The Different Forms of Humour
I’m pretty sure humour is part of my DNA. But many people are funny but can they write funny? Whether you are writing novels, screenplays or comedy monologues, there are skill sets that need to be developed. There is also a wide array of humour that resonates with diverse audiences. In this blog post, we will delve into the fascinating world of comedy and explore the various types of humour that make us laugh, from puns and slapstick to satire and dark comedy. I’ve tried to work them all into my writing.
1. Slapstick Comedy
Slapstick comedy traces its roots back to the physical humour found in vaudeville and silent films. It relies on exaggerated physical actions, such as falls, collisions, and practical jokes, to evoke laughter. Think of classic comedians like Charlie Chaplin and W.C. Fields or more recent comics like Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey. Although slapstick is visual, it is possible to portray it when writing. Here is an example of a slapstick scene from my novel LOVED MARS HATED THE FOOD.
“The next customer, a Macher, approaches Plinka and repeats the same line. He hesitates when handed his drink and looks around the café, then at his cup before throwing the contents down his throat. His face turns fiery red and his forehead slams against the counter. The caffeine-charged Martian turns to his right and takes off full speed into the wall. The impact causes fine dust particles to float around the store as he falls. I signal to two of my security staff.“
2. Satire
Satire is a form of humour used mock individuals, institutions, or society as a whole. It employs irony, hyperbole, parody, and sarcasm to expose flaws, hypocrisy, and absurdities, often with a touch of social commentary. It’s my favourite form of humour. Think “Saturday Night Live” or authors such as Mark Twain or Terry Pratchett. Many of my tweets are examples of satire including the following:
“Your password must contain an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number, a symbol, be at least 10 characters long, a Cyrillic letter, a hieroglyph, has not been used in the last 7 years by anyone, and cannot rhyme with lemon.”
3. Wordplay and Puns
Wordplay and puns are really not my thing although many people appreciate a clever pun. Puns exploit multiple meanings of words or phrases, often resulting in humorous or unexpected twists. They can be found in everyday conversations, advertising slogans, or in the works of renowned comedians like Groucho Marx and Oscar Wilde. Here is an example:
“I just got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows and nuts. I won’t lie, it was a Rocky Road.”
4. Observational Comedy
Observational comedy hinges on the ability to find humour in everyday life situations and human behaviour. They often highlight the absurdity of mundane occurrences, making us see the humour in situations we might otherwise overlook. Jerry Seinfeld is a master of this type of comedy. Typically, these are things we can all relate to. This is a scene from my novel, THE ROAD AHEAD involving a panhandler, something that is quite common on the streets of a large city.
“Forty minutes later he has parked his car and is crossing the street after picking up a coffee from Tim Hortons. He turns to head into Ferguson Block when a voice calls out. “Can you spare some change?” It is a familiar vagrant who is usually located down the street closer to Queen’s Park Circle. His two dogs are stretched out on the sidewalk beside him. He is holding a sign that reads: ‘My EX-WIFE had a better lawyer.’”
5. Dark Comedy
Dark comedy, also known as black comedy, treads the fine line between laughter and discomfort. It explores taboo subjects, such as death, tragedy, and serious social issues, by using humour as a coping mechanism. Films like “The Menu” and “Knives Out” are good examples of dark comedy. The trick is to engage audiences while challenging their perceptions of morality and society. My most recent novel, DEEP INTO THE WEEDS, was largely a dark comedy. Here is a scene from the book.
A loud bang echoes across the property. Seconds later, there’s another one.
The beating stops. The only sound is hysterical sobbing from Sara.
Each breath sends spasms of pain shooting through my rib cage. My head throbs as I stumble to my feet and try to focus. I stagger over to a trembling Sara and take her in my arms. Tears stream down her face.
As the fog in my head clears, I look around for Ramone and Angel. Then I realize that Mum is standing in front of us. “Take that, you motherfuckers!” she shouts, pointing a shotgun at the two gangsters lying on the ground. Both have blood pouring out of head wounds.
I teeter over to the bodies and bend down. Neither have a pulse. “Mum, what have you done?”
“I’m protecting my family,” she says, frowning. “Someone has to look out for them.”
“Holy shit! You’ve killed them. Like, you’ve actually killed them.”
“You’re damn right.”
These aren’t the only types of humour. Some of these categories have subgroups. For example, there is sophomoric humour (“Dumb and Dumber” or “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) which often falls under slapstick comedy. You could say self-deprecating humour (think Rodney Dangerfield) could fall under observational comedy. This list goes on and on. I will leave you with this last joke.
Two men are waiting for a train. The younger man asks the older man for the time, but the older man ignores him. After a while, the younger man again asks for the time and again the older man ignores him. Frustrated, the younger man finally asks, “Why won’t you answer me when I ask you for the time?”
The older man sighs and explains: “Look, if I tell you the time, we’ll start to talk. Then when the train comes, you might sit down next to me. Perhaps we’ll get to know each other, and maybe I’ll eventually invite you to my house for dinner. Maybe then you and my daughter would really get along – why, you might even get engaged! And why would I want a son-in-law who can’t even afford a watch?”
