Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
I wanna live. I don’t wanna die. That’s the whole meaning of life: Not dying! I figured that shit out by myself in the third grade.
People who say they don’t care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don’t care what people think.
The reason I talk to myself is because I’m the only one whose answers I accept.
Swimming is not a sport. Swimming is a way to keep from drowning. That’s just common sense!
What year did Jesus think it was?
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
–George Carlin
To me, George Carlin was the funniest person on the planet. What made him so funny? Was it his word choice? The way he delivered a punch line? His body language or his tone of voice? Why is it I find him funny, but other people might find him offensive? At its purest form, humor is highly subjective.
There are two main things I do know for sure about comedy: it’s hard to be funny, and there will always be someone who thinks you suck at being funny.
There is a new book out next week, The Humor Code, that tries to attempt the impossible — analyze comedy. Two authors travel the world and the stand-up stage trying to figure out what makes a joke zing and what causes it to fall flat. Along the way, they investigate some pretty bold assumptions about funny people. They wonder if comedians are by nature:
- Grumpy.
- Assholes.
- Introverted grumpy assholes.
I’ve been accused of being a little funny from time to time, although I have to admit, sometimes it’s not intentional. I can only speak for myself when I say that yes, being a slightly grumpy introverted asshole seems to be the foundation of a good humorist. Throw in sharp observational skills and a huge dose of honesty and you’ve got yourself all the ingredients to make a joke.
So what do you think is funny? What type of jokes fall flat for you? Who is your favorite comedian? Who are the comedians you don’t like? Tell me in the comments below and you’ll be entered into a giveaway with a chance to win the book, The Humor Code. Maybe you’ll read it and finally figure out what’s so funny. Personally, I look forward to reading the books analyzing what is love, death and the meaning behind the existence of cellulite.
The deadline to enter this book giveaway is Monday, March 31. I will pick a name out of a hat at random. I will pick the hat I use at random. I will add my own name a random number of times in the hope I can keep this book. If you are chosen, you must tell me where you live in an email, otherwise it would be hard to mail you this book and then you’d never know what’s so funny.
She's A Maineiac 
George Carlin will always be king in my mind! I had the good fortune to see him live in Las Vegas a couple of years before he died. Thank goodness for video!
Ah, you are lucky to have seen him. I actually had tickets to see him in New Hampshire at a hotel decades ago and actually didn’t go for some reason. It must have been a life or death situation for me to miss him. The only stand-up I saw live was Bill Cosby (another one I love)
I loved George Carlin, still do, and I loved David Brenner. I’ll miss him, too. It is a jolt to our sensibilities when someone is brave enough or smart enough to cross the line deliberately. I think the public likes it and is relieved when the stress of calling someone or something out is seemingly effortless to another, the comedian. They also, state the obvious…again, effortlessly. When I don’t get a joke, apparently I’m missing something, and I don’t like being left out.
I don’t like a preponderance of meanness. Sometimes my favorites cross into meanness, but if it doesn’t make up a preponderance of their repertoire, I forgive them because they are creative spirits. I do value that.
Exactly, I think it’s brave to get up there and speak the truth. You always run the risk of offending people. I happen to be someone who isn’t easily offended by many jokes. But I also do not like comedians who just swear for the sake of swearing. Or being mean with no point.
I fall into the honestly grumpy asshole category. And, I wasn’t introverted at all when I was younger so I voiced a level of opinion that wasn’t always welcome, even when I thought I was being funny. I’m only slightly better about shutting up now. I think I may have decided that you can’t fix stupid so there’s no point in warning some people. I love George Carlin and there was a whole slew of stand up comedians in the early 90s that I couldn’t get enough of … whatever happened to Steven Wright? He was so dry but hilarious! I don’t have any must see comedians anymore. I think that line in the sand got moved and serious stuff like people dying/violence/etc just isn’t funny to me. Suzy Barrett has potential, I laughed pretty hard at her sarcastic “I hate …” series.
Oh god yes, Steven Wright! I remember back in high school our English teacher played a stand-up routine of his on her turntable (it was the 80s) and we all died laughing so hard. Dry is my cup of humor tea. I haven’t heard of Suzy Barrett, I’ll have to check her out.
