Subject: Humour?
Posted by: risdonus
Date: Nov 08 08
So what is humour, what makes you laugh, and what makes for a good sense of humour? It varies from continent to continent, culture to culture, country to country, city to city and from citizen to citizen. Is Humour just an emotional process? Is it just childish behavior? Do we forget to laugh sometimes?
Answers long or brief all welcome!
Paul
Posted by: risdonus
Date: Nov 08 08
So what is humour, what makes you laugh, and what makes for a good sense of humour? It varies from continent to continent, culture to culture, country to country, city to city and from citizen to citizen. Is Humour just an emotional process? Is it just childish behavior? Do we forget to laugh sometimes?
Answers long or brief all welcome!
Paul
19 replies. On page 1 of 1 pages. 1
supersal1 
|
I'm sure it does vary. It also varies in the context. If you see someone on TV slip on a banana skin, it's funny. If someone does that in the street it's not so funny. If I do it, I don't find it funny at all. Or possibly I would later, when recounting the tale. I've been told I have a dark (or black, or sick) sense of humour, and that is probably true. If I sit and read The Darwin Awards book I'll be crying with laughter. However, read any of those reported in a newspaper and suddenly it's not so funny. It's all about context I suppose. Reply #1. Nov 08 08, 11:39 AM |
imcastortroy
|
I've been described as having a 'dry' sense of humor. While I've heard many British have dry senses of humor, as an American I feel rather Mark Twainy. I watched a special on humor, jokes and laughter and the funniest joke on earth is as follows: A pirate walks into a bar with a large steering wheel stuck to his groin. The bartender asks, "Whats with the wheel?". The pirate resonds, "ARRR.. It drives me nuts!" While the joke may not be in your top 10, it contains most facits of humor. Stereotype, race, misdirection, sexual inuendo and visual rediculousness. Reply #2. Nov 08 08, 12:38 PM |
Gaudeamus
|
What makes me laugh? Well not the banana skin slip! But ... can't really define in words what makes me laugh... It is much easier for me to say what doesn't ... Slapstick rarely .... Jokes on the misfortune of others never ... What does ... Victoria WOod often ... Jimmy Davidson often ... Children and dogs often! (a certain Jack Russel in particular) Reply #3. Nov 08 08, 3:14 PM |
jolana
|
Now when tobacco (poison, yes, but a good diplomat) is being banned from many places, it´s laughter left that makes people get close to each other. Reply #4. Nov 09 08, 7:15 AM |
risdonus
|
That really carries a thought Reply #5. Nov 09 08, 7:22 AM |
Catamount
|
Humour is the ability to see the funny side of things, especially of oneself and one's own actions. It's easy to laugh at others, but a lot of people take themselves far too seriously. It also means not to act in a hurtful manner. If somebody falls and hurts himself, I wouldn't openly laugh at them but keep the thought to myself, even if it does look funny. Reply #6. Nov 09 08, 9:36 AM |
rayven80
|
My sense of humor varies from slightly dry to very dark. Reply #7. Nov 09 08, 10:17 AM |
TheRambler
|
I've got a silly sense of humour but I also find dry humour funny as well. I like observation humour, such as Billy Connolly's and also Jack Dee's drollness. Then there's the manic humour, like Lee Evans. Laughter is good for the soul and it releases endorphins into your brain, so laugh as much as you can! Reply #8. Nov 10 08, 9:35 AM |
julicat
|
Ive got a dry sense of humour (so ive been told) I think having a sense of humour is so important it makes you smile , laugh and feel good , There is someone i work with who seems to have no sense of humour , we dont all have the same sense of humour but this woman finds nothing in life amusing and hence we all fine her pretty boring! Reply #9. Nov 10 08, 10:56 AM |
Cymruambyth
|
