Why did the chicken cross the road?

[rinue]

Humor, at its root, is a discrepancy between what is stated and what is actual. For example, the classic knock-knock is founded on the principle that someone who asks "Leia who?" expects to hear Leia's last name, not "Leia down the red carpet; I'm coming through!" In reality, nobody seeking admission would mistake that question, nor would they offer their name as the lead-in for a pun. That is what makes it a joke -- it is not what would actually happen. Later knock-knock jokes take things a step further:

Q. Who's there?
A. Interrupting Cow.
Q. Interr--
A. MOO!

Since the recipient of the joke is already familiar with the knock-knock format, the humor occurs in the break with the norm. An ordinary knock-knock joke is expected, but instead of a pun, we get something of a non-seqitor, with the added sophistication of timing, (which increases the surprise, and therefore the humor).

This basic formula can be applied to most comedy. We laugh at roadrunner cartoons because we know that the coyote ought to catch the bird. We laugh harder when the coyote walks away from a horrifying explosion, both because we are especially certain that it would kill him, (therefore increasing our amusement when it doesn't,) and because of our apprehensions about death, which has been rendered impermanent even though we know it to be final.

I mention all this because certain parties have recently accused me of worrying too much because I frequently fret about every subject under the sun.

Considering my carefree take-no-prisoners style of existence, I have to conclude that they don't get the joke.

Comments

[treehavn.livejournal.com]

My friend always used to tell a joke that went something along the lines of:

Her - Ask me if I'm an orange
Me - Are you an orange?
Her - No, course not. What the fucks the matter with you, eh?

She thought it was very funny but nobody else did. I have no idea why it was always an orange either.