I think I still have a Sam Kinison record somewhere. 🙂
I call George Carlin ‘George the Prophet’. I think his humor is bitterly ironic and I choose to laugh because he’s so right-on about so many things that make me want to weep.
He also has the honor of being the only author of a book in which I laughed so hard at what he wrote, I was weeping hysterically.
Kurt Vonnegut, for me….
I first heard George Carlin on an LP Record that a friend brought to a party. We were all laughing to weeping, holding our sides to keep from splitting and practically rolling on the floor…. Or, maybe some were actually rolling on the floor and splitting from laughter, it was the 60’s….
I wish I were funny. All of my siblings are funny. My father was a hoot. Even my partner Sara thinks my efforts at humor fall flat. Doesn’t that mean I’m NOT an asshole? Sounds like a fascinating book.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
I don’t know, Kathy. I remember a post of yours had me laughing pretty hard. Maybe you’re a part-time asshole? Nah, you could never been assholish in any way.
Wow, it’s really hard to say for sure what makes you laugh, and what doesn’t. I’m not a huge fan of comedians who curse or base their acts SOLELY on offending people. I mean, being a little mean is okay, but some people take it too far. I like when they say something that we know is true, but they spin it in a way you wouldn’t have thought of yourself, and it makes you laugh. That probably makes no sense.
Anyway, I always liked Ellen DeGeneres back when she did stand up. I like Demetri Martin because I think he’s different. And DARE I SAY IT, but I like Jeff Dunham too. 😦
You wrote: “I like when they say something that we know is true, but they spin it in a way you wouldn’t have thought of yourself, and it makes you laugh. That probably makes no sense.”
My point exactly (below) and it makes PERFECT sense! 😀
Thanks Judah First, glad it made sense and you agree!
Darla, I know, her old sitcom was hilarious! I saw they were giving it not too long ago, and was so excited. Lol, Jeff Dunham… I mean, I think it’s cool because ventriloquism was kinda dead and he brought it back…I think he’s entertaining. I love Peanut! But I suppose it can be creepy to think what he does with them when he’s alone… Perhaps they’re to blame for his divorce. We’ll never know… 😉
Yes, that makes total sense, Lily. Most things I find funny are funny because it’s the truth.
I LOVE Ellen DeGeneres. I kid you not, I am currently taping her old sitcom from the early 1990s and I’m dying I’m laughing so hard. Her stand-up was always good too.
As for Jeff Dunham, you and millions of other people including my husband think he’s hilarious. For some reason, he makes me cringe. Maybe I can’t get past the thought of him back in his lonely hotel room in between gigs with those puppets… does he talk to them? Feed them? Too creepy for me. [shivers]
I agree – I do NOT think that puppet guy is funny. At all. Funny to me is Melissa McCarthy and Tina Fey. Or clever, nerdy humor. And you…always you.
Oh my god. Love that movie The Heat! Melissa McCarthy makes me laugh just STANDING in a scene. She is freaking hysterical! Tina Fey? My idol. Clever, nerdy, yep, exactly.
George Carlin was just brilliant. I have a bit of a secret desire to have a go at stand-up so I’ll have to check out this book. My favourite comedian is Arj Barker, I think he is the funniest guy in the world. I am also a tiny bit in love with him.
Hmm…another comedian I have to look up.
Reblogged this on ugiridharaprasad.
Reblogged this on The Minute with Kirk Noland and commented:
I miss Carlin. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYN1cJ4WTYo
The best thing about George Carlin is that he was smart. I’m not big on slapstick, but really enjoy comedy that expects you know something about the world. Eddie Izzard occasionally hits that note, Stephen Colbert is smart comedy. I’m also a big fan of wit and find Noel Coward hysterical and Maggie Smith’s Countess Grantham delightful. But even funny material needs to be delivered well. Timing is everything.
So true! I forgot to add the timing aspect to my post. Guess I have bad timing, huh.
I find this is the most difficult thing when writing something funny. Getting the words to flow in such a way that the punch line might not be expected and so it has extra zing to it.
What’s ‘funny’ (interesting, not haha) is that I was having this very conversation a week ago in the living room with family and friends.We were discussing (obviously) why different people found different things funny. My bottom line was that for something to be funny it has to be ‘true’. I don’t mean that a funny story has to have actually happened. I gave the example that I don’t like ‘crass’ comedy like The Hangover or Something About Mary, but the ‘crass’ humor of Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy is awesome! My husband said they were the same. I begged to differ: LCG and Ron White, along with people like Bill Cosby, Raymond, Seinfeld, etc. are funny to me because they take a part of REAL life and turn it on its ear – THAT is hilarious. And a rare gift, I believe.
Great post, Darla. You can go ahead and send me the book now. 😉
P.S. George Carlin is hilarious. And since I’ve commented thrice, does that mean I get three random entries? Or shall we use our multiplication and make it 21? 😉
I totally agree with you it has to be true. Not being afraid to point out the ridiculousness in life.
Which is exactly what makes your blog hilarious! (Ok, that’s 4 comments, now = 4 entries to win? … ;))
There is a secret magic number of comments required to win this book but I will never tell how many.
Of course, you wouldn’t! *stamps foot in imitation of 4-yr. old self and wanders off to Amazon to pick up her own damn copy* 😡
*reads first two pages and starts laughing hysterically until turning green …*
I think self-effacing humor is the funniest. When commediens make fun of other people, it has to be really clever or it receives the horrifying sound of crickets….
I’m with you there, Susie!
I was just thinking about that. It is much safer to make fun of oneself. The other kind of humor runs the risk of falling flat and offending. I think of Seth MacFarlane at the Oscars last year. Even though his humor doesn’t bother me, lots of people hated it.
I’m going to date myself, but it’ll be the only date I’ve had in a while. (Get the hook out!) George Carlin, agreed, was very funny and very wise. Love Lily Tomlin, Ellen, Steve Martin, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtain, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Dana Carvey. Yay Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Do love Colbert. Oh, and Robin Williams. And I used to laugh out loud on the bus when reading Erma Bombeck. lisaspiral mentioned Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey…I rewind her on the PVR just to hear her zingers again. Melissa McCartney for sure. You, Darla, have made me choke on my coffee…and your photoshop talents give you extra points. The list goes on……thank heavens for funny people. They make our lives so much better.
I love everyone you listed too. Especially me. Okay fine, I love Steve Martin and Ellen even more.
I loved George Carlin – still do. Often on sleepless nights I’ll enjoy a video…he was smart – which is my favorite kind of funny. I don’t, as a rule, enjoy potty humor, or mean spirited humor.
I tell people my classroom lectures are like one big long comedy routine. I am sometimes the only one that gets the joke (usually because I am the only one awake). Sometimes I get them really laughing, though, and that’s the stuff they remember.
I do not find Jeff Dunham funny. Or Gallagher. I like wry, witty, smart humor.
I also do not find the stomach ache I am having today to be very funny, either.
I bet you are a riot in class, Katy. My professor makes jokes all the time. He just made one during today’s lecture and I guffawed out loud at it while everyone else sat there stone-faced. I think it’s because they don’t appreciate humor from my age group. They don’t think something’s funny unless it’s coming from a three second youtube clip involving cats.
Oh, and hope you feel better! One of my kids has strep and one of them a stomach bug. Both are home from school today and I’m ripping my hair out (what’s left of it)
I absolutely love George Carlin! I appreciate what I call cerebral humor- where you have to have half a brain to get it. The first time I heard Stephen Wright I nearly pissed my pants laughing so hard. Several years ago, I got a lesson in regional humor. I was working on ship, in San Diego, and was missing Maine. I sent away for a Tim Sample VHS tape (yes, it was a while ago) and thoroughly enjoyed it. When I loaned it to a fellow shipmate, who was from CA, he didn’t find it funny. I actually think it was because the guy was a dolt. My son turned me on to Gabriel Iglesias about a year ago. He’s very funny, too.
If any comic can make you piss your pants it’s Stephen Wright. My husband likes Gabriel Iglesias too.
Lewis Black, Eddie Izzard, Mike Birbiglia, Russel Peters, Louis CK, Dylan Moran, and Bill Bailey all top my list. There are many others I’ve enjoyed, and Netflix has become a great source for up-and-comers to have their time in the spotlight. Bo Burnham was really entertaining and refreshingly new. John Hodgeman did a fantastic show, as did Zach Galifianakis, and Kathleen Madigan. Essentially, I like any comedian who can make humourous observations about the human condition without getting hung up on an ‘us-vs-them’ mentality. Folks who delve into ‘women do…men do…’ territory beyond a joke or two get switched off in short order.
I don’t need another book. I just wanted to put in my two cents.
Lewis Black kills me. Louis CK is one of those comics I didn’t know much about until a few years ago and finally watched a few stand-ups and his sitcom on Netflix. Now I’m basically in love with the jerk.
I know, right? We got to see Eddie Izzard live, and it was so awesome. Stand up comedy is the first thing I look for in the Recently Added category of Netflix (when it shows up).
Carlin definitely tops my list of comic genius. Of course, he would just say, “Screw you and your compliments, lady. I don’t need no stinkin’ praise from you.” And to me, that too, would make me laugh. Because, you see, I was not praising him, but myself for being so damn right about what is funny. Sarcasm delivered in the not-so-obvious way, in my book, is hysterically funny. You, Darla, oh Darla, of the comical kind, are one funny lady.
Ooh, yeah, I also like sarcasm that’s sly. I like humor that makes you think a little. But not too much because then my brain short circuits. The older I get the stupider my humor becomes though so there’s always that. Thanks, Honie.
First, I have to agree with you that George Carlin was — and really continues to be — the most talented comedian ever. He understood and utilized to the fullest a basic principle to humor: people need to see some aspects of themselves in it. At the most basic level, people laugh because of embarrassment; either for themselves or someone else. Good comedy is really a mirror, reflecting something about ourselves that we connect with. Great comedy not only makes us laugh at that reflection, but helps us see ourselves in others. George Carlin was a master of that. When it comes to my own writing, my rule of thumb is to always make fun of myself first; if you can laugh at yourself, there’s a good chance others can too. (Note: the only exception to this rule is Justin Bieber; always laugh at Justin Bieber first…)
Exactly. I’m think I’m all about self-deprecating humor, too bad I’m not smart enough to really know what deprecating really means… Huh.
This book has a theory about humor. That a good joke makes us uncomfortable, but in a way that’s benign enough so we aren’t turned off by it. So a joke has this magic middle ground that enables people to see the embarrassing or stupid things we do but it’s not so offensive or mean that we don’t think it’s funny anymore. Apparently, these authors (and lots of other people) came to the conclusion that being funny is a herculean feat and not many people can pull it off. They point out that even good stand-ups like Seinfeld have to constantly write and rewrite their jokes, practice them on people for months before they get them just right.
I completely agree with that theory; people laugh because they are uncomfortable to a certain degree. I think that’s why depreciating humor works so well. Whether you are writing humor, doing stand-up or playing a role on stage or TV, you are giving people permission to laugh at/with you by default; they know you are willingly opening yourself up to it. Their defenses are immediately down and the connection is immediate. This is opposed to sarcastic or mean-spirited humor, where you have to get past people’s defenses. And over the course of a good written piece or stand-up routine, your trust builds, allowing you to push things a little farther and farther — like a good friend can do.
And just like making a good friend, making comedy takes time, trial and error.
It seems making fun of myself comes very easy. There is just a treasure-trove of material there.
I thought Carlin was great! I’d have to say my favorite though is Steven Wright. You will see much of his humor in my http://thecvillean.wordpress.com/thoughts-that-keep-big-al-awake-at-night/ page. On that subject, the “what year did Jesus think it was” is vintage Wright and is going on that page forthwith.
Yes, I completely agree. Carlin and Wright are two of my favorites.
Jeff Dunham is a comedy genius.
…Yeah, I’m funny from time to time, too.
teehee. You always make me laugh, JD. Much more so than any freaky-deaky purple monkey puppet.
Carlin was terrific. I mean, his routine about “stuff” is still one of my favorites.
I liked Seinfeld’s stand up act too. Have you seen Seinfeld’s webisodes called: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee? I think I remember that you said you liked Louis CK (or maybe I’m thinking of another Mainer!) Here they are together: http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/louis-c-k-comedy-sex-and-the-blue-numbers
And for all you Tina Fey fans: http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/tina-fey-feces-are-my-purview
I was just listening to Carlin’s “stuff” routine again today. I can listen to his routines over and over. I especially like the one about “saving planet earth”.
I have seen all the Seinfeld webisodes. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is awesome. He is up there as one of my all-time faves too. The Louis CK one killed me and yes I love him.
