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1、Entertaining HumorWhats Funny? 1 The joy of laughing at a funny story is universal, probably as old as language itself. But, what is it that makes a story or a joke funny?2 As one who has enjoyed humor since I first recognized it, Ive made an attempt to explain and discuss humor with students in suc
2、h diverse cultures as Latin America and China. Ive done some serious thinking about funny stories. It has been a labor of love N!3 Why is it that several students in a class will fall out of their chairs laughing after I tell a joke while the rest of the students look as if Ive just read the weather
3、 report?N Obviously some people are more sensitive to humor than others. And, we recognize that some people tell jokes very well while others struggle to say something funny. Weve all heard people say, I like jokes, but I cant tell one well, and I can never remember them. Some people have a better s
4、ense of humor than others just as some people have more musical talent, mathematical talent, etc. than others. A truly funny person has a joke for every occasion, and when one is told, that triggers an entire string of jokes from that persons memory bank.N A humorless person is not likely to be the
5、most popular person in a group. It is reasonable to say that the truly humorous individual is not only well liked, but is often the focus of attention in any gathering.4 Even some animals have a sense of humor. My wifes mother often visited us for extended stays.N She normally didnt like dogs, but s
6、he fell in love with BlitzenNa female LabN we had, and the relationship was mutual. Even when young, Blitzen would tease Grandma by very selectively carrying one of her bedroom slippers into the living room where Grandma sat in her favorite, comfortable chair. Blitzen pranced just beyond the reach o
7、f Grandma until Grandma was tempted to leave her chair to get the slipper from Blitzen. When Grandma left her chair, Blitzen would quickly jump into the chair, flashing her Lab smile from sparkling brown eyes which clearly said, Aha, I fooled you again.5 Typical jokes or humorous stories have a thre
8、e-part anatomy that is easily recognized. First is the SETUP (or setting), next is the BODY (or story line), and these are followed by the PUNCH LINEN (an unexpected or surprise ending) which will make the joke funny if it contains some humor. Usually all three parts are present, and each must be cl
9、early presentedN. It helps if the story/joke teller uses gestures and language which are well known to the audience.6 Humor, as a form of entertainment, can be analyzed in order to discover what makes a funny story or joke seem funny. Here, for example, are some of the most common types of humor. Th
10、ey range from the most obvious humor to the more subtle types.7 SLAP-STICK is the most obvious humor. Its language is simple, direct, and often makes fun of another person or group. Slap-stick was and is the technique of the stand-up comedianN and the clown. It appeals to all ages and all cultures.
11、Nearly every English-speaking comedian in this century has used the following joke in one form or another. One man asks another, Who was that lady I saw you with last night? The other replies, That was no lady, that was my wife. The humor lies in the fact that the second man is saying that his wife
12、is not a lady. In other words, she is not a refined woman. The joke is no less funny because it is so often used. The audience knows in advance what will be said, because it is classic humor, and any audience values it even more because of its familiarity.8 Chinese cross-talk is a special type of sl
13、ap-stick in which two Chinese comedians humorously discuss topics such as bureaucrats, family problems, or other personal topics. Cross-talk can be heard anywhere from small village stages to the largest Beijing theatres, and to radio and television. It is clearly a traditional form of humor well un
14、derstood by Chinese people.9 A PLAY ON WORDS is not so obvious as slap-stick, but it is funny because of misused or misunderstood language. My favorite example is the story of three elderly gentlemen traveling by train in England. As the train slowed for a stop the first man asked, Is this WembleyN?
15、 No, said the second, Its Thursday. So am I, said the third man. Lets stop for a beer. We know that older people often do not hear things clearly, so the misunderstanding of both Wednesday (for Wembley) and thirsty (for Thursday) makes a nice setup for the punch line delivered by the third man.10 Th
16、e famous Chinese cartoonist and humorist Ding Cong is a master of word play. In one of his funny cartoons, a teacher says, How comeN you completely copied somebody elses homework? The young student replies, I didnt completely copy it. My name on the page is different. In another classic Ding Cong cartoon, an irritated father asks, Tell me, whats one plus two? The son says,
