
Surreal or Absurdist Comedy
Surreal comedy is a type that is far on the vague, silly, or frightening spectrum: it relies on the illogical and non-sequitur. Surrealism was a movement in the early 20th century, with members like Salvador Dali and Marcel Duchamp experimenting with art that depicted dreams and the subconscious. (Surrealism was fundamentally influenced by the writings of Sigmund Freud.) It's most famously tied to the wildly popular 1970s Monty Python and the Flying Circus TV show, which pre-dated films that the troupe later produced. The TV show used scenarios that were purposefully dream-like in the sense that they were familiar but fundamentally absurd. The troupe often used actors dressed in drag and illustrations of fantastic beasts by Terry Gilliam to lend a magical, off-kilter atmosphere to the show. Since, TV shows like the Mighty Boosh and stand-up comics have used elements of surrealism and absurdity in their acts.
Stand-Up Comedy
One of the most popular contemporary types of comedy on TV, in podcasts, and at venues like the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles is stand up. Stand-up comedy is essentially a one-person act, where they usually give monologues about any number of topics, although shows can include musical numbers or other talent displays. This is a new type of comedy on the block, having developed in 18th- and 19th-century theaters when presenters or hosts would tell jokes or stories before the main act came on.
All about Slap-Stick Comedy
You only need to look as far as the early silent films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to get a good education in the classic elements of slap-stick comedy. Slap-stick comedy is sometimes categorized as a form of "low comedy." What this really means is that most people, no matter their literacy or age, find it funny. The most common types of slap-stick jokes involve someone slipping on a banana peel or walking into a rake. Slap-stick has been around for thousands of years. Some of the first official Roman comedies involved lots of misunderstandings and humor that centered on people's bodies: getting hurt, into fights, or turned around. At first glance, appreciating slap-stick seems sadistic as it involves laughing when someone else is hurt or unfortunate. However, most slap-stick jokes exist in a universe where the normal laws of physics, as should apply to the roadrunner and coyote, cease to exist, and some of the humor derives from the unlikely reactions and survival of those involved.
High Comedy: Wit, Allusions, and Satire Shakespeare is famous for combining high and low comedy flawlessly. Alongside a body-humor joke, he'd have a complex literary allusion or pun, which are forms of high comedy. This type of comedy usually demands that the person hearing it be literate or educated in order to understand and find it funny. If you don't know the intricacies of grammar, knowing why it's silly for someone to mix up homonyms is pretty unlikely. In addition to wordplay and clever usage of grammar elements, satire, which often comments on societal or political norms, can also be classified as "highly humorous." (Please excuse that rather obvious pun.) Satire and witty retorts are awash in comedic creations from Shakespeare to modern-day TV shows like The Daily Show and Saturday Night Live. If you have a "high brow" sense of humor, you're more likely to be impressed by a clever reference than a bawdy gag.
Surreal or Absurdist Comedy
Surreal comedy is a type that is far on the vague, silly, or frightening spectrum: it relies on the illogical and non-sequitur. Surrealism was a movement in the early 20th century, with members like Salvador Dali and Marcel Duchamp experimenting with art that depicted dreams and the subconscious. (Surrealism was fundamentally influenced by the writings of Sigmund Freud.) It's most famously tied to the wildly popular 1970s Monty Python and the Flying Circus TV show, which pre-dated films that the troupe later produced. The TV show used scenarios that were purposefully dream-like in the sense that they were familiar but fundamentally absurd. The troupe often used actors dressed in drag and illustrations of fantastic beasts by Terry Gilliam to lend a magical, off-kilter atmosphere to the show. Since, TV shows like the Mighty Boosh and stand-up comics have used elements of surrealism and absurdity in their acts.
Stand-Up Comedy
One of the most popular contemporary types of comedy on TV, in podcasts, and at venues like the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles is stand up. Stand-up comedy is essentially a one-person act, where they usually give monologues about any number of topics, although shows can include musical numbers or other talent displays. This is a new type of comedy on the block, having developed in 18th- and 19th-century theaters when presenters or hosts would tell jokes or stories before the main act came on.