Carlin was always one of my favorites. I think the funniest jokes are the ones which point out the obvious. Fallon’s Thank You Notes are awesome. John Stewart is perfection. Tina Fey – brilliant. And you’re right….grumpy introverted asshole with observational skills. That’s funny.
I don’t think I’ve caught much of Fallon’s Thank You Notes. The Daily Show is brilliant of course. Tina Fey, I even liked her book Bossypants. Maybe I should throw that book in as well as a giveaway! (if I can find it underneath the stack of unread books next to my bed)
Don’t you know women aren’t funny? That’s according to Adam Corolla who was soooo funny on Douchebag Show. I think that was the name of it. Anyway, my list is unfortunately all dudes because (see: Adam Corolla, douchebag). I like Louis C.K., Bill Hicks and Carlin.
The Douchebag Show? Nah, it’s the Enormous Asshat Show. Or maybe the Colossal Nutbag Show. I can never remember….
I agree that to be really funny it sometimes takes a certain personality or trait. One of the funniest people I know is all of the above and more. Grumpy, angry, bi polar, filter-less, defensive, anti social, crude, reactive, brilliant, has no tolerance, no patience, edgy and is narcissistic. I still love him though and he is so damn funny and witty that you can’t believe you didn’t think of whatever it is he has said. He offends many but they laugh as they feel offended. He “goes THERE”, where others are afraid to “go” and usually crosses the line.
I saw Seinfeld many years ago when he was at his prime and he was amazing. I also saw Steve Martin and Rosseane Barr. They are all brilliant! I also used to go to the Comedy Club in Boston on weekends and enjoyed that very much. Ellen always has me laughing as well. It reminds me that I need to seek out comedy clubs in the area because I need my dose and there’s nothing like watching it live. 🙂 This book sounds very interesting!
I would LOVE to see Seinfeld. He was just here in Maine not too long ago but of course, I didn’t score any tickets. He comes up here all the time to try out new material.
That’s great that he frequents Maine! You definitely have to go, Darla. Do you think there is a difference between funny and witty? Seinfeld strikes me as a pretty level headed stable guy who is funny in a different way. Without anger or negative sarcasm. But it works for him. Hmmmm. Interesting observation I am making here. Not all comedians have to be completely nuts! Yay! 🙂
I tend to fall for clever puns and ironic observations about life. Wry, sarcastic, dry wit is good too. Maybe slightly irreverent. Savvy and intelligent. So, yeah, George Carlin is good and Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steven Wright. I used to have some Bill Cosby records (yes, records) that I loved. I liked Whoopi Golberg back in the day too (her standup routines). Now that I’ve mentioned Whoopi, I’ll contradict myself by saying I tend to *not* like raunchy jokes or sexual innuendo (often goes over my head) or anything that makes a person or group of people the butt of the joke. Also get tired of extensive or gratuitous profanity, although sometimes they are needed to drive the joke home. The only person I can think of right now that I didn’t care for is Rodney Dangerfield. I know there’s more.
And, hey, how about if you draw my name, you give me your address and I’ll come pick it up from you so I can keep my anonymity ? A road trip from Texas to you shouldn’t take too long or be too cost-prohibitive for me… right? 🙂
I had totally forgotten about Whoopi Goldberg and her old stand-up routines. She was hysterical.
I don’t think you can analyze humor. It takes all the funny parts out and tries to reduce it to a formula. One of the reasons I have given up watching TV sitcoms is they are more situation than comedy. I can predict most of the sight gags and the punchlines. When humor delivers the unexpected, that’s when I fall apart laughing.
Comedians I love: Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, George Carlin, David Brenner, Jeff Foxworthy, Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Tina Fey, Roseann Barr, Erma Bombeck … and too many others to count.
I completely agree, analyzing humor is like trying to explain why we love certain people. It’s just not measurable and totally subjective.
I’m pretty funny too you know. I AM, OK?! I love when comedians find something that is an everyday thing and make you realise how ridiculous it is, and you’d never seen it like that before. It’s definitely a natural thing to be funny or not though isn’t it, two people can tell the same joke, and from one it’s hilarious, and from the other it just falls flat.
I agree, it’s the telling of the joke that counts too. The timing, the delivery, the pauses. I could never be a stand-up.