I enjoy observational humour - one of my favourite comedians is Stephen Wright who says things like, "You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" My sense of humour has been described as dry, acerbic and ironic. Slapstick holds no charm for me, nor does coarse (usually sexual)innuendo or humour laced with blasphemies, profanities and words not used in front of one's grandmother (I am someone's grandmother!). I prefer subtle humour a la Peter Cook/Dudley Moore, Beyond the Fringe, Flanders and Swann, although I admit to laughing myself silly over the antics of the Pythons. I wouldn't walk through a doorway to see Jim Carrey/Tom Green/Adam Sandler or any of the current crop of Hollywood's so-called funnymen. I laugh out loud at shaggy dog stories, however. Reply #10. Nov 10 08, 2:48 PM |
satguru
|
From personal observation, whatever makes me laugh without control has to be humour. The fact much of it originates in or around the lavatory is just the way my brain was wired up, but I am definitely not alone in this. Clever humour also makes me laugh, especially Monty Python style surrealism, where people do exactly the least likely things they would normally do. Some childish insults still start me off as well as they have no inhibitions and say it as they see it. It's a pity I can't give some of my favourite examples as I'd have to delete myself. Reply #11. Nov 10 08, 6:59 PM |
Mouldy-Carpets
|
I like the strange letters that get sent into Viz comic ie: Last Saturday after a bout of particularly passionate love-making, I lit up a cigarette for myself and my wife. Imagine my surprise, however, when I turned on the lights and found myself in bed with my eldest son, Robert! I had come into the wrong room by mistake. My wife was waiting for me in the next bedroom! Robert was most annoyed at the time as he is a keen athlete and he doesn't smoke. Reply #12. Nov 10 08, 7:27 PM |
danjou
|
Well, since everyone gives me funny looks when I laugh or stare when I don't laugh with everyone else, I guess I have no idea what humor is culturally. I know that I can laugh or cry with a book, but I hardly ever do either with TV or movies. I can laugh at blonde jokes and not see anything funny in jokes about hearing or sight impairment, let alone loss. My great-grandmother and I were laughing about something age related at a store the other day, when some lady came up to us and yelled at me for making my great-grandmother feel old. Of course, she turned to the lady asked why she thought she was old, which set both of us off again. (family joke- women in my family live 95+ years; why think of yourself as old until at least 94?) Reply #13. Nov 21 08, 1:00 PM |
| Ozay
|
The best comedy on televison are the ones that don't rely on canned laughter. Reply #14. Oct 28 09, 10:11 AM |
Jazmee27
|
What one finds funny depends, in part, on his or he mood at the time. Plus, how well he or she knows another person, or how sociable he or she is. Oh, culture plays a factor--but every factor comes into play within the specific culture. Reply #15. Mar 13 10, 5:50 PM |
redwaldo
|
I think it's important to be able to laugh at yourself; particularly when you 'stuff up' (as we all do!). Reply #16. Mar 13 10, 6:03 PM |
| naerulinnupesa
|
When I was younger, I was told that it's not easy to understand the British humour. I certainly have no problem with that now that I know the language well. Problems with understanding often occur because the joke gets lost in the translation... I like Monty Python, The Two Ronnies, Rowan Atkinson, Benny Hill etc. I like it when the witty remarks are complemented by hilarious facial expressions. Here are a few examples that really make me LOL. Blackadder is really enjoying saying Macbeth... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h--HR7PWfp0 Basil's angry with his car... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78b67l_yxUc And here's a clip from "Love for Three Oranges" Estonian comedy version - see what happens when you try to get "the most stupid man in the kingdom" to help you with your evil plot :D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro5eTxThQTA Reply #17. Apr 18 11, 9:19 AM |
euab
|
Humour is the best medicine for those who can not afford to buy medicine. Humour makes the hungry feel full unfortunately with gas. Humour is the best solution to a very serious problem, laugh out loud until to look crazy. lol! Reply #18. Apr 18 11, 9:25 AM |
| naerulinnupesa
|
Well said, euab! It is even good to watch comedies when recovering from illness or surgery - it helps the healing process :) Reply #19. Apr 19 11, 5:15 AM |
19 replies. On page 1 of 1 pages. 1
Legal / Conditions of Use
|
|
: