Who knows whats what with Humour?

[McDuffies]

Seems to me like no possible generalization could be made about humor. I'm not even sure that humor has to be funny. Subjectively, I'd say that humor has to be unusual and unpredicatble, but then there are many popular sitcoms that score on actually being ordinary and predictable, and people laugh at those jokes because they see them coming.
It's somewhat easier if you try to divide it into types of humor: physical humor, character humor, catchphrase humor, surreal humor, anarchic humor, etc etc. Then perhaps you can accomplish some analize. But it's a thing that's probably best analyzing on individual basis, each case separately.
Since humor is very individual and everything is probably funny to someone, I usually ask from humor something more than just to make me laugh. Otherwise you'd just have to conclude that every comedy is a good comedy, and even drama is good comedy (it's bound to give laugh to someone, statistically).

[Levi-chan]

Anything, delivered in the right way, at the right time, for the right audience, can be funny.

[Kieve]

Anything, delivered in the right way, at the right time, for the right audience, can be funny.

I dunno. A box of frozen squid delivered in a freezer van, on schedule, to a sushi bar... delivered right way, right time, right people, sounds more "tasty" than "funny"...

...Okay, I'm lying. I prefer eel.

Now, brace yourself for some irony:
Generally speaking, I've found that the more specific you are, the funnier the joke will be to a particular audience.
I won't say there aren't exceptions, but at least in my observation, there's a correlation between how specific a topic is, how funny it is to those familiar with said topic, and how many people will "get it." Or just summarized as "know thy audience."

I'm ending this now before I start rambling incoherrently.

A cow walks into a barn.
The horse laughs, points a hoof, and says "Stupid cow."
The sheep all laugh because, well, the horse is laughing.
And the rooster, ever the smartass, says "You still didn't hit the broad side."

[Joel Fagin]

You want to know what humour is?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 150144.htm

Knock yourself out.

- Joel Fagin

[Yeahduff]

Now, brace yourself for some irony:
Generally speaking, I've found that the more specific you are, the funnier the joke will be to a particular audience.
I won't say there aren't exceptions, but at least in my observation, there's a correlation between how specific a topic is, how funny it is to those familiar with said topic, and how many people will "get it." Or just summarized as "know thy audience."

Being vague at the right moment can be pretty hilarious.

I agree that trying to be funny to everyone is the road to folly.

[Guildmaster Van]

The thought of the LCD comes to mind. There's always a line between where you're trying to be funny to too many people and where you're trying to be funny in the right amount. The "right amount" is what is subjective, I guess.

I find humour in different things.

I think slapstick is my preferred form of humor - or at least exaggerated physical comedy is anyway. Especially the cartoon version. Wile E. Coyote was always my favorite Looney Toon - the schemer that constantly inflicts pain upon himself when his traps fail. Though not really slapstick Family Guy's chicken fights are pretty funny too because of the contrast of the action film fight style and the fact Peter is fighting a giant chicken. Drawn Together comes to mind, too, when it comes to funny animated violence.

Sheer absurdity and silliness is funny too. I like British humour for that trait, like Benny Hill and Monty Python (Although British humour to me is only funny 1/4 of the time :\ I'd take an hour of SNL over either). Along those lines, I like gags and pranks played on people. Here in Quebec we have Juste Pour Rire (Just For Laughs) that have a gag reel where they go out and prank unsuspecting people in Montreal.

Beyond that I've found that referencing pop culture can be funny, too. That goes back to the "familiarity presented in a surprising manner" discussion, though.

[Levi-chan]

There's also the comedy from tragedy, when the tragedy hits a certain time threshold. Not sure if that counts as cultural humour though; it's certainly something the audience is aware of collectively.

[Jim North]

"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die." -Mel Brooks

[Dallawalla]

Ive just created a forum for all of us who are trying to learn more about comedy and making people laugh.

What i'm trying to create is a space where comic artists and comedians can get together with a topic or the first two lines of a joke and the community brainstorms punchlines. Or someone has a completed gag and wants to know whether it's funny, the community can discuss it and if it isnt funny, discuss why it isnt funny.
Helping each other write funnier punchlines, or better set-ups.


http://eandmu.com/comedyforum/
There aren't any posts yet, but feel free to sign up and at the very least I will discuss your gags with you.

Would love to know how you all feel about the idea