I’ve seen Lewis Black a couple of times. He’s hysterically funny. I’m also a big fan of Jim Norton, Dave Attell and Larry David. I apologize for none of those choices. Larry the Cable Guy does absolutely nothing for me, including, but not limited to, fixing my cable.
I have to agree with you, Larry the Cable Guy is not my cup of beer. My husband loves him.
Ohhhhh….Dave…..you won the book. Shoot me an email with your mailing address and I’ll ship it to you pronto! 🙂
WHAT!?!! I won something? Anything?!! You have NO IDEA how much this means to me! (Seriously)
I always loved Carlin. But I always loved Richard Pryor, too. But the funniest guy I ever saw, ever, ever, was Stephen Wright. He was just phenomenally weird and absurd.
I try to be funny, but it only works with ten year olds who are so desperate to avoid a lesson on dividing fractions that they’ll laugh at anything.
“Phenomenally weird” is the perfect way to describe Stephen Wright.
I can never get my kids to laugh at anything I ever do.
Well, they never laugh in front of you……Behind those closed bedroom doors, though, all bets are off.
I love George Carlin, too. I also think Jeff Dunham is hilarious (Peanut, not Achmed so much). Danny Bhoy is a favorite.
I recently learned of a hilarious, completely offensive comedian — Bill Hicks. I played the video linked to in Eva’s post: thepeanutbuttertable.com/2014/02/16/bill-hicks-would-you-happen-to-know-where-my-brother-is/ I listened and was offended – it starts out with a bit on pornography which is not my thing. But I find Eva funny, so I gave it another shot when I was in a different mood. And the man is hilarious. Here’s a link to my favorite part of his routine on religion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLS-l3VbCAM
A few years ago, I took a humor writing course. In our first assignment, we had to tell a funny story, and I planned to write up one I’d been telling for 30 years to peals of laughter. When I wrote it though, it died. It was flat. I couldn’t make it funny. I figured I’d lost my knack. I learned how to WRITE it funny, and since then, I can’t TELL it funny any more.
Thanks for those links, I will definitely check it out. Not much ever offends me in humor.
I agree writing something funny and telling it are two very different things and I know I normally suck at telling a joke.
This book sounds amazing! I’ve been gobbling up comedic books since last summer when I started writing a humorous nonfiction book.
I find all things out of the 90s funny. I grew up then. So I love books by Mindy Kaling and Sloane Crosley. I find jokes about situational stuff like travel or eating out funny – John Pinnette makes me cry laughing. My favorite comedian? Too hard to decide. I love Margaret Cho, John Pinnette, Eddie Gosling, Bill Cosby’s new comedy DVD was really funny. And of course I love watching MTV’s Girl Code.
As for comedians I don’t like, I’m with you on the puppet guy. And I’m not into the redneck comedians like Larry the Cable Guy or Jeff Foxworthy, but I do like Ron White. ???
I read Mindy’s last book and it was pretty funny. I love her TV sitcom, one of the few I DVR every week. I caught an episode of MTV’s Girl Code and actually liked it.
To me, humor is just a completely logical path to a totally unexpected conclusion. If you take a joke apart, you would see this pattern surprisingly often, even if it’s not at all obvious when first hearing or reading the joke. If the conclusion (a.k.a., punchline) is not unexpected – that is, the audience can predict where the joke is going, it would fall flat. If the logical path is too hard to follow (an unclear reference, for example), the joke would fail. Perfect timing is basically stating the unexpected conclusion half a second before the audience figures it out. Unfortunately, every person is just a little bit (or a lot) different in the logical paths they follow, and how quickly they can go through these paths for each given joke.
That’s it. I just need to type this in a really large font and sell it as my own book.
I agree, you basically just summed up humor perfectly!
So did I win? 🙂
The Brits crack me up—John Cleese and the Pythons, Ricky Gervais, all the Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movies (Shaun of the Dead), Stephen Fry. It’s that painful tight-assery that does me in.
Ricky Gervais seems to grate on people’s nerves but I just love him. He cracks me up all the time.
My usual reply to anything he does is, “Man, that’s SO BAD!”
This is tough. It depends on the genre. For sketch comedy, Dave Chappelle, Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein. For over-my-head commentary, Dennis Miller. For stand-up, Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Martin. Don’t get me started on humor writing…
If I win, Darla, I want the hat, too.
