Comedy Ladder Comedy just pokes at problems rarely

Comedy Ladder Comedy just pokes at problems, rarely confronts them squarely. Drama is like a plate of meat and potatoes, comedy is rather dessert, like a bit of meringue. - Woody Allen

How comedy affects us: l Appeals to head, not heart. l INCONGRUITY is humorous. l Comedy lifts us out of the emotional response to an idea or situation l Opportunity to use comedy as a lever for social change

Existential Element l Main principle- l No man knows who he is, that he cannot see his true mirror image but only what he wants to see. l Reversal of roles, exaggerations, and understatements l Surprise our mental expectations and make us see things differently.

Comedic Characters l Simple- we can readily see his distorted views that have made him a fool in other men’s eyes. l Incongruous with the social norms of comedic setting

Comedic Action l Repeated actions of fool in multiple situations show distortion l Much of the fun of the comedy are the reactions of other characters to the fool’s repetitive stupidity.

Audience Reaction l Although we scorn the blindness of the fool, we realize we share, to some extent, his distorted views (stereotypes). l This enables “us” to see our own rigidity or reluctance to change, hence, creating social changes

3 Literary Elements that Create Comedy l INCONGRUITY- when logic is not in play with characters, settings or situations l DERISION – when the reader is placed in a position of superiority over the characters l AUTOMATON – when characters are like robots or creatures of habit

Comedy Ladder HIGH FARCE l LOW

Low Comedy l Lowest form of humor l Evokes the loudest, longest laughter l Relies on the body and physical mishaps l Bathroom humor l Slapstick l Tripping, falling l Any bodily function

Low Comedy Examples Dumb and Dumber Bridesmaids Mr. Bean Pink Panther

Farce l Characters are controlled by situations they seem to have no control l Relies on plot devices: l Misunderstandings l Mistaken identities l Coincidences l Mistiming

Farce Examples l Seinfeld l Wrong Doug l Date Night

High Comedy l Relies on a skillful use of language – verbal wit l Two Types: l Comedy of Manners l Comedy of Ideas

Comedy of Manners l Examines and satirizes the attitudes and customs of different members of high society l Relies of verbal repartee: clever insults, put-downs, puns, paradoxes l Does not hesitate to sacrifice a character’s sensitivity for the cause

Examples l Mean Girls Clip l Arthur l 10 Things I Hate About You

Comedy of Ideas l Characters argue about important issues like war, gender, marriage, religion, class and government. l Satire focuses on the foolish ideas behind an issue and ridicules the thinking and approach to the debate.

Comedy of Ideas 21 Jump Street Press Secretary The Newsroom

Satire l Horatian – Gentle humor – aims to correct by broadly sympathetic laughter – not destructive satire - named for Roman poet, Horace. l Juvenalian – Biting, bitter, angry – it points out injustices with contempt and indignation – named after Roman poet, Juvenal

Elements of Satire l Hyperbole l Juxtaposition l Incongruity l Understatement l Reversal l Double l Parody l Sarcasm Entendre

Satire l Horatian: l Alpha Dog of the Week l Cecilia Jimenez Follow Up l Juvenalian l Hillary trying to be relatable l Election Night

Identify the levels of comedy in each of the following l 10 Funniest Movie Scenes