You got it. It’s a snazzy hat from Bean’s with built-in headlights that Angie won during my other giveaway. You could wear it for those midnight trips to the bathroom, that’s what I use it for.
I wish I had seen George Carlin perform. I have seen George Lopez and I didn’t really enjoy him but don’t mind him on tv. Odd hmmm.
I do really enjoy women comedians they put such thought into things that shouldn’t be funny which makes it funnier. Golly did that even make sense? I have heard the puppet guy is sooo much funnier on person. He was here last week but didn’t know in time, he happens to be one of my husbands favorites
There are lots of female comedians I love, especially Wanda Sykes, she’s one of my all-time favorites.
You are right, humor is subjective. I always found George Carlin the funniest man on the planet, I still find him funny (thank you YouTube). One of my favorite comedians was Richard Pryor, loved him back in the 70’s. George and Richard were both storytellers, both observers it is why to me they were funny. The other storyteller? Robin Williams, he could bring me to my knees at times.
I don’t think anyone can tell you what is funny.
Telling someone what’s funny is like telling them who to love. Everyone has such different tastes.
I must confess I’m not familiar with George Carlin. I am, however, a HUGE fan of Bill Cosby. He has a knack for taking little everyday anecdotes and turning them into the funniest stories you will ever hear. It’s all about finding the potential absurdity in a situation and cranking it up to eleven. Many of my other favorite comedians follow the same pattern, making humorous observations on life and such. It’s always especially funny if they’re coming from a similar background to yours; chances are, you’ve had a very similar experience and therefore know exactly why this particular anecdote/observation is so funny. 🙂
I think I read somewhere that Bill Cosby was actually coming back to primetime TV with a new sitcom. Should be good, he’s hilarious.
If it’s anything like The Cosby Show, it’ll be worth watching.
George Carlin is of course fabulous and funny, as is Anthony Clarke (old videos before he became famous.) Both comedians are sarcastic, dry, a little off center, and definitely not for everyone. It’s the sarcasm that is always my most favorite, delivered in the same tone I might utilize for a rant among friends, the same tone I try to avoid online!
Also, as one Maine girl to another, I just wanted to stop by and say hello! 🙂
I tend to like dry humor for sure. And humor that makes fun of life and points out the absurdity in things.
I feel the same way. Laughing at my own situations and trials would sometimes make for great stand up comedy. Thanks for your reply!!
Me too
I liked Mort Sahl for his droll humor and sharp observations about society. And Bill Cosby is a fave too. One of the funniest comics I’ve seen in person is Jackie Mason.
Hm…I’ll have to check into Mort Sahl, thanks!
Whoa…I got a tweet from Simon and Schuster about this book. I thought it was spam. Oops.
Me too. I get so many spam offers every day so I made sure to research it in case it was really an offer to sell me Viagra.
Funniest people ever – Parker and Stone, MacFarlane, Loius C.K. Of course, Carlin, Rivers. Roseanne. Falls flat? Jokes about parental punishment/abuse, which means not funny is George Lopez and anyone else who talks about how good it was that they were hit.
I once watched a documentary about South Park and nearly died laughing. Those guys are hysterical.
Oh yes, Roseanne. Love her too.
saw a few in comments I forgot – love Louis Black, hate Russell Peters . . .
I only seem to be funny when I am making fun of myself. Luckily I am ridiculous and have tons of material.
Jeff Foxworthy. He is funny and keeps it clean, after him it would have to be Bill Engvall and of course Gabriel Inglesias.
I used to be funny but then I got old and jaded, sigh.
I do like Carlen, Lopez and many others, used to like Roseanne, but then she strayed from what made her famous and like too many celebrities became political in a mean way.
Here I am again. I always wanted to be the next Erma Bombeck, I kid you not. I forgot Bill Cosby, Allen King, (showing my age here), George Burns, Bob Hope, Steve Martin and my brother Charlie.
There are a lot of comedians who resort to profanity and crude humor, and I attribute it to laziness. Carlin worked harder than anybody, and as offensive as his language could be, I had no trouble filtering it out, because there was so much brilliance behind it. As for identifying and defining humor, I doubt that’s possible. It’s just too subjective. But it almost always has something to do with shared experience, I think.
I love George Carlin. We had a videodisc (I KNOW) in the 80s of the first Saturday Night Live that he hosted. It was then that I fell in love